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Grail Quest #4
1356
Go with God and Fight Like the Devil. The remarkable new novel by Britain’s master storyteller, which culminates at the Battle of Poitiers.
1356: France stands alert to danger. The English army, victorious at the battle of Crécy and led by the Black Prince, is invading and the French are hunting them down. The bloodiest battles of the Hundred Years War are yet to be fought.
Thomas of Hookton, an English archer, becomes trapped with
his outnumbered army. And here, near the town of Poitiers, an extraordinary confrontation will ignite one of the greatest battles of all time.
449 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2012
1294 people are currently reading
8060 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Cornwell
558 books18.7k followersCornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother, who 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 birth 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 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.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight 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 Scoundrel, a political thriller, 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, Azincourt, 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.
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 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.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight 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 Scoundrel, a political thriller, 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, Azincourt, 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,152 reviews
January 3, 2019
I enjoyed reading this library book very much--4.5 out of 5 stars--rounded up to 5. This is book 4 in The Grail Quest series, more of the adventures of Thomas of Hookton, an English archer. Thomas is now Sir Thomas and known as "le Batard." He has been hired by the Count of Labrouillade to retrieve his wife, who has run off with a man her own age. Thomas is now the head of a band of mercenaries.
There are some well drawn characters:
Count of Labrouillade--a nasty, fat pig of a man
The Count's wife Bertrille-- a feisty woman
Roland de Verrec--a young, very naive knight in search of a quest. He is still a virgin, believing that purity will help him win in battle.
Cardinal Bessieres-- a cunning, evil man scheming to be the next pope
Father Marchant-- a vile man who likes to torture people, in the name of god
Sculley -- a scarred fighter, very formidable in battle
All play a part in this novel of the battle of Poitiers. Most of the novel takes place before the battle.
One of the author's strengths is portraying in a very down to earth manner how people lived during this period. You feel as if you were there.
There are some well drawn characters:
Count of Labrouillade--a nasty, fat pig of a man
The Count's wife Bertrille-- a feisty woman
Roland de Verrec--a young, very naive knight in search of a quest. He is still a virgin, believing that purity will help him win in battle.
Cardinal Bessieres-- a cunning, evil man scheming to be the next pope
Father Marchant-- a vile man who likes to torture people, in the name of god
Sculley -- a scarred fighter, very formidable in battle
All play a part in this novel of the battle of Poitiers. Most of the novel takes place before the battle.
One of the author's strengths is portraying in a very down to earth manner how people lived during this period. You feel as if you were there.
September 17, 2023
3.5/5 Estrellas
¿Recordáis esa expresión que se comentaba en España hace unos años, cuando cosechábamos éxitos rotundos en numerosos deportes: "soy español ¿A qué quieres que te gane?" Mucho orgullo y poca humildad. Luego más dura es la caída, cuando se vuelve a perder.
Pues bien, perdonadme por el símil, pero en los primeros años de la guerra de los 100 años, los ingleses y los contingentes de los territorios continentales que estaban en su poder (gascones, bretones, normandos), no hicieron más que dar una paliza tras otra a los "pobres" franceses, sumiendo el territorio en la ruina, el caos, la violencia y el miedo.
En 1356 el príncipe Eduardo, conocido como el príncipe negro, hijo de Eduardo III de Inglaterra, lleva dos años devastando el sur y el oeste de Francia, llegando incluso a las costas mediterráneas.
El pusilánime Juan II, 2º rey de la dinastía Valois, se cagaba en el jubón sólo de pensar en enfrentarse a los miles de arqueros ingleses, por lo que remolonea y abandona a su suerte a sus súbditos. Finalmente en verano de 1356, se decide a avanzar, y con un ejército muy superior al inglés, consigue arrinconarlo en una colina cerca de Poitiers. Los ingleses sorprendentemente se dejan acorralar cuando, ahítos de botín, están a un paso de sus bases en Gascuña. Se encuentran sin víveres, sin agua e inferiores en número. Piensan en rendirse. Pero los confiados franceses, atacan.
En la batalla de Potiers, los arqueros no fueron decisivos, porque los franceses, hartos de ver sus cargas de caballería convertidas en una carnicería y a sus nobleza convertida en picadillo, decidieron atacar a pie. Esta fue su única decisión acertada, todo lo demás fue un desastre, y terminó con el Rey y uno de sus hijos prisioneros y con lo más granado de la nobleza muertos o hechos también prisioneros, Este terrible desastre enriqueció inmensamente a Inglaterra y a su nobleza (gracias a los rescates, aunque el rey francés acabó muriendo en Londres) y llevó a lo que quedaba del reino de Francia a la ruina y a la anarquía más absoluta.
El tratado de Bretigny, firmado en 1360, permitió establecer el rescate del rey Juan (no se pagó en su totalidad y acabó muriendo en Londres, como ya he comentado), y una tregua de 9 años, que a cambio de la cesión de grandes territorios a Inglaterra, permitió recuperar un poco el aliento a la exhausta Francia.
