Forget everything you know about the legends of Robert of Locksley -- aka Robin Hood -- when you pick up a copy of Lauren Johnson's novel The Arrow of Sherwood.

Johnson, a historian by trade, approaches the story less from its familiar folkloric background, building instead on the history of that era in English history. And her interpretation of the legend works quite well -- once I started reading, I was hard pressed to put it down until I reached the end.

This version of Robin is not the hardscrabble outlaw, roughing it in Sherwood Forest with a hearty band of happy outlaws. There's no happy romance with Marian; she's a major character in the book, but she's happily betrothed to another man, and Robert is happily betrothed to another lady. There's a John in Robin's band, but he's not "Little" ... and most of the other characters that are so well known from the stories are present, but not as we know them.

In fact, the Sheriff of Nottingham -- in this case, Sir Walter Peverill, Marian's father and, after a recent remarriage to the widowed Lady Joan, Robert's stepfather -- is not the villain of the piece. Sure, he's got his share of lordly arrogance, and the plight of the over-taxed peasant farmer doesn't concern him too much, but he does his best to see justice done.

Robert is newly returned to England after several years on the Crusades -- his penance after committing an accidental murder years before -- and he arrives to find himself declared dead and landless. Although it's plain to see he's still alive, the wheels of legal maneuvering turn very slowly when it comes to such matters; it's above the jurisdiction of Sir Walter, and the powerful Vipont family has enough political connections to keep ownership of the Locksley lands and residence in abeyance, seemingly indefinitely.

It's safe to say that Robert doesn't worry all that much about the peasants, either -- even though he had many friends among them in his younger days -- until he begins to see the weight of taxation, legal trickery and injustice pressing down too hard upon the tenants who live on and work his land. His turn to outlawry is far more subtle and slow than most versions of the story would have you believe.

Meanwhile, the Vipont family works tirelessly to expand their wealth and power, and they have the support of the Count of Mortain -- aka Prince John -- who is acting secretly to prevent his brother King Richard's return to England.

The novel moves at a slower pace than some versions of the story I've read in the past, but Johnson never lets it get bogged down in the details. The Arrow of Sherwood is a refreshingly new take on an old story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I would love to see first-time author Johnson take another crack at the character, following up on this novel with the further adventures of Robert, Marian, John, Will, Friar Toki and the others after Prince John becomes, in fact, King of England.