Hood, pt IV

I finished Hood on Monday--while I was at the library actually. If you've read any of Lawhead's books and enjoyed them, then you need to read this one. At the end of the book Lawhead explained his rationale for setting this long familiar story in eleventh century Wales. It is a good argument methinks. What he has really done is to re-Britishize a familiar story.

Realize here I use the term British in its original meaning. The first (or first in recorded history--whatever) inhabitants of England were the Celts, the British. These were the tribes that the Romans conquered--as in neighboring Gaul. Legends arose from these people that were later passed on to, or inspired tales created by their subsequent conquerors the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes (the English). These in turn were conquered by the Normans in 1066. The tale of King Arthur was embellished and largely created in the Middle Ages in England, though the tale was originally British or at least about a British hero. In his Pendragon Cycle Lawhead took the stories of King Arthur back to their British roots. Though he did keep familiar figueres that were created much later than others--he has done the same with Hood. Apparently Marian was one of the last characters to enter the tale--but she does feature.

So yes, this is a novel--it isn't a true attempt to tell the "true Robin Hood's tale" (as King Arthur purported to tell the true tale of King Arthur). Rather Lawhead exposes what he believes are the proper origins of the popular figure of Robin Hood and sets his story in that time. As I mentioned previously he does this fabulously well. Besides his usually wonderful characters Lawhead impressed me with his characerizations of the various cultures. I could really see the vast differences between the Normans and the Welsh (the Ffreinc and Cymry) and it wasn't just evil vs. good. It was a true culture clash (between two "Christian" cultures noless).

Aunt Bee, were I closer I'd definately let you borrow my copy. But I hope you enjoy your re-reading of Lawhead's earlier books. I think I'm going to go to the library's webpage next and see if I can reserve the Song of Albion--unfortunately my copies are buried somewhere deep in my storage unit.

~Matt

PS Curses, they don't have it!!!! :'( I don't know what I'll do now...
PPS And the biggest reason I want to reread these ones specifically is because the first chapter of The Paradise War is printed in the very back of Hood. "It all began with the aurochs."