The Black Arrow [MP3 CD]

Rating:
Summary: Family-read-aloud favorite
Review: Highly recommended!!! We read this book as a read aloud for our family reading time and our kids loved the story which has plenty of adventure and intrigue and also a good deal of humor. The story fits well for boys and girls, as one of the main characters and a significant secondary character are young women. Mom and Dad loved the story as well, but the kids definitely couldn't wait for the next reading time. The language is a bit dated, which at first challenges the readers (mom and dad) but it adds authenticity to the tale.

Rating:
Summary: An OK Book
Review: I'm usually rather picky with what I read, so I was almost struck when I found myself getting into this book. I heartily enjoyes it, not only that but it's a great tale of valor and chivalry. It's very underrated and undertaken. I say read it, however, younger readers may find themselves a little confused with dialogue, and often time Stevenson managed to leave out vital details.

Rating:
Summary: Black Arrow
Review: In this book you can read about knights, soldiers, action, treachery, and other things from the middle ages. I thought that it was a pretty good book, but I only got into it after a while. I had to read it for school, so I couldn't give up, but I was wary of the lack of "interesting-ness" when I first started. I would reccomend this book to you, but you should beware that you may not be interested for a while. If you are a person who doesn't like a book that takes a while, I would not reccomend this to you. But if you don't mind having to read something a while, I would reccomend this to you. (Sorry if I keep repeating myself.)

Rating:
Summary: If you love action and romance, read this book.
Review: Set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses, The Black Arrow is an intriguing look at the life of young Richard Shelton. Richard's life is shaken when he realizes that those he had thought to be his friends are really his enemies, and he is forced to make choices that will determine the course of his life. Although the characters are well-developed and the plot is fascinating, this book is not for the squeemish or lazy reader. The description is not only vivid, it is often gorey. The language is sometimes difficult and a dictionary might prove quite handy. But anyone looking for a well-written, action-packed classic should read this book.

Rating:
Summary: A real swashbuckler...
Review: The Black Arrow is, without a doubt, one of my all time favorite books, just as Robert Louis Stevenson is one of my all time favorite authors. I find it hard to believe that The Black Arrow is probably the least well know of his great adventure novels (the others being, of course, Treasure Island and Kidnapped), as it is certainly the best as far as I am concerned. As far as the story goes, it is one of the most entertaining plots that I have ever encountered. It is filled with more twists and turns than I would have thought possible, but remains very clear and fast paced. The characters are wonderful, as is the description and the writing itself. Granted, some of the language is a bit archaic, but I feel that this adds a lot to the authenticity of the story.
The Black Arrow is not a very easy read at first, but once you get into it it really flies by. It is as entertaining, exciting, and intriguing book as you will find, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Classic Adventure at it's Best
Review: The Black Arrow is, without a doubt, one of my all time favorite books, just as Robert Louis Stevenson is one of my all time favorite authors. I find it hard to believe that The Black Arrow is probably the least well know of his great adventure novels (the others being, of course, Treasure Island and Kidnapped), as it is certainly the best as far as I am concerned. As far as the story goes, it is one of the most entertaining plots that I have ever encountered. It is filled with more twists and turns than I would have thought possible, but remains very clear and fast paced. The characters are wonderful, as is the description and the writing itself. Granted, some of the language is a bit archaic, but I feel that this adds a lot to the authenticity of the story.
The Black Arrow is not a very easy read at first, but once you get into it it really flies by. It is as entertaining, exciting, and intriguing book as you will find, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: The Black Arrow seems to me to be one of the most underrated books I have ever seen. It is one of the very few works Of Stevenson and probably one of the best. It is an excellent mix of romance, drama and action, and is guaranteed to hold your interest. It is Stevensons only work in the field of Romance/Drama and is a work to rival such classics as The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask. The language has a slight archaic ring to it which is, after reading the foreword by Stevenson, realized to be quite deliberate. A must read.

Rating:
Summary: Black Arrow
Review: The Black Arrow was a good adventure story following the adventures of Richard Shelton during the War of the Roses. Within this story we encounter knights, and a band of outlaws (ala Robin Hood). We have disguises, archery, battles, betrayal, revenge, friendship, honor, and love. What more could you ask for in an adventure?

Though it was a fun story, it didn't have the depth of plot or character that I look for in my reading. Instead we follow Richard on what seems an aimless journey of one adventure after another. Richard often finds himself in tight situations and just when he escapes he finds himself in another. Written like a serial (probably was), Richard seems to hardly have time to take a breath before something new and exciting is happening again. Although this type of writing is great for a serial, leaving the reader with a cliff hanger at the end of each section, it doesn't lead to a unified feeling within the work. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the story and have fun reading it along the way; it is just that to me it seemed just a fun adventure story. It was fun to read, but didn't leave me with a lasting impression or emotion.

Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: This is a good book but not the best of Stevenson's adventure novels. Intended to be a bildungsroman a la Kidnapped, it is set in Medieval England during the Wars of the Roses. The character development is not as good as several of Stevenson's other novels and the plot seems more schematic. In terms of creating a historically vivid setting. Stevenson did better with 18th century Scotland than with this period of English history.