The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Black Arrow Reviews

• 
  Jan-Maat

  Enjoyable historical fiction set during the Wars of the Roses featuring a merely moderately disfigured Richard of Gloucester (that is, Richard III before he became infamous), ship stealing (and crashing thereof) assaults on fortified houses, minor battles, a sinister leper, sinister wall hangings and a sinister stolen inheritance.
  
  Ideal for impressionable children if you want to leave them with a life long suspicion of wall hangings.
• 
  Werner

  This was a reread for me, but my previous experience of the book was back in junior high school. (A lot of it I consciously remembered; much of it I recalled once reminded, and some of it was like a new book to me.) I'd wanted for some time to reread it, both so as to write a better-informed review and to see if my youthful liking for it held up under the scrutiny of an adult perspective and more experienced taste. Obviously, it did! Some might say I'm too prodigal with five-star ratings; but based on my sincere enjoyment of it, I couldn't give it less.
  
  The Goodreads description is somewhat sensationalized; but the plot does indeed involve war, murder (past and present), revenge, shipwreck, and love which, if not exactly "forbidden," certainly has a lot of obstacles. It also involves derring-do, disguise and concealed identity, outlaws, secret passages and peepholes, elements of mystery, treachery and mortal danger. The whole mix is written in good Romantic style, with its frank appeal to emotional engagement from the reader. Since this is the kind of thing I can eat up with a spoon, its appeal to me isn't hard to understand. But the adventure and romance elements aren't all it offers; there's genuine moral and psychological growth on the part of the main character.
  
  Stevenson's gift for adroit, lifelike characterizations is very much on display here. All of the major and many of the secondary characters are sketched with wonderful vividness and depth; and regardless of which side they're on, or whether they're "good" or "bad," they're genuinely nuanced. His portrayal of the two main female characters has won praise (which I agree with) even from one of the more negative reviewers of the book; and I'd say that the male characters are no less round and three-dimensional. I've been a Stevenson fan from childhood, and have read all four of his major novels (and a number of his short stories). Of the three major adventure novels, I like this one the best, though that's not a majority position. Many modern readers are stymied by his (approximate) reproduction of 15th-century dialogue; but for me, this was actually easier to understand than the Scots dialect of
  Kidnapped and the nautical terminology of
  Treasure Island. And though I'm not usually a fan of the "romance" (in the Harlequin sense) genre, I like an element of clean romance in a book, and I appreciate stories that incorporate characters from both genders, unlike the nearly all-male, "no girls allowed!" territory of the other two books.
  
  A valid criticism of the book is the inaccuracy of Stevenson's portrayal of the future Richard III. The date here is May 1460-January 1461 (not stated directly in the text, but inferred from a reference to the death of the Yorkist leader in battle --Richard, Duke of York was killed in the battle of Wakefield in December, 1460); at that time, the younger Richard was an eight-year-old child. In fairness to Stevenson, he noted the discrepancy himself in a footnote; but if he wanted that character to be 17-18, it might have been better to move the date of the story to 1470-71. More importantly, the very negative portrayal of the latter Richard is taken directly from Shakespeare's
  Richard III, which itself slavishly follows Sir Thomas More's Tudor-inspired hatchet job on Richard from earlier in the 16th century. In fact, though, while nobody would argue that Richard was a saint (neither were any of the other political leaders of that day) the weight of historical evidence is that he was far less malevolent than More and Shakespeare depicted him. And much of this evidence would already have been available to Stevenson (for instance, in Horace Walpole's
  Historic Doubts on the Life and Reign of King Richard the Third).
  
  Other criticisms, IMO, are less justified. Comparisons between Ellis Duckworth and Robin Hood are inevitable for modern readers, since both are leaders of outlaw bands, living in the woods, using arrows, and at odds with the nasty and powerful local establishment. But while modern pop culture clearly ascribes exclusive title to that territory to Robin Hood, 19th-century British writers and readers were aware that outlawry was a persistent feature of the English scene for centuries after Robin Hood; far from being anachronistic, the social conditions of the Wars of the Roses, with their displacement of the poor and opportunities for legalized plunder by the powerful, were well calculated to mass produce bands of angry and vengeful outlaws with plenty of grievances. (And in the 1400s, arrows are still their projectile weapons of choice, and the forest their natural refuge.) Related to this, no one can deny the influence of Sir Walter Scott on every Romantic historical novelist who followed him, Stevenson included. But that's not the same thing as proving that this novel is a direct knock-off of
  Ivanhoe. On the contrary, the differences between the two novels are much more significant than the similarities. Finally, Stevenson has been faulted for celebrating ideals of chivalry that are scorned today, and weren't really much followed in the Middle Ages either. The latter reality , of course, is clearly recognized in the book; the villains here are anything but honorable and chivalrous, and things like the summary hanging of prisoners and the sack of Shoreby are realistic for the time, but far from chivalrous. But even if they weren't widely practiced, concepts like keeping one's word even when it would be convenient not to, treating even one's enemies with fairness and respect, and showing mercy and protection to noncombatants actually were held up as social ideals in the 1400s (and for centuries after), and actually were practiced by some individuals. (Other words for "chivalry," in this sense, would be "honor" and "personal integrity.") In choosing to celebrate and encourage these ideals, I would submit that Stevenson has the right of it.
  
