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Heretic (The Grail Quest #3)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 4,351 ratings · 114 reviews

Thomas of Hookton is a seasoned veteran of King Edward's army and a natural leader in what will be remembered as the Hundred Years' War. Accompanied by a small but able band of soldiers, Thomas is sent to Gascony to capture the castle of Astarac. But he has ulterior motives for accepting the charge: Gascony is the home of the black knight -- Guy de Vexille -- who brutally

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435 pages

Published by Harper Collins Pb (first published January 1st 2003)

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Aug 11, 2011 Lisa Rathbun added it · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this series, although the brutal violence and the constant blasphemies were rather hair-raising. The constant turns of Fortune's wheel kept me riveted to the story: Thomas is triumphant, Thomas is excommunicated, Thomas is a fugitive, etc.

How absolutely frightening was the power of the church! How horrible to see Christianity misused by evil men for selfish greed. I am so thankful for God's Word available to read so we need not kowtow in fear and ignorance to the demands of an o...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Kit Fryatt rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

The relative sophistication of Cornwell's approach to religion in the Arthur books is a fluke, I think--he really can't bring himself to be interested in the Cathars or the Brethren of the Free Spirit, both of whom haunt this tale. (if you want archery + heretics, I can recommend Adam Thorpe's Hodd, a rather classier production all round, if you can stand yet another Adso-a-like narrator.) Thomas of Hookton ends up as a bit of a proto-Lollard, if anything, but while there are various feints at c...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Billy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A great end to a fantastic trilogy (The Grail Quest trilogy)...,

Cornwell has completed the Grail quest trilogy, Harlequin (The Archer's Tale in the U.S.) Vagabond and Heretic, with a wonderful climax that leaves every loose end tied up and every person, evil or good, dealt their final hand in life.
The story continues to follow Thomas of Hookton as he endures the weight of the family burden (protectors of the grail), and his position as an archer in the English army; now commanding a garrison of...more

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Oct 21, 2011 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 19, 2011 Eric Wright rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Eric by: my son, John

Shelves: local-library

Cornwell weaves a well-written and fast-moving historical novel from Medieval times (1347) that without strain or boredom introduces us to an era, its culture and peoples. Cornwell skillfully weaves dialogue and description together into an interesting story that does not lag.

In Heretic, Thomas of Hookton returns to his ancestral homeland, Gascony, both to find the Holy Grail and to engineer a confrontation with his cousin, Guy Vexille. Near the end of the book we discover that Vexille is a fan...more

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Jan 25, 2011 Kelanth, numquam risit ubi dracones vivunt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romanzo-storico

Dopo la mia recensione sulla saga di Re Artù, recensisco ancora questo autore molto bravo che deve principalmente il suo successo internazionale per la saga di "Sharpe", credo arrivata al decimo o undicesimo libro, che ho in libreria ma che non ho ancora iniziato. Per tornare alla recensione di oggi, credo che tutti più o meno sanno cosa sia stata la "Guerra dei Cent'anni" (per chi non lo sa e vuole approfondire: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerra_d... ), che vide contrapposte l'Inghilterra e l...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Dark-Draco rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure-fiction, favorites, historic-fiction

The final book in the trilogy and Thomas only has one enemy left. His cousin, Guy, who wants nothing else but to find the grail. Thomas takes a few men and manages to capture a fort deep within French territory, hoping to draw Guy to him. But first he has to deal with the local bandits and a brash young Lord, who wants Glory for himself. Guy does come, but not before Thomas has been excommunicated for saving the life of a heretic. But even as the enemies fight and false grails are found and des...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Evie Maiolo rated it 3 of 5 stars

I picked this one up without reading the first two in the trilogy and actually quite enjoyed reading it. It works as a stand-alone book, but I imagine reading the previous two stories would add many extra elements to the detail in the third.

Set in 14th Century France, the book follows the story of English archer, Thomas - son of a 'mad' English priest claiming to have hidden the Holy Grail, and cousin to his French enemy, Guy Vexille, who will do anything to get his hands on the holy relic.

