I haven’t published any reviews in months, and I apologize for that. I’ve been battling depression and have been very out of it for reading, and a bunch of other stuff I like doing too. I’m slowly getting back to normal, and I have a bunch of reviews to publish, and, well, I just got the final book of this series, War & Peas, so before anything, I’m publishing this one, Book 9 of a series that just might be in my Top 10 Favourite Book Series for the rest of my life.
It’s been several months since the diabolical election in the last book. Or should I say elections, plural. There was a run for the corrupt Marjorie Kovacevik to become president of the entire country, and a run between incumbent mayor Guy Gisborne, who has turned Sherwood into a criminal wasteland, and Ardagh Hood, Robin Hood’s father, fresh out of jail. Ardagh ended up winning by cheating, but everyone was cheating in this race, and Gisborne is now dead. But Marjorie is now the president.
Ardagh has been fighting back magnificently, and bringing some new order and fairness to the community, providing more shelter and opportunity to the forest rebels while the high-ups are outraged at the idea of rewarding criminals, but trust me, they are fine with rewarding criminals when they are part of their one-percent empire.
The last book, Ballots, Blasts & Betrayal was the best one in a series that has churned out constant high grades from me.
I’ve always applauded this series for how it takes place in a world full of corrupt people in power. It really goes to show how systems that are designed to protect us can be infiltrated, and all of a sudden it’s not so simple to rely on the authorities. We open the book learning that since becoming the new sheriff of Nottingham, Robin’s father Ardagh has really cleaned up the town. He’s made some enemies but he’s a fantastic leader in my eyes.
The best part of this book for me was when Robin and a friend have to head out into the forest, cold and underdressed with no backup and no plan. Just survival. We don’t get to read a lot of that in general, and it’s unnerving to say the least. There’s also a side story with Robin and his ex that had me hesitant at first, but I could see where Muchamore was going with it by the end.
The ninth instalment of this drastically underappreciated franchise is another solid and riotous entry, and I have faith in Robert Muchamore that the final adventure is going to go down in history. Especially thanks to what this one sets up.
My grade: 4 and a half stars out of 5
William J. McGinn 
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