  This novel was originally serialized in a "story paper" marketed to teenage boys; our hero and heroine here are 17 and 16 years old when we meet them, and the book can be found in the YA or children's sections in some libraries. (I discovered it in my school library.) But teens in the Middle Ages grew up fast; Dick and Joanna think more like, and are treated more like, adults than like today's adolescents. YA readers who can handle late Victorian diction and aren't daunted by medieval dialogue could enjoy this, I think, and identify with the characters. But I personally would characterize this more as an adult novel that happens to have teen protagonists, and that teen readers could enjoy, rather than as a YA novel that some adults could enjoy. (I don't know if that distinction is clear, or helpful to anybody; but I make it for whatever it's worth. :-) )
• 
  Piyangie

  The Black Arrow by Robert Louise Stevenson is a historical fiction set in the time of War of the Roses. The book tells the story of a young man named Richard Shelton, who in the quest of obtaining justice for his father's murder and rescuing his love from the grip of a villainous warden, displays loyalty and courage, and becomes an important warrior for the Yorks. For his unwavering valor, he is rewarded with a knighthood.
  
  The story is quite interesting, but what I liked the most, is the history that is set as the backdrop of the story. The historical part was both fascinating and informative. The story was also well written, using language appropriate for the time period coupled with the local dialect. The dramatic quality and fast pace created suspense and set the tone appropriate for the battles. However, I wish Stevenson could have worked on a more personal touch, for so far I have observed, his writing though good, is a little distant and detached. For this reason, the reader is unable to feel as much for the characters as he ought to.
  
  Overall, it was a good work of historical fiction and an engaging read. Since I'm quite a fan of historical fiction, I enjoyed this very much.
• 
  Louie the Mustache Matos

  Continuing my exploration of Stevenson, this excellent historical fiction novel is set during the War of the Roses and has some strong action fight scenes. However, it was written over 100 years ago as a serial for a publication in 1883. Consequently, the language serves as an impediment to an accurate and full understanding. At times the writing is taut, tense. There are other times that the writing is a slog. Contextually it is written for an extremely different milieu, which may cause younger readers (and some more mature ones too) accustomed to the current standard to be put off by metaphors and colloquialisms for a Scottish audience. Otherwise, the story is about a young man, Dick Shelton, who is torn between the guardian who may have had a hand in killing his father and the Black Arrow (strangely reminiscent of Robin Hood) and his band of outlaws. There is adventure, romance, action, shipwreck, espionage, and betrayal. Some parts were good, but others were not. Still, it fulfills my criteria for the term classic, and I mostly enjoyed the piece.
• 
  Roberto

  
  La tortura della freccia
  
  Ricordando lo sceneggiato televisivo con Loretta Goggi di cui attendevo con trepidazione le puntate (credo la domenica sera) e confidando nella garanzia del nome Stevenson, mi sono dedicato con attenzione e con molte attese a questa lettura.
  
  Ma qual sorpresa! Quello che mi era sembrata una trama avventurosa mi è parsa ora una storia poco probabile, scritta in modo non più attuale (quanti giri di parole per non dire nulla!), prevedibile, confusa, poco coinvolgente, con invocazioni a Dio ogni due pagine (che Dio me lo conceda, che Dio dia pace allo spirito suo, che Dio vi aiuti, per grazia di Dio etc), con una tal rassegna di personaggi mal caratterizzati e ingessati nel proprio ruolo che ci vuole un’agenda per ricordarseli.
  
  Il romanzo fu scritto nel 1888 a puntate settimanali (17) e si vede; probabilmente il brodo, cucinato a lungo, è stato allungato un po’ troppo, come spesso avviene in questi casi.
  Mi verrebbe da dire un libro per ragazzi, se non fosse che ben pochi ragazzi ora si cimenterebbero nella lettura di un libro del genere che, oggi, risulta essere solo noioso.
  
