Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I absolutely loved this! very wonderful! I think that had I reached the tale of Robin Hood before McKinley I would have written pretty much the same story. It is the version that I prefer, and has all the aspects of Robin Hood that I love and none of the one's I don't. Some stories have the Lady Marian riding horses and shooting bows with a court gown on and her hair is always perfect, and Robin Hood is a dashing guy with no problems at all, and instead of being afraid for his life it's all just a game to him: this story didn't have any of that. They were portrayed as real people with everyday problems and concerns while fearing for their lives every step of the way. I loved this, as I have always been a Robin Hood fan who could never quite find a version she agreed with completely, I finally found it!
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't hold my attention
Review: When I found this book in my local library, I thought, "Ooh, a _Robin Hood_ story I haven't read!" About a chapter and a half into it, however, I realised I HAD read it, I just had blocked it from my memory.All the characters you might expect are here as well as some that are new. And in a way, that's the problem. To me it seemed as though McKinley used the standard characters because she felt obligated to, when her interest really lay somewhere else. Yes, she does a few interesting things, such as having Robin be not really so great an archer (Marian does all his stunts). But instead of looking into the implications of that and using it to move the story, she just kind of lets it lie there, gasping. Really, McKinley's interest seems to be with two supporting characters, Little John and Cecily. Cecily, the putative sister of Will Scarlet, is a typical fiesty girl in boys' clothing character and Little John is pretty much the Little John one would expect, but their relationship and budding romace is both touching and amusing. I wish McKinley had just stayed with them, told their story within the context of the Robin Hood mythos or told the Robin Hood story through their eyes and let the rest go hang, but it seems that for some reason she didn't want to do that. As a result the book is flat and somewhat disjointed, as she jockeys between the mythological elements and the invented ones. The obligatory parts of the story seem to interfere with the progress of the book, rather than add to it. By the time I got to anything that was relatively interesting, I was wondering why I had begun the book in the first place. _Outlaws of Sherwood_ made me long for Howard Pyle!
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This is the first time I've ever read a Robin McKinley book, although other books of hers have been highly recommended by friends (Deerskin, Beauty). I have read as many Robin Hood books as I can, and have always wanted to try this one. Based on the reviews that are given here, I expected a truly brilliant book. I had always known (from reading the reviews on Amazon.com) that this was a rather different take to the legend. Robin is a mediorce archer, fighter and leader. It is Marian who is the heroine, and builds up both the confidence of his men and his story. In this young-adult book, McKinley adds touches of realism to the story. However, the characters seem rather dull and lifeless. They appear drowsy and uninclined to act with much impact. Robin, notorious pessimest, is rather like a petulant child. Marian is the heroine of the band, yet like all the other characters, I don't think we are ever really won over by them. I care about the fate of these characters, but this is only because of the sentiment that has built up over the years from having read other Robin Hood stories. I also think that McKinley's writing style is rather flat and boring. She has the same tendency as Janny Wurts, which is to create potentially thrilling situations and then spoil them because the language is uninspiring. Saying this, the book was not a complete failure. I did appreciate McKinley's fresh approaches to the old legend, and how she manages to weave new stories into the format with more or less ease. I liked the book because it dealt with Robin Hood, and because it had novel approaches. I had very high expectations of it, and perhaps because of these I did not enjoy it quite so much. I did not like the story because of the lack of characterisation, and the rather sluggish storyline. I think it's suitable for a younger reader than me, perhaps (I am 17, but then, I did greatly enjoy Harry Potter!), although it should be noted that this retelling is not the chirpy tales often told. There is a definate sense of despair in parts, and the descriptions of fighting are more realistic than, say, Howard Pyle's. A darker element definately exists in this book. I give it two and a half stars.
Rating:
Summary: 5 stars for the Outlaws of Sherwood
Review: The Outlaws of Sherwood is a wonderful book. I rate it a 5 out of 5. i think it might even be better than the Harry Potter series. I thought it might be hard for Robin to beat The Hero and the Crown but now she has really outdone herself. I think Robin Hood is my favorite legend and she has made him and is band of outlaws seem as if they were once living and breathing people fighting for justice against the cruel and selfish sheriff of Nottingham.I especialy liked how she made Maid Merrian a heroin. Robin Mckinnley has never forgotten to add a heroin to her stories. Thank you for all your wonderfully written stories.
Rating:
Summary: FOR THE LOVE OF PETE READ THIS BOOK
Review: This book is stunning. I work for a library and read about 15-20 novels a month. I just finished reading this book 10 minutes ago, after reading all 300 pages in one sitting. You cant put it down. Robin McKinley is a genuis. Her prose is beautiful and witty and heart-rending. Don't hesitate, buy this book and be prepared to get evangilical with all your friends. Simply amazing. Everyone posted on here agrees. READ THIS BOOK. :-)
Rating:
Summary: A different kind of Robin
Review: Like most of McKinley's books, Outlaws of Sherwood starts off a bit slow, but this is mostly because her Robin is not the perfect hero envisioned by earlier tales. Ultimately, McKinley's careful character development and deliberate threading of various stories makes the tale that much more intriguing and so much more satisfying at the end. None of her characters are their stereotypical selves -- how easy it would be for Little John to be only large and silent, or Marian merely willful! I have read this book over and over and over again, revisiting favored parts, sometimes discovering new ones, and each time, I get to the end and close it with a sigh, wishing there could be more.
Rating:
Summary: Words cannot express how much I love this book
Review: Another one of my comfort books that I re-read all the time. In times of trouble wouldn't we want to all run away to be with Robin and Marian in Sherwood Forest? This book perfectly encapsulates the friendship between the members of Robin's team and both Marian and Robin are portrayed as very down to earth and practical. Come to think of it, I think I'm due to re-read this book very shortly as I always find it very reassuring in times of stress. =)
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST OF THE BEST!
Review: I LOVED THAT BOOK! I think that Outlaws of Sherwood is one of my favorite books. It tells about Robin Hood, but Robin Hood is not a great cocky, archer! He's a lovesick man who admitts he can't hit a moving target! If you have read any of Mckinleys books and liked them, I'm sure you'll love this one!
Rating:
Summary: Best robin hood story I've ever read
Review: This retelling of Robin Hood devels more deeply into the characters and their relationships with each other than into the famous exploits of Robin Hood. And, if that is what you are interested in, I found the characters to be engageing and likeable. Other than the books about Damar, this is my favorite book by robin mckinley and one of my favorite books of all time.
Rating:
Summary: Another wonder McKinley story
Review: I dearly love Robin McKinley's stories, and when I saw that The Outlaws of Sherwood had been reissued, I thought it might be repackaged and was curious. What was curious was that Amazon had this book listed as a 4 to 8 years reading level! Although the story is old, the writing is sophisticated. The story is familiar, but the writing is refreshing. The tale may be simple, but the telling is complex. This is not a children's book. It is a wonderful book for anyone who can read it, not just kids.
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