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Azincourt

4.01 of 5 stars 4.01 · rating details · 7,269 ratings · 703 reviews

Agincourt is one of the epic battles of history. It was fought by two badly matched armies that met in atrocious conditions on St Crispin's Day 1415, and resulted in an extraordinary victory that was celebrated in England long before Shakespeare immortalised it in Henry V. It has always been held to be the triumph of the longbow against the armoured knight, and of the comm...more

Hardcover, First, 453 pages

Published October 1st 2008 by HarperCollins Publishers (first published 2008)

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Feb 12, 2009 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2009

The tale of the battle of Agincourt told through the eyes of an archer, Nicholas Hooks.

Cornwell is a master of captured the drama of history from different perspective and making the story come alive. And in that, he's very successful here. It's clear he's done his research and knows his history. He knows the nuances of the period and ably weaves them into the story.

He does this by creating a character we can follow and genuinely care about. Nick is an archer in training who quickly becomes an o...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Lance Greenfield Mitchell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I just love good historical fiction! It brings history to life for me in a way that those boring history lessons at school never did. My favourite writers in this genre are Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell, although there are many others who light up all of my lights.

There are many books about the Battle of Agincourt, but this has to rate as one of the best. That is unless you want the non-fiction, factual version of events. But who is to say what is factual? There is even much disagreement am...more I just love good historical fiction! It brings history to life for me in a way that those boring history lessons at school never did. My favourite writers in this genre are Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell, although there are many others who light up all of my lights.

There are many books about the Battle of Agincourt, but this has to rate as one of the best. That is unless you want the non-fiction, factual version of events. But who is to say what is factual? There is even much disagreement amongst the scholars of the period.

The story, as told by Cornwell, follows the life of an archer, Nick Hook. He is outlawed early in the narration for hitting a priest. The priest deserved much more than a punch in the stomach for what he did, but Hook would've been caught and hung had he meted out the correct justice.

Nick is a brilliant archer, and soon finds himself in France, in Soissons, where he witnesses some horrendous betrayal and violence, but those events lead to one positive outcome: he meets the lady who is eventually to become his wife.

I can't say much more without giving away the whole story, and I don't want to spoil it for you.

There is a lot of graphic violence in this book, but it is, I believe, the reality of that age.

(view spoiler)

The narrative was generally fast flowing, but there were occasions when there was just too much detail, and that slowed the whole story down and irritated me somewhat.

I also felt that the book could really have benefited from the inclusion of a glossary of definitions of armoury, clothing, weaponry and other terms of the age. I don't wish to interrupt my enjoyment of the story by breaking off to consult my dictionary or encyclopaedia.

This small criticism aside, this is a really great read, and I would recommend it to all fans of historical fiction and Bernard Cornwell.

Note: You may well ask, "Why Azincourt rather that Agincourt?" The answer is that this is, and was, the correct spelling of the name of the nearby village which gave its name to the famous battle.(less)

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Feb 20, 2013 Brittany B. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, historical-fiction, historical_europe, historical-england, my-first-of-author, war

***Note: I apologize for the misspelling of Cornwell as Cromwell. I changed it here, but I can't change in the comments.

Amazing!! 5 Stars! A new favorite author!! Such a good book, though not without its quirks.

The main thing to note is that this book is about a famous battle, so there is an extremely long battle scene. I became a little tired of the scene, but I realized this book is about a battle and so what did I expect. I love the writing style of Bernard Cornwell. I am excited to read hi...more

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Dec 16, 2010 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I, too, am a fan of the middle ages. I, too, am glad I don't live there. In addition to all the comments already made about this book, with which I agree, I want to add that I got a huge kick out of Sir Robert Cornwall, who could swear as poetically and inventively as my father did.

I'm within four discs from the end and they still haven't gotten to Agincourt yet. Hmmm.
They got to Agincourt. What a lot of hacking and slashing! It's fascinating to hear how much influence a pdestrian thing like mud...more

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Dec 09, 2010 Michael Ames rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a thrilling, moving, informative and entertaining narrative of the battle of Agincourt (of Shakespeare's Henry V fame). I was completely addicted to the audiobook for days on end. Could not stop listening.

And I simply cannot recommend it to anyone else to read.