  "E' una strana freccia, questa — disse il ragazzo, fissando il dardo che aveva in mano. — E' vero, in fede mia! — esclamò Bennet.— Nera, con la punta di piuma nera. E' una freccia di malaugurio per la verità, perché il nero, dicono, porta la sepoltura.”
  
  Si è mai vista una freccia che a quei tempi non portasse alla sepoltura?
  
  Che distanza dal bellissimo L’isola del tesoro!
• 
  Loretta

  It was a very enjoyable book but I really liked Treasure Island much more.
• 
  Issicratea

  I love Stevenson as a writer, yet The Black Arrow had somehow passed me by before now. It’s a medieval
  Treasure Island, set during the Wars of the Roses and published, like Treasure Island, first pseudonymously as a serial publication (1883), and then as a novel (1888). Like Treasure Island, The Black Arrow is often labeled as “children’s fiction,” though the current Young Adult category fits it better—i.e. there’s a lot in it for old adults as well.
  
  Stevenson was amusingly dismissive of this book (he sympathizes with his wife in the dedicatory letter for never having managed to get through it), but it’s actually a splendid yarn and immensely readable. I ripped through it in a few hours on a long-distance flight: the perfect reading context for a novel of this kind. The quality isn’t uniform—a few passages are “by the yard”—but there’s also some excellent action writing and taut, evocative scene-setting. You can also see interesting anticipations of some of Stevenson’s later novelistic themes, especially in the latter stages, where Richard of Gloucester, the future Richard III, has a memorable cameo as a kind of dark, Hyde-like double to The Black Arrow’s boy protagonist Richard Shelton, revealing the ambiguities in Shelton's own character and actions.
  
  I liked someone’s description of this novel in a review on this site as like reading an accelerated Dumas novel. The Black Arrow is certainly closer to Dumas than Scott in terms of historical heft, although it draws substantially on
  Ivanhoe, especially for its Robin Hood-like band of outlaws. Stevenson makes no attempt to track the actual political events of the 1460s, and he cheerily admits to having adding ten years to Richard III’s age to allow him to participate in the novel’s (entirely fictional) final battle.
  
  The point about acceleration is also good. Stevenson writes with great economy, as always. His descriptive language is always graceful and precise, and sometimes inspired. A battered ship in a storm, half-disappearing beneath a wave, “rose on the other side with appalling, tremulous indecision;” the revenge-bent men of a village “came clustering in an inky mass” onto its snow-bound streets. In our first glimpse of the outlaws’ camp, predictably sinister elements—cauldrons, arrows, a deer carcass hung on a hawthorn bush—mix with the surreally poetic (“a man lay slumbering, rolled in a brown cloak, with a butterfly hovering over his face.”) There is something faintly miraculous about reading a simple tale of swashbuckling folk narrated with such refinement. I would happily read a shopping list written by this man.
  
• 
  amapola

  Raccontami una storia
  
  Le dame, i cavalieri, i soldati, i fuorilegge. La Guerra delle due Rose, le battaglie, spade, frecce, cavalli. Il castello e la foresta. La brama di potere, l’istinto di vendetta. L’ingiustizia e la ribellione. Il tradimento, l’infamia, il coraggio, l’amicizia. Un amore che sboccia. Le rocambolesche avventure e il lieto fine.
  Ah, se l’avessi letto da bambina lo avrei adorato!
  Invece l’ho letto adesso e l’ho adorato.
  
  
  https://youtu.be/PBL_zxd64xk
  
  Grazie, grazie e ancora grazie, Tusitala!
  
• 
  Benjamin Wilkins

  I have no idea why The Black Arrow is not canon in the way that Treasure Island or Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hide are. It is a fantastic read, especially if you are like me and are in any way attracted to all things medieval. But there is much to love for anyone who is fond of thrilling adventure and surprisingly complex characters: sword fights, maidens in distress who are yet not helpless, class warfare ala Robin Hood, spies, historical figures, revenge, love, thieves, daring night raids from the sea - the list goes on and on. The book is not perfect. There are moments in the middle when the plot languishes, and the ending feels a bit too much like RLS was running out of time at the end of an exam and had to rush everything to its conclusion. But I have to give it five stars, despite its flaws, because, like every Robert Louis Stevenson book I've ever read, I could not put it down. I couldn't put it down, but there are scenes from the book that I will always remember. It is exceedingly rare for a book to be both gripping and memorable. I think he manages this by both painting with broad, exciting strokes, and attaching real consequences to the characters. The story is set up in a well-written, but fairly standard way, with a clear hero with a clear mission and clear enemies to struggle against. But though the hero proceeds to fight and slaughter his way toward what he wants in the most heroic fashion, he is actually changed by this. He is made to see that what he does, even when he had good intentions, has negative consequences. He is made to feel guilt for his more deplorable actions and the reader is asked to look at the actions themselves - not to excuse them just because he is the hero. Because of this, Dick Shelton is as memorable a character as any in literature. I strongly recommend the book.
• 
  Gabril

