Review: ROBIN: LADY OF LEGEND by R.M. ArceJaeger

 

ROBIN: LADY OF LEGEND, (The Untold Adventures of the Girl Who Became Robin Hood)

R.M. ArceJaeger

Amazon Kindle Edition, ASIN-B006SFN4GI

Platypus Press, (505KB)

January 2012.

Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous retell of the classic story Robin Hood, but this time the role of Robin Hood is a girl. Robin is the recalcitrant, headstrong daughter of Lord Robert of Locksley.  She has no recollection of a warm loving father.  She has little contact with him, he is distant and reclusive, preferring to ignore his two daughters.  Then one day she is summoned to meet with her father. With cautious trepidation she arrives in his study.

He begins by stating the obvious, that it is her birthday. However, he is unable to recall that she is eighteen, not seventeen, and Robin politely corrects him. Without delay her father announces he has a surprise for her that he will reveal at her birthday feast. During the celebration she accepts a dance with a man who introduces himself as Phillip. He roughly pulls her close with arrogance and Robin is revolted by his acrid breath and demeanor. Once the music stops, Robin is further repelled when he kisses her on the lips. Some time later, her father announces her birthday surprise. It is the engagement of his daughter Robin to Phillip Darniel, the Sherriff of Nottingham. Robin is loath to accept Phillip, and is shocked with disbelief.

It is this situation that leads to her plan.  She will never agree to this marriage. With skill, determination and cunning Robin of Locksley, expert archer, transforms herself into a young boy.

R.M. ArceJaeger crafts the retelling of the classic Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest with the substitution of Robin, a women heroine.   She honors the classic by keeping the original characters, but the adventures are more complicated with a woman leading her band of outlaws.  I for one am delighted that this Robin gives young girls a role model that isn't dressed as the beautiful helpless princess. The story is most suitable for YA audiences and adults due to some mature content. Place is easily envisioned with the author's ability to capture mood and setting with precise descriptive prose.

Honestly, I couldn't put my Kindle down. I read this one in one afternoon at lightening speed. ROBIN LADY OF LEGEND will captivate readers with start to finish action adventure that certainly complements the original.

 Disclaimer: A Kindle Edition of this book was sent digitally for my review. This review is my honest opinion without bias for any reason.

Reference Links: http://rmarcejaeger.com

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2012].

Disclaimer: A Kindle Edition of this book was sent digitally for my review. This review is my honest opinion without bias for any reason.

 

Friday Finds-Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins to be released by Scholastic on August 24, 2010!

The release of the third book in the widely popular Hunger Games is set for August 24, 2010. This day will coincide with her North American book tour that will take her throughout the United States. I'm looking forward to her visit in Connecticut and the New York City area.

I came across this interview series with Suzanne Collins on the Scholastic Website. This is only part one of a five part interview with the author. She talks about where her ideas to write this series came from, classical and from our lives today. I teach media literacy to young children. I share her concerns about reality TV versus reality in the world. Are we becoming desensitized from viewing a blurred crossover of reality TV and the real world images of war and other violence in the world?

I learned a lot about this writer and her books from watching her interview segments. I hope you enjoy it too!

Classical Inspiration



Desensitization





For those of you who have not read The Hunger Games, here is a synopsis from Scholastic:

More About The Hunger Games
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capital surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capital is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the death on live TV. One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The winner brings riches and favor to his or her district. But that is nothing compared to what the Capital wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rules. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her impoverished district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to death before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. Acclaimed writer Suzanne Collins delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this stunning novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. For more information about The Hunger Games and to download digital images, visit http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/hungergames.

Friday Finds is hosted by Should be Reading.

Sunday Salon-Glad to be back!

It's great to be back on Sunday Salon. I can't wait to visit everyone's blog. It's been a rough couple of months for me, but this week I'm feeling better. Although not quite 100%, I can at least read a little and write to you. It has been unbearably difficult not being able to write on my blog and reading yours. All is good today though and that's all that matters.

Obviously, my reading has been very low for May because of my illness, but I did start a couple of books to make up for lost time.

I'm reading The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan-published in 1963. Wow! This is a must read about the state of women during the late 50's and early 60's. This period of time has been called the Second Wave of the feminist movement. Amazing stuff!!!

Also on the nightstand are:
Sea Changes by Gail Graham...fabulous!
Every Boat Turns South by J.P. White...riveting!
Leviathan by Eric Jay Dolin...compelling history of whaling in America.

