"The Heirs of Locksley" is a captivating and well-written novella in The Robin Hood Stories series, that puts a new spin on the classic Robin Hood story. The novel follows the adventures of the children of Robin Hood and Marian as they navigate their way through a dangerous and complicated world. As with the original story, the themes of justice, honor, and loyalty are central to the plot.

One of the strengths of this novel is the way Vaughn develops her characters. Each of the children, as well as the other characters, is given depth and complexity, and their relationships with each other are well-drawn. Readers will become invested in the fates of these characters and will find themselves rooting for them throughout the story.

Vaughn's writing style is also a notable highlight of the novel. She has a talent for vividly describing the landscapes and settings of her story, making the reader feel as if they are right there alongside the characters. Her pacing is well-balanced, with action and character development interspersed throughout the story.

Another notable aspect of this novel is the way it deals with themes of gender and power. The female characters are just as capable and strong as the male characters, and their perspectives are given just as much weight. This adds an extra layer of interest to the story and makes it all the more compelling.

Overall, "The Heirs of Locksley" is a captivating and well-written novel that breathes new life into the classic Robin Hood story. Vaughn's writing style, character development, and themes are all strong, making for a compelling and enjoyable read. Fans of historical fiction and retellings will find much to enjoy in this book, and I highly recommend it.

'The Heirs of Locksley' by Carrie Vaughn is a follow up novella to 'The Ghosts of Sherwood' and features the children of Robin Hood and Marian.

King John is dead, and his 13 year old son, King Henry III, is being coronated. Along with the pageantry there is an archery contest and other court intrigue. John, Mary and Eleanor find themselves in the middle of things.

I have thoroughly enjoyed both of these novels. They have a nostalgic charm for me of reading Robin Hood stories when I was younger, and the nice thing about Robin Hood Stories (as pointed out in the afterword), is that we always need them for the times we are in.

I purchased this book, a sequel, for my high school library. My students have enjoyed it. and it has circulated well.

Mary, John, and Eleanor were attending the coronation of Henry III. Robin asked John to swear fealty to Henry III on behalf of the family. The name triggered remembrance of stories in Henry's brain which led to an archery contest with both John and Mary competing. Then John had a "brilliant" idea, since Henry had never climbed a tree, they would sneak out and climb nearby apple trees. But while so engaged, a conspiracy stumbled upon them and an adventure ensues. Plenty of running, shooting, and surprise encounters filled that night and the next day. In all, a very satisfying adventure!

This was a nice little jaunt through the world of Robin Hood. I enjoyed this installment more than the first, the main reasons being that it seemed to flow better, have more of a consistent through-line, and we spent more time with Robin and Marian's children.

I really enjoyed spending more time with the "heirs of Locksley"; seeing the fun of the archery contest, the way John goes about befriending Henry, Mary's yearning to see this man she's (almost) betrothed to. I kind of wish this were a full length novel, to be honest and would definitely be interested in reading any more stories Carrie Vaughn writes in this series.

I'd recommend for lovers of the original tale of Robin Hood, and for those interested in medieval fiction. I think this is probably classified as YA, but as an adult who is a long time lover of Robin Hood I did very much enjoy it.

*I was given a copy of this title via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

4+ stars. The adventures of Robin Hood’s three children continue in The Heirs of Locksley, the second novella in Carrie Vaughn‘s ROBIN HOOD STORIES series. It takes a unexpected four-year leap forward from The Ghosts of Sherwood. The eldest, Mary, is now aged twenty and still hasn’t met the young man she’s semi-betrothed to, and her feelings have shifted from fear and uncertainty to irritation that William de Ros still hasn’t bothered to come meet her; in fact, she’s beginning to wonder if he even exists. John (named after Little John) is in his later teens now, and the youngest, Eleanor, is thirteen.

Robin’s old enemy King John died a few years ago, and his thirteen-year-old son Henry is having his second coronation, which historically occurred in May of 1220. Vaughn sets this story in the midst of this actual event, when the nobility have gathered in London for the coronation. Young King Henry III takes a shine to the Locksley children when they’re presented to him, and impulsively announces an archery contest. John and Mary, both excellent archers (especially Mary) who are well-taught by their father, decide, in for a penny, in for a pound, and dress in Lincoln green for the contest.

Friends are made, but also some enemies (not everyone approves of women archers in the thirteenth century). Robin encourages his son John to befriend the lonely young king, and John decides what Henry really needs is to get into some mild mischief. Specifically, he weasels his way into Henry’s chambers late in the evening and suggests that they sneak outside so Henry can try climbing a tree for the first time in his life. While hidden in the tree, Henry and John overhear and see dangerous goings-on that they weren’t intended to. It all gets complicated from there, and great fun.

