Robin Hood and the Heretic Prince: the blurb
I thought I would share with you the first draft of the blurb I have written for Robin Hood and the Heretic Prince, my forthcoming Outlaw Chronicles novel. This will join The Caliph’s Gold (see below) and The Castle of Bones as a self-published novel in my (very soon to be) 11-book Robin Hood historical series.
The Heretic Prince, which will be out in June, fits in the series between The Iron Castle and The King’s Assassin, and Alan Dale is 34 years old, and Robin 44, at the time the books is set. BTW, this is the list of Outlaw Chronicles in order. Anyway, this is the blurb (and a quote on top to kick it off.)
“Your Excellency,” said the knight, “there may also be Christians in there. How can we tell which is a heretic, and which a good Catholic?”
“Kill them all,” the papal legate said. “God will know his own.”
1209 AD When a routine robbery in Sherwood goes wrong, Robin Hood, Alan Dale and a handful of their outlaw comrades are forced to flee their homes to escape the wrath of a vengeful King John and his cold-hearted Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.
Finding themselves far to the south in the sunny Languedoc, a land of good food, fine wine, elegant love poetry – and religious tolerance, the Sherwood men are soon swept up in a blood-soaked crusade launched by Pope Innocent III. Robin Hood and his men turn mercenary to protect a local magnate and defend the lives of these kindly southern folk, whom the Pope has condemned to death as Cathar heretics.
Besieged by a vast army of fanatical Catholic knights at the powerful castle of Béziers, the Sherwood heroes vow to defend its high walls against the northern crusaders till the heavens fall. But one member of their company has other ideas . . .
Ends
I would really like to know if you think it works as a blurb. Would you read the book based in this? Please feel free to let me know using the Contact tab above.
Does work as a blurb, but you are preaching to the converted. Your established fans would buy the book even if there was no blurb!
I fear that one day they may all decide they are bored with my version Robin Hood. You never know!
Yes I think it works Angus. Will fire interest in your existing readers and readers who are interested in the cathars/Albigensian crusade who have maybe read Kate Mosse.
Cheers, Adrian!
I’m loving the idea of this story. I’ve missed your Robin Hood novels, and now I can’t wait to read this one!
I love the premise and the blurb delivers just enough detail to whet one’s appetite for more. Fantastic!
Thanks Jason! I think it’s going to be a good one