Unless, of course, you already live on a diet of blood, gore and profanity, and will therefore not be deeply disturbed by the all-to-real imagery of life and war in the 15th century. I've struggled to understand if the degree of gr...more

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Dec 03, 2008 Bob rated it 3 of 5 stars

Unfortunately, I read this after reading Cormac McCarthy's 'All The Pretty Horses'. I think I'd have liked it much better if I hadn't. The death toll feels about the same in both books, but Cornwell is writing an adventure, so if he kills off 3,000 in a day, it seems to be all in a day's work. McCarthy can get more feeling into one murder that happens out of the narrator's sight.
On the plus side he really seems to have done his research (though at the end of the book he recommends Robert Hardy's...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Delway Burton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Too bad we cannot use one to ten stars. Hard to find separation at one to five. Anyway, this is excellent historical fiction captures the events leading up to this epic 1415 battle. Mr. Cornwell uses considerable literary license and a few coincidences but it works. He captures the violence and capricious nature of life and death as the medieval era closes.

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Feb 26, 2012 Jason Koivu rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: super hardcore Cornwell fans and those interested in Henry V

Shelves: historical-fiction

Cornwell, the goddamn bastard has written a goddamn straightforward story just enjoyable enough to get me through to the goddamn end. The forced romantic storyline was as unnecessary as the goddamn gory battle details, but I understand that they are there for a goddamn reason. However, overall it's just not goddamned engaging enough for me to give this goddamn bastard of a book more than two stars. Also, I am completely done with the words goddamn and bastard. Reading "bad words" doesn't bother...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Lorna added it

This is the February 2010 book for our local book group. I've never read a Bernard Cornwell novel before, though husband Nick is a great fan of the Sharpe books by the same author.

By chance, I read Judith Barker's excellent factual history, Agincourt, only about six months ago, and Cornwell acknowledges this as a considerable source for his novel. The story of Agincourt is a familiar one, from Shakespeare's Henry V (including through the 1944 Laurence Olivier film in my case) if nowhere else; it...more

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Mar 19, 2009 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have always been a big fan of the Middle Ages. Well, let me rephrase that. I find it interesting, but I definitely would not have wanted to live back then.

I ran across a number of book reviews for this while doing orders for books at work, and after I read Jondude's review, I knew that I had to move it to the top of my to-read pile. I am really glad that I did.

It all starts with Nicholas Hook in the English countryside. He works as a forester, someone who maintains the local noble's forest by...more I have always been a big fan of the Middle Ages. Well, let me rephrase that. I find it interesting, but I definitely would not have wanted to live back then.

I ran across a number of book reviews for this while doing orders for books at work, and after I read Jondude's review, I knew that I had to move it to the top of my to-read pile. I am really glad that I did.

It all starts with Nicholas Hook in the English countryside. He works as a forester, someone who maintains the local noble's forest by hunting game and preventing poachers from doing the same. He is of the lower working class and is basically a good person, but he finds himself on the run after getting in trouble in his village. His family has a multi-generation blood feud with another family in town that has led to no shortage of deaths on either side. The most recent incident ends with him hitting a priest, an ally of the other family, who is about to rape a young woman.

Hook ends up serving in France, supporting the Burgundian resistance to French overrule. Things come to a head at Soissons, a small city in the northeast, and the French massacre, rape, and pillage their own people, many of them women and children. It is there that Nicholas rescues Melisande, a French bastard of a local lord who has placed her in a nunnery for safety. Obviously, that didn't work out as planned.

As a result of his actions at Soissons, Hook finds himself back in England with the new lord willing to take him into service despite his past errors. They will all be serving in Henry V's army as they attack France in the hopes of supporting Henry's claim to the French throne. Hook, a master archer, finds himself in the center of all the action thanks to his skills as the English attack and capture an unimportant port village and strike out across France to ensure success.

It is these actions that place a smaller English force at Agincourt, where they will have to take on a superior force of French nobleman. Throughout the book, Hook finds strength in the images of St. Crispin and his brother St. Crispinian, who visit him regularly when he most needs support.

The book artfully takes the reader through the various battle scenes. Cornwell does nothing to spare the reader the harsh details of medieval warfare. Swords pierce various body parts, leaving trails of viscera, intestines, and other lovely images.

