Locksley

by Nicholas Chase

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312494289
• ISBN13: 9780312494285
• Release Date: January 1983
• Publisher: St. Martin's Marek
• Length: 279 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Locksley Review

I loved the book Locksley by Nicolas Chase for many different reasons. The three main reasons are that I love historical fiction, the book is very clever, and it had a realistic, but amusing (and exiting) plot. The first major reason I loved the book Locksley so much is because I am a huge fan of Historical Fiction. I am so engaged by History, and I read many true stories about and from history. But there are only so many true stories to tell. That is why historical fiction is so great. It takes the truth about a situation and puts false characters into it that can lead the lives the author wants them to. Many of Britons problems during the Crusades are perfectly depicted in Locksley, down to the smallest detail, yet it is seen through the eyes of the completely false character Robin Hood. The second major reason I enjoyed Locksley is that it has a clever but understandable storyline. It takes the basic story of "Robin Hood," and creates a cunning and fun (yet exiting and realistic) story that revolves around "Robin Hood," yet is so much more. It aggrandizes the political and social loopholes in 12th century Brittan, while showing the life styles of slaves, freemen, merchants, nobles, barons, and kings. Along with that, the dialog is fast and witty, but with interesting facts about that time period intertwined into every sentence. The third and final reason this book appealed to me is its entertaining but adventurous plot. It was very exiting, with many twists and turns, but not too many or in such ways as to make it unbelievable or far-fetched. I like historical novels that deal with everyday people. Locksley was that and more, with so many different roles being portrayed and explored that I felt as thought I had researched 12th century Brittan for a great part of my life. It started with Robert Godfrey Bouvier Atheling of Locksley Manor, who, throughout the story, met so many people, did so many things, and assumed so many identities (namely Robin Hood and Daniel Delore) that I was able to dive into every aspect of that time period's life styles. As Robert Atheling said, "I've been a scholar, ordinand, crusader, a murderer and a smuggler, royal equerry and regicide..." No other story could have appealed to my senses more.

A different spin...

This is probably the most unique telling of the Robin Hood legend that I've read so far. It's told completely from Robin's perspective. It begins with Robin in the crusades. He ends up becoming a sort of undercover spy for Richard. Also, Marian is Robin's sister in this version...don't worry, for those who like romance, there's another lady love for Robin. I recommend this book for anyone interested in Robin Hood.

This may be the best Robin Hood story so far

What a shame this is such a little known work that one sees remaindered about the place and can pick up often enough for fifty cents. It's got nothing to do with the quality of this first rate retelling of the story of Robin Hood. Who knows why these things happen: publishers must err occasionally, I suppose. Or perhaps the author really is, as I've read somewhere, a pair of brothers writing under a joint and singular pseudonym, and they've fallen out! Don't tell anyone you read that here. Instead, put pressure on someone to dig it out for you from somewhere, at any cost. It's probably one of the most under-rated books of the last century. And who can resist dear old Robin!