The Heirs of Locksley, like the first book, is a quick, light read, but it felt more fully fleshed-out than The Ghosts of Sherwood. Vaughn tells a straightforward tale that isn’t particularly complex, but I found it highly entertaining — enough to turn back to the start and reread most of it immediately after I finished. It includes a couple of diverting and rather meta scenes that underscore how Robin Hood is already becoming a legend.

"Those who watched King Henry’s coronation archery tournament thought it was a joke at first, the two fresh-faced archers from Nottinghamshire acting like Robin Hood’s heirs, making jokes about shooting Normans … It must have been a joke. Robin Hood was only a story."

The characters continue to grow on me, and Vaughn offers insights into their thoughts and motivations that help bring them to life. Robin still has a wicked grin and a rather rebellious soul, but having children has made him realize that it’s more useful to have royal favor than to be sworn enemies of the king. Mary hopes to find love, or at least a man whose character she can admire, but the practical reality of arranged marriages at this time in England still needs to be dealt with.

Vaughn comments in her author’s note at the end that the legends of Robin Hood don’t really fit into actual history — there were no friars in England during King John’s lifetime, for example — so all of the Robin Hood stories are essentially fanfiction. (It’s reminiscent of Robin McKinley’s afterword in her comparable novel The Outlaws of Sherwood, in which McKinley pointed out the scant historical evidence for longbows in England at this time.) But being brave and honorable, fighting against corruption, helping others: that’s the kind of fanfic we need.

The scions of Sherwood's infamous Robin Hood, Mary, John, & Eleanor Locksley are caught up in a court conspiracy against the Bishop of Winchester with babby king Henry III. Fun archery contest, bit more robust when it comes to plot, quick and engaging if not exactly nuanced. A fun time - and I really enjoyed the author's note at the end regarding the nature and legacy of Robin Hood character. May he never fade.

I really enjoyed reading these stories! I loved reading about the kids of Robin Hood and Lady Marian, it was a really great concept. The fact that they're novellas means that we get a quick and easy read, stories that just fly by! I loved reading them!

The first story is dealing with the fact that they are Robin Hood's kids, and he does have enemies. I loved how clever they were! It was a little sad, because there's the "ghost" and whether or not he's a ghost, he's not contacting Robin, and given that they were friends, that's sad.

Heirs of Locksley was interesting. There was a lot going on with John befriending the new King Henry III. There was a lot of politics, because he's a child, and someone wants to kill him. There were a lot of tense moments!

Heirs also had a fun plotline for Mary. She's never met the guy she's kinda engaged to yet. And then she meets this guy over the course of all this going on. And then it turns out that he's the guy she has the engagement with. So that was fun to read!

These were really great stories, and I would love to spend more time with these characters! I would love one where Eleanor gets a chance to shine! I really think she has a story to tell!

I was looking forward to reading this after finishing the first book again not long before starting this one. The first book was very captivating and was still enjoyable the second time around. It's always difficult to know how a sequel will go. Sometimes they are even better than the first and other times they are just lackluster. But here we are, another adventure of the children of Robin Hood. When King John dies, his young son is crowned king, and Robin encourages his son John to make friends with the lonely boy. After meeting the Locksley children, the boy king declares an archery tournament to test their mettle against the best bowmen in the land.

I love Carrie Fisher's writing. I only wish these novellas had been longer, but I'm hoping she continues to write more in this series and eventually collect them all in one book. Her stories have always been about the characters, and Robin's children are just lovely. This particular adventure is intriguing and much better than the first novella that introduced these characters.

I have to say that I enjoyed this more than the Ghosts of Sherwood. Perhaps that was because of the plot itself (son of an outlaw befriends young king, etc.), or perhaps it's because I already had read the previous novella.

Yes, this is a novella. I didn't realize that when I chose to read it. Although it was shorter than I usually read, I was satisfied at the end of it. I also grew to like the characters (Mary, John, young king Henry III, and Eleanor), and would like to hear more of their adventures - particularly Eleanor, who is a bit of an enigma.

I'm a fan of Carrie Vaughn, and this didn't disappoint. I enjoy reading her young women voices. I suppose this could count as YA, but it's a mature, balanced YA that is equally focused on plot as on feelings, meaning that it's great for adult readers as well. So, yay.

This is a quick read, with no downsides except that it's short. I really wish I could have read about them all in a longer format book.