If you like high action, this is probably a book that you will enjoy this one. There is a strong Author's Note at the conclusion that shows how Cornwell used a number of legitimate resources to base his book upon. This includes details like character names, setting details, and battle techniques.(less)

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Feb 26, 2009 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

The latest from my favorite living novelist. The archer series makes the 100 years war come to life in vivid color, complete with all the gore and horror of battle that we've come to expect from Cornwell. The lead characters in this series are not as engaging as Cornwell's Richard Sharpe, but perhaps that's because in the archer series, it is the long yew bow itself that steals every scene. Cornwell illustrates the military superiority of the longbow to every other weapon available at the time,...more

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Apr 30, 2013 maricar rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Cornwell stirs a reader’s bloodlust and proceeds to slake it with this novel that slowly turned overwhelming odds onto its head and mercilessly, furiously, battered it with a poleaxe.

Besides being a work that drew focus on the menace of the longbow, I loved how the author made everything at first seem to be about Hook and his supposed search for redemption. But then it became bigger and bigger and suddenly a king is involved and war is staring them all in the face and redemption will apparently...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Francis Gahren rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, military

Young Nicholas Hook is dogged by a cursed past—haunted by what he has failed to do and banished for what he has done. He is driven to fight as a mercenary archer in France, where he discovers two things he can love: his instincts as a fighting man, and a girl in trouble. Together they survive the notorious massacre at Soissons, and, with no options left, head home to England. Discovered by the young King of England—Henry V himself—Hook takes up the longbow again, returning to France as part of t...more Young Nicholas Hook is dogged by a cursed past—haunted by what he has failed to do and banished for what he has done. He is driven to fight as a mercenary archer in France, where he discovers two things he can love: his instincts as a fighting man, and a girl in trouble. Together they survive the notorious massacre at Soissons, and, with no options left, head home to England. Discovered by the young King of England—Henry V himself—Hook takes up the longbow again, returning to France as part of the superb army Henry leads in his quest to claim the French crown. But after the English campaign suffers devastating early losses, it becomes clear that Hook and his fellow archers are their king's last resort in a desperate fight against an enemy more daunting than they could ever imagined.

One of the most dramatic victories in British history, the battle of Agincourt pitted undermanned and overwhelmed English forces against a French army determined to keep their crown out of Henry's hands. This exhilarating story of survival and slaughter is at once a brilliant work of history and a triumph of imagination—Bernard Cornwell at his best.

Historical Notes

The battle of Agincourt (Azincourt was and remains the French spelling) was one of the most remarkable events of medieval Europe, a battle whose reputation far outranked its importance. In the long history of Anglo-French rivalry only Hastings, Waterloo, Trafalgar, and Crécy share Agincourt’s renown. It is arguable that Poitiers was a more significant battle and an even more complete victory, or that Verneuil was just as astonishing a triumph, and it’s certain that Hastings, Blenheim, Victoria, Trafalgar, and Waterloo were more influential on the course of history, yet Agincourt still holds its extraordinary place in English legend. Something quite remarkable happened on 25 October 1415 (Agincourt was fought long before Christendom’s conversion to the new-style calendar, so the modern anniversary should be on 4 November). It was something so remarkable that its fame persists almost six hundred years later.

Agincourt’s fame could just be an accident, a quirk of history reinforced by Shakespeare’s genius, but the evidence suggests it really was a battle that sent a shock wave through Europe. For years afterward the French called 25 October 1415 la malheureuse journée (the unfortunate day). Even after they had expelled the English from France they remembered la malheureuse journée with sadness. It had been a disaster.

Yet it was so nearly a disaster for Henry V and his small, but well-equipped army. That army had sailed from Southampton Water with high hopes, the chief of which was the swift capture of Harfleur, which would be followed by a foray into the French heartland in hope, presumably, of bringing the French to battle. A victory in that battle would demonstrate, at least in the pious Henry’s mind, God’s support of his claim to the French throne, and might even propel him onto that throne. Such hopes were not vain when his army was intact, but the siege of Harfleur took much longer than expected and Henry’s army was almost ruined by dysentery.

The tale of the siege in the novel is, by and large, accurate, though I did take one great liberty, which was to sink a mineshaft opposite the Leure Gate. There was no such shaft, the ground would not allow it, and all the real mines were dug by the Duke of Clarence’s forces that were assailing the eastern side of Harfleur. The French counter-mines defeated those diggings, but I wanted to give a flavor, however inadequately, of the horrors men faced in fighting beneath the earth. The defense of Harfleur was magnificent, for which much of the praise must go to Raoul de Gaucourt, one of the garrison’s leaders. His defiance, and the long days of the siege, gave the French a chance to raise a much larger army than any they might have fielded against Henry if the siege had ended, say, in early September.