Review: Salvos on the Backwater

Salvos on the Backwater: A Novel of the Civil War Period,Erin Wunderlich, XLibris, 2008, hc$22.99/ pb$15.99, 284pp, 1-4257-9845-4

It is 1863 on the Gulf Coast of Florida on the Apalachee Bay. Cap’n Jack Nichols and his Uncle Wiley are fishing on board the Chopee. This area of Florida is a dangerous place with constant treats of gators, panthers, snakes and other wild animals. Along with beastly harm comes the threat of Confederate pickets and Union soldiers who are crawling the countryside. It is a battleground for control. Bridges are targets. Waterways patrolled. Clear passage to ship goods is essential to both sides and at any cost. Desperate men will work for food and turn colors quicker than a the flash of a lighting hits the earth. Jack prefers fishing to any involvement in the war as he tries to remain neutral.

On this day, Jack and Wiley come upon the USS General Lyon and they frantically dodge cannonball fire. But Jack knows the labyrinth of streams, land and islands like his own name. They escape capture, possibly death and when they slip away they encounter a homestead. They meet the widow Rebecca, her father and son who have come upon tough times. Before leaving, Jack helps Rebecca get on her feet. Smitten with the widow, Wiley notices Jacks backward glancing smile as they leave. Jack continues to face peril from the Civil War and his nemesis Timber Harris. Harris, a sore looser, lost his boat to Jack in a card game and won’t rest till he gets revenge. According to Jack, “For me Harris is like a rip tide that keeps dragging my britches back toward trouble”

This historically informative action adventure provides a look at Florida in the Civil War era not often written about. Jack the manly, ingenious, Indiana Jones type main character is captivating. The plot is predictable , however that does not diminish the fine writing and imagery captured in the semantic dialect of the area.


You may want to read this one for the Southern Book Challenge 2009. This is one of my choices.

1/2

Sunday Salon-Review-Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow

Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow
by James Rollins
Harper Collins
9780061473791
April 28, 2009,416 pages





James Rollins, writer and New York Times best selling author of adult books has written a young adult book of extraordinary excitement on every page. I read it this weekend in one day, a quick read although about 400 pages. It is his pacing and clever combination of writing action to drive the text. You can't stop, he won't let you. Anyway, if you have a 5th grader, middle school student who likes adventure, with some fantasy. Maybe a Macguiver meets Indiana Jones then this book is for him/her.

Review:

Jake Ransom and his older sister Kady receive a mysterious invitation to an opening exhibit of Mayan Treasures at The British Museum in London. Three years ago their parents disappeared on an archeology exhibition. Jake, having a penchant for studies and strong desire to follow in his parent’s footsteps is thrilled. Kady, diva and social butterfly is reluctant to go, but ultimately agrees when she realizes cameras will be everywhere. How could she possibly miss this fashion and social opportunity.

Unfortunately their trip to London takes them farther than they expected as they find themselves in another place. It’s definitely not London as they immediately face a carnivorous dinosaur. Ultimately they meet the inhabitants who are people from multiple ancient civilizations all living together in a place called Calypso.

Rollins has set the scene for the perfect action adventure story for middle grade students. They are lost in a strange place. They are alone are among strangers. They
are immediately faced with their first life or death challenge.

Your heart will beat with the cadence of his poetic prose. Fast moving drama pushes you forward with a driving beat through his use of lyrical text. Rollins is a master of momentum and tension. A barrage of sound effects will come alive as you are compelled to turn each page no just reading but hearing the story.

Students will beg to stay up late to read this book and it will fly off the library shelves. Let’s hope the sequel is not far behind. This well written series will fill the holes in many library collections. Rollins is a natural fit for the young adult fantasy adventure drama.

Wisteria Leigh
New Milford, CT

Sunday Salon, July 27th...Tracking Daddy Down

Happy Sunday to all my friends!!! Some of you may have missed the review of Woman of a Thousand Secrets by Barbara Wood on an earlier post this week. It is due out in September and fans of historical fiction will enjoy this one. Check out the review for details.

I read a couple of new children's books this week. One is reviewed below which I have to tell you is hysterical. If you have kids, this will be released on September 16th. I believe this is her first book and I know judging from this book, we should be seeing more from her. This writer defines each character with perfection by giving them a natural voice that is believable. I love her writing style and wit. I hope this becomes a character series because the main character is too good to say goodbye to.


Tracking Daddy Down,
by Marybeth Kelsey is too outrageously entertaining.

I couldn’t get to the end fast enough. I fell in love with all the characters, but most especially Billie Wisher. Billie is the daughter of a bank robber and she desperately wants to find him so that she can persuade him to give himself up. Her tenacity and loyalty are commendable, but not without serious consequences. Beneath the humor is a serious lesson that Billie learns when she finds her daddy, and discovers more than she was looking for. You can’t help but chuckle when this mighty master of the mouth speaks. She is the future captain of the debate team without a doubt. Billie made me think of Galadriel(Gilly), from The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson. Both have the same, comical, quick witted, sassy backtalk that you must love because it is so genuinely real. I know we will want to see more of Billie Wisher in future books.

This book would be suitable for a class read aloud in grades 3-6 and for independent readers ages 8-12. Teachers will find this ideally suited for literature circles or readers’ workshop.