Books like Robin's Country

One of the worst robin hood books I have ever read all the way through. And I've read a lot! Worse than "hawksmaid" and "the baron" put together! I dont think I would have even bothered finishing it if I weren't trying to get through my entire stack of books I need to read by next Friday. (Its a big stack and I think I just wasted and afternoon) Warning, rant will contain spoilers, so if you do want to read it and want to be "surprised" don't read this.OK! So! "Robin's Country" is a children's story about the greatest criminal of all time, Robin Hood! More specifically, its about a little boy called "Dummy" who joins Robin's band of merry men.Now, I was hoping for something sweet and fun and full of age appropriate adventures. Kinda like "the tales of rowan hood". One of My favorite r.b. kids series. . . . . nope.I was treated to 130 something pages of pure crap. :( sad really, because there was potential here. "Robin's Country" could have been great. The idea could've been stretched and worked out into something marvelous. A nice long novel about right and wrong, growing up, finding yourself, all that jazz that makes kids literature fun.Again, nope. 130ish pages of CRAP!!!!!But what was so bad about it, you ask? Well, here comes a nice little list (Because I hate when reviews can't explain why they like or dislike something.)1. Everyone in this is about as dumb as a sack of rocks. But at least the rocks are useful. I could throw them at bad guys. But HOW were the characters stupid? Well, first of, dummy runs away from his cruel master. He takes food. But no water. :( seriously?!?! I know its the middle ages, and they didn't drink a lot of water, but he could have brought something! He literally falls into the outlaw's camp. They thing he might be a spy. Ok, I'll buy that. That's reasonable. But then they didn't do anything! Obviously they can't kill a kid, heroes aren't allowed to, but they could've blindfolded him and taken him far away so he could never find his way back. And why is marian the only one who really suspects him? Just because he's small doesn't mean he can't be a bad guy, you blockheads! Then there's the big battle scene! Prince John -who we never meet, we just hear the merry men bitch about him - sends his army to get rid of the outlaw pests. They start driving the camp. And yo know what they use? A fucking battering ram! A big fucking log to try a d break through a wall of brambles. Score one for human stupidity! Why didn't they just set the place on fire?!?! That be easier! People can apparently just walk through an army to get to the good guys without question. And the way robin "rescues" a guy from hanging. . . . . worst rescue ever! I could go on, but I think its time for number two.2. Its beyond predictable! I guessed everything right from the start! Even the bit about dummy being a noble. (See? Spoilers!) 3. Everyone is as flat as cardboard rolled over by a steamroller. Robin is the perfect hero. The nobles are fat and greedy. Dummy's master is jerk child abuser. Dummy is instantly loved by all and even the one who didn't like him eventually came round and admitted she was wrong. And he's great at just about everything. Can you say Mary sue? 4. The writing is dull. I really had to struggle to finish it.5. And last! God, I wanted to slap the author. Its a kids book, but that doesn't mean yo should just ignore the basics of plots. Like fucking explaining things!!!!!Like, I have no clue who dummy wound up on that farm! Who took him there?!? Why?!? How exactly did robin and marian get outlawed? Why do they care about the peasants? How exactly did dummy's family die? Did he actually SEE it happen and thats why he can't talk? It was very fuzzy on that. And who the hell thought hat frair tuck should be called "tucky"? (Maybe his parents hated him?) Did dummy ever actually get outlawed, or did he just decide he was one?This book was just painful my goodreads friends. I'm glad I found it for only a a couple bucks at a used book place or else I'd be pissed the I spent exptra money buying it online. If you do read it, and hate it, make sure to write me a nice long review explaining why. Or if for some odd reason who do like it, tell me why. Please? Because I can't figure out why all these people gave it high ratings. :(