Connecting Books

The Face of Battle, by John Keegan

Agincourt, by Juliet Barker

Longbow: A Social and Military History, by Robert Hardy
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Mar 01, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am a huge Cornwell fan (and still need to read his Sharpe novels darn it!) so this book did not disappoint. Even when I was grimacing about the extremely descriptive details of battle and wanting to put the book down and puke (okay, I might be exaggerating a bit), I couldn't help but keep right on reading as fast as I possibly could. I knew how it ended of course seeing as Henry V is one of my favorite plays and Branagh movies but still, I was drawn in just the same.

The story revolves around N...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Peter Fortune rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-historical

Agincourt – Bernard Cornwell – 2009

This is not one of Cornwell’s best—he seems to do better with historical fiction over several volumes (the Saxon Tales, for example). Nicholas Hook is an English outlaw who becomes a superb archer, rubs shoulders with knights and even with the King, and joins Henry V’s invasion of France. The story is well known: after a lengthy siege of Harfleur (now Le Havre) Henry’s army takes the city but appears to have won the battle and lost the war—disease has severely...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Blablabla Aleatório rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nubia

“Os arqueiros eram os heróis de Hook. A Inglaterra, para Hook, não era protegida por homens vestindo armaduras brilhantes, montados em cavalos ajaezados, e sim por arqueiros”.

A figura do arqueiro sempre foi mítica para os ingleses, durante todo o período medieval e antes do advento das armas de fogo, os arqueiros eram amplamente utilizados nas batalhas e chegavam a compor mais da metade do exército inglês. Ter um arqueiro em um exército no século XIV era praticamente uma exclusividade inglesa,...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Cerridwen (Emma Bianchi) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romanzi-storici, favorites

Certamente è un romanzo pieno di difetti. Difetti che più che in altri, qua saltano immediatamente agli occhi. Ma per me i lati positivi li continuano comunque a superare di gran lunga.
Per prima cosa mi piace l'atteggiamento di Cornwell nei riguardi delle donne. Sia in generale sia per quanto riguarda le sue protagoniste femminili. Badate, non è un aspetto da poco. Ci sono romanzi storici in cui le protagoniste femminili sono sempre perfettamente patetiche e deboli a confronto con i personaggi m...more
Certamente è un romanzo pieno di difetti. Difetti che più che in altri, qua saltano immediatamente agli occhi. Ma per me i lati positivi li continuano comunque a superare di gran lunga.
Per prima cosa mi piace l'atteggiamento di Cornwell nei riguardi delle donne. Sia in generale sia per quanto riguarda le sue protagoniste femminili. Badate, non è un aspetto da poco. Ci sono romanzi storici in cui le protagoniste femminili sono sempre perfettamente patetiche e deboli a confronto con i personaggi maschili, e le loro azioni quasi sempre tendono a sminuirle e metterne in evidenza gli aspetti più gretti e meschini della natura umana. Quanto al contesto, alla posizione che esse occupano nel periodo storico in cui si ritrovano a vivere beh, è totalmente inesistente. O ricostruito superficialmente e male.

Un branco di galline petulanti o terrorizzate. Gli unici due mutamenti che si possono riscontrare nel loro modo d'agire.
Cornwell crea invece personaggi femminili affascinanti, mai deboli o oppressi e ancora peggio passivi nei confronti degli eventi e del mondo che li circonda.

Melisande, per fare un esempio, è una di queste. Ma anche Eleonor o Jeanette non sono da meno. Inoltre l'autore non tace gli orrori e le violenze commesse spessissimo nei loro riguardi. Mai.

Molti si lamentano degli aspetti troppo crudi di alcune descrizioni di Cornwell, sostenendo che le mutilazioni, gli stupri, la violenza descritti non siano, in fondo, funzionali alla narrazione. Ma questa è la storia. Non è fatta solo di avventure o vittorie o battaglie dove nessuno sembra farsi male. Tutto quello che Cornwell descrive è successo davvero. Il fatto che sia accaduto secoli fa non ci permette di chiudere gli occhi.
Inoltre, da un punto di vista prettamente storico, quelli di Cornwell sono romanzi sempre abbastanza accurati.