  Ammetto: è stata una botta di nostalgia per il celebre sceneggiato.
  Uno Stevenson decisamente minore che non avrei avuto la costanza di leggere dall’inizio alla fine. Ma per fortuna esiste l’audiolibro.
• 
  Red Cat Library

  Romanzo d'avventura ambientato durante la guerra delle due rose.
  Sicuramente un bellissimo classico da leggere, entusiasmante ed avvincente.
  Ci si affeziona ai personaggi e non si può non tifare per loro.
• 
  George Jankovic

  This book was such an unexpected dissapointment.
  
  It was one of my 20 or so favorites when I was a kid. My son is now of that age and I wanted to recommend it to him so, just in case, I wanted to re-read it first since I didn't remember anything except that it was set in England during the War of the Roses period.
  
  It is an interesting coming-of-age adventure story with action, revenge, and forbidden love. Unfortunately, it is so poorely written. Considering how much I liked it then, I will give it a blended score of 3 (the average of 5 and 1).
  
  I was so excited... Now I am heart-broken :(
  
• 
  Ana Rilo

  Me costó llegar al final, la verdad. La historia no está mal, pero no es muy de mi gusto.
• 
  Metodi Markov

  Исторически роман за "Войната на розите" в средновековна Англия.
  
  Превъзходно написан, чисто удоволствие, четен и препрочитан през годините.
  
  Да си спътник на младия Дик и да попаднеш с него във върхушката битки, предателства и несгоди помага да се опознае добре конкретния период. Той ще срещне любовта и ще излезе от премеждията истински възмъжал.
  
  А за всяко черно сърце, има по една смъртоносна черна стрела, долетяла изневиделица!
  
  P.S. Това издание е с чудесните илюстрации на H. M. Paget. Можете да научите повече за тях и да ги видите тук:
  
  
  http://robert-louis-stevenson.org/ill...
• 
  Simon Mcleish

  Originally published on my blog
  here in January 2002.
  
  This medieval romance is one of Stevenson's minor adventure stories. Its main character is naive young noble Richard Shenton, who discovers that his guardian is in fact an evil man who murdered Richard's father and who looks to become wealthy by continually swapping sides in the Wars of the Roses. (The point of the guardianship is this. When a noble heir was orphaned, his revenues until he came of age were in the hands of his liege lord, or such guardian as he appointed; moreover, the guardian was also frequently granted the tax payable on coming of age or marriage. These rights were the subject of lucrative trade in medieval England, and were one of the crown's major sources of income.)
  
  To a modern reader, the main obstacle in The Black Arrow and the major reason it is less well known than, say,
  Treasure Island, is the flowery pseudo-medieval language used in the dialogue. This is something that has gradually been toned down in historical novels during the twentieth century, until now they are usually written with characters who speak more or less colloquial modern English. This is due to a change in philosophy; it is now considered better to accessibly reproduce what it felt like to be alive at the time the novel is set than to attempt to literally recreate it, and a modern reader will react differently to the kind of language used here from the way their medieval counterpart would have done to hearing it spoken. (And, of course, there was more regional and class based differentiation between individuals when people travelled less widely; this would be extremely difficult to duplicate, even for an expert in dialect development. Writers like
  Scott,
  Morris, Stevenson and so on didn't attempt to do this, and gave their characters dialogue based on a romanticised version of the formal speeches in medieval poetry - at least as inauthentic as modern usage.)
  
  One of the merits of Stevenson's writing is the imperfection of his heroes. They tend to be - as Shelton is here - naive, not too bright, but with a strong moral sense; this makes them more interesting than the characters of many of the other writers of what might be termed proto-thrillers. Interestingly, when first published in serial form, The Black Arrow was more successful than Treasure Island had been; this ordering has since been reversed to leave the earlier novel as one of the classics of English popular fiction with The Black Arrow as just another novel by the same writer.
• 
  [Name Redacted]

  Another classic, child-hood favorite! I haven't read it in over 20 years, so it's time for a re-read!
  
