Jack Heerema
Author of the New Novel
Our Lady of Thieves
About the book
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A young child is found on a tip heap and is rescued from a dismal future by Sir Kai ap Gruffydd, a man whose courage and fighting prowess is known all over England. There is something about this girl that speaks to him . . . like he has somehow known her from his past. When he asks her name, she tells him. Her name is Marion. With the guiding hand of her new guardians, Marion blossoms into a young lady who can recite the catechisms taught to her by nuns, and then execute the most intricate sword-fighting skills ever seen by man or woman.
In the meantime, the Sheriff of Nottingham has been secretly working for Philip Augustus of France, whose sole purpose is to create civil unrest in England to undermine and emasculate King John. The foul treatment of the people of England by the sheriff galvanizes a gang of outlaws, under the leadership of Robin Hood, to thwart the sheriff of all efforts at every opportunity. Our heroine, Marion, is drawn into this conflict when she sees impoverished women and children who are suffering from the consequences of high taxation, forced labour, and brutal violence. It is up to Robin Hood and Marion, along with their compatriots such as Friar Tuck and Alan a Dale, to outwit and outmuscle the sheriff, and bring down his use of unjust draconian power against the rights of the common weal. |
About the author
Debut author Jack Heerema has a passion for history and studies it not only for empirical fact, but for the underlying social and culture milieu they are presented in. He currently lives in Calgary, Alberta.
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Reviews
"Writing in the historical fiction genre can be a difficult route for an author to take. The expectations of the history purists will always be different from readers just looking for a good, entertaining storyline. Creating the right mix of accurately researched factual background with an inventive, fictional plot often requires some clever negotiation through the literary landscape! Throw in the further complications of familiar characters and themes from the universally-loved legend of Robin Hood threading their way in and out of the story and you may well begin to wonder if the author might have set himself one “helluva” mountain to climb!
So how does Canadian-based writer, Jack Heerema, fare on his first outing as a published author? Well, the answer is surprisingly well! He meets the challenges head-on with a narrative that hangs together solidly and ticks all the boxes regarding plot, characters, political intrigue and emotional drama. Right from the first few crucial opening paragraphs he pulls the reader into a medieval world of corruption and espionage that quickly makes you want to discover more. There’s plenty of action and the drama twists and turns in some interesting ways.
The heroine of the title brings a new dimension to the “Maid Marian” character, for while reverently heeding the teachings of the nuns, she also develops amazing sword fighting skills, which, together with Robin Hood, Friar Tuck and Alan a Dale, she puts to good use to help foil the evil Sheriff of Nottingham’s secret plans to stir up civil unrest in collaboration with Philip Augustus of France.
It’s also interesting to note that the author embarked on this debut novel having suffered a stroke that affected his speech and he was advised by medics that engaging in some creative writing might prove to be an effective therapy. How right they were - for Jack Heerema’s inspired efforts not only successfully overcame his speech difficulties, but also resulted in an entertaining and worthwhile work of historical fiction that is well worth a read."
--Robert White, World Wide Robin Hood Society
"Marigold: Our Lady of Thieves by Jack Heerema is a narration of true events that follows Sir Kai Ap Gruffyd who is well known throughout England. He stumbles upon a young girl named Marion and takes her in and becomes her guardian. Civil unrest in England is brought upon the people by the Sheriff of Nottingham who is working for Philip Augustus of France. Marion, alongside Robinhood seeks out to help the people of England to protect them against the sheriff.
Author Jack Hereema immerses the reader into the action and drama as we follow Kai, Robin and Marion. In this short read the scenes are vividly described and I was able to imagine the scenery clearly down to the galloping sounds of horses, to the beauty of Marion, down to the rivers that flow, each scene is perfectly described. There are many characters to follow in the story, but the author seamlessly transitions from one character to the next without confusing the reader. The characters in the story are well developed and perfectly described. The plot moves at a quick but perfect pace as the book is filled with action scenes that kept me hooked and I wanted to know more about Marion and Robin. I enjoyed Marion and Kai’s relationship as he cared for Marion and saw the kindness within her. Marion’s character is one that I enjoyed reading about as she is selfless, caring but she can also take care of herself. I also enjoyed reading about Robin’s thoughts and how he cared for Marion not because she was attractive but because she was a good person.
Marigold is a must read for those who love a thrilling historical read with captivating characters."
--Lily, Literary Titan, ★★★★★
Author Jack Hereema immerses the reader into the action and drama as we follow Kai, Robin and Marion. In this short read the scenes are vividly described and I was able to imagine the scenery clearly down to the galloping sounds of horses, to the beauty of Marion, down to the rivers that flow, each scene is perfectly described. There are many characters to follow in the story, but the author seamlessly transitions from one character to the next without confusing the reader. The characters in the story are well developed and perfectly described. The plot moves at a quick but perfect pace as the book is filled with action scenes that kept me hooked and I wanted to know more about Marion and Robin. I enjoyed Marion and Kai’s relationship as he cared for Marion and saw the kindness within her. Marion’s character is one that I enjoyed reading about as she is selfless, caring but she can also take care of herself. I also enjoyed reading about Robin’s thoughts and how he cared for Marion not because she was attractive but because she was a good person.
Marigold is a must read for those who love a thrilling historical read with captivating characters."
--Lily, Literary Titan, ★★★★★
"On a tip heap, Marion is found alone, bruised, and crying by Sir Kai ap Gruffydd, who takes her in as his ward. Meanwhile, the remains of King Arthur have been unearthed in Glastonbury Abbey. After the ornate Excalibur sword is recovered, Friar Tuck retrieves a different sword from the grave—one for fighting. As Marion grows, she learns sword fighting, archery, and the catechism. As her skills develop, she eventually earns the mysterious sword from Arthur’s grave. Then she hears about the turmoil of Nottingham, and Marion volunteers her skills to fight beside Robin of Locksley.
