The Black Arrow cover art

The Black Arrow

A Tale of the Two Roses

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The Black Arrow

By: Robert Louis Stevenson
Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
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About this listen

In this swashbuckling novel set in 15th-century England, young Richard Shelton discovers that he has been betrayed by the guardian who raised him - a man involved in the murder of his father. Seventeen-year-old Richard joins the fellowship of the Black Arrow to avenge the death, rescue the woman he loves, and participate in the struggle between the Yorks and Lancasters in the War of the Roses.

Though history records two sides fighting for control of England, The Black Arrow presents a third side: the exploited commoners joined together by their black-arrow weaponry. To survive the war, Richard must rely on his cunning. Through adventures in castles, villages, forests, and aboard a ship, Richard outfoxes captors, bargains his way out of crises, and ultimately proves himself worthy of knighthood.

Public Domain (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Action & Adventure Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction Adventure War England Classics

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Critic reviews

“The time is 15th-century England, and Richard Shelton, the young hero, overcomes one obstacle after another." ( School Library Journal)
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The dialogue in this book is archaic and at times awful. Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe also uses archaic dialogue but some how that works and it comes across as authentic. However it doesn’t work at all with The Black Arrow. It’s clunky and feels false and it effects the flow of the story.

However if you can master the archaic dialogue there is a good adventure story to be found here of which anyone who loves tales of Ivanhoe and Robin Hood would be able to relate. The Black Arrow fellowship being similar to Robin Hood’s band of merry men, in Will Lawless there is even a Friar Tuck character. It is a tale of revenge and love and good against evil. It also has a worthy villain in Sir Daniel Brackley who is as dastardly as the Sheriff of Nottingham and a protagonist who’s out to avenge his father and win the heart of his sweetheart. What more could you want.

Good adventure story let down by archaic dialogue

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An adventure seemingly written for Errol Flynn. Full of adventure and heroics; swords and daggers abound as do bodies. Not forgetting fair ladies, naturally,

A magnificent tale of derring - do

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I really enjoyed this story, like reading Shakespeares plays, once you tune into the language, it helps create the atmosphere to transport the imagination back in time.

undiscovered classic

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A fast-paced adventure- and romance- set in England during the time of knights, and outlaws with bows and arrows. Based on or inspired by real events perhaps. Most enjoyable.

A wonderful adventure

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This was a bit hard to listen to at times but perseverance paid off as it did get easier as it passed. I usually listen to about 30 hours of audio books a week but it took me a week to get through these 8 hours as I found I had to stop and give my brain a rest after a while. I enjoyed it in the end but will go back to my usual books I think ;)

Hard But Okay

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