  ~
  
  I'm glad I re-read it! I appreciated it on a number of different levels this time around, beyond simply enjoying the action, adventure and romance aspects. There were all sorts of historical characters and events that 9 year-old Ian failed to recognize (apparently, I didn't know much about Richard III or the War of the Roses back then). Stevenson creates arguably the most successful fictional adaptation of Richard III, presenting him as a complex, multifaceted man who, while not conventionally likable, is a brilliant leader and powerful warrior. I also suspect that this novel formed the inspiration for
  Lloyd Alexander's
  The Book of Three, as the relationship between Dick & John reminded me of the relationship between Taran & Eilonwy. Despite Stevenson's own contempt for this novel, I appreciated its frank depiction of the wages of war and the complicated nature of the York/Lancaster struggled. Definitely a book I'll be reading to or recommending to my children!
• 
  Encarni Prados

  Un libro lleno de aventuras donde tenemos a un malo, Sir Daniel, que a todo le saca beneficio y se cambia de chaqueta cuando hace falta, ya sea con los Lannister (uy, jiji Lancaster) o los York (en este caso, los buenos). Un chico inocente Richard o Dick y una damisela en apuros. Con estos ingredientes R.L. Stevenson crea una historia llena de aventuras que he disfrutado como una niña chica.
• 
  Ana Rilo

  Me costó llegar al final, la verdad. La historia no está mal, pero no fue muy de mi gusto.
• 
  Ints

  Šoreiz , lasot „Piedzīvojumi. Fantastika. Ceļojumi.”sēriju, pievērsos action gabalam. Paņēmu veco labo Roberta Stīvensona gabalu. Bērnībā viņu jau biju lasījis veselu vienu reizi, kas it kā liecināja, ka grāmata man nez kādēļ īsti nav patikusi.
  
  Rit 1460. gads, notiek Rožu kari, katram augstmanim ir jāizlemj, kurā pusē nostāties. Uz kara fona rit Ričarda Šeltona piedzīvojumi. Viņš kļūst par bruņinieku, atriebj sava tēva nāvi, izglābj lēdiju Džoannu. Vēl viņš paspēj pievienoties Melnās bultas brālībai, kas sastāv no viņa patēva sera Daniela apspiestajiem ļautiņiem. Melnās bultas vadonis Ellisa Dakvors savu dzīvi velta, lai atriebtos seram Danielam. Ričards viņam pievienojas un lēnām tiek ierauts notikumos, kas izšķir visu kara likteni.
  
  Sākums tīri tā neko- vīri atnākuši uz ciemu mobilizēt atlikušos zemniekus karaspēka vajadzībām. Pēkšņi viens veterāns, kuru nolēmuši atstāt par pils garnizona priekšnieku, dabū bultu ribās. Tad kāds pie baznīcas (pasarg Dievs) durvīm pienaglo nākamo trīs upuru sarakstu (dzejā). Nav jēgas te runāt par jebkādu šī stāsta vēsturisko pamatojumu, tur autors ir vairāk iedvesmojies no citu rakstīta nekā vēstures. Kauju datumi un troņa pretendentu vecumi neiet kopā nemaz. Nākotnes karalim Ričardam trešajam savi vīri kaujā bija jāvada, ja ticam autora rakstītajam astoņu gadu vecumā. Tādēļ šo darbu labāk uztvert kā tīru piedzīvojumu romānu. Romāns ir sarakstīts 1883. gadā, un tā stils atbilst tā laika romāna prasībām. Galvenais lai ir piedzīvojumi un labs stāsts, notikumu loģika, lai paliek otrajā plānā.
  
  Ričards Šeltons, saukts arī par Diku, ir apbrīnojams ar savu spēju nepamanīt acīmredzamo. Visu mūžu viņš ir vadījis pie patēva, cik var noprast, kopā devušies pārgājienos un medībās. Audzināts kā paša dēls, tai pat laikā viņam nav ne jausmas par to, kas notiek apkārt. Viņš nekad nav aizdomājies par sava tēva nāves iemeslu. Tas savukārt nav nekāds noslēpums visiem apkārtējiem, izņemot Diku. Tāpat viņš nespēj atšķirt sievieti ietērptu vīrieša drēbēs no puikas. Novazājas pāris dienas ar tādu kopā pa mežu, bet nepamana neko aizdomīgu. Kā karavadonis viņš ir totāls nejēga, un katrā kaujā zaudē vai visus savus vīrus. Labi, ka tie mistiskā vietā visu laiku atjaunojas. Ričarda iemīļotais iepazīšanās veids ir sākt kauties. To lietu viņš pieprot, un acīmredzot tādā veidā pārvar savu kautrību. Vēl viņa iemīļots hobijs ir doties uz ģēlu ar iereibušu komandu. Nu un laiku pa laikam piedaloties izšķirošās cīņās zaudējot visus savus vīrus. Pie tam pats redzot nelabvēlīgu cīņas (kuru pats iniciējis) iznākumu, parasti metas bēgt pametot vīrus bez komandiera. Taču visas šīs īpašības nez kādēļ rada viņam labu slavu.
  
