Nottingham

A Novel

By: Nathan Makaryk

Narrated by: Raphael Corkhill, Marisa Calin

Length: 25 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Both a gripping historical epic and fascinating deconstruction of the Robin Hood legend, Nathan Makaryk’s Nottingham mixes history and myth into a complex study of power - one that twists and turns far beyond the traditional tale of Sherwood Forest’s iconic thief.

No king. No rules. 

England, 1191. King Richard is half a world away, fighting for God and his own ambition. Back home, his country languishes, bankrupt and on the verge of anarchy. People with power are running unchecked. People without are growing angry. And in Nottingham, one of the largest shires in England, the sheriff seems intent on doing nothing about it.

As the leaves turn gold in the Sherwood Forest, the lives of six people - Arable, a servant girl with a secret; Robin and William, soldiers running from their pasts; Marion, a noblewoman working for change; Guy of Gisbourne, Nottingham’s beleaguered guard captain; and Elena Gamwell, a brash, ambitious thief - become intertwined.

And a strange story begins to spread....

©2019 Nathan Makaryk (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

A Longbow, and Worth It

I enjoyed this book throughout, but the ending sealed the deal in this 5 star rating.

What is Nottingham? Not so much a retelling of the legend as a fictional exploration of the history behind the legend, bursting with life and surprises. Nothing is, ultimately, what you think. It’s interestingly a tale of our own time, too, where people are so caught up in what they know and so utterly devoid of the truths that others know, so caught up in what’s good (or not) for them that they miss the truth and wreak havoc on others instead of good. It’s a story with a moral, shouting out to us: you may be right from your POV with the line you’ve drawn in the sand, but can’t you see where this is all headed?

Well done! And yes, you’ve got me as intrigued for the next offering as I was for this one.

Is this the next Game of Thrones? Both yes and no. In feel, it is more like Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom Series, or to be more precise, Linnea Hartsuyker’s The Golden Wolf Saga. There is no magic whatsoever, no dragons. But the power fight—for sure. Also the writing is dense, the build takes a while, but it’s worth it in the end.

Favorite Character: Prince John was delightful. I’d love more of his voice!

Note: I both listened and read. The audio is superb. The text in the hard cover is a bit dense but I needed it sometimes to help ground me.

*Somewhat of a Spoiler Critique: ⤵️*



Next time don’t let a main character disappear for the length of a typical book!

Fantastic retelling of an old favorite!

This started out a little slow for me, but I was soon engrossed in the story. At times I struggled because the characters weren't exactly like they were in movies or other books. More than once I sat frozen in anticipation, awe, and even horror at what was happening. The narration was phenomenal. When I would start the book and hear the voices it was like hearing an old friend. I highly recommend this book!

Fantastic historical adventure from a debut author

Nottingham is a beautiful blend of what I love about Bernard Cornwell, Terry Pratchett, and George R. R. Martin. This is far from the simple black and white, good guys vs bad guys Robin Hood stories. The characters are far deeper, while still largely agreeing with what we know of the Robin Hood canon. However, the story and many of the characters are quite original, so even the Robin Hood fans won't be bored with this book.

I'm not especially fond of Robin Hood in general, but neither do I dislike it. I've consumed a lot of mainstream Robin Hood media, extending as far back as (spoilers for a 200 year old book?) Ivanhoe.

The two narrators are absolutely perfect and the voice acting really adds to the story. For example, the constant reminder of Richard's Frechness is an excellent point that is made clearly through the audiobook version.

I still wouldn't call myself a Robin Hood fan, but I am definitely a new Nathan Makaryk fan. Get this book and get ready for more from this debut author.

Terribly, Unterally, Everything you wouldn't expec

This book has left me reeling! I cannot express in words the utter turmoil and despair this book has provoked in me. This is not the type of book I would normally enjoy or read. In all honesty I read it thinking it would be a heroic tale of justice and freedom and everything I love about the legend Robin Hood. . . imagine my surprise! Regardless of my own recked emotions, this book was impeccably written and full of some of the most riveting story telling I have ever read. I applaud Nathan Makaryk for taking this unsuspecting girl on a journey she will not easily forgive or forget.

What a treat!

Found this by chance and I loved everything about. Writing flowed and the Narrator was spot on. Great story of Robin Hood and the band of outlaws. My idea of a perfect listen!

Shakespeare Tragedy meets sociology degree

This is actually a very well-written book, with some moments that are utterly brilliant and quotable. I plan to memorize Friar Tuck’s response to Lady Marian about prayer, in fact.
For me, however, it only took until about midway to guess which way the wind was going to blow, perhaps due to my English major background. I appreciated the intricacy of the plot and its seriously authentic feel for the nuances and pulse of human nature. But to finish it, I personally would have needed relief once in awhile from the unrelieved dystopian atmosphere of this story. I need a few rays of sunshine here and there. So I bet myself on the ending, and went straight to the last chapter and epilogue. I did get a bit of a surprise on the particulars, but I guessed right. Again simply personal preference, I’m glad I didn’t take the whole ride since I would have cried. It WAS quite Shakespearean. So kudos there for style.
I read for entertainment, which means I want relief from the real life tragedy buffet that surrounds us, at least according to our news. I suspect that is needlessly unrelievedly dark as well. So, I prefer my frustrating but clever stories more a la Charles Dickens. He served you honest medicine about humanity too, but stirred in a bit of sugary hope as well.

I hope there's a sequel

Great book. I hope there is a sequel!

I have read ton of books in this genre and this one is one of my favorites.

I loved the new take on old characters I grew up with and the new characters that added a twist to a familiar story with a GoT feel. Well worth the read. In the trend of the day... this would make for a good TV series.

Some interesting twists but not a keeper

I purchased this book hoping that the characters might be more multi-dimensional. I almost quit at the halfway point. Female voices were too “breathy” and insipid. The book didn’t get good until the last hour. This is not a keeper.

Wasted Credit

Worst book I’ve read in a long while. Unoriginal, slow, and very boring. Nothing of substance takes place until the last few chapters.

Amazing story to the end!

This is an incredible book. Political intrigue, familiar characters with a new spin (and some new ones too!), and an ending to be reckoned with. The last quarter of the book blew my mind!

My only real dislike was switching between the two narrators. The male voice was amazing, but there was a disconnect with me and the female narrator. Her voice grated on me, but it didn’t detract from the story too much.