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Warlord (The Outlaw Chronicles, #4)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The fourth book in Angus Donald's <i>Outlaw</i> series, this one is primarily set in and around the last years of Richard I (The Lionheart) reign, leading up to his death on 06/04/1199 after being struck in the shoulder by a crossbow bolt fired from a castle he was besieging in Southern France.

Like the previous three books in the series, this is presented as an elderly Alan Dale recounting the adventures of his youth, with each section (and the epilogue) of the novel as him committing the tale to paper, and his thoughts in so doing.

While the cover of the novel also has "A Robin Hood tale" above the title, I actually found that character to be sidelined more in favour of Alan in this novel than in the previous, where he very much was central to the story but seemingly not so much here. That's not to mean that he's not present, and that he doesn't have a role to play: just that this novel is more about Richard than it is Robin.

The novel also includes elements form that other great Medieval tale/obsession of the Holy Grail, which is worked into the reason why Richard is besieging the castle (at Robin's urgings) at which he receives his fatal wound. That plot strand, however, is also left wide-open for the sequel, already announced as titled <i>Grail Knight</i>, and which I'm already looking forward to!
  
Robin Hood and the Castle of Bones
Robin Hood and the Castle of Bones
Angus Donald | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The newest entry (at the time of reviewing) in Angus Donald's 'Robin Hood' series, set between "Robin Hood and the Caliph's Gold" and "King's Man", which should really be called "Alan Dale and the Castle of Bones" (although I understand why it is not), as it is more concerned with the trials and tribulations of the (here) 17 year old Alan Dale, still travelling home to England from the Holy Land in the company of Robin, Little John, Hanno and other members of Robin's entourage.

And Alan deserves a slap around the head more than once throughout this.

Robin, of course, has his own agenda, sowing chaos and seeking opportunity in Burgundy on behalf of (or so he says) King Richard.