  Džoanna, sākumā parādās kā Džeks, ir tipiska romānu meiča. Viņa iemīlas Dikā un tas viņā no pirmā acu skatiena. Diks gan tikai tad, kad meitene novilkusi bikses un uzvilkusi kleitu. Tad notiek bēgšana, kura izdodas tikai Dikam. Taču ar to pietiek, lai jauniešu būtu lemti viens otram, neskatoties, ka abi jau ir izprecināti. Diks mīļotās dēļ zaudē pārdesmit Melnās bultas bandas biedrus, nogremdē kuģi, nogalina punduri un pakāš piecdesmit jātnieku lielu vienību. Bet mīlestība jau ir tā vērta.
  
  Pašu stāstu var lasīt tikai ar vieglu smīnu sejā, tas patiešām nav pārāk izdevies. Bet tai laikā jau neviens par notiekošā ticamību neaizdomājās, galvenais, lai ir spriedze un darbība. Mūsdienu standartiem šis stāsts noteikti nespēj kotēties augstāk par lubeni. Grāmatai lieku 6 no 10 ballēm, vispozitīvākā lieta tajā ir mazais apjoms.
• 
  Amaranta

  Caro, caro Robert
  Se avessi avuto 15 anni per questo libro sarei impazzita. L’avventura di un giovane in cui identificarsi, le peripezie, le battaglie, l’amore ne fanno un libro perfetto per gli ardori dell’adolescenza. Con questo non voglio sicuramente sminuirlo, ma credo che forse con gli occhi di un adulto si perda un po’ quella meraviglia che solo agli occhi dei più piccoli può esistere. Il libro è comunque una lettura piacevole, avvincente e in alcuni punti divertente. Da leggere per chi ha una lacuna da colmare.
  
• 
  Mary Catelli

  Action and adventure during the War of the Roses.
  
  Young Dick Shelton finds himself in the middle of intrigue, from his father's murder, to a prisoner his guardian is bringing to his hall, to the wars about him.
  
  It involves a pursuit through the woods, the title black arrows being used to threat murderers, an attempt to mislead him with oaths, disguising himself a monk, winning and losing favor, an interrupted wedding, and more.
• 
  WhatIReallyRead

  This was a really fun read. A young, brave, noble hero and a young, fierce heroine go on an adventure. There's lots of action and danger, and you really root for the main characters, because they have such good hearts, honesty, and depth of feeling. I'll be honest, I didn't really pay very close attention to the fighting scenes, of which there were plenty.
  
  It felt a little naive. Had I read it as a teenager, I think it would have joined my "favorites" shelf.
• 
  Víctor

  "El mundo — como decía la gente en aquellos días — puede cambiar otra vez"
  
  El libro narra las aventuras de Richard Dick Shelton sucedidas en la Inglaterra del s.XV durante la guerra civil entre la Casa de Lancaster y la Casa de York.
  
  Una novela donde el protagonista tendrá que hacer frente a batallas, intrigas y enemigos inesperados mientras intenta recuperar al amor de su vida.
• 
  Ana Rilo

  Me costó llegar al final, la verdad. La historia no está mal, pero no es muy de mi gusto.
• 
  Gary Hoggatt

  Since I enjoyed Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and enjoy medieval history, Stevenson's The Black Arrow would seem to be a perfect combination. The tale is solid, but unfortunately there are a few issues prevent it from delivering on its promise.
  
  The Black Arrow, first published as a serial in 1883 and as a novel in 1888, follows the adventures of Dick Shelton as he discovers that his guardian may be responsible for the death of his father and seeks justice, attempts to rescue his betrothed from the clutches of said guardian, and gets swept up in the tumult of the War of the Roses.
  
  Shelton comes across throughout the book as mostly naive and occasionally cruel and self-centered, and he seems to blunder from one encounter to the next. In short, it's hard to really root for him or care about him, as he has few redeeming qualities, but he's also just not that interesting, either. I've read other books where the main characters aren't exactly heroes (such as George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series), but in those cases, the main characters were at least plotting and scheming and being actively devious, which is entertaining. Shelton shows a bit of character growth at the end of the novel, showing regret about some of the dubious actions he took while trying to rescue his betrothed, but it isn't enough to redeem him as an interesting character.
  