La battaglia di Azincourt ancora oggi è di importanza straordinaria per la storia inglese. E' vero, essa non ha prodotto mutamenti di rilievo. Almeno per quanto riguarda il breve periodo, ricorrendo alle diverse dimensioni temporali della storia di Braundel. Ma sul lungo periodo, a distanza di decenne e decenni ebbe un effetto incredibile sulla mentalità collettiva inglese, tanto da guadagnarsi il titolo di una delle più grande battaglie che hanno contribuito a fare l'Inghilterra. Adesso, soprassedendo sui numeri, in merito ai quali non potremo mai essere del tutto certi, (importa poco se gli Inglesi fossero davvero 6000 o 9000 e i francesi 30000 0 15000), il punto fondamentale rimane il metodo di combattimento. Probabilmente gli inglese erano un poco di più e i francesi un poco di meno ma la cosa non cambia ugualmente, perchè fra i ranghi dell'esercito inglesi vi erano gli arcieri.

L'arco lungo rimarrà l'arma più potente in battaglia fino al definitivo avvento delle armi da fuoco. Fu questo e la mancanza di disciplina fra le fila francesi che permise in definitiva la vittoria inglese. La figura dell'arciere inglese è una delle più affascinanti di tutta la storia militare del medioevo. E Cornwell riesce a tratteggiarla molto bene, sottolineandone la forza, il coraggio e l'orgoglio di appartenza. Un arciere era un uomo libero, fisicamente ben più forte di un semplice uomo d'arme ed in battaglia poteva rappresentare un formidabile strumento di vantaggio. Anzi, lo erano quasi sempre.

Come al solito ho trovato perfetto il protagonista maschile. Nicholas Hook come Thomas di Hookton è l'eroe che riscatta da solo, almeno ai miei occhi, la lunga sequela di orrori e brutalità prodotti dalla sua epoca, facendo ricorso ad una sensibilità non comune e utilizzando il dubbio costante come mezzo per raggiungere la verità e individuare la cosa giusta da fare. Anche se, a volte, sollecitata pure dagli aspri e un pò bruschi rimproveri di un santo.

Senza contare che io con Cornwell ho un debito personale. Leggendo i suoi romanzi, fin da quando ero ancora una fanciulla fin troppo romantica, presi coscienza di non poter dedicarmi ad altro che a un'unica, e assolutamente lontana dall'essere semplice, cosa: la Storia. Quindi se adesso sto imprecando contro Carlo V e le guerre d'Italia, maledicendo Lutero, Paolo III e tutti i suoi dannati concili a cui non partecipava nessuno lo devo solamente a lui. Tutto sommato, va bene così.
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Sep 30, 2012 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, history

I personally loved this book. It is a historical novel, which means that it is a work of fiction that takes place during a real historical event; usually trying to be as historically accurate as possible. There is a lot of foul language that is used in the book. I'm usually turned off by such language, but in this case I found it rather amusing. Being a former soldier, I thought it to be no worse that anything I had heard (or used) while in the service. The story takes place in 1414 and 1415 Eng...more I personally loved this book. It is a historical novel, which means that it is a work of fiction that takes place during a real historical event; usually trying to be as historically accurate as possible. There is a lot of foul language that is used in the book. I'm usually turned off by such language, but in this case I found it rather amusing. Being a former soldier, I thought it to be no worse that anything I had heard (or used) while in the service. The story takes place in 1414 and 1415 England and France. It follows the adventure of an English Longbow man named Nicholas Hook, who is a witness to the sacking of Soissons, France, by the French (to include the monastery that was there) and the massacre of 50+ English Longbow men. Hook was part of an English garrison guarding the French town. He escaped the massacre and began hearing the voices of St.'s Crispin and Crispinian, who are the patron saints of Soissons. The saints guide Hook and a french maiden to safety. The two of them get back to England and are eventually part of an English army that invades France, captures the town of Harfleur in Normandy and then proceeds to march to Calais in a show of force. They of coarse meet the "prick sucking bastards" (the French) near the castle of Agincourt. The battle is depicted pretty much as I have read from other historical sources. At the end, there is a rather extensive epilog that covers the history of the events and a couple of cases where he knowingly varied from historical accounts.

