The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses was published by Cassell and Company in 1888. Set during the Wars of the Roses in the 1460s, the novel follows Richard Dowell (Dick Dowell), a young ward of Sir Daniel Brackley, who discovers that Sir Daniel murdered his father and switches allegiance to Sir Daniel’s enemies. He joins the fellowship of the Black Arrow, a band of outlaws led by the mysterious Ellis Duckworth, and becomes entangled in the factional violence of the Yorkist-Lancastrian struggle.
Stevenson himself was dismissive of the novel — he called it “tushery,” his word for artificial historical romance — but it was popular with readers and has remained one of his more widely read adventure stories. The dismissal was unfair; while The Black Arrow lacks the psychological depth of Kidnapped or The Master of Ballantrae, it is a well-constructed adventure with genuine historical atmosphere.
Collecting The Black Arrow
First edition (Cassell and Company, London, 1888): Red cloth.
Market values:
- First edition, fine: $800–$2,000
- First edition, very good: $300–$800
- Good: $100–$300
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
The Wars of the Roses
Set during the Wars of the Roses, The Black Arrow (1888) follows a young man who discovers that his guardian murdered his father and joins a band of outlaws (the “Black Arrow” fellowship) to seek justice. Stevenson himself was dismissive of the novel — he called it “tushery” (meaning fake-medieval adventure) — but it remains one of his most readable stories, and its depiction of fifteenth-century England is vivid and atmospheric.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Stevenson think of his own work? Stevenson was a severe self-critic. He dismissed The Black Arrow as hackwork, expressed dissatisfaction with Treasure Island’s ending, and believed Weir of Hermiston (unfinished at his death) would be his masterpiece. His letters reveal a writer who held himself to standards he felt he rarely achieved.