Corn...more

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Sep 12, 2010 Oscar rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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May 29, 2011 Tim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cornwall does provide an easy way to escape into the Hundred's Years War. His English archers are once again brave, his priests often lecherous, (though at least an abbot here seems fairly Christ-like), and the adventure morally dubious as many sides search for the Holy Grail. The battle sequences are good but do not grow to love the minor characters as most of them are dispatched by the end. That end feels a little cobbled together, but Thomas and Geneivive are likable characters and ones you w...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is Bernard Cornwell at his very best. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. This tumultuous period in history is depicted from the ordinary man's point of view. s usual, the historical accuracy and battle descriptions are superb, the characters are totally believable and three dimensional and the portrayal of the Catholic Church in all it's brutality is eye-opening! I also found the acknowledgement of other Christian beliefs refreshing.
Although this trilogy could be read as individual books, as...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Elderberrywine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library

The graphically gory and ultimately compelling conclusion of Cornwall's medieval trilogy. Thomas of Hookton, mad priest's bastard and master of the long bow, continues his search for the Holy Grail in Gascony, one step ahead of his evil cousin. With death, destruction, and the Black Death at his heels, he realizes his family's heritage, and ends his quest in exactly the right way.

Unlike many a trilogy, this is the strongest book of the three, or maybe I've just developed a fondness for the rene...more

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Feb 19, 2011 Phair rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

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Jan 18, 2013 Craig rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Ho-Hum. Third tome in Cornwell's The Grail Quest series. This book features Thomas of Hookton (central character in the series) back in France fighting not only the French but the sinister forces seeking to locate the "Holy Grail" to use for nefarious purposes. The first volume in this series started out with some promise and I gave it 4 stars. The second book languished and I gave it a 3. This one died with a whimper and I gave it only 2 stars. So far, Bernard Cornwell is not in the top of his...more

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Aug 09, 2010 Evan Brandt rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ultimately, I think I would give the series a C+/B-
The research is quite good, but I felt like the characters thought a little bit too much like modern people.
The language was a little too modern in the dialogue.
And sadly, I figured out the secret in the second book only to find out in the third that I had been right.
Which is not a "yea me" moment, but more of a "really? You made it that easy?"
I may read one or two of the others but it did not convince me to read the Sharpe books for which Cornw...more

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Apr 12, 2009 Terri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, historical-fiction, favorites, britain-fiction

There are things I'd really like to say about this book but can't for fear of spoiling storylines for you. So, I'll try and stay on safe ground and give hints that you'll only understand once you've read it.
This was my favourite book of the Grail Quest series (3 books; Harlequin, Vagabond & Heretic). The first book was good, but there was something about this last book in the trilogy that appealed to me the most.
The only reason I didn't actually give it 5 stars, was because of a missing chu...more

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Jul 18, 2010 Ed rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Historical Fiction Fans.

Shelves: historical-fiction, reviewed

This is the best of the three book "Grail Series". Cornwell manages to tie up all the loose ends while providing the reader with a satisfactory conclusion that does not strain one's credulity.

The story opens with the siege of Calais and ends with the first of the plagues that ravaged Europe for hundreds of years. In between Thomas of Hookton continues his quest for the Holy Grail, which his family is supposed to have or have had in its possession.

In the process he is given an order to try and fi...more

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Aug 01, 2008 Jamie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This series by Bernard Cornwell consists of three books: The Archer's Tale, Vagabond, and Heretic. I'm just gonna lump them all together here since there's really not a whole lot to set them apart. By that I mean that they've definitely got the trademarks of an overly prolific author who just churns stuff out within his comfort zone (e.g., I got tired of hearing about how an arrow head "pierced mail and leather" after the fifth time in one book) so that you get largely the same story being told...more This series by Bernard Cornwell consists of three books: The Archer's Tale, Vagabond, and Heretic. I'm just gonna lump them all together here since there's really not a whole lot to set them apart. By that I mean that they've definitely got the trademarks of an overly prolific author who just churns stuff out within his comfort zone (e.g., I got tired of hearing about how an arrow head "pierced mail and leather" after the fifth time in one book) so that you get largely the same story being told 3 times, with slight variations and a big payoff at the end. So it makes sense to consider them all at once, because otherwise I'd just end up repeating myself. A lot like the author.

But actually, I kind of enjoyed these books despite how they felt stretched out and meandering. They tell the story of Thomas of Hookton, an English archer during the middle ages who is searching for the Holy Grail. The Grail-with-a-capital-G is, as you may know, supposedly the cup from which Christ drank at the last supper and which caught the blood from His side as He hung on the cross. The Grail Quest books are, as you might further surmise from this short description, works of historical fiction set towards the end of the middle ages. In a way, the books read a lot like fantasy except that all the fantasy staples that makes me groan and roll my eyes every other page are have blessedly gone missing. You've still got big beefy guys in armor who scream battle cries as they storm castles, trample the country side, and generally hack the living daylights out of each other, but you don't have tired stuff like wizards, elves, prophecies, magic, political intrigue, and whatever other junk most fantasy authors like to fish out of the recycling bin. It was oddly refreshing, even if it's only because I've not read much historical fiction before.

