Hood cover

Hood

King Raven • Book 1

by Stephen R. Lawhead

Narrated by Adam Verner

3.89 ABR Score (15.9K ratings)
★ 3.89 Goodreads (15.9K) ★ 4.45 Audible (22)
12h 5m Released 2021 Fantasy

Why Listen to This Audiobook?

This isn't Sherwood Forest — Lawhead transplants Robin Hood into Celtic Wales, and it works better than it has any right to.

  • Great if you want: a grounded, mythologically rich Robin Hood reimagining
  • Listening experience: deliberate and atmospheric — builds slowly before it grips
  • Narration: Verner keeps a steady, measured tone that suits the epic scope
  • Skip if: you want the familiar Merry Men adventure, not Celtic political drama

Listen to Hood on Audible →

About This Audiobook

Stephen R. Lawhead transplants the Robin Hood legend into the mist-shrouded landscape of early medieval Wales, reimagining the familiar outlaw as Bran ap Brychan, a dispossessed Welsh prince fighting Norman occupation. Drawing deep from Celtic mythology and the brutal political realities of conquest, the story follows Bran as he transforms from a reluctant heir into a forest-dwelling resistance leader. The conflict is grounded in something rawer and more historically plausible than the romanticized English version, giving the legend an urgency that feels genuinely earned.

Adam Verner brings a measured intensity to the narration that suits the story's slower, more contemplative rhythm. His performance distinguishes between the Welsh and Norman characters without veering into caricature, and his pacing honors Lawhead's prose style, which favors atmosphere over action. The Welsh setting and its mythic undertones translate particularly well to audio, where the oral storytelling tradition feels native. At just over twelve hours, the runtime gives the world room to breathe.