Neil Smith (7)

A historical fiction-esque book, but also a biography of Robin Hood, as told through his myths and legends over the years. Smith does a good job tying together his various incarnations, summarizing who he typically is and who his Merry Men are. Interspersed in the book are photos from his various media representations, from Kevin Costner to Russel Crowe, to 1920's silent films. While being a good summary of the legend, Smith also tells of the historical likelihood of his existence as well as show more detailing his personal weapons and who the historical figure could really have been. show less

When I saw the title and the characteristic Osprey-style illustration for this book, I immediately went on to read it. Like many people, I am a big fan of the illustrations in Osprey books, so Robin Hood by Neil Smith was irresistible.

Robin Hood is not your typical fictionalised account of the world's favourite outlaw, nor is it a history textbook. This book is a bit a mixture of the two, and great for kids who want to learn about Robin and his exploits without resorting to thick (and show more boring) textbooks.

After reading about all of Robin's adventures, you're given the chance to link all these stories to real history. You don't get that in your average novel, do you? Here you get a lot of different characters and how they may be linked to Robin's story. The book ends with a take on how the story of Robin Hood has evolved with modern media. You'll learn how the story was reinterpreted in the different Hollywood movies. Quite an interesting ending.

Read the full review on Becker's Book Reviews: http://sylbecke.blogspot.com/2014/02/book-review-robin-hood-by-neil-smith.html show less

A YA introduction to Robin Hood. Most of the book attempts to separate fact from legend. It includes some nice illustrations as well. This work is a good starting point for young adults.

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