It's also a lot of what I would call "military pr0n" of the medieval variety. One of Cromwell's hallmarks seems to be that he takes an imaginary character (such as the aforementioned Thomas of Hookton) and slips him in to real historical events, like this battle or that siege or that some other big event that generally takes a name according to the "The Verb of Location" standard. Cromwell then goes to great, delightful lengths to describe the tactics and strategies that each side used, steeping the whole thing in human drama from a soldier's point of view. At times it read a bit like the instruction manual to a real-time strategy game like Age of Empires with detailed explanations about how the English placed their pike men along a low ridge that gave them an attack bonus against mounted infantry that stacked with their terrain bonuses AND faction attributes. Well, maybe it wasn't that blatant, but I still dig that kind of thing. And casting the main character in the role of an English Archer with his big ole longbow (though, oddly, it was never called by that name) gave him a good excuse to teach us all about archery and the overwhelmingly effective use of such archers in warfare. Fun stuff.

But even if there was a history-cum-videogame abstraction to the battles at times, I was nonetheless struck by how incredibly savage and harsh warfare apparently was in those days. Cornwell didn't shy away from vivid descriptions of bloody hand-to-hand fighting and brutal tactics that don't much resemble the romanticized image of a chivalrous knight of the Round Table. I was also forced to admit that Cornwell writes some of the best insults I've ever seen. When one side accuses the other of being "turds birthed from Satan's own arse" that's the kind of curse that you just gotta sit up and admire.

What about the story? Well, it's nothing too fantastic, mainly following Thomas around as he follows the trail of the Holy Grail while being pursued by his villainous cousin. Well, when he's not busy being an archer, bedding wenches (he goes through three love interests in a very James Bond-esque fashion in the course of the trilogy), laying siege to castles, and getting tortured by the Spanish Inquisition (which, by the way, everybody expected as soon as the first Dominican priest was introduced, contrary to what any flying circus tells you). But while his path is circuitous, this is the quest that ties all the books together, and it's resolved nicely at the end so that I was left with a satisfied feeling that I had seen something that was entertaining and a bit educational, but not necessarily full of itself.(less)

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Apr 27, 2008 Anthony rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Adults with an in historical fiction of fourteenth century England.

Shelves: historical-fiction

The Grail Quest Series is a fascinating look at fourteenth century England and the Hundred Years War between England and France. Don’t let the name of the series dissuade you, the ‘Grail Quest’ ultimately proves to be a small part of the story. It serves more as a backdrop to illustrating the religious beliefs and climate of the era and is not the same worn out ‘Grail Quest’ you have seen a hundred times. As with Cornwell’s Saxon Chronicles, the main protagonist is a fictional character, but man...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Linda rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed Cornwell's other Holy Grail books and 2000 BC very much. They were detailed with the culture of the times and full of villains, heroes, kings, warriors, strong women, and ambitious priests. I expected the same quality of writing in Heretic, but was utterly disappointed. I could not get through the tediously slow pace. It was just boring as heck, covering a period of time of which other authors have more eloquently written. Pass this one up.

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Feb 15, 2013 Johannes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Der Abschluss von Cornwells Grals-Trilogie ist gespickt mit ausführlichen Gewaltszenen und anderen Beschreibungen eines Zeitalters, was man trotz Mittelalter-Nostalgie nicht wirklich erleben möchte. Einziger Kritikpunkt: Die Trilogie mit ihrer individuell interpretierten Ausführung der Grals-Geschichte endet für meinen Geschmack etwas zu voreilig und "aus dem Hund gezaubert", so dass es sich anfühlt, als ob Cornwell die Geschichte kurzfristig und krampfhaft noch "rund" und damit in sich abgeschl...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, nookbook-read

This was the third and final book in the "Search for the Grail" series featuring the English archer Thomas of Hookton. This book followed the Cornwell formula and really was no different than the previous two books. It introduces one new female character, but there is never really a true love interest developed with her. The only real difference between this book and the previous ones in the series is that in the last chapters, the Plague arrives. It was interesting from an historical point of v...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Christine Van Heertum rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-set-in-the-past

