Nottingham

June 1, 2019
The legend of Robin Hood revisited and revised. Before the action moves to Nottingham and environs, we're plunged into war in the Holy Land in 1191, where Robin of Locksley serves as a body double for King Richard. After the brief but intense siege of Acre, the center of gravity shifts to Nottinghamshire, where we meet an extended cast of characters we're familiar with through hundreds of years of legend: Robin, Marion, Will Scarlet, John Little, Alan-a-Dale, Friar Tuck, and many others populate the forest and shire around Nottingham. But in Makaryk's retelling, the Band of Merry Men is not so merry, for they're preoccupied with the machinations of Roger de Lacy, the Sheriff of Nottingham, and his sordid companions. Interestingly, Robin only occasionally has center stage here, for the narrative is more interested in power relationships both in Nottingham and among Robin's band of thieves. Will Scarlet and his lover, Elena, are more active in the fight against de Lacy than Robin Hood, and they're somewhat contemptuous of Robin's timidity in the face of brute force. Ultimately, de Lacy is assassinated and replaced by the hapless William of Wendenal, who claims the people "know [he's] a fraud"--hardly the way to claim a role of either villainy or leadership. The novel occasionally rattles with what seems either odd or jarring word choices. For example, it's difficult to imagine Robin actually saying "Well damn" or Eric of Felley exclaiming "What the hell is this?" And despite the epic dimensions, there's surprisingly little payoff in action scenes, for most of the characters are preoccupied with advancing political or power agendas rather than fighting. A disappointing take on a legend still alive with possibilities.

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July 1, 2019
In Makaryk's debut, an imaginative retelling of the Robin Hood story, King Richard sends Robin of Locksley and bosom buddy William Wendenal to discover what's disrupting the Crusades' supply chain in England (hint: Marion's Men are involved). What is refreshingly different is that there are no villains here. Nottingham's road-to-hell makes use of proverbial paving materials: good intentions. The sheriff(s) of Nottingham, Guy of Gisborne, and Robin all want the same thing: peace, order, and to keep anyone (including the outlaws) from getting hurt. They attempt to work with each other to head off disaster, only to have politics, personalities, and the vagaries of fate spur a devolution that leaves Nottingham swimming in blood. Language and sensibilities are intentionally modern, which skews historical ambiance, while guaranteeing an appeal for fans of adventure-thrillers who like a good f-bomb and fight scene. Robin is but one small cog in the substantial machine of Makaryk's Nottingham as the author presents a large cast of characters and perspectives that allow his novel to provide a fresh take on an oft-told, always-compelling story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)