Book Review - Robin Hood: Hacking, Heists and Flaming Arrows

In 2003, former private investigator Robert Muchamore came to prominence when he wrote The Recruit. the first book in the CHERUB series of YA novels. This told the story of a volatile young orphan who ends up being recruited to CHERUB, a secret organization which trains orphans and foundlings to work as spies. A fusion of secret agent adventures and secondary school soap (the romantic entanglements received as much focus as the high-risk missions), the CHERUB series lasted 12 books published over 7 years. Readers grew up with protagonist James Adams and his friends as they went from irresponsible youngsters to expert secret agents. It also spawned a prequel series, (Henderson’s Boys) and a five book sequel series which featured protagonists both old and new. Muchamore has done several teen books outside the CHERUB universe (including the Rock Band series and the standalone novels Killer T and Arctic Zoo) , but his new Robin Hood series, which begins with Robin Hood: Hacking, Heists and Flaming Arrows is his biggest project since the CHERUB franchise concluded for good in 2016.

What’s It About?

A few years into the future, 12-year-old archery enthusiast and hacker Robin Hood and his older brother John live in Locksley, a Northern city devastated by the decline of the local industries. After their father Argyll publicly complains about the influence of Guy Gisborne - the gangster who runs the local police force - Gisborne and his men invade the Hood home and arrest Argyll. During the scuffle, Robin shoots Gisborne in the private bits with an arrow, and he and John run away to Sherwood Forest, a deserted tourist destination now primarily inhabited by bandits, criminals, refugees, and other outcasts. There, Robin meets Marion Maid, the feisty daughter of an animal rights activist and a biker. In order to pay for Argyll’s legal fees, Robin and Marion two come up with a scheme to use Robin’s hacking skills to rob cash machines, establishing his reputation as a heroic outlaw. Meanwhile, John tries to evade capture from the corrupt Sherriff of Nottingham, Marjorie, who has her own personal reasons for taking an interest in him.

Review

(Note: This Review Contains Spoilers)

Since the old Errol Flynn adventures of the 1930s, the classic Robin Hood folktales have been adapted numerous times, but few of these have been successful. The most notable adaptations are the 1973 Disney film where all the characters are depicted as animals (charming, but sometimes pretty slow) Kevin Costner’s cheesy 1991 film version (best remembered for Alan Rickman’s splendidly OTT villainous turn as the Sheriff of Nottingham) and the late 2000’s TV series, which made the foolish decision to kill off Maid Marian at the end of Season 2. Muchamore’s version is not going to be a definitive take on the legendary English hero, but it still represents an above-average reinterpretation Robin of Locksley, entertaining younger audiences whilst being imaginative enough to capture the attention of older readers.

Robin Hood: Hacking, Heists and Flaming Arrows is aimed at a slightly younger audience that the CHERUB books, but Muchamore approaches it with a similar blend of “earthy” realism and wish-fulfilment. The tone is embodied by the first sentences “The legend of Robin Hood begins in Locksley High School on a Wednesday afternoon. It was the beginning of lunch break, and pepperoni pizza and buttered corn sat heavily in 12-year-old Robin’s nervous stomach”. There is plenty of scatological humour, with John Hood having to do his “business” in a chamber pot at one point, and a scene where Robin and Marion must wade through a line of sewage. There are other forms of lowbrow humour which even pantomimes would dismiss as too crude. A strict tutor in Locksley High School has “Kill All Year Sevens” as his password, whilst a pair of local ‘mean girls’ are surnamed “Trump” and “Stalin” for no real reason. Needless to say, Robin hitting Gisborne in “the place where no man wants to get shot” is a topic of much amusement for his new friends throughout the book. Whilst this can be off-putting at times, there are moments of genuine comic inspiration, with some amusing banter between characters, and a few creative and lively descriptions of the world Robin inhabits. Captain Cash, the payday loan/pawnbroker franchise ran by Gisborne, has walls lined with the cool musical instruments that “adults buy for themselves” and the less cool ones “they nag kids for never practicing.” The best line in the entire book comes in the form of a footnote written to respond to Marion’s claim that all education is boing, pointless and designed to brainwash you – “Only 94.3% of what you learn in school is pointless, whilst a mere 37% is designed to crush your spirit and turn you into an obedient worker bee for evil capitalists.”. This rebelliousness is perfectly tailored to preteens, allowing them to indulge in their growing hostility towards authority in a safe and entertaining way. It will be interesting to see whether things get more edgier as the franchise progresses and the characters move towards adulthood.

However, there is a tenderness beneath all the mischief. Robin’s relationship with his father Argyll is handled truthfully. He is beginning to approach the point in his life where his relationship with his hipster dad is an embarrassment, but he still cares deeply about Argyll – the need to pay for his hospital treatment and legal support is a key reason for Robin’s move into robbery. His friendship with Marion is pretty sweet as well, and it is easy to believe that the two become close partners within the span of a few days. In addition, Robin’s adventures are underpinned by strong political messages. It is impossible to make a Robin Hood story without understanding Robin’s core appeal as a hero who fights back against a corrupt and unjust system, and Locksley (based on the “left-behind” cities in the North of England) has plenty of problems which Robin and his friends need to challenge. Gisborne and Marjorie rely on bribery, intimidation and “blame the migrants” populism to maintain power, with the local press printing plenty of false stories which portray Gisborne and his cronies in the best possible light. Whereas the CHERUB series tried to introduce readers to incredibly difficult debates over topics such as terrorism, government corruption and criminal culture, Robin Hood: Hacking, Heists and Flaming Arrows keeps things simpler – it unapologetically resists authority and is all the better for it.