Lo peor, como siempre en esta saga, son las aventuras y desventuras que nuestro arquero Thomas de Hookton (ahora sir), sufre en pos de una nueva reliquia, "la malice", la espada que san Pedro esgrimió para cortar una oreja a un levita cuando intentaban detener a Jesús en el huerto de Getsemaní. Aquel que posea esta espada, tendrá un poder tal que le permitirá imponerse en cualquier batalla. Y aquí tenemos al bueno de Thomas (al mando de una fuerte compañía de soldados y arqueros y de una fortaleza en el corazón del territorio de francés), peleando con unos y otros (la Iglesia no falta, no temáis) y envuelto en todo tipo de escaramuzas y peleas para conseguir su objetivo. Aventuras que lo acaban llevando al escenario bélico de Poitiers.
El tercio final del libro narra con maestría los prolegómenos, el transcurso y el desenlace de la batalla. Magistral, como siempre. Solamente esta descripción, para mi, justifica la lectura del libro.
El relleno, es un libro de aventuras, muy entretenidas, no dejan lugar al aburrimiento, pero no es para darle las 5 estrellas. Eso si, otra gran batalla disfrutada. A continuación habrá que viajar a Agincourt, aunque para eso faltan 60 años. Tengo que buscar alguna lectura que narre estos años intermedios.
Ya veremos lo que encuentro....o igual me vuelvo antes a Uhtred, que lo tengo abandonado.
Ufff esta noche voy a soñar con el lucero del alba, pero no me refiero a venus precisamente.
¿Recordáis esa expresión que se comentaba en España hace unos años, cuando cosechábamos éxitos rotundos en numerosos deportes: "soy español ¿A qué quieres que te gane?" Mucho orgullo y poca humildad. Luego más dura es la caída, cuando se vuelve a perder.
Pues bien, perdonadme por el símil, pero en los primeros años de la guerra de los 100 años, los ingleses y los contingentes de los territorios continentales que estaban en su poder (gascones, bretones, normandos), no hicieron más que dar una paliza tras otra a los "pobres" franceses, sumiendo el territorio en la ruina, el caos, la violencia y el miedo.
En 1356 el príncipe Eduardo, conocido como el príncipe negro, hijo de Eduardo III de Inglaterra, lleva dos años devastando el sur y el oeste de Francia, llegando incluso a las costas mediterráneas.
El pusilánime Juan II, 2º rey de la dinastía Valois, se cagaba en el jubón sólo de pensar en enfrentarse a los miles de arqueros ingleses, por lo que remolonea y abandona a su suerte a sus súbditos. Finalmente en verano de 1356, se decide a avanzar, y con un ejército muy superior al inglés, consigue arrinconarlo en una colina cerca de Poitiers. Los ingleses sorprendentemente se dejan acorralar cuando, ahítos de botín, están a un paso de sus bases en Gascuña. Se encuentran sin víveres, sin agua e inferiores en número. Piensan en rendirse. Pero los confiados franceses, atacan.
En la batalla de Potiers, los arqueros no fueron decisivos, porque los franceses, hartos de ver sus cargas de caballería convertidas en una carnicería y a sus nobleza convertida en picadillo, decidieron atacar a pie. Esta fue su única decisión acertada, todo lo demás fue un desastre, y terminó con el Rey y uno de sus hijos prisioneros y con lo más granado de la nobleza muertos o hechos también prisioneros, Este terrible desastre enriqueció inmensamente a Inglaterra y a su nobleza (gracias a los rescates, aunque el rey francés acabó muriendo en Londres) y llevó a lo que quedaba del reino de Francia a la ruina y a la anarquía más absoluta.
El tratado de Bretigny, firmado en 1360, permitió establecer el rescate del rey Juan (no se pagó en su totalidad y acabó muriendo en Londres, como ya he comentado), y una tregua de 9 años, que a cambio de la cesión de grandes territorios a Inglaterra, permitió recuperar un poco el aliento a la exhausta Francia.
Lo peor, como siempre en esta saga, son las aventuras y desventuras que nuestro arquero Thomas de Hookton (ahora sir), sufre en pos de una nueva reliquia, "la malice", la espada que san Pedro esgrimió para cortar una oreja a un levita cuando intentaban detener a Jesús en el huerto de Getsemaní. Aquel que posea esta espada, tendrá un poder tal que le permitirá imponerse en cualquier batalla. Y aquí tenemos al bueno de Thomas (al mando de una fuerte compañía de soldados y arqueros y de una fortaleza en el corazón del territorio de francés), peleando con unos y otros (la Iglesia no falta, no temáis) y envuelto en todo tipo de escaramuzas y peleas para conseguir su objetivo. Aventuras que lo acaban llevando al escenario bélico de Poitiers.
El tercio final del libro narra con maestría los prolegómenos, el transcurso y el desenlace de la batalla. Magistral, como siempre. Solamente esta descripción, para mi, justifica la lectura del libro.
El relleno, es un libro de aventuras, muy entretenidas, no dejan lugar al aburrimiento, pero no es para darle las 5 estrellas. Eso si, otra gran batalla disfrutada. A continuación habrá que viajar a Agincourt, aunque para eso faltan 60 años. Tengo que buscar alguna lectura que narre estos años intermedios.
