The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

By: Howard Pyle

Narrated by: David Case

A beloved legend of all time, Pyle's The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood tells the compelling tale of the brave, good-humored outlaw and his cohorts Friar Tuck, Little John, and Will Scarlet, as they cavort about Sherwood Forest.

However, it is not all sport. Robin Hood and his band must also outwit the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham, who will stop at nothing to rid the forest of the outlaw.

©1992 Phoenix Recordings (P)2004 Tantor Media

A Merry Adventure

The most enjoyable book I have heard. The contemporary movie, "Robin Hood - Men in Tights" captures the light-hearted nature of this tale. I wish it would never have ended.

A merry tale

It’s been around twenty years since I’ve read this book, and I found it more lighthearted than I remembered. I’d remembered it being a more fun read than most movie adaptations would lead you to believe, but had forgotten how much Robin and his men truly seemed to enjoy life in Sherwood Forest. It was a very fun book to listen to. Until the end with the death of Robin, I nearly cried.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in hearing more of Robin Hood, in particular I recommend an audiobook for anyone who might find the older more flowery language difficult to read through themselves.
The reader was enjoyable to listen to, he read clearly and uses different tones for different characters, but not so much that it comes out jarring. He also actually sang all the songs, which I appreciated, because some readers don’t even try to read them in a vaguely musical way, and there was quite a bit of singing.
As mentioned before, the conversations of the characters are more poetic and leaning towards older English, though the rest of the narration is easier to understand. There’s some pretty descriptions of scenery that I liked. There is also much talk of love between characters, they say it so often that it seems humorous, but it’s also nice to read/hear of affection between friends spoken of so freely.
There’s nothing vastly offensive that I can remember in this book which would prevent you from reading with children. Some talk of death, though not what I would consider graphic. The language can be confusing, but is mostly understandable. There’s not even any romance for the majority of the characters, including Robin. Though there are mentions of the pretty girls they meet, there’s nothing blatant.
The book is really just about Robin and his men having fun adventures, and I do recommend it for those interested in the genre.

Hipsters and teenagers from centuries gone by: The Merry Men, where all practical jokers who thrived on irony.

Like most Americans, I am familiar with the archetype of the “honest” thief and the images of Robin Hood, but I had never read more than a comic strip or children’s tale about the thieving hero before. There is a simplicity and jocularity to this book which was incredibly enjoyable. I was surprised at the emphasis placed on the “Merriness” of the men, something I hadn’t much considered previously. That “merriness” being their practical jokes, desire for entertainment, and a sort of revelry in irony.
I highly recommend this classic tale for a bit of entertaining light reading, and also a glimpse into the linguistic and cultural changes that have pervaded “English/American” culture over the past several centuries.

Immersive performance

A fantastic storyteller, truly gives life to each and every character in the book. I’m genuinely sad that the story is over.

Witty and wonderful

I thought the whole book was delightfully good, though the ending was a little sad. I liked this book a lot.