One note: During the battle of Agencourt which happens on St. Crispen's Day, St. Crispen speaks to Hook at one point telling him to "either fight or die" and that he "wants revenge (for the sacking of Soissons)". Then I guess he gets a little impatient with Hook and says "Well, what are you waiting for? Do God's work for Christ's sake and kill the G*d dammed bastards!". I thought such language from a Saint to be at least a little amusing. I wondered if maybe God might have washed his mouth out with soap afterwards.(less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great book on Henry 5th's conquest of France. It's well researched and explains a lot, and gives you insights into how a small team (the English) won against a much larger force (the French). Henry led from the front, and it shows how he built a bond with his rank and file, including the ability to apologise. The author looks at the whole period and campaign through the eyes of an english long bow archer, so we get to learn a lot about the condition of the common people, rather than histories of...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Ben rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

I'd already heard from a friend this was a disappointing book, and I was therefore saved from the disappointment this book would have otherwise given me. Cornwell does a fantastic job recreating a lot of the details of the world--what they worn, how they fought, the drudgery and dirt of day-to-day life and war--but is seriously lacking in terms of both general writing skills, as well as character development and creative dialogue. Sure, this was a very fun read. The battle scenes are well-though...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Billy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Cornwell continues his conquest of history...,

This is one of Bernard Cornwell's best offerings. I will concede that I don't read his Sharpe series nor his Starbuck series (I just don't care for those periods of history), but I enjoy all his other works & this is among his best. Here is the tale of Azincourt (the word may have been anglicized to Agincourt, but the place is Azincourt), the story that Shakespeare popularized in Henry V. Cornwell sticks almost entirely to historical fact in this...more Cornwell continues his conquest of history...,

This is one of Bernard Cornwell's best offerings. I will concede that I don't read his Sharpe series nor his Starbuck series (I just don't care for those periods of history), but I enjoy all his other works & this is among his best. Here is the tale of Azincourt (the word may have been anglicized to Agincourt, but the place is Azincourt), the story that Shakespeare popularized in Henry V. Cornwell sticks almost entirely to historical fact in this tale, with a few concessions made in the historical note. But this tale is a strong historical telling through the eyes of fictional characters. The maps included in this are much better than in some of Cornwell's previous offerings.

Cornwell tells the tale of Nick Hook, a man with personal demons & enemies that are always near. Hook, due to a failed attempt at murder, is exiled & an archer in the English army. He uses the skill that he honed his entire life to use the English longbow with deadly accuracy. On his first journey to France, he saves a beautiful young woman during the vicious attack on Soissons & the two travel back to England. Defying punishment for returning, Nick is placed under a great Lord of England & meets the King.

Traveling to France with Henry to claim what Henry believes is his rightful crown, Nick watches the historical battles & sieges that have now become legend. With the assistance of 2 saints who speak to Nick, he becomes a leader of archers & is on the front lines of the battle at Azincourt, one of the greatest military accomplishments in history. Cornwell's ability to develop characters through whom we see the story unfold is at its best here. Nick is a real person, a man with fears & hopes. His struggle amongst the muck and mire of the battlefield in Azincourt is told with overwhelming grit & gore; Cornwell pulls no punches in telling of the horrors of battle in the middle ages.

For fans of Cornwell, homage is paid to archer Thomas of Hookton from Cornwell's Grail Quest Trilogy (The Archer's Tale, Vagabond & Heretic). I highly recommend that Trilogy, from the same period of time as this work, for those that enjoy this. I would also, in the spirit of this work, highly recommend Cornwell's Saxon Chronicles (The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, Lords of the North & Sword Song, a series not yet complete & I eagerly await Vol. 5) & his Arthur Series.

I suggest a quick read of the historical note at the end of the book BEFORE you read this as it will provide setting & circumstances which led to the battles. Cornwell notes 3 historical works about Azincourt & I plan to read each; they are 'Agincourt: A New History' by Anne Curry, 'The Face of Battle' by John Keegan & the work that Cornwell lauds, Agincourt by Juliet Barker.(less)

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Mar 10, 2012 Jacey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

The battle of Agincourt told from the viewpoint of common English bowman, Nick Hook. Despite the battle being the main character, there is a story. Nick, very probably the bastard of the local landowner, Lord Slayton, is a troubled young man not above committing murder as the sworn enemy of the Perrill brothers, themselves the bastard sons of a jumped up priest, Sir Martin. Through a rolling set of circumstances he's serving as an archer at an execution of a group of Lollards – religious martyrs...more The battle of Agincourt told from the viewpoint of common English bowman, Nick Hook. Despite the battle being the main character, there is a story. Nick, very probably the bastard of the local landowner, Lord Slayton, is a troubled young man not above committing murder as the sworn enemy of the Perrill brothers, themselves the bastard sons of a jumped up priest, Sir Martin. Through a rolling set of circumstances he's serving as an archer at an execution of a group of Lollards – religious martyrs and is outlawed for striking a priest – the same Sir Martin – who was about to rape Sarah, a condemned prisoner.

