Scarlet (King Raven Trilogy, #2)

by Stephen Lawhead

After losing everything he owns, forester Will Scarlet embarks on a search for none other than 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.

Now, however, Will is in prison for a crime he did not commit. His sentence is death by hanging--unless he delivers King Raven and his band of cohorts.

That, of course, he will never do.

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.

From deep in the forest they form a daring plan for deliverance, knowing that failure means death for them all.

Scarlet continues Stephen R. Lawhead's riveting saga that began with the novel Hood, which relocated the legend of Robin Hood to the Welsh countryside and its dark forests. Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medieval Britain, Lawhead's trilogy conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.

• ISBN10: 159554089X
• ISBN13: 9781595540898
• Publish Date: 8 June 2008 (first published 1 September 2007)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Thomas Nelson Publishers
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 464
• Language: English

Reviews

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

Lawhead's take on the book continues to amaze me. His characters continue to grow, and even in a new environment, the old story of Robin Hood remains clear and strong. Scarlet is written in a slightly different voice than Hood was - it is told mostly in the first person in the voice of a brand new character to the trilogy - William Scatlocke (or Will Scarlet). The change in voice between books one and two is very noticeable, but not abrasive. It keeps the story refreshing and reminds the reader that it is a story of the people, not just the hero.

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

Excellent book told from a very different perspective.

[cherryblossommj]

Will Scarlet has always been my favorite Robin Hood character for as long as I can remember knowing different versions of the historical tales. This book does not change that at all. This is Will Scarlet in more depth than any book or film has ever shown him. Everything you ever once thought of him or wanted to know is given in a wonderfully melodious tone by [a: Steven Lawhead|4260614|Steve Lawhead|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] and your imagination can soar. I was thoroughly impressed by [b: Hood|44533|Hood|Emma Donoghue|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1343682756l/44533._SY75_.jpg|1413310], but so much more by [b: Scarlet|12296|The Scarlet Letter|Nathaniel Hawthorne|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1404810944l/12296._SY75_.jpg|4925227] yet in different ways. I recommend this book to anyone who loves celtic, Britons, old english, Robin Hood, medieval, knights, and chivalry... as well as just good old adventure. There is nothing "tasteless" in this novel as you find in many books these days... meaning there is moral delimma with characters that are just out right evil. But you do not find the protagonists as lust filled murders. It is just plain good stories twisted together to keep you up hours into the night reading until there is no more. So sad that I have to wait until 2009 for the Trilogy end [b: Tuck|84981|Tuck Everlasting|Natalie Babbitt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1445184695l/84981._SY75_.jpg|1955922]... but I am fairly certain it will be worth it.

Oh, and there are other Lawhead books that I've read that didn't "hook" me, but these King Raven Trilogy books are really to die for.