Marigold: Our Lady of Thieves

by Jack Heerema

Overview

A young child is found on a tip heap and is rescued from a dismal future by Sir Kai ap Gruffydd, a man whose courage and fighting prowess is known all over England. There is something about this girl that speaks to him . . . like he has somehow known her from his past. When he asks her name, she tells him. Her name is Marion. With the guiding hand of her new guardians, Marion blossoms into a young lady who can recite the catechisms taught to her by nuns, and then execute the most intricate sword-fighting skills ever seen by man or woman.

In the meantime, the Sheriff of Nottingham has been secretly working for Philip Augustus of France, whose sole purpose is to create civil unrest in England to undermine and emasculate King John. The foul treatment of the people of England by the sheriff galvanizes a gang of outlaws, under the leadership of Robin Hood, to thwart the sheriff of all efforts at every opportunity. Our heroine, Marion, is drawn into this conflict when she sees impoverished women and children who are suffering from the consequences of high taxation, forced labour, and brutal violence.

It is up to Robin Hood and Marion, along with their compatriots such as Friar Tuck and Alan a Dale, to outwit and outmuscle the sheriff, and bring down his use of unjust draconian power against the rights of the common weal.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781039136533
Publisher:	FriesenPress
Publication date:	02/14/2022
Pages:	360
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Debut author Jack Heerema has a passion for history and studies it not only for empirical fact, but for the underlying social and culture milieu they are presented in. He currently lives in Calgary, Alberta.

Editorial Reviews

2022-11-03
This retelling of the Robin Hood myth takes an intriguing look at the woman supporting the outlaw.

Heerema’s novel begins with Sir Kai ap Gruffydd, a lieutenant of Lord William the Marshal, discovering an abused young girl on a trash heap. After administering a beating to her oppressor, Kai becomes guardian to the girl, named Marion, who seems familiar to him. Marion spends her formative years splitting time between aiding the nuns with the less fortunate and receiving combat training from England’s best warriors, for there’s trouble in the land. The sheriff of Nottingham is acting as an agent of King Philip Augustus of France to foment dissension against Britain’s King John and to weaken the ruler’s forces so that he will withdraw his troops from France and forfeit English land holdings there. Enter Robin of Locksley, a man who will become central to Marion’s life (“One facet of his character that appealed to Marion, that he apparently wasn’t aware of, was he respected the integrity of each person he came in contact with”). After the sheriff’s troops unsuccessfully attack Lord William’s family, Robin proposes setting up a guerrilla force in Sherwood Forest to harass the villain’s army. As Marion and Robin grow closer through the years, she insists on using her formidable martial skills to further his cause and protect the poor victims of the sheriff’s tyranny. The story effectively details the intricate planning that builds to the climactic final battle to save England. The most important element that Heerema offers in this novel is a fresh take on a tale familiar to many. Most fantasy readers can render bare-bones frameworks of Robin Hood’s story. But the author does so much more. He starts with a complex backdrop to provide perspective. Then he creates full-bodied backstories for such well-known characters as Friar Tuck and Alan a Dale. But the most significant choice he makes is to put Marion front and center. Heerema reveals how integral Marion’s contributions are to the success of Robin’s mission. That the author accomplishes all of this in a smoothly flowing, enchanting narrative is remarkable. This book reads much shorter than its 351 pages, which is always a plus. What results is an energizing visit to a long-ago conflict.

This beguiling adventure makes a familiar legend seem new.

Kirkus Reviews