The Last Arrow
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''The Last Arrow'' is a 1997 historical novel by Canadian author
Marsha Canham Marsha Canham (born November 19, 1950) is a Canadian writer of historical romance novels since 1984. She has won two '' Romantic Times'' Lifetime Achievement Awards, as well as multiple awards for individual books including Best Historical of ...
, the third instalment of her "Medieval" trilogy inspired by the
Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is depic ...
legend set in 13th-century England. The novel was published by
Dell Publishing Dell Publishing Company, Inc. is an American publisher of books, magazines and comic books, that was founded in 1921 by George T. Delacorte Jr. with $10,000 (approx. $145,000 in 2021), two employees and one magazine title, ''I Confess'', and ...
in 1997 as a sequel to Canham's 1994 story ''
In the Shadow of Midnight ''In the Shadow of Midnight'' is a 1994 historical novel by Canadian author Marsha Canham, the second instalment of her "Medieval" trilogy inspired by the Robin Hood legend set in 13th-century England. The story centres on the rescue of Princess ...
''. It received generally positive reviews from book critics. Canham became inspired to write a new interpretation of the Robin Hood legend after experiencing a dream. She considered having several different characters represent the famous outlaw before deciding on Lord Robert Wardieu, one of the main characters featured in ''The Last Arrow'' (and the son of the hero in the first instalment '' Through a Dark Mist'').


Plot


Historical background

King John King John may refer to: Rulers * John, King of England (1166–1216) * John I of Jerusalem (c. 1170–1237) * John Balliol, King of Scotland (c. 1249–1314) * John I of France (15–20 November 1316) * John II of France (1319–1364) * John I o ...
has been monarch for fifteen years, overseeing a disastrous reign that has driven England further into debt, lost territories in France, alienated his barons, and placed corrupt, cruel men in positions of power. Many countrymen begin speculating on the fate of John's lost nephew
Arthur of Brittany Arthur I ( br, Arzhur 1añ; french: link=no, Arthur 1er de Bretagne) (29 March 1187 – presumably 1203) was 4th Earl of Richmond and Duke of Brittany between 1196 and 1203. He was the posthumous son of Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany, and Constan ...
, the long-lost rightful heir to the throne before being usurped by John. The whereabouts of Arthur's sister, Princess Eleanor, is also a mystery, though rumours speculate that she was rescued by a group of knights many years ago.


Plot summary

Meanwhile, Princess Eleanor, secretly blinded by King John to bar her from power, has been hiding in an English abbey to live out the rest of her days. Her protector, Lord Henry de Clare, has disguised himself as a "Friar Tuck" and kept a close eye over the abbey. One day, Eleanor's maid Marienne is almost assaulted by guardsmen of Guy de Gisbourne, the sheriff of Nottingham; Henry defends her and is taken prisoner. Outside the walls of
Château d'Amboise The Château d'Amboise is a château in Amboise, located in the Indre-et-Loire ''département'' of the Loire Valley in France. Confiscated by the monarchy in the 15th century, it became a favoured royal residence and was extensively rebuilt. Kin ...
, Lady Brenna Wardieu, the master archer daughter of Lord Randwulf de la Seyne Sur Mer, encounters a knight whilst out hunting. Brenna remains suspicious of the mysterious knight, Griffyn Renaud de Verdelay, rightfully so since he intends to kill her brother Robert for a large reward from King John. Despite this, she and Griffyn are attracted to each other but spend much of their time verbally sparring. Lord Randwulf is sent a message from Marienne with Eleanor's ring and the warning "They have taken Lord Henry." Intending to discover the status of Eleanor's secret, Randwulf sends Robert, his friend's son Will FitzAthelstan, and several others to England. Brenna overhears the plan and demands to accompany them. Before leaving for England, they travel to a nearby
tourney A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
at
Château Gaillard Château Gaillard () is a medieval castle ruin overlooking the River Seine above the commune of Les Andelys, in the French department of Eure, in Normandy. It is located some north-west of Paris and from Rouen. Construction began in 1196 under ...
to avoid attracting the suspicions of King John and his minions. Their contact, the Welshman Dafydd ap Iorwerth, is captured before he can find Robert's group; before dying, his torturers Lord Bertrand Malagane and his sadistic lover Solange de Sancerre discover enough to suspect Robert is on a mission to rescue Eleanor. They intend to have Robert, the group's leader and a great tourney champion, killed. Griffyn was sent for from Burgundy for this task, and upon meeting him they pay him one thousand English sterlings, though they fail to tell him Robert's plans to find the princess. Griffyn is told to stay away from the Wardieus. However, Griffyn and Brenna secretly consummate their relationship soon after, and rather than killing Robert he joins their mission. Brenna learns that Griffyn is an Englishman named Rowen Hode, Earl of Huntington, who has been passing as the famous "Prince of Darkness", a Burgundian knight unmatched in the lists. Five years previously he competed against Robert, a match that ended in a draw which caused Griffyn to lose all of savings and belongings, and the life of his wife. He has sought revenge ever since, but realises that he was at fault for his predicament, not Robert. Griffyn loses to Robert, and is almost killed by Malagane before being rescued by Brenna and the others. Before leaving for England, Robert reveals that Princess Eleanor has a secret ten-year-old son by Henry de Clare. Eleanor only wishes for her son to grow up happy away from politics, and they are seeking her out to secure the safety of mother and son. Once in England, they secure the help of outlaws led by Henry de Clare (who has been going by the title "the King of Sherwood"). After almost dying due to a trap set by Gisbourne and Malagane, they rescue Henry from
Nottingham Castle Nottingham Castle is a Stuart Restoration-era ducal mansion in Nottingham, England, built on the site of a Norman castle built starting in 1068, and added to extensively through the medieval period, when it was an important royal fortress and o ...
. Eleanor tells them of a secret royal charter signed by King Henry I in which he granted concessions and liberties. Later, Eleanor and Henry die of an illness within hours of each other, and a lone arrow is fired into
Sherwood Forest Sherwood Forest is a royal forest in Nottinghamshire, England, famous because of its historic association with the legend of Robin Hood. The area has been wooded since the end of the Last Glacial Period (as attested by pollen sampling cores ...
to mark their graves. Griffyn and Brenna marry and have four children.


