The Archer's Tale

The Archer's Tale (originally released as Harlequin)
374 pages
© 2001 Bernard Cornwell

In the first decade of the Hundred Years' War, a French raiding party sacked a small coastal town in England, called "Hookton".  Ordinarily the destruction of this village would be of little note to anyone, but one of its inhabitants --- who, with a bow, shot fear into the hearts of the raiders -- wants revenge.A sacred relic -- the Lance of Saint George, Patron Saint of England -- was stolen from Hookton's church,  and he has been tasked with restoring it to England.  Thomas' path takes him to France, where the army of Edward III -- King of England, and, if all goes well, King of France -- is busy ravaging the countryside in brutal raids called chevauchée. Thomas takes to war happily, but his temper threatens to make him an outcast, making recovery of the relic a necessary act of penance. As he looks for the man who stole the Lance,  Thomas discovers his family's complicated history and is tasked with nothing less than saving all of Christendom by finding the Holy Grail.

The Archer's Tale is the beginning of Bernard Cornwell's Grail Quest trilogy. Its conclusion enthralled me last year when I inadvertently read the capstone book (Heretic) out of order, and the medieval setting left me yearning for more. I launched into the Saxon Stories series, which has solidified my interest in Cornwell. The Archer's Tale does not disappoint, introducing me to the three principle characters of this trilogy while sending young Thomas through some of the early battles of the Hundred Years War -- culminating with the Battle of Crécy, in which the French attempt to capture the Prince of Wales.  As usual, characterization is strong --Cornwell introduces two strong female characters to toy with Thomas' emotions, and his relationship with one of the villains makes for fascinating reading. Cornwell also shows off his skill with saturating just a few sentences with drama, especially when he's  about to lead the reader into battle.  I'm looking forward to 'completing' this trilogy by reading the second book, though I note with concern I am starting to exhaust my library's complement of Cornwell novels.  I'd like very much to read the Warlord Chronicles, but someone appears to have stolen them from my library's shelves.

Related:

• The Hundred Years War: the English in France, Desmond Seward. To date, the best HTW history I've read.
• Cyberkitten's take on Harlequin

Heretic

Heretic
© 2003 Bernard Cornwell
355 pages

The year is 1347, and the English armies of Edward III are prevailing in France, having invaded to protect old Norman lands and capture new ones like the new port-city of Calais. The Hundred Years' War is ten years old, and as the Black Death works its way up the French coast, truce is in the air. The peace is not so firm that the English can't get away with the odd raid, though, which is why Thomas Hookton -- bastard son of a priest and a master of the longbow -- has been sent by his master the Earl of Northampton to seize an old family territory in southern France. The goal is not the castle or the surrounding county, but the most precious relic in Christian legends, the Holy Grail. It was rumored by Hookton's father to last rest in the castle, and the Earl believes it still lies there or nearby. Finding the Grail would be a propaganda boon to the English, especially in times of pestilence, and so Hookton and his men -- a few knights, supported by men-at-arms and longbowmen --  launch a daring attack against the castle. They aren't alone in seeking the grail, for Thomas' homicidally zealous cousin  and his French kinsmen also want to find the Grail -- and they're willing to forge a new one if need be. Thomas is alone, deep in enemy territory and surrounded by raiders, ambitious nobles, and corrupt priests -- and after he is excommunicated for saving the life of a young woman condemned to burn to death for violating  orthodoxy,  even his friends turn against him.

Heretic is the first bit of medieval fiction I've ever read, though I've long been tempted to try any of Cecelia Holland's various novels. I've read Cornwell before, in Sharpe's Eagle, and enjoyed him -- but this book is first-rate. I have read few historical novels that drew me into their environment like this; I could feel the cold rain constantly drizzling, smell the damp hay, hear the constant flurry of arrows and clang of swords against armor while in the distance, a cannon named the Hell Spitter booms with intermittent fury. Hookton is both authentic and likable,  and travels through a land rich in details.This book is apparently part of a trilogy (my copy doesn't have the red bar atop it advertising it as such), but the book has enough subtle background information in it to stand alone. I had no idea how the book would end, particularly in regards to the grail, and as soon as I thought I knew Cornwell's angle he changed tacks.

Easy recommendation to historical literature readers with an interest in the medieval period: I'll definitely be reading more Cornwell.