The Black Arrow

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. I