Development

Canadian author
Marsha Canham Marsha Canham (born November 19, 1950) is a Canadian writer of historical romance novels since 1984. She has won two '' Romantic Times'' Lifetime Achievement Awards, as well as multiple awards for individual books including Best Historical of ...
began writing about the legend of
Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is depic ...
in her novel '' Through a Dark Mist'', being inspired by her love of the
Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...
films and a recurring dream of a "beautiful blonde-haired damsel in distress, held captive in a cave high on a cliff, rescued by two men cloaked in monks' robes, wielding bows and arrows." ''Through a Dark Mist'' saw the invention of "the Black Wolf of Lincoln", a character meant to be "heroic enough to have sired such a legendary hero" as Robin Hood. However, she realized that this character, nor his son Eduard in her next novel ''
In the Shadow of Midnight ''In the Shadow of Midnight'' is a 1994 historical novel by Canadian author Marsha Canham, the second instalment of her "Medieval" trilogy inspired by the Robin Hood legend set in 13th-century England. The story centres on the rescue of Princess ...
'', fit her conception of Robin Hood. Instead, the Black Wolf's other son Robin would represent the outlaw – "conceived in the magical waters of the Silent Pool, destined to some great future enterprise that would carry his name down through the centuries." Robin's story formed the main narrative in ''The Last Arrow''. Reflecting back on her trilogy, Canham said that she took "great pains and even more perverse pleasure in skirting around the edges of the actual legend, choosing instead to suggest how the many elements of several heroic characters blended together to create the fabled Prince of Thieves." Canham later recalled that ''The Last Arrow'' was a "blatant ripoff of the part of the legend where Robin dies and in order for his body to remain hidden for all time, an arrow is shot into the forest and where it landed was where he was buried."


Release and reception

''The Last Arrow'' was published in 1997 by
Dell Publishing Dell Publishing Company, Inc. is an American publisher of books, magazines and comic books, that was founded in 1921 by George T. Delacorte Jr. with $10,000 (approx. $145,000 in 2021), two employees and one magazine title, ''I Confess'', and ...
. It was the final installment in Canham's Medieval trilogy, the other two being ''Through a Dark Mist'' (1991) and ''In the Shadow of Midnight'' (1994). ''
Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...
'' gave a mostly positive review to ''The Last Arrow'', noting that while its first half was "weighed down by excessive background information, much of it awkwardly related in dialogue," the novel still contained "rousing action, a strong sense of medieval life, a satisfying love story and intriguing spins on historical events as well as the familiar Robin Hood characters
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
should bring readers back for more." Kristin Ramsdell of the ''
Library Journal ''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...
'' felt the villains' love of "sadistic sexual torture may offend some," but opined that the novel nevertheless had "beautifully done historical detail." Ramdsell added that while its "description occasionally slows the pace of the story, fans of both the Robin Hood legend and of medieval tales of derring-do will like this one." Alison Cunliffe, writing for the ''
Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...
'', called ''The Last Arrow'' a "rich, entertaining and utterly different take on the legend." Jane Sullivan, writing for ''
The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'', recommended the entire "swashbuckling" trilogy for "hopeless romantics," while Rebekah Bradford of ''
The Post and Courier ''The Post and Courier'' is the main daily newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina. It traces its ancestry to three newspapers, the ''Charleston Courier'', founded in 1803, the ''Charleston Daily News'', founded 1865, and ''The Evening Post'', f ...
'' called the series an "inventive reimagining."


See also

*
List of historical novels This list outlines notable historical novels by the current geo-political boundaries of countries for the historical location in which most of the novel takes place. This list includes only the most notable novels within the genre, which have bee ...
*
Robin Hood in popular culture The folkloric hero Robin Hood has appeared many times, in many different variations, in popular modern works. Theatre Robin Hood has appeared in a number of plays throughout the medieval, early modern and modern periods. The first record of a Rob ...


References

;Works cited * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Last Arrow, The 1997 Canadian novels Robin Hood books Novels set in Nottinghamshire Canadian historical novels Fiction set in the 1200s