This final opus in the Grail's Quest trilogy is focused on Thomas' battles with his own believes and quest. The Hundred Years War is far away and a treaty between England and France allows Thomas to go south to search for the Grail. Having saved a young woman, accused of heresy, Thomas is excommunicated; he nevertheless continues his sacred search. But war is replaced by pestilence in its work of destruction and many will die.
Cornwell masterly leads the reader throughout Thomas' pilgrimage. The...more

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Nov 02, 2010 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the third in the Archer's Tale series. I re-read this one off my shelves... from my library that is now rescued from the storage room in New York. Cheers for that! This series is set in medieval France. Man, what a terrible time to be alive.(Though something in me thinks I personally would have been ok). A time ruled by a combination of raw might and a laughable, but deeply evil religion. I love BC's dramatic priest killings.

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Jun 09, 2010 craige added it · review of another edition

Is it surprising that the most books I've ever read by a single author are probably by Bernard Cornwell? This is the 3rd in a trilogy about an archer in the early 14th century. Cornwell wrote the Sharpe series, which is about a soldier during the Napoleonic wars, I believe. There are about 70 books in that series, give or take, so I'm not sure I want to embark on that. And Cornwell is still churning them out. I like sticking with a favorite character, sure, but what if he's not totally compellin...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Edgar Coelho Inouye rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: who likes archers , horsemen and historical fiction

Shelves: historic, medieval, adventure

Cornwell do an excellent work finishing this story, if you expect a history about the Holy Grail like Dan Brown, this book won’t give it to you. The Holy Grail in the book is much more consistent with the reality than the Grail in The Da Vinci Code. You will met Genovieve, a character very interesting because she will break some Thomas’s paradigms about religion. This is a beautiful story about betrayal and friendship.

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Jan 18, 2012 Nathan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Cornwell takes his hero away from the big historical set pieces in this one, and makes the book stronger for it. Hero goes to Gascony to face his friends, his enemies, find a girl and find his destiny. Oh, and the Black Death shows up. Perhaps excessively violent, but Cornwell does manage to create a lively sense of place and time. Rated R18 for frequent strong bloody violence, coarse language and sexual references. 3.5/5

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Sep 30, 2011 Elizabeth Blumberg rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really, there was nothing on the jacket of this book to indicate it was the third in a series. I had no idea until I came here to rate it. Well, that might be why I found this book quite non-compelling; it was one of those books you carry around and don't open and it keeps you from reading anything else. perhaps had I read books 1 and 2 I might have enjoyed it more.

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Oct 31, 2012 Izandra Mascarenhas rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

ENG / PORT-BR

This is the end of "The Grail Quest". Amazingly, with things that no reader would think possible, Cornwell closes another trilogy with gold key, giving the end that it deserves. Thomas is smarter and with more precise aiming than ever before, challenging the Church at a level beyond the imaginable. Maximum score for the genius of Cornwell in this historical work.

Este é o final da saga "A Busca do Graal". Surpreendente, com coisas que nenhum leitor pensaria ser possível, Cornwell fec...more

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Apr 30, 2011 Russamun82 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: british-adult-fiction

Having Read the other two as well as several of Cornwell's other books, I must say I enjoyed this story. Thomas, the archer, was an unlikely hero, but traveling with him on the final journey to the south of France was action packed. I could see the landscape and smell the scenes. His description was never intrusive, but was beyond what I am used to reading. A good book.

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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)

More about Bernard Cornwell...

Books by Bernard Cornwell

The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1)

The Winter King (The Warlord Chronicles, #1)

The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2)

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

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Trivia About Heretic

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Quotes from Heretic

“Acho que o Santo Graal é um sonho que os homens têm, um sonho de que é possível tornar o mundo perfeito. Se ele existisse, todos nós teríamos sabido que o sonho não pode se transformar em realidade.” — 2 people liked it

“— Mas o que é que você faria com o Graal?

— Eu iria usá-lo.

— Para quê?

— Para livrar o mundo do pecado.

— Seria um trabalho notável, mas nem Cristo conseguiu realizá-lo.

— Você pára de eliminar ervas daninhas entre os vinhedos só porque elas sempre voltam a nascer?” — 2 people liked it

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avg rating	preview: Heretic Goodreads rating: 4.00 (4351 ratings)
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Heretic (The Grail Quest #3)

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