I actually posted some very long stuff about this yesterday, but some glitch occurred and now it's gone. Hmmph. Anyway, to do Pei Ling justice, I shall repost this topic (public: awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww another long postttttt).
Pei Ling gave me this book as a belated birthday present cuz she knew I was looking for it. The weird thing is she found it in One Utama, the very place I'd combed through to find it. Sabotage! Hmmph.
Anyway, this book really isn't what I expected. Not that it's a bad thing. See, I've been reading The Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle, and I must say that the two versions are truly different.
Why the many versions, you ask?
I was wondering the same thing. Well, I read the introduction (yes, I read introductions) by Roger, and it seems that Robin Hood's tales actually either consisted of ke le fair or rather supporting roles in other great legends and myths (e.g. Maid Marian, Ivanhoe), or some grave recitation of his death and downfall. Being a re-teller of legends and a great fan of classics, Roger (people usually use his last name but I'm using his first name like he lives next door) pieced together poems, plays and other "fantastic" literature to come up with his own rendition of the legend of Robin Hood.
Howard (there I go again) focuses a lot on Robin himself, a.k.a. Robert Fitzooth, son of the Sherwood Forest Ranger and Caretaker of the King's Deer (forgot his dad's name). Roger, on the other hand, spreads the focus to include a wide range of characters and their backgrounds that were formerly rather neglected (my opinion only, do not kill me, Howard fans) in Howard's version. Also, Roger's version makes Robin and Marian's wedding (which was rudely interrupted by a Sir Guy of Gisborne, who was never even mentioned in Howard's version) its real introduction (the story of his birth all that is like pshaw only la), whereas Howard focuses on Robin's childhood and how his father's death built him into the hooded protector of yeomen.
And in Howard's story, Marian is like this really gentle and puteri lilin-ic girl whose main role is just to stand around and look pretty. In Roger's version, Marian can fight as well as Robin with a quarter staff and shoot as well as his men with a long bow. I know this Marian was portrayed in another show la - Sinbad or something? Always wondered how she got there though. Hmm.
However, I have to agree with one reviewer's view that Roger lacks life in retelling the tale. It really almost seems as if he's writing the words from another script and just recopying it all. At times, the battle scenes are intriguing, but at other times, the narration and dialogue exchanges are rather bland.
Anyway, although I haven't quite made it past half of the book since I only read it in my um special place, I can confidently say that this book will make for quite a good read and I'm glad Pei Ling got it for me.
I'll get you something for your errr... belated birthday gift! Wait for it!
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