Movie: Robin Hood

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Genre: Life, adventure, family

Primary actors: Russell Crowe (who was about 49% of the reason I wanted to watch this), Cate Blanchett (who was the other 49%...and the remaining 2% was because it was Robin Hood), Matthew Macfadyen, William Hurt

Length: Almost 2 ½ hours

Based on: The classic story of Robin Hood

Time period: 1200s

Rating: PG-13

Year it came out: 2010

My overall opinion: This was a good movie, y’all, and I was excited to watch it – and once I started, excited to finish it (as in, it was something I anticipated watching). Be advised, first of all, that there are some reasons for the PG-13 rating, so look that up before watching this. However, if you do decide to watch it, I think you’ll really enjoy it! I really liked Russell Crowe as Robin Hood and he’s definitely one of my favorite actors just now. Seriously. Then there was Cate Blanchett, who has a really striking way about her – I liked her as Galadriel, and she was good here too. But yeah. If you can get past the things it’s rated PG-13 for, this is a really great movie.

Ivanhoe

Author: Sir Walter Scott

Genre: Adventure

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 435

Time period: 1200

Main characters: Ivanhoe, Black Knight, Rebecca, Rowena (hate that name!), John, Front-de-Boeuf, more

Exciting events: Battles between knights and so much more!

Passage from book: A fight between knights is as follows: The trumpets had no sooner given the signal, than the champions vanished from their posts with the speed of lightning, and closed in the center of the lists with the shcok of a thunderbolt. The lances burst into shivers up to the very grasp, and it seemed at the moment that both knights had fallen, for the shock made each horse recoil backwards upon its haunches. The address of the riders recovered their steeds by use of the bridle and spur; and having glared on each other for an instant with eyes which seemed to flash fire through the bars of their visors, each made a demi-volte, and, retiring to the extremity of the lists, received a fresh lance from the attendents.

My overall opinion: A good book. I had trouble getting into it at first...but by the time I was 2/3 through, I was interested. There is a good movie that corresponds with the book, you can find a bit more out about the movie on my Favorite Movies page.  

Tuck

Author: Stephen R. Lawhead

Genre: Adventure

Series: King Raven Series

Number in series: 3rd

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 438

Time period: 1200

Main characters: Bran, Angharad, Merian, Scarlet, Friar Tuck, Noin, Baron Neufmarche, Sheriff de Glanville

Exciting events: Chases, escapes, fights, capture, much more!

My overall opinion: A book that would captivate any boy. Again, it's a re-telling of Robin Hood. It takes a little perseverance to read, but it's a good one. :)

Scarlet

Author: Stephen R. Lawhead

Genre: Adventure

Series: King Raven series

Number in series: Second

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Historical fiction

Number of pages: 449

Time period: 1200

Main characters: Will, Noin, Angharad, Bran, some Barons

Exciting events: Being imprisoned, more exciting events than I can type!

My overall opinion: A good book. :) Very few improper things, a long but interesting read.

Hood

Author: Stephen R. Lawhead

Genre: Adventure

Series: King Raven Triology

Number in series: First

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Historical fiction

Number of pages:  472

Time period: 1200, maybe?

Main characters: Bran, Merian, Iwan, Angharad

Exciting events: A mysterious gigantic bird, being hunted by warriors, nearly dying, escapes, captures, much more!

My overall opinion: A unique re-telling of Robin Hood! It's...different. You have to read it to understand. A few slightly inappropriate things, but overall it was a good book. Any boy is sure to enjoy it, and girls will too. :)