He hires on as an archer in order to get out of England and ends up as the only English survivor of the sack of Soissons, from where he rescues Melisande, the bastard daughter of a French noble who has been placed in a convent. Hook and Melisande travel across the French countryside and eventually get to tell the tale of Soissons and hook signs on with the company of Sir John Cornewaille, tourney champion and seasoned veteran, whose rough and ready, but fair treatment of his men (and Melisande) earns him loyalty.

The story then follows Nick through what looks like Henry V's ill-fated campaign to claim the French throne via the siege of Harfleur where Henry wastes too many men (many killed by dysentery) and too much time before attempting to march to the English-held Calais with 4,000 bowmen and only 2,000 men at arms. Rightly wary of English bowmen who made mincemeat of them at the battle of Crecy, the French miss several opportunities to trounce the English, but finally come to a pitched battle on a deeply muddy stretch of ploughed land at Azincourt where the English are hopelessly outnumbered 30,000 men at arms to 2,000 plus 4,000 unarmoured bowmen.

Yes despite the odds it's the bowmen who make a difference, killing the first wave of heavily armoured Frenchmen by firing 15 arrows a minute, felling bodies in the vanguard and creating obstacles which hamper the next wave of men at arms, and the next, and the next. The facts are a matter of record, the French were thoroughly routed by the tiny force of English, but Cornwell's writing gets under the skin of the archers. You can taste the mud and the shit. Nick's personal story – his feud with the Perill brothers and Sir Martin – plays out against a background of living history.
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Oct 05, 2011 David Rasner rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The greatest writer of historical adventures today" tackles his richest, most thrilling subject yet—the heroic tale of Agincourt.

Young Nicholas Hook is dogged by a cursed past—haunted by what he has failed to do and banished for what he has done. A wanted man in England, he is driven to fight as a mercenary archer in France, where he finds two things he can love: his instincts as a fighting man, and a girl in trouble. Together they survive the notorious massacre at Soissons, an event that shoc...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Tim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, historical-fiction

My first BC book and a great change out of the world of Fantasy, for example. This book sort of activated an interest in historical fiction, though still at a very low level. It's great to read about one of the battles of the 100-year war and thus learn while reading a fascinating story. It's easy to connect with the main character (Nick Hook) and the feelings he has for a French girl, for his brother.. how he's determined to succeed, how he fights mental battles with his arch enemies (Perill br...more

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Feb 22, 2011 Anna Engel rated it 2 of 5 stars

Cornwell's writing style bothers me; it did in Stonehenge and it did in Agincourt. His use of commas vs. semicolons needs work and I itched to insert corrections so that the text flowed more smoothly. He also favors short, simple sentences at the ends of chapters and sections in the mistaken belief that they have more impact and create suspense. Some authors do this well; Cornwell does not.

The story follows outlaw Nick Hook throughout English holdings in both Britain and France. Socially, he's j...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Paul Pessolano rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Bernard Cornwell is the author of approximately 30 books. Some are in sequence (ig The Sharpe Novels). "Agincourt" is a stand alone novel that ranks up there with his best novels. I was reading 100 plus pages a night and could not get enough.

"Agincourt" is an historical novel that has its basis in the English victory over the French. The battle was immortalized in Shakespeare's "Henry V". Although there is so skepticism about the number of participants in the battle, it is widely thouht that the...more

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Nov 22, 2010 David rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: completed

Bernard Cornwell really cranks up the heat of battle in this fine historical novel. I always like a writer who is confident enough in the quality of his work that he can take time to write a note at the end and tell where he deviated from history, or where he just guessed a few things.

However, the wonderful historical information at the back of this book (the author's notes on touring the battlefield, Henry V's speech from Shakespeare's play, a Carol to Henry V, and an interview with the author...more Bernard Cornwell really cranks up the heat of battle in this fine historical novel. I always like a writer who is confident enough in the quality of his work that he can take time to write a note at the end and tell where he deviated from history, or where he just guessed a few things.