Ya veremos lo que encuentro....o igual me vuelvo antes a Uhtred, que lo tengo abandonado.
Ufff esta noche voy a soñar con el lucero del alba, pero no me refiero a venus precisamente.
April 16, 2015
While this reads more like a standalone novel rather than a book in the Grail Series, it does reference some of the events in the other books so it is recommended that you pick this up only after you read the previous books.
Thomas of Hookton is searching for another holy relic. Known as La Malice, it is the sword of St. Peter, who is believed to give its wielder victory in battle. But as the English face the French in a battle where they are outnumbered, he is called to action.
I thought that this book wasn't as action packed as some of the other books in this series, but does have an incredible battle scene at the end which won me over to 4 stars.
The tie in between a real battle, and the fictional events is nothing short of amazing. Bernard Cornwell certainly does his research and makes everything seem authentic.
I did enjoy catching up with some familiar faces including Thomas, Genevive and Robbie, as well as meeting some new faces.
Recommended for fans of this series.
Thomas of Hookton is searching for another holy relic. Known as La Malice, it is the sword of St. Peter, who is believed to give its wielder victory in battle. But as the English face the French in a battle where they are outnumbered, he is called to action.
I thought that this book wasn't as action packed as some of the other books in this series, but does have an incredible battle scene at the end which won me over to 4 stars.
The tie in between a real battle, and the fictional events is nothing short of amazing. Bernard Cornwell certainly does his research and makes everything seem authentic.
I did enjoy catching up with some familiar faces including Thomas, Genevive and Robbie, as well as meeting some new faces.
Recommended for fans of this series.
September 26, 2021
Read this book in 2012, and this book is the 4th part of "The Grail Quest" series, featuring Thomas of Hookton by Bernard Cornwell.
This book is set in the Middle Ages, during the Hundred Years War, in the year AD 1356, and we find Thomas of Hookton in France.
England is invading France again under the leadership of the Black Prince, and the french are trying to then down all over the country.
It will all come down to the famous Battle of Poitiers in AD 1356, where Thomas and his archers will show themselves as the most decisive factor that will result in a desparate but also definite victory for the English army over France, with at their head, the Black Prince of England.
Highly recommended, for this is an excellent episode picturing the Hundred Years War and with it the hunger and burning, terrible atrocities and horrible deaths, with heroes and villains, and because of all that I like to call this book: "A Magnificent Battle Of Poitiers Tale"!
This book is set in the Middle Ages, during the Hundred Years War, in the year AD 1356, and we find Thomas of Hookton in France.
England is invading France again under the leadership of the Black Prince, and the french are trying to then down all over the country.
It will all come down to the famous Battle of Poitiers in AD 1356, where Thomas and his archers will show themselves as the most decisive factor that will result in a desparate but also definite victory for the English army over France, with at their head, the Black Prince of England.
Highly recommended, for this is an excellent episode picturing the Hundred Years War and with it the hunger and burning, terrible atrocities and horrible deaths, with heroes and villains, and because of all that I like to call this book: "A Magnificent Battle Of Poitiers Tale"!
May 20, 2021
Il quarto episodio della "Saga del Graal" di Bernard Cornwell qualche difettuccio ce l'ha: riferimenti quasi inesistenti ai libri precedenti per renderlo più accessibile a lettori nuovi ed occasionali (l'autore si ricorda solo attorno a pag. 170 che Thomas di Hookton ha una mano mutilata), epilogo finale tirato per i piedi, e qualche scena "pulp" di troppo.
Ma la lunghissima scena della battaglia di Poitiers è davvero qualcosa di grandioso.
Lettura doverosa e consigliata per chi adora storia medioevale, battaglie, cavalieri, arcieri e così via.
July 24, 2014
3.5 stars
It took me a while for my attention to get drawn into this novel. Mainly because I discovered, only after I'd started reading the thing, that it's actually the fourth novel in Bernard Cornwell's Grail Quest series. Now, other people may have no problem picking up and reading a book from the middle of a series, but me? Um, yeah, that doesn't work for me. For better of worse, I tend to be rather OCD about book series: I hate reading books from the middle of one, and the idea of skipping around, reading the books out of order, positively drives me bonkers, giving me an eye twitch and the beginnings of a foamy mouth. So when I found out 1356 was number four in a series, I nearly screamed.* I also nearly stopped reading. However, I have such a backlog of ARCs I need to read and review that the notion of me trying to plow through the first three books (and that's only if I were able to find them at my local, woefully lacking, library in the first place) while still keeping up with my other ARCs just so I could be comfortable reading 1356 nearly gave me the same eye twitch as the one I was trying to develop due to reading 1356 in the first place. (Damn, that was an exhausting sentence!) So I took myself in hand (which is an idiom I've always found vaguely naughty, most likely because of my brain's permanent dwelling place in a nice and comfy gutter), gave myself a stern talking to, and soldiered on with 1356, suffering only the occasional eye spasm in the process.
I also had a rough beginning with this book as for the longest time I couldn't identify with or be sympathetic to any of the characters. It took some time for them to mean anything to me, even the main character, Sir Thomas Hookton, aka le Bâtard, