The Heirs of Locksley is the second book in the Robin Hood Stories series. I found it to be more like a novella at 128 pages, but the pacing is quick and it was a great, if short, read! So far, this is a duology, but it may evolve into something more.

Several other reviewers have mentioned that historically, Robin Hood has been a less than accurate figure, but in Carrie Vaughn's interpretation, Robin Hood becomes almost historically accurate. At least, he becomes less mythical and more real in this re-telling/original story about his heirs.

Mary, John, and Eleanor, the children of Robin and Marian, are fun characters who are headstrong, but also duty bound. Mary is the eldest, a whiz with a bow and always looking out for her younger sister. John is following in his father's footsteps, encouraging the new king to experience things he'd never experienced before and completely headstrong. Eleanor is the youngest, she doesn't speak and avoids crowds, she sticks close to Mary usually.

The plot is interesting, with Robin's kids navigating the political sphere created by the death of the former king. Now, England is ruled by a king who is no more than 13 years old and close in age to John. The pacing is fast and the book was over before I really realized it. I did enjoy the character development and the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book! I received a galley copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication August 4, 2020.***

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4 – 4.5 stars

This was a very enjoyable short story by another new-to-me author, Carrie Vaughn. The Heirs of Locksley follows an adventure with Robin Locksley’s children and recently ascended to the throne, King Henry III. The story, while short, was very well-paced and left me wanting more.

Book two in this wonderful series made me so happy. I read it in a matter of hours, directly after finishing book one The Ghosts of Sherwood, and I was so pleased by the ending. I wonder (hope, pray) that there will be a book three in this series as we seem to be delving deeper into each of the Locksley children as they grow up.

The children are older now, four years later, with Mary being twenty and wondering where her mysterious betrothed is. While the engagement may not quite be official, as Robin and Marian agreed to let her meet William first before marrying her off, it’s been a long time coming for the two to meet and decide if they will in fact be wed. John, meanwhile, is taller, stronger and while still mischievous in some ways, does have a practical head on his shoulders when needed. Eleanor, still brilliant and still without a voice, has learned a lot from watching those around her and her family relies on her as a litmus test for new people.

In this story we learn that King John, who took the phone after his brother King Richard died, has now also passed away and John’s son Henry is now on the throne. Henry is young, only thirteen, and surrounded by old advisors from his father’s years and not really allowed to be a power king or a child. Robin encourages his kids to bend the knee to Henry, for the sake of peace, and to gain his favor so that the truce between the house of Locksley and the crown may remain.

Without wanting to give too much away we see a lot of shenanigans, an archery contest and we finally meet William de Ros and see if he and Mary will be a match.

The characters are still fun, vibrant and completely relatable. I actually enjoyed most of the new characters we were introduced to and Vaughn’s depiction of how shallow and deceptive others can be gives me hope that she will continue on with this series and let us see more of what becomes of John and Eleanor.

Thank you to NetGalley, Carrie Vaughn and Tor.com for allowing me a copy of this ARC!

When I read or heard Locksley, I never thought about Robin Hoods children but this book caught my attention and I immediately requested it. Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange of an honest review.

This is the second book in the series and without reading the first one it was still easy to follow. This is a historic fiction and continues the tale of Robin and Marion and their children. It is an engrossing, fast paced and a short read. I was glued till the end and finished it in one sitting.

This book is about his children Mary, son and heir John and Eleanor. The characters are lovely and it is a delightful read.

Full of adventure the children not only thwart assasin attack, but also save the life of the young king, forming a life long bond of friendship. Lots of action and adventure. Hopefully there will be another one in the series.

It was weird to see Robin as a middle aged man man but I loved that he was still powerful. Loved and hated in equal measure.

Highly recommend this book it will be enjoyed by all age groups especially people like me who grew up reading tales of Robin Hood and his band of merry men and also who read tales of bravery, chivalry and bandits and outlaws.

A very short, quick enjoyable read.. Uncertain why the author or publisher decided to publish this and the preceding The Ghosts of Sherwood separately. Hopefully there will be a third installment. Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor for access to the eARC.

Second book in what I hope will be a trilogy. English historical fiction, a continuance of Robin and Marian's tale, and heroes fighting social injustice make this a delightful page turner.

I picked this up, admittedly rather early, because it combines two of my great reading loves, English history and fanfiction. And I really, truly was NOT expecting the second part of that equation.

I fell in love with English history at age 12, after seeing the movie Anne of a Thousand Days. I have no idea what drew me in so strongly. Certainly not any direct relationship to the history portrayed as I have zero English ancestry. Whether it was the pageantry, the politics or the power, I was absolutely hooked, leading to a life-long interest in British history, whether fictionalized or not.

Not that some of what grabbed me, like the Robin Hood and King Arthur, aren’t of dubious historical accuracy – at best.

But this particular novella duology – at least it’s a duology so far – does a terrific job of setting Robin Hood, Robin of Locksley, into a reasonably historical version of the time in which he was supposed to have lived, and skirts around the issues of exactly which, if any, of the tales about him might be true by making him a secondary character in these stories.

In these stories, Robin is no longer the outlaw of Sherwood. And he’s no longer a young man. Instead, he’s well into middle age, still powerful, still feared and hated and loved in equal measure, but also someone who recognizes that his time will inevitably draw to a close, sooner rather than later.

These stories focus on his children with Marian; his oldest daughter Mary, his son and heir John, and his slightly fey child Eleanor as they take their first steps into adulthood.

They also do a good job of giving bits of long-ago English history a face that makes them still feel relevant. The first book, The Ghosts of Sherwood, was a story about reckoning. About the nobles who favored King John still trying to eliminate Robin as a threat or a power, while the political maneuvering brought the negotiations surrounding the Magna Carta becomes personalized through his enemies attempt to kidnap his children – and his children manage to rescue themselves using the lessons their father and life on the edge of Sherwood have taught them.

In The Heirs of Locksley, the times have changed and the story has moved on a bit. It is 1220, and King John is dead. His 13-year-old son sits uneasily on the throne that he will occupy for the rest of his life. But Henry of Winchester, Henry III, is still a boy. A boy who never knew his father, but still stands in his shadow. The shadow of a man who seems to have pissed off everyone he ever knew.

Robin’s son John knows all about standing in a father’s long shadow. The two boys make a surprising common cause that leads them on an adventure that neither expected – to the consternation of all of the adults that surround them.

Escape Rating A-: I said at the beginning that this combined my loves of English history and fanfiction. The setting of these tales is between two of my favorite historical mystery series, both set in England and both occurring at times of great upheavals in history – as this series does.

I’m speaking of the Brother Cadfael series, by the late Ellis Peters, set in Shrewsbury, English between 1135 and 1145, at a time when the country was in the midst of a civil war. This series was also one of the first historical mystery series I have read, and the foundation of the popularity of the genre to this day.

The other series is the Owen Archer series, set in York in the late 1300s during the events that would eventually lead to yet another civil war, the Wars of the Roses. Both of these series, like these Robin Hood stories, do a fantastic job of drawing the reader directly into their time and place while still managing to comment on either our own, the immutability of human nature, or both.

(And now I’m missing Owen and will be moving the latest book in that series all the way up the virtually towering TBR pile!)

But I also referred to the Robin Hood stories as fanfiction – as the author does in the afterword to this book. It’s a concept that now that I’ve seen it, I can’t un-see it – and it resonates.

After all, the Robin Hood stories that we all know today weren’t written down until the late 1400s at the very earliest, three centuries after the adventures they portray. And even then, those written stories were merely printed versions of oral traditions that had arisen during the interim, sometime between Robin’s own time and the invention of the printing press.

As part of an oral tradition, the stories that were printed were the ones that were remembered, whether because they were the best stories, the most memorable ones, were just told by particularly charismatic storytellers – or all of the above. There’s no historical canon version, just a lot of stories that center around a larger-than-life character and his band of outlaws as they rebelled against an unjust authority.

It’s a “Fix-it” fic where the heroes fight wrongs and make things better in the end, as occurs when Richard the Lionhearted returns to his kingdom and the evil Sheriff of Nottingham is forced to leave Robin and his gang alone. The story conveniently ends before King Richard is killed and John takes back over, this time for good – or ill.

The Robin Hood Stories series are a kind of “next generation” fanfic where the author takes the beloved characters and tells readers what happened after the happy ever after, moving the story to the literal next generation, the earlier heroes’ children.

So she’s right. Not just that these stories feel like fanfiction but that the original Robin Hood stories were too. Complete with the “so many variations that the original canon is obscured” problem. In my review of the first book I noted that there’s a trend towards retellings going on right now. The world has gone mad and we’re all looking for the comfort of stories we know and love, in variations that may hold a few surprises but ultimately lead back to the tales that we already know.

And that’s what these Robin Hood Stories have been so far for me. A lovely comfort read with an interesting view of a historical period that I enjoy, an ultimately a visit with some old and very dear friends.

I hope there will be more.

Short, enjoyable novella continuing the adventures of Robin of Locksley's children. King John has died, and his 13-year-old son is being crowned. Robin instructs his son John to make friends with Henry, which leads to danger and changes for all of them.

Recommended, but read The Ghosts of Sherwood first (it's equally short).

This delightful tale brings to life the children of Lord Locksley or as many refer to him Robin Hood. Mary, John and Eleanor are at court to see the new boy King Henry for the first time. However following on from some advice from his father John decides to help thirteen year old Henry get away from his staid and stressful life and embrace just a very small rebellion. Trouble is what seems just a harmless bit of fun turns quickly into a grand adventure !
I absolutely loved this story with its vividly written characters that easily came to life in the theatre of my mind. Mary is capable, brave and everything I want in a heroine. John is on the cusp of manhood and starting to realise that his life is about to go in directions that previously he hadn't foreseen. Eleanor is perhaps less fleshed out but she's sneaky, perceptive and her actions certainly help save the day. There is even a slight touch of romance deftly written in that made me smile for Mary but also wonder what the future holds for John. This is perfect for younger readers than myself as well as those who like me are long past our days of climbing trees !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

This is set at the time of young King Henry III's Westminster coronation in 1220. (He'd been crowned previously in 1216 – age 9 – in Gloucester when the legendary William Marshal, first Earl of Pembroke had been his regent.) Henry's early reign was beset with trouble, the Barons' War and the attempt by Prince Louis of France to take the English throne, followed the threat of incursions by Prince Llewelyn of Wales.

This is the second book featuring the teenage Locksley children – but I haven't read the first. The premise is that Robin (Hood) of Locksley and Marian have three children, Mary, John and Eleanor, the youngest, who doesn't speak and is affected by crowds. The word autistic wasn't in use in the 13th century but it seems that she is somewhere on the spectrum.

Robin suggests to John that the young king will need some young friends, since he's constantly surrounded by older men, bishops and powerful nobles. Henry is currently too young to rule in his own right. When John takes his father at his word and encourages the young king on a tree-climbing expedition for fun, they overhear a plot and rescue a young clerk. In the ensuing action, Mary meets the knight she's been betrothed to but has never met. The children of Robin and Marian are growing up.

This would work well for YA or for smart middle-grade kids. I've enjoyed Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville books and while this is clearly aimed at younger readers, it's still very readable for adults, too. I'm a sucker for all things Robin Hood.

The Heirs of Locksley is the second book about Robin and Marian's children. I did not read the first one but was able to follow along just fine. King John is dead and a young Henry the 3rd has taken to the throne and Robin sends his kids because he thinks the new King might enjoy having some fellow kids along. This turns into an adventure. This is a quick read and makes me want to pick up the first in the series and see what happens next for Mary, John and Eleanor.

ARC provided by Tor.com via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this even more than the first book. They're very short and quite light reads, which is sort of the point. While they are not YA, they would probably be suitable for a YA audience (including the 12 - 14 end.) While Vaughn is clearly not writing the gritty 13th C for the sheer hell of showing the plagues and bloodshed, she doesn't shy away from the nastier aspects - hinting at them and leaving the reader to form her own opinion. As far as what are essentially fantasy reimaginings of the High Medieval period go, the history is also fairly accurate.

This book picks up some years after the Ghosts of Sherwood. Mary has still not met her betrothed and now that she is an adult, is starting to feel frustrated as well as nervous with the situation. Her younger brother, John, is now sixteen and while still a mischievous scapegrace, his judgement has matured. The youngest child of Robin Hood, Eleanor, is still mute but here we see her as a clever teenager who is just as adventurous and competent as her siblings. King John is dead and his son - 13yr old Henry III - is receiving oaths of fealty. Robin of Lockesley would like his children to befriend the lonely young king, since he wants a better less tempestuous life for his children than he and Marian suffered in their early years. John takes this advice to heart with disastrous consequences...

These novellas are a lot of fun. They're quieter fantasy stories but there's a lot of intelligent character development going on and they have a lot of heart. I really hope there are more in the series. Highly recommend.

I didn’t like this one as much as the first one. Like The Ghosts of Sherwood, I found The Heirs of Locksley to be too short. I also thought that the plot was a little contrived. There were a lot of coincidences and characters just happening to be at the right place at the right time.

This sequel to "The Ghosts of Sherwood" is even stronger than its excellent predecessor. As the three children of Robin Hood begin to accept the strengths and hazards of their legacy, each shows their special talents: Mary, the planner whose skills include archery, strategy, and pragmatism; John whose sincere charm inspires goodwill, and Eleanor, the wild card, silent and creative. Fast pace and plenty of adventure as together they manage to thwart assassins and save the life of a king. John gains a lifelong friend, Mary finds love, and young Eleanor proves worth beyond her skills with a needle. Excellent short read!.

#HeirsofLocksley #NetGalley
A easy read. Young adults will enjoy the adventure and retelling of a classic tale with a new twist to it.

King John is dead and thirteen-year-old Henry III has ascended the British throne surrounded by advisors and sycophants. When the nobility is to be introduced to the new king, Robin of Locksley aka Robin Hood suggests to his children, especially his son, John, that they go in his stead as Henry might need a friend, someone close to his age who wants nothing from him. Henry is immediately fascinated by the three having heard all the legends about their father. When he admits wistfully that he has never climbed a tree, John decides to sneak him out of the palace for a night of mischief, a vey dangerous plan since the discovery of it could be construed as kidnapping. Worse, as they sit high up in a tree, they overhear what may be a murder and a possible plot against an adviser of the king.

The Heirs of Locksley is based on the legendary character of Robin Hood, or to be more precise, his children, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's very short, really a novella, and it's well written with a fair bit of action and palace intrigue to keep the story moving. The three Locksley children are very likeable as is Henry. I had not realized this was the second in a series but it worked fine as a standalone.

I do, however, have to say that the length of the story worked both as a plus and a minus here. It felt that many of the plot points lacked both purpose or closure. They added little to the story and just seemed to be included here to, for example, allow the introduction of another character. Perhaps they'll be addressed in a future book but, here, they felt out of place. That aside, however, I would recommend it to any young reader (10+) who is looking for a quick read with likeable characters, lots of action but little violence.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

I was disappointed in this one, mainly because I know the author is capable of writing much better stories than this.

It's very short, leaving little room for character development or plot, and there's not much of either. What plot there is relies entirely on two big coincidences, and I'm not at all a fan of having coincidence drive your plot.

The first coincidence has the form, if not the content, of a Convenient Eavesdrop: characters just happen to be in the right place at the right time to observe something significant. In this case it's not a conversation, but an event, in which they intervene (so there is some protagonism, at least).

The second coincidence is a completely random meeting with someone who's been previously mentioned. As soon as the person came on stage, it was obvious to me who it would be, even though there was no non-narrative-driven reason for it to be that person out of hundreds of others.

Not at all up to the author's usual standard. The first book was slightly disappointing, but at least had some moving moments; this does not. If there's a third, I won't bother with it.

I received a copy via Netgalley for review.