The Black Arrow, first serialized in 1883, was eventually published as a novel by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1888. Although it was initially written for children, and has since remained relatively undervalued by critics, The Black Arrow has garnered praise from such figures as John Galsworthy for its richly imagined setting and vibrant dialogue.
Set in fifteenth-century England during the infamous War of the Roses, The Black Arrow follows the young Richard “Dick” Shelton’s journey of growth and discovery in a time of violence and terror. When the outlaws known as The Black Arrow attack his home, a strange rhyme discovered at the scene leaves Dick curious as to the true nature of his father’s death. Sent to warn Sir Daniel—who has been chosen to care for Tunstall until Dick comes of age—the hero meets the heiress Joanna. The two follow Sir Daniel back to Tunstall, where Dick discovers that his father was murdered by the man appointed to protect him. In order to get revenge, and to rescue Joanna from captivity, Dick joins the outlaws of The Black Arrow and is knighted for his service in battle to the Duke of Gloucester. A classic of adventure and romance, The Black Arrow is a novel in which a young man faces down danger in order to protect what he loves.
Published amid what is arguably Stevenson’s most productive decade, The Black Arrow is often overshadowed by such works as Treasure Island and Kidnapped. What makes it worth reading, however, is its timeless tale of perseverance and growth that transports the reader to one of England’s darkest periods. It is both historical and romantic, a story for children and adults alike. To read Stevenson is to enter a world unlike any other, and yet so strangely familiar it might be our own.
With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this new edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Black Arrow is a classic of literature reimagined for modern readers.
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About the author
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) was a Scottish poet, novelist, and travel writer. Born the son of a lighthouse engineer, Stevenson suffered from a lifelong lung ailment that forced him to travel constantly in search of warmer climates. Rather than follow his father’s footsteps, Stevenson pursued a love of literature and adventure that would inspire such works as Treasure Island (1883), Kidnapped (1886), Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886), and Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes (1879).
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