King Raven Trilogy

The King Raven Trilogy, by Stephen R. Lawhead, is a series of historical novels based on the Robin Hood legend. Lawhead relocates Robin Hood from Sherwood Forest in Nottingham to Wales, and sets the story in the late eleventh century, after the Battle of Hastings and to coincide with the Norman invasion of Wales and the struggles the Cymry (Welsh) people against the Normans, and the political intrigue of medieval Britain.^[1] The trilogy consists of three books named Hood, Scarlet, and Tuck. The King Raven series continued his themes of reimagining popular mythology into more authentic and gritty settings, which began with his Pendragon Cycle.

Hood

Hunted like an animal by Norman invaders, Bran ap Brychan, heir to the throne Elfael, has abandoned his father's kingdom and fled to the greenwood. There, in the primeval forest of the Welsh borders, danger surrounds him—for this woodland is a living, breathing entity with mysterious powers and secrets, and Bran must find a way to make it his own if he is to survive. Through the suffering of his pride-torn soul and the land of ancestors being destroyed by powerful forces, Bran envisions the dangerous paths in which his ambition is drawn, and soon succumbs to his fate.

The book was dedicated to the Schloss Mittersill Community in Austria, which he and his wife were part of for a couple of years.^[2]

Scarlet

After losing everything he owns, forester Will Scarlet embarks on a search for King Raven, whose exploits have already become legendary. After fulfilling his quest—and proving himself a skilled and loyal companion—Will joins the heroic archer and his men.

However, Scarlet is captured and imprisoned for being a follower of the rebel Raven. He is sentenced to death by hanging—unless he delivers King Raven and his band of cohorts. That, of course, he will never do. Simultaneously, Wales is slowly falling under the control of the invading Normans, and King William the Red has given his ruthless barons control of the land. In desperation, the people turn to King Raven and his men for justice and survival in the face of the ever-growing onslaught.

In 2008, Scarlet won a Christy Award in the category of Visionary Fiction.

Tuck

The story of Rhi Bran y Hud concludes as Abbot Hugo and the Norman invaders attempt to wipe out King Raven and his flock once and for all.

Their merciless attack, the first of many to come, heralds a dark and desperate day for the realm of Elfael. Bran and his few stalwarts desperately need encouragement and reinforcement if they are to survive. Bran and Friar Tuck, a most unconventional priest, ride north to rally the tribes of Wales to the fight, making new friends, and even more powerful enemies along the way.

Tuck, the final installment of the trilogy, was released on January 22, 2009.

Reception

The Raven King Trilogy has enjoyed a largely positive response from readers, scoring an average of 3.96 out of 5 stars by GoodReads reviewers (Hood - 3.86/5 stars, 93% of people like; Scarlet - 3.97/5 stars, 96% of people like; Tuck - 4.05/5 stars, 96% of people like),^[3][4][5] and an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars by reviewers on Amazon.com (Hood - 4.3/5 stars; Scarlet - 4.4/5 stars; Tuck - 4.5/5 stars).^[6][7][8]

Scarlet was particularly well-received, winning a Christy Award in 2008 in the "Visionary" category.^[9]

References