Lady of the Forest

August 30, 1993
Roberson's rendition of the legend of Robin Hood and Maid Marian is diverting and delightful.

July 1, 1992
Though with two fantasy series under her belt, Roberson has not yet made a big mark with the fiction-buying public. "Lady of the Forest" may very well change that situation--and let's hope it does. Roberson refers to her synthesis of the Robin Hood legends as a prequel--her explanation of why, in a caste-ridden society, such disparate individuals as an earl's son, a knight's daughter, a shepherd, a murderer, a minstrel, and a simpleton banded together for a common goal, and why a father, a sheriff, his seneschal, and a king's brother vehemently opposed them. As anthropology, psychology, and fiction, Roberson's explanation is captivating. Remaining true to thirteenth-century English conventions and characters, she ushers the reader authentically and dramatically into times past, exploiting a rich and evocative language--would that Errol Flynn and Kevin Kostner had aimed so high! An imaginative and riveting novel, impossible to put down and ironically sad to finish. The considerable ad campaign will prompt interest, and librarians should prepare themselves accordingly. ((Reviewed July 1992))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1992, American Library Association.)