  Another downside to the book is the disjointed nature of it. It feels very episodic, as if Stevenson approached each chapter thinking, "Okay, what trouble can Dick Shelton get into next?" This precludes any sort of build-up of tension, and also results in a limit to how much each episode is affected by those that came earlier. When I started reading the book, I was not aware that it had first been serialized, but by the time I finished it, I guessed it had, as it read like a collection of episodes, and I'm aware it was common practice at the time (Stevenson's Treasure Island was first published serially in the same magazine as The Black Arrow, and even Charles Dickens released his work that way).
  
  The old fashioned language was a difficulty in getting into the book. I was reminded of watching a Shakespearean play, where it takes you a scene or two to really get into the old language and follow along relatively clearly. I had no trouble with the similarly jargon-laden and old fashioned Treasure Island. Maybe I just speak pirate better than I do knight.
  
  The best parts of the book are the action scenes. These are strong, and helps redeem some of the other shortcomings of the novel. There are chases through forests, spying and sneaking, one on one combats, and large battles.
  
  I think I'm probably being harder on this book than it might deserve because I'm holding up against Stevenson's other work. It's okay, it just lacks the life and energy of Treasure Island or the creepy tension of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and isn't the same sort of genre-defining work as those two stories.
  
  I listened to the audio version read by Shelly Frasier. Frasier doesn't stand out with this book, though she isn't inherently bad, either, and I wouldn't avoid her in other productions. I didn't especially care for her reading this book, though, primarily because 95% of the characters are male, and having to decipher her narrow range of fake male voices to track who was speaking on top of following along with the difficult language wasn't an ideal combination.
  
  The Black Arrow is a solid book that has the misfortune to have been written by an author with other fantastic books that outshine it. If you like medieval stories, you'll probably enjoy The Black Arrow, but I can't recommend it to the general reader like I can Treasure Island or Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
  
  If you're interested, check out my reviews Stevenson's Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde here on Amazon for more of my thoughts on those works.
• 
  Carlos Bazzano

  De Robert L. Stevenson había leído con anterioridad las que han de ser sus dos obras más famosas: La isla del tesoro y El extraño caso del Dr. Jekill y Mr. Hyde y quedé maravillado con su forma de narrar las historias y, si bien, hace ya bastante rato que he leído ambos libros, recuerdo perfectamente las sensaciones vividas con la lectura, particularmente, con La isla del tesoro con el cual me sentí pirata.
  
  Ahora toca el turno a La flecha negra un libro bastante diferente a los anteriores que leí de este autor, principalmente por la época en que transcurre la historia. Nos presenta aquí, Stevenson, a una Inglaterra que atraviesa una de las duras etapas de la Guerra de las Dos Rosas, conflicto bélico interno que enfrentó a las Casas de York y Lancaster, por el trono inglés.
  
  La narración cuenta las peripecias de Richard Shelton, hijo de Henry Shelton a quien su tutor había supuestamente asesinado, quien se ve involucrado con Jane Sedley, de quien se enamora y con quien pretende contraer matrimonio. Al lado de estos personajes vemos a otros que tienen mayor o menor importancia. Un punto realmente no me agradó y que la Hermandad de la Flecha Negra cuenta con escaso desarrollo, no vemos su total motivación, el líder que debería tener una personalidad avasalladora resulta en exceso etéreo, como si estuviera desdibujado. En una historia de venganza, y sobre todo si elemento da título al libro, la acción debería girar principalmente en torno a ese elemento.
  
  No obstante este único punto negativo, es un gran libro que me hizo disfrutar de las aventuras en las campiñas medievales, al punto de verme sumergido en la historia e imaginarme las caras de los personajes, sus ropas, expresiones, paisajes y detalles, solo un gran autor, solo un gran narrador puede lograr este efecto en un lector, y Robert L. Stevenson es todo es y mucho más.
  
  Me agradó sobremanera el personaje de Richard Crookback, futuro rey (reinó con el nombre de Ricardo III) un hombre duro y cruel, tanto que Ricardo III de Shakespeare será mi primera lectura de 2018.
  
