Notably, three of the most important characters are women, all of whom escape marriage to prospective spouses chosen by their fathers.

Robin hides in Sherwood Forest and gathers a band to oppose the tyrannous Sheriff of Nottingham.

The outlaws get Friar Tuck to perform the marriage to Alan instead of the original groom.

Alan and Marjorie join Robin's band, which takes in a mysterious young man called Cecil, who is later found to be a girl, and whom Will recognizes as his sister, Cecily.

Guy of Gisbourne, a mercenary hired by the Sheriff of Nottingham, attacks her thinking that she is Robin.

Cecily and Little John spirit Marian away to Friar Tuck's hideout in the forest.

Reviewing The Outlaws of Sherwood in Dragon magazine, John C. Bunnell stated "McKinley's retelling of Sherwood Forest's familiar history is wise and deeply satisfying, enough so that it is hard to imagine a version of the legend that could be discernibly better".