Scarlet is book two of the King Raven Trilogy- a historical fiction series which sets Robin Hood (here, Rhi Bran) in the 1090s, in Wales fighting against the Normans. I reviewed book one here, and won't repeat the background.
The tale is told from the perspective of a new character- Will Scarlet, who joins the band early in the book, only to get captured during a daring kidnapping attempt on the evil Sheriff of the area. Will tells most of the tale by relaying it to Odo, a priest who visits him in his prison cell and learns his story while he awaits hanging. Scarlet relays to Odo Rhi Bran's raids on select caravans, robbing the rich to distribute to the poor, and in particular of one such attack which yielded a letter with royal implications. When Rhi Bran learns of the letter's contents, he decides to take action, hoping to gain Elfael's freedom once and for all.
Book two is okay, but not as good as the first offering. The story is average, not great. Telling it from Will's perspective is occasionally annoying. I'll probably read the third, but I'm not overly excited about it.
Rating: B-
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