  Excelente libro de aventuras para pasar un buen rato en la Inglaterra medieval.
• 
  Maruf Hossain

  গোলাপের যুদ্ধের সময়ের ওপর ভিত্তি করে লেখা বই। ল্যাঙ্কাস্টার আর ইয়র্ক - দুই হাউসের যুদ্ধও গুরুত্বপূর্ণ অনুঘটক বইটার।
  
  নায়ক ডিক শেলটন আর দশটা খাঁটি ইংরেজ নায়কের মতোই। সাফল্য লাভের আগে চূড়ান্ত ভোগান্তির ভেতর দিয়ে যেতে হয় ওকে। পিতার খুনি ড্যানিয়েল সেজে বসে ওর অভিভাবক, শেষে যখন খুন করতে যায় ওকে তখন পালায় ডিক। ড্যানিয়েল আটকে রাখে ডিকের প্রেমিকা জোয়ানা। বার বার নিজের বাড়ি-প্রেমিকা উদ্ধার করতে গিয়েও ব্যর্থ ডিক। এত দুর্দশা সহ্য না করতে পারলে খাঁটি ইংরেজ নায়ক হয় কেমনে!
  শেষে বহুত কাহিনি-টাহিনি কইরা নিজের হারানো সাম্রাজ্য ফেরত পাইল ডিক। হিস্টোরিকাল এলিমেন্টগুলা ভালোই লাগল।
  
  নিয়াজ মোরশেদের সুখাদ্য অনুবাদে আড়াই টানে শেষ করে দিলাম বইটা।
• 
  Nicolás Ortenzi

  Pensé que sería igual que: la guardia blanca, de Arthur Conan Doyle, por eso me rehusaba a leerlo, pero me equivoqué.
  La novela es muy interesante y te engancha desde el principio. Lo que lleva un poco de tiempo es tomarles cariño a los personajes. Debo decir además que me sorprendió el plot twist de uno de los personajes en particular.
  Es una prosa simple de entender, no es algo rebuscado. Al igual que la idea.
  
  PD: lo que leeo en digital, si me gusta mucho lo compro en físico y este se sumó a mi larga lista. 🤣🤣🤣
• 
  Mabe

  Es una novela entretenida y con muy buena ambientación. Para mi gusto va decayendo un poco, pero bueno, no está mal. Evidentemente, no es la mejor novela de Stevenson, pero se disfruta.
• 
  Emanuela

  Mi trovo un po’ in difficoltà a scrivere la recensione di questo libro, perché ho un forte legame con questa storia della mia infanzia e soprattutto con Stevenson e non vorrei stroncarlo completamente.
  No in realtà non è che non mi sia piaciuto per niente o che ne abbia trovata difficoltosa la lettura (l’ho letto in due giorni).
  Ma la trama si è rivelata molto molto semplice e del tutto basilare.
  Dick Shelton è il figlioccio di Sir Daniel Brackley e, in compagnia di Sir Oliver, il prete del paese, apprende che il suo tutore è anche stato l’assassino del padre per potersi impadronire delle rendite del ragazzo.
  E lo scopre grazie alla Compagnia della Freccia nera che, tramite John Aggiustatutto, lancia la prima freccia di 4 per uccidere un cavaliere tra quelli che hanno commesso atti illeciti e spregevoli, tra cui uccidere sir Harry Shelton.
  Durante uno dei compiti che svolge per il tutore, per la battaglia che imperversa tra Yorkisti e Lancasteriani per il dominio dell’Inghilterra, aiuta a fuggire un giovane paggio, John, che poi scoprirà avere un’identità diversa, segreta.
  Si innamorerà di Johanna, protetta di Sir Daniel che l’ha sottratta a lord Foxham, e lotterà contro la volontà di questo per sposarla.
  Il problema di questo libro è che tutto si svolge esattamente così come narrato, senza particolari svolte, colpi di scena, approfondimenti o altro, come se fosse solo destinato ad un pubblico di ragazzi, in maniera forse un po’ semplicistica.
  Alcune uscite di certi personaggi mi sembrano talmente surreali da rendersi quasi ridicoli, come per esempio quella di Alicia Risingham quando viene salvata da Dick.
  L’unico sprazzo di complessità e di profondità morale si trova nella riflessione di Dick quando ritrova il marinaio Arblast e vuole risparmiargli la vita dopo averne causata la rovina completa e non ottenendone però il perdono, si rende conto per la prima volta nella propria vita che non sempre alle azioni c’è un rimedio concreto.
  Comprendo anche il perché venga risparmiata l’ultima freccia nera, anche se però non viene data una chiara spiegazione della motivazione e non la condivido totalmente perché, nonostante inizialmente Dick lo scopra debole e “strumento” del male, più avanti nella storia però si comporta in maniera chiaramente oppositiva nei confronti del ragazzo e schierandosi dalla parte avversaria. E in realtà fatico anche ad inquadrare questo nuovo spessore del protagonista che fino ad allora ci è stato mostrato come sempliciotto.