Today, one major challenge faced by YA books is the need to avoid problematic and insensitive material. The CHERUB series frequently walked a fine line and sometimes ended up crossing it (The Killing is particularly uncomfortable, as its main villain is a bent Asian cop who frequently uses his ethnicity to deflect criticism and get away with his crimes). Possibly due to the simpler, safer storyline, Robin Hood: Hacking, Heists and Flaming Arrows generally avoids falling into politically incorrect territory. A key sequence where Robin disguises himself as a girl could raise a few eyebrows but is restrained enough to avoid feeling too problematic. Notably, in contrast to the usual “boy in a dress” clichés, this disguise consists of leggings and a sparkly unicorn jumper. The cast is diverse, with plenty of assertive and powerful female characters – Marion Maid is a good role model for disabled readers, as she proves to be a very active heroine despite having a deformed leg. Robin Hood: Hacking, Heists and Flaming Arrows benefits from being published at a time when its anti-authority approach is certain to resonate. It was already capitalizing on Brexit-era economic uncertainty in Britain and the rise of youth activists such as Greta Thunberg, but the COVID-19 crisis has tipped the UK into a full-on recession, and the international wave of protests kickstarted by the murder of George Floyd give the depiction of police corruption and brutality additional weight. A key scene in the climax where both Locksley citizens and Sherwood Forest inhabitants riot feels especially timely, as protestors put banners on statues and destroy Gisborne’s prized car. This contemporary symbolism means that Robin’s growth into a symbol of resistance feels powerful and satisfying.

The most enjoyable thing about Robin Hood: Hacking, Heists and Flaming Arrows is seeing how the familiar Robin Hood tropes and characters are updated for the modern era. Robin has little patience for traditional archery clubs (which he describes as for people “whose other hobbies were model trains and craft beer festivals”) but he enjoys watching videos of archery stunts, and pulls off some pretty impressive ones himself, using a single arrow to destroy a police car in spectacular fashion during a climactic chase scene. Guy Gisborne is every inch the swaggering “hard man” gangster, whilst the Sheriff of Nottingham is an imposing, strongly built woman with Pokémon slippers. Alan A. Dale (called Alan Adale) is one of Robin’s few friends at his derelict comprehensive school, Will Scarlett (named Will Scarlock here) is an eco-activist who spends his time destroying whaler boats, whilst Freya Tuck is one of Marion’s cousins. The world they inhabit is an effective “near future” dystopia, with the problems of today stretched a little further. However, all the filth, grime and poverty are contrasted with the escapism and adventure represented by life in the forest. Sherwood Forest has been turned into a tourist trap by Marjorie, but the shopping malls and green spaces have become a hideout for the rebels. Marion’s mother is a strict but loving animal rights activist who spends her time disrupting hunters, whilst her father is a hedonistic slob who enjoys motorbikes, deep-fried chocolate bars, and drunken games of axe-throwing (eco-terrorists and Brigands bikers were regular villains in the CHERUB books, so it is pretty amusing to see them on Robin’s side here). The antagonists also embody this blend of old and new – Marjorie lives in Sherwood Castle, which she has turned into a giant modern luxury resort. The freedom embodied by the forest setting is as important to the world of Robin Hood as the “taking from the rich and giving to the poor” ethos, but harder to update to the modern, technology-heavy era. However, Muchamore manages to make the forest seem exciting and even a little bit romantic. It is clear that Muchamore understands why the Robin Hood mythology is so popular, as he places it into the 2020s without losing any of the elements which have made it so popular over the centuries.

Robin Hood: Hacking, Heists and Flaming Arrows is very much a first instalment, focused on establishing the characters rather than developing them - It feels like a TV pilot rather than a movie. The story ends very quickly after Robin and Marion pull of their first heist, with the emphasis on promoting the adventures yet to come. A late reveal about John’s parentage is accepted surprisingly quickly by Robin, but sets up a conflict between the two which will probably last for the entirety of the series. The supporting cast are given just enough time to establish themselves but remain on the side-lines with no real character development. Several intriguing story threads are left underexplored for now, such as Argyll’s past links with Gisborne and Marjorie, and Gisborne’s relationship with his equally aggressive teenage daughter Claire. Hopefully, the subsequent books in the series will give these memorable characters the time to truly come to life, but Muchamore has made us want to see more of them in the future, and that is a promising start.

Conclusion

Robin Hood: Hacking, Heists and Flaming Arrows seems like the start of an interesting new franchise from Robert Muchamore. It may lack the originality of the CHERUB books, but its reinterpretation of the age-old Robin Hood story is creative and imaginative enough to keep readers of all ages entertained. The messages about resisting corrupt rulers feel incredibly timely, and the familiar Robin Hood locations and characters are updated in memorable and appealing ways. The second instalment of the Robin Hood series, Pirates, Paintballs and Zebras, is due to be published in January (Muchamore has revealed on his website that he wants to write 12 Robin Hood books), and it will be interesting to see if how the series develops from here…