For the first half, the book is very tell-heavy. It tells of conversations that happened, it tells of what characters think, it tells how characters feel about each other, it tells of pranks and a character’s sharp wit. However, with this type of prose, plot tension and character relatability are absent. Most dialogue involves men sitting around tables discussing plans. It isn’t until Marion is brought before the sheriff that a more active narrative voice can be heard.
“They had tried to capture the wind in a net and the wind would not countenance the insult…”
I’ve read a few Robin Hood retellings with a strong female lead anchoring the plot. This story differentiates itself by highlighting the struggles between France and England, as the Sheriff of Nottingham is working with the French to create civil unrest. Occasionally, there is a tingling of something mythical that colors the plot like the sword Marion uses. This is when the story shines brightest. An intriguing, politically-driven Robin Hood tale with women in an influential role."
--J. Lynn Else, Historical Novel Society
For the first half, the book is very tell-heavy. It tells of conversations that happened, it tells of what characters think, it tells how characters feel about each other, it tells of pranks and a character’s sharp wit. However, with this type of prose, plot tension and character relatability are absent. Most dialogue involves men sitting around tables discussing plans. It isn’t until Marion is brought before the sheriff that a more active narrative voice can be heard.
“They had tried to capture the wind in a net and the wind would not countenance the insult…”
I’ve read a few Robin Hood retellings with a strong female lead anchoring the plot. This story differentiates itself by highlighting the struggles between France and England, as the Sheriff of Nottingham is working with the French to create civil unrest. Occasionally, there is a tingling of something mythical that colors the plot like the sword Marion uses. This is when the story shines brightest. An intriguing, politically-driven Robin Hood tale with women in an influential role."
--J. Lynn Else, Historical Novel Society
"This retelling of the Robin Hood myth takes an intriguing look at the woman supporting the outlaw.
Heerema’s novel begins with Sir Kai ap Gruffydd, a lieutenant of Lord William the Marshal, discovering an abused young girl on a trash heap. After administering a beating to her oppressor, Kai becomes guardian to the girl, named Marion, who seems familiar to him. Marion spends her formative years splitting time between aiding the nuns with the less fortunate and receiving combat training from England’s best warriors, for there’s trouble in the land. The sheriff of Nottingham is acting as an agent of King Philip Augustus of France to foment dissension against Britain’s King John and to weaken the ruler’s forces so that he will withdraw his troops from France and forfeit English land holdings there. Enter Robin of Locksley, a man who will become central to Marion’s life (“One facet of his character that appealed to Marion, that he apparently wasn’t aware of, was he respected the integrity of each person he came in contact with”). After the sheriff’s troops unsuccessfully attack Lord William’s family, Robin proposes setting up a guerrilla force in Sherwood Forest to harass the villain’s army. As Marion and Robin grow closer through the years, she insists on using her formidable martial skills to further his cause and protect the poor victims of the sheriff’s tyranny. The story effectively details the intricate planning that builds to the climactic final battle to save England. The most important element that Heerema offers in this novel is a fresh take on a tale familiar to many. Most fantasy readers can render bare-bones frameworks of Robin Hood’s story. But the author does so much more. He starts with a complex backdrop to provide perspective. Then he creates full-bodied backstories for such well-known characters as Friar Tuck and Alan a Dale. But the most significant choice he
makes is to put Marion front and center. Heerema reveals how integral Marion’s contributions are to the success of Robin’s mission. That the author accomplishes all of this in a smoothly flowing, enchanting narrative is remarkable. This book reads much shorter than its 351 pages, which is always a plus. What results is an energizing visit to a long-ago conflict.
This beguiling adventure makes a familiar legend seem new."
--Kirkus Reviews
Heerema’s novel begins with Sir Kai ap Gruffydd, a lieutenant of Lord William the Marshal, discovering an abused young girl on a trash heap. After administering a beating to her oppressor, Kai becomes guardian to the girl, named Marion, who seems familiar to him. Marion spends her formative years splitting time between aiding the nuns with the less fortunate and receiving combat training from England’s best warriors, for there’s trouble in the land. The sheriff of Nottingham is acting as an agent of King Philip Augustus of France to foment dissension against Britain’s King John and to weaken the ruler’s forces so that he will withdraw his troops from France and forfeit English land holdings there. Enter Robin of Locksley, a man who will become central to Marion’s life (“One facet of his character that appealed to Marion, that he apparently wasn’t aware of, was he respected the integrity of each person he came in contact with”). After the sheriff’s troops unsuccessfully attack Lord William’s family, Robin proposes setting up a guerrilla force in Sherwood Forest to harass the villain’s army. As Marion and Robin grow closer through the years, she insists on using her formidable martial skills to further his cause and protect the poor victims of the sheriff’s tyranny. The story effectively details the intricate planning that builds to the climactic final battle to save England. The most important element that Heerema offers in this novel is a fresh take on a tale familiar to many. Most fantasy readers can render bare-bones frameworks of Robin Hood’s story. But the author does so much more. He starts with a complex backdrop to provide perspective. Then he creates full-bodied backstories for such well-known characters as Friar Tuck and Alan a Dale. But the most significant choice he
makes is to put Marion front and center. Heerema reveals how integral Marion’s contributions are to the success of Robin’s mission. That the author accomplishes all of this in a smoothly flowing, enchanting narrative is remarkable. This book reads much shorter than its 351 pages, which is always a plus. What results is an energizing visit to a long-ago conflict.
This beguiling adventure makes a familiar legend seem new."
--Kirkus Reviews
