The Archer's Tale (The Grail Quest, Book 1)

A great start to one of the best historical fiction series of our generation. Cornwell captures the excitement and horrors of combat, as well as the simplicity and grace of the medieval countryside; all while wrestling with the angels of organized religion, and the intricacies of family and relationships. While Cornwell's writing of romance may not be stellar, he does write women in a way that is both respectful and believable. His retelling of history is widely accurate, yet his artistic flair for glory adds an "arcade" feel to what, in reality, would have been an absolute traipse. Read this book.

I first encountered Bernard Cornwell's work via the BBC TV series on his Napoleonic Wars soldier, Richard Sharpe. This was a gripping series, very well produced as one might expect from the BBC, and full of action and strong characters. So I picked up The Archer's Tale and was immediately plunged into his other world, the late Middle Ages of the Hundred Year's War, with a climax at the famous Battle of Crecy. As with the Sharpe series, he evokes that world in a wonderfully detailed and immediate way that is immediately convincing, and tells his tale with a plot that draws you in. The tangled relationships of English and French are well drawn - many descendants of the Norman French conquerors of England have become the English invaders of France, even though some of them were probably closer in spirit to their French cousins than to their Saxon or "English" tenants. I wasn't totally sure about the accuracy of his medieval world-picture, in spite of the evident deep research. Reading Huizinga and other social historians, one is struck by the importance of myth and symbolism in the worldview of the people of that age: credulity and superstition were at a high level. I began to feel that Cornwell's people are perhaps almost too contemporary in their down-to-earth practicality and, one almost says, cynicism. But then again, I recall Chaucer and his open, frank assessments of everything, his cheerful wit and ready sarcasm for the pretentious. Maybe Cornwell has it right. Some describe him as the land-based successor to Patrick O'Brian. Well, yes and no. Insofar as both wrote wonderfully complete re-imaginings of a previous world centered on a miltary theme, yes. But I noticed in the Sharpe series that the characters, although strongly drawn, are not as rich, varied,or complex as the cast of the Aubrey-Maturin series. O'Brian just has more dimensions. And linguistically, O'Brian goes deeper into 1800s idiom. (Though that may be an attribute of the TV series - I haven't read the Sharpe books themselves). In The Archer's Tale, of course, the linguistic challenge is of a different order. The dialogue was all "really" in Chaucerian Middle English or Norman French - or Celtic Breton - and that won't make a highly readable book in the 21st century! So I think he does a very creditable job in having his characters speak a serviceable, straightforward English, free of labored archaisms but salted here and there with words that ring true as a likely phrase from the time - " Sir Simon attacked you?" Jeanette asked."Why?" "Because I told him to boil his arse" Thomas said, and was rewarded with a smile." Another difference is that Cornwell is indisputably gorier (is that a word?) He does acknowledge, in a "Historical Note" that he first approached the period thinking of "chivalry, courtesy, and knightly gallantry" but rapidly found out about the brutal reality of medieval warfare. But even so, he does seem to give us much more blood-soaked detail than O'Br

I received the book from a friend as a 'good read'. At the time, I had little knowledge and less interest in the 100 years' war, but had nothing else to read, so I started it. I found the book to be a well written, engaging, well paced look into the life of a common archer who finds himself in the service of the English during the 100 years' war... Cornwell puts the reader in Thomas of Hookton's hip pocket, and there the reader stays as Thomas survives battles, love, lust, injury, failure and triumph in day to day life of 15th century Europe. The book is historically very acurate, with a minimal articstic liberties taken, and sparked me to learn more about the period. I found it so enchanting that I read the other two books in the series, and started researching more about the war itself... Highly recommended!

The Archer's Tale is definitely worth your time if you are a fan of historical fiction, especially medieval historical fiction. Knights in armor, kings, castles, cavalry, swords, shields, arrows, fighting, killing, rape, pillage, plunder, and an engrossing story to match the fast, exciting action. The best part is that it follows history correctly more than most novels. At first I thought that a story about an archer would be boring because I had the uneducated view that archers fought from the rear of the cavalry like cowards, I couldn't have been more wrong. English archers are killing machines, they stand on the front lines and they kill with the enemy riding down on them. So, don't let the fact that an Archer tells the tale instead of some knight in shining armor turn you away, you'll enjoy the story from the archer Thomas just the same if not more.Therefore, you have a respectable character to follow as a great story is told of a relic that must be taken back from evil and returned to the side of God. The story starts simple enough but evolves into Biblical proportions, literally. Great story, great action, great historical fiction! Also highly recommended is Pressfield's Gates of Fire, if you like one you'll like the other!

I am a Cornwell fan, and unlike most others, who were converted by the Sharpe books, this tale was the one that snared me. I first read this book in the English edition, titled "Harlequin." The American version is nearly identical but the title is more direct and true. This is an "archer's tale." Thomas of Hookton is a brash, tough warrior in the Sharpe tradition, and his old school tale of good captains, errant knights and complicated women will entertain you for hours or days (depending on how fast you read). Along the way you'll learn why the long bow was so important to the success of English armies and how England used it to win the Battle of Crecy and others. It's the classic Cornwell mix of fact and fiction that he does better than most contemporary writers. Highly recommended!

Bernard Cornwell is best known for his Sharpe's Rifles series, covering Wellington's Peninsula Campaign of the Napoleonic Wars; and expanding to a prequel series about the creation of the British Raj in India. He has also looked into the American Civil War (The Starbuck Chronicles), the American Revolution (Redcoat), Arthurian legend (The Warlord Series), and the dawn of British history (Stonehenge). All are well written, although the American books fall far short of the British ones. Cornwell's latest is British again, and is up to his standards. Thomas of Hookton is the illegitimate, but acknowledged son of the very unusual village priest in the seaside hamlet of Hookton. Everyone assumes that the priest is of noble birth, and at least a little crazy. He even has books! Which he reads! He intends Thomas for the clergy as well, and Thomas already has one year at Oxford. Thomas's real love, however, is archery. He is a master of that strange, new, and uniquely British weapon, the longbow. French pirates, commanded by a mysterious character who gives his name as "Harlequin, attack Hookton on Easter morning, kill the priest, steal the precious holy relic displayed at the church, and start Thomas off on his adventure. When the pirates attack, Thomas goes for his longbow, and mounts the only defense of the village; but it is too little, too late. Thomas finds his father dying and learns that "Harlequin" is actually his cousin and that the holy relic in the church is a mystic family heirloom which his father stole from his family when he fell out with them. But his father does not tell him his family name before he dies. With nothing left in Hookton, Thomas goes to the wars, enlisting as a common bowman. He becomes a soldier in the British army which has invaded France as the Hundred Years War begins. What follows is Cornwell's masterful narration of historical fact set in the thoughts and deeds of his characters. It appears from the ending that this is the first in a new series of Cornwell histories. This reader will certainly look forward to the books that follow.