I received an advance reader copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Heirs of Locksley is the second book in the Robin Hood Stories by Carrie Vaughn. Released 4th Aug 2020 by Macmillan on their Tor Forge imprint, it's 128 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a rollicking tale set 5 years after The Ghosts of Sherwood. Though it follows the same characters, it works perfectly well as a standalone adventure and there are no major plot spoilers, so the books can be read in any order. It's not clear whether the series will be ongoing; the plotting and narrative are episodic, but the books are so fun that I sincerely hope the author has more in store.

Although I'm emphatically not young (or, some would argue, an adult), these struck me as very well written YA fanfic. The pacing and narrative tension are tightly controlled and the book is short, so the writing is quite spare. The language is totally clean and apart from some antagonists' attempted violence, it's an enjoyable and uncomplicated ride.

This would make a fine choice for library (school or public) acquisition, gift, or family read together. The young Locksley siblings show grit, intelligence, resourcefulness, and loyalty, and I enjoyed the story very much. Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Robin Hood Stories by Carrie Vaughn continues in The Heirs of Locksley. This is the tale of Robin Hood and Maid Marian's children – as well as the children of several other famous characters from that fantastical tale.

King Henry III is about to be crowned king – despite his young age. He's going to need the newly made friends in order to survive what is to follow. John is the son of the famous Robin Hood and Lady Marian, and he and his sisters are about to uncover quite the adventure. All in the name of taking care of their friend, the future king, of course.

“We will hold an archery contest. A simple affair, all in fun, on the tournament grounds. Tomorrow. We will see you there.”

The Heirs of Locksley is another diverting read following the children of such beloved characters. It's been fascinating to see them grow up – to see how they would fit in a world that we all just know as history.

Mary, John, and Eleanor are simultaneously nothing and everything like I imagined they would be. Or rather, how I would have imagined them, had the thought ever occurred to me. Thankfully, the idea came to Carrie Vaughn, and thus this series was born.

I love the concept of these three children trying to introduce King Henry to a life of fun and adventure. With the natural consequences, of course, since these kids don't know the concept of starting simple.

Overall, I enjoyed every minute of this read, and wouldn't have minded seeing a bit more of it. On that note, I'm not entirely sure if this is going to stay as a duology, or if it'll become a larger series with time. Either way, I'll be curious to find out.

I may not be the world’s foremost expert on Robin Hood (I still kind of get Sherlock and Sherwood mixed up, so sometimes Robin Hood is also a bit addicted to opium as he susses out who is plotting against the king in my brain-forest) but that doesn’t mean I haven’t consumed literally every Robin Hood retelling I’ve ever stumbled across. It took me a long time to figure out why I liked this story so much, too, since it’s halfway a romance and halfway men comparing their bow lengths, if you know what I mean, and I’m an aroace kiddo who is only ever down to smash the patriarchy. It turns out that all along I didn’t want to *get with* Robin Hood (or Marian for that matter, sorry luv) … I wanted to *be* Robin Hood. Smashing the patriarchy. Also capitalism. Being a hero not for any particular battle prowess but rather because of standing up for those who can’t stand up for themselves. And yes, a certain animated fox might have had something to do with the obsession as well. I’ve always really wanted to be a fox for a day. (Um, no, not in *that* way. Not my thing. But you do you, people.)

All this to say, I’m primed and eager for Sherwoodlockian stories, and Vaughn *delivered*. The main characters in this novella are Robin and Marian’s children: Mary, John, and Eleanor. Mary is a kickass archer who might not yet be able to split her own arrow on the target but does come awfully close. She’s also a complete mess because she has been sort-of betrothed to a man for four years and never met him, and the book’s central events put her on a collision course with the truth. John is next in line, and he’s a very biddable fellow, serious-seeming like his mother but prone to getting in scrapes like his father, and now the scrapes involve a new KING, for goodness’ sake. And also, he’s starting to feel his hormones coming in, and they’re, how shall we put this, not exactly coming in straight. Eleanor is the youngest, and while she has no voice, that doesn’t stop her from being the one who got me to tear up by the end of the book. Luckily I had a sleeve handy, because it just won’t do to cry over *every* book I read. At least this cry was a cathartic “oh my goodness, this author GETS SIBLINGS” cry and not a bad cry. A really fun read, my friends, and not overwhelmingly long.

I loved this I just wish it was longer, I could really see it developed into a full novel and it would be even better than it already is. It’s a fantastic re-imagining of the Robin Hood myth and legends. I love how much Carrie’s novellas are character driven and I hope she writes many more of these. A fantastic way to escape for awhile.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This is more of a short story than a novella, but it was just as much fun as the first story. Again I would just love to see this fleshed out into a full story. It is very well done and I really like the characters and the story.