However, the wonderful historical information at the back of this book (the author's notes on touring the battlefield, Henry V's speech from Shakespeare's play, a Carol to Henry V, and an interview with the author telling why he choose to tell the story from the archer's point of view, which all make for interesting reading-- AFTER you've read the novel, are not the appeal here. The appeal here is the story of a medieval band of brothers, fighting for the landed gentry because they believe it is the right thing to do, and the blood and guts of battle that made images similar to the film BRAVEHEART flash in my mind as I read this book. It is blood and guts, down in the trenches writing.

The appeal doesn't stop there. First, Cornwell does an excellent job of getting the reader to care about those men. He does so by having his story follow Nicholas Hook, who tends game for his Lord and has an ongoing feud with another family. This feud raises its ugly head over and over throughout the plot.

Oddly enough, Cornwell presents the gentry, the landed nobility, in such a noble light as to be almost beyond belief. While he writes the story of the common man caught up in a struggle between kings (The King of England was claiming that the throne of France was rightly his) and yet with few exceptions, all of these commoners seem to have a great respect for the nobility, even those nobles on the opposite side. But note that I said ALMOST beyond belief. After some careful thinking I realized that this attitude towards nobility would have been very strong amongst common men or else the nobility would not have existed. I would have expected our hero to resent being bonded to a Lord-- but he seems delighted. Wouldn't he have to have a postive attitude about serving a Lord just to survive?

Of course he would have to show respect. Cornwell, with few exceptions shows these gentrys as being noble in character and therefore worthy of respect. There are no Priunce John types in this book. No despots or wicked nobles. Some are a bit selfish, but we never seen any real oppression going on with the exception of the religious persecution of the Lollards.

This was a great book, a wonderful historical novel, and worth reading.

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Aug 15, 2010 Durdles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

With Cornwell you know what you are going to get and he rarely fails to deliver. I've read a few of the Sharpe books as well as Stonehenge and Vagabond and have a pile of his ready to read on my shelves. The weaving of a fictional story into factual events is not bettered by anyone although, with such a famous and well known tale previously told by Shakespeare among many others, I was a bit apprehensive. However we are in safe hands. The reseach is meticulous, the author admits where he stretche...more

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Aug 01, 2010 Diana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, audio-book

Great historical fiction by Bernard Cornwell. This is a single volume by an author who is known for his trilogies and of course his Sharpe's series. Cornwell's writing is clear and substantial, the language is never strained or contrived. The characters, as in all historical fiction, play second fiddle to the events and setting, but they are well-drawn and have sufficient depth so that the reader cares about them and their outcome. If you don't have a stomach for violence or an interest in battl...more

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May 06, 2010 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Books about wars and battles have to do three things: 1. Match the Iliad in scope; put you unequivocally into the scene; leave you with the understanding that ultimately no good comes from wars and battles. Agincourt gets really, really close to meeting the criteria. Like the Iliad, Agincourt has memorable characters who do great deeds, and like the Iliad many of them die in the most grotesque ways, and also like the Iliad, the gods are fickle. Bernard Cornwell has the mastery to put you into th...more

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About Bernard Cornwell

Cornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his mother's maiden name, Cornwe...more Cornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his mother's maiden name, Cornwell.

Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times, but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.

He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a Green Card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.

As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find that there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.

Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel Sharpe's Company published in 1982.

Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) He also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British, in 1987.

After publishing 8 books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987 and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.

A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and a political thriller called Scoundrel in 1992.

In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.

Cornwell's latest work is titled Azincourt and was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.(less)

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Books by Bernard Cornwell

The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1)

The Winter King (The Warlord Chronicles, #1)

Lords of the North (The Saxon Stories, #3)

The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2)

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Quotes from Azincourt

“Who do you serve?” Lanferelle asked.
“Sir John Cornerwailled,” Hook said proudly.
Lanferelle was pleased. “Sir John! Ah, there's a man. His mother must have slept with a Frenchman.” — 4 people liked it

“Shit!” Evelgold added.
“What?” Hook asked, alarmed.
“I just stepped in some.”
“That’s supposed to bring you luck,” Hook said.
“Then I’d better dance in the goddam stuff.” — 4 people liked it

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