Book Review - NOTTINGHAM by Nathan Makaryk

(Title: Nottingham, Author: Nathan Makaryk, Publisher: Tor-Forge, Publication Date: August 6, 2019)   

As with the King Arthur legend, there have also been endless retellings of the story of Robin Hood.  One of my favorites of these is the King Raven Trilogy by Stephen Lawhead which came at the tale from a purely-historical context, minus the glamorous and mythical elements.  So when I received a copy of NOTTINGHAM by Nathan Makaryk from the publisher Tor-Forge and read the inside sleeve, I was more than curious to find out how this book would stack up in comparison.

The story begins in a very familiar way, in England circa 1191.  King Richard is off fighting the Crusades and the Sheriff of Nottingham is busy levelling crippling taxes on the already impoverished citizens in a desperate effort to fund the war.  However, things aren't going so well and when the production and flow of weapons begins to dwindle to a mere trickle, Robin of Locksley travels back to Nottingham with his partner in arms William de Wendenal to find out exactly what is going on.  What he finds is instability and a pocket of resistance that are in need of direction and a leader.

As events begin to unfold in earnest, we are introduced to a number of familiar characters as well as numerous characters who we may not know so well, yet are major viewpoint characters in the story.  This is the true strength of this book as Makaryk adds much to this timeless story by showing how the "non-stars of the show" are impacted by what is taking place and relays their feelings through various alternating viewpoints.  It really is an interesting way to handle the legend and something that made the book so much more enjoyable in my opinion.  Yes Robin Hood is still a major character and player, but he almost takes a backseat at times to the other characters that Makaryk has focused his attention on.

I thought that NOTTINGHAM was such a refreshing take on the Robin Hood mythos.  Rather than relying on the usual story that we've read and seen a thousand times as the basis for his story, Makaryk takes a daring risk that pays off incredibly well in the end.  One of my favorite aspects of NOTTINGHAM was reading about characters who I thought I had a firm handle on, and then seeing them portrayed in an entirely different way than I was used to or expecting.  He constantly kept me on my toes and I literally did not know what to expect from page to page.  There's a subtle twisting of each character's personality and motivations that creates a whole new angle for the story and gives you an alternate possibility for how it actually could have gone.

I read a review that said something like "I just can't ever picture Robin Hood at that time in history saying something like - well damn!"  I normally don't critique other reviews but this entirely misses the point in my opinion.  Part of what makes this retelling so great and original is that Makaryk infuses a healthy amount of modern language and humor in it.  I liken it to the way that director Baz Luhrmann will take a period-piece story and spice it up with some modern flair (just not quite to the extent and the liberties that Baz takes obviously).  All of this in combination makes NOTTINGHAM a beautifully-written book that nobody should miss in my opinion

If you are looking for a fresh take on the legendary story of Robin Hood and his band of merry thieves, then you should rush out and grab a copy of this book now.  It's a wonderful story that entertains in the way that the classic tale does, but also challenges your assumptions and gives you an entirely new story to wrap your head around.  I recommend this book to anyone who is in need of a cracking good read to begin the New Year!

(My Rating: 8.5/10)