This story skips ahead about 5 years. King John is dead and his eleven year old son is taking the throne. The Locksley’s are in London for the coronation and things get somewhat difficult for all when John and the young King stumble on a conspiracy in the making. I enjoyed the budding relationship John and Henry, such a great beginning to a solid friendship.

The archery contest was also great. I really liked the fact that Marion and Robin did not attend but allowed for their children to go and start their own legends.

A really well crafted story and re-imaging of the Robin Hood legends and how his life played out. I hope to see more stories about Robin and his children.

"Carrie Vaughn follows up The Ghosts of Sherwood with the charming, fast-paced The Heirs of Locksley, continuing the story of Robin Hood's children.

"We will hold an archery contest. A simple affair, all in fun, on the tournament grounds. Tomorrow. We will see you there."

The latest civil war in England has come and gone, King John is dead, and the nobility of England gathers to see the coronation of his son, thirteen year old King Henry III.

The new king is at the center of political rivalries and power struggles, but John of Locksley - son of the legendary Robin Hood and Lady Marian - only sees a lonely boy in need of friends. John and his sisters succeed in befriending Henry, while also inadvertently uncovering a political plot, saving a man's life, and carrying out daring escapes.

All in a day's work for the Locksley children..."

Nothing says summer like Robin Hood. So get in a little more summer before it's over!

Another great story by Carrie Vaughn; I really enjoy her additions to the legends of Robin Hood. She has a good eye for character development, and is able to grow the children of Robin Hood within the "accepted" bounds of the stories that already exist. I hope she keeps writing these novellas; I could see myself purchasing a thick, leather edition with a few of them in there.

The Heirs of Locksley is the second book in the Robin Hood Stories series. I found it to be more like a novella at 128 pages, but the pacing is quick and it was a great, if short, read! So far, this is a duology, but it may evolve into something more.

Several other reviewers have mentioned that historically, Robin Hood has been a less than accurate figure, but in Carrie Vaughn's interpretation, Robin Hood becomes almost historically accurate. At least, he becomes less mythical and more real in this re-telling/original story about his heirs.

Mary, John, and Eleanor, the children of Robin and Marian, are fun characters who are headstrong, but also duty bound. Mary is the eldest, a whiz with a bow and always looking out for her younger sister. John is following in his father's footsteps, encouraging the new king to experience things he'd never experienced before and completely headstrong. Eleanor is the youngest, she doesn't speak and avoids crowds, she sticks close to Mary usually.

The plot is interesting, with Robin's kids navigating the political sphere created by the death of the former king. Now, England is ruled by a king who is no more than 13 years old and close in age to John. The pacing is fast and the book was over before I really realized it. I did enjoy the character development and the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book! I received a galley copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication August 4, 2020.***

🏹🏹🏹🏹
4 – 4.5 stars

This was a very enjoyable short story by another new-to-me author, Carrie Vaughn. The Heirs of Locksley follows an adventure with Robin Locksley’s children and recently ascended to the throne, King Henry III. The story, while short, was very well-paced and left me wanting more.

Book two in this wonderful series made me so happy. I read it in a matter of hours, directly after finishing book one The Ghosts of Sherwood, and I was so pleased by the ending. I wonder (hope, pray) that there will be a book three in this series as we seem to be delving deeper into each of the Locksley children as they grow up.

The children are older now, four years later, with Mary being twenty and wondering where her mysterious betrothed is. While the engagement may not quite be official, as Robin and Marian agreed to let her meet William first before marrying her off, it’s been a long time coming for the two to meet and decide if they will in fact be wed. John, meanwhile, is taller, stronger and while still mischievous in some ways, does have a practical head on his shoulders when needed. Eleanor, still brilliant and still without a voice, has learned a lot from watching those around her and her family relies on her as a litmus test for new people.

In this story we learn that King John, who took the phone after his brother King Richard died, has now also passed away and John’s son Henry is now on the throne. Henry is young, only thirteen, and surrounded by old advisors from his father’s years and not really allowed to be a power king or a child. Robin encourages his kids to bend the knee to Henry, for the sake of peace, and to gain his favor so that the truce between the house of Locksley and the crown may remain.

Without wanting to give too much away we see a lot of shenanigans, an archery contest and we finally meet William de Ros and see if he and Mary will be a match.

The characters are still fun, vibrant and completely relatable. I actually enjoyed most of the new characters we were introduced to and Vaughn’s depiction of how shallow and deceptive others can be gives me hope that she will continue on with this series and let us see more of what becomes of John and Eleanor.

Thank you to NetGalley, Carrie Vaughn and Tor.com for allowing me a copy of this ARC!