Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers - A Canterbury Tale [Paperback]

Paul A. Freeman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 23, 2009

Medieval civilization was under threat from the undead. When lion-hearted Richard ruled the roost Of England, he decided that to boost His regal reputation he should mount A war to wrest from Turkish men the fount Of Christendom; yet in that desert land A zombie plague emerged from ’midst the sand. A necromancer’s alchemistic spell Reanimated corpses bound for Hell (And even bound for Heaven’s pearly gate). Soon after ’twas apparent that the fate Of all on Earth--the evil and the good-- Was in the hands of Robin of the Hood Whose outlaw men, along with Friar Tuck, Against rampaging hordes of zombies struck. They fought to save the likes of you and I, Not caring that one slip might make them die. Their tale lies here, within this humble book-- I pray you’ll spare the time to take a look.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Coscom Entertainment (October 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1926712234
• ISBN-13: 978-1926712239
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #236,081 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It takes courage!, December 18, 2009

By 

Deborah Rey "Deborah" (France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers - A Canterbury Tale (Paperback)

Yes, it takes courage to recreate a Canterbury Tale, include Robin Hood, Friar Tuck ... and Zombies! It actually takes guts AND a lot of talent.

Paul A. Freeman has both, but most important he has the talent to 'translate' Chaucer's language into the language we all understand and which is real fun to read.

If his higly original version of the Canterbury Tales were to be used in schools, I think young people would go for them, really go for them, and probably love Chaucer's Tales (as much as they'd love Paul A. Freeman's, because I happen to know there's more where this one came from).

I am no longer a child and at my age should frown at the sacrilege of 'using' Chaucer's famous Tales. I don't and I can only recommand this hilarious, but brilliantly written Tale to one and all.

Highly recommend it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lost in imagination, December 23, 2009

By 

Mandy Pannett "wordshopper" (Pulborough West Sussex UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers - A Canterbury Tale (Paperback)

This is a book to catch the eye before one even reads the contents - a seemingly bright and shining cover but the figures look lost and their eyes are downcast and the background is black and the shinings are eyes in the dark. And the title - `Robin Hood & Friar Tuck' - straightforward enough but `Zombie Killers' - whatever is this? `A Canterbury Tale' - where are we, what era, what place? We are lost.

But being lost in a book like this is no bad thing but a feast for imagination and thought. The joy of it, for me, is not so much in the narrative, though neat and original, but in the richness and variety of language. Paul Freeman has a keen ear for the Chaucerian mode he has chosen and for the authenticity of the setting - we have `candles in every sconce' `autumn leaves upon the Sherwood breeze' `features bronzed and burnished by the sun/as brown as is an Easter hot-crossed bun' We also have a deft and deliberate use of colloquialisms and modern idioms - the villainous Sir Guy says `So therefore I suggest that five per cent/To each of you won't make too big a dent/In what's required to house and clothe and feed/my family' and the miller's son `spotted movement underneath a ton/Of zombie flesh, then searching for his goal/Cast some remains aside and made a hole/(An action that was ill-conceived and dumb)/In hopes he might resuscitate his mum.'

Much of the vitality in this story comes from the juxtaposition of horror and humour. A zombie emerges from behind a door `with chomping jaws and ravaged face/Its arms extended, hoping to embrace/Guy's greedy spouse to feed upon her meat./Before the shambling figure could deplete/Her tender flesh, I swung my trusty sword/And where a head once sat, a geyser poured/Into the air and dyed the chamber red.'

So how is the reader to interpret this fascinating, mind-boggling narrative? As a romp through the genres? There is plenty to explore in this medieval world under threat from the zombie un-dead. As a social comment? There are beggars in poverty here, folk who `writhe in hunger' coupled with the ruthless exploitation of material resources by those who don't care or even notice. Maybe the fear and the blood and the `deadly force' are symbols for terrorism and war where it doesn't matter `if the number of deceased/Amongst the civil populace was high.'

There is plenty of choice. This is a book for pleasure and for quests.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars perfect meter throughout, May 8, 2010

By 

Ms. Rachel Green "Jasfoup's Chronicler" (Derbyshire UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers - A Canterbury Tale (Paperback)

Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers

A Canterbury Tale by Paul A Freeman

Good Robin Hood, while robbing in the wood

came upon the noble Friar Tuck. Good

fellow sayeth he, you're just the chappie

to help me rid the land of its unhappy

state of monsters and of beasts that although

dead still rise to prey upon the morrow.

For such a tale as this is rarely seen -

a Canterbury tale too long has been

missing from the library shelves and shops

the favoured tale of Robin and a box

of ill matched merry men, assorted foes

with or without a complement of toes

Why, I beg - nay, urge - you all to purchase

this splendid tale of zombies set in Sherwood

Paul Freeman's book, indeed, one of a kind

(and his couplets leave mine far behind)

Please note:

I bought my own copy and was not paid, remunerated or

otherwise cajoled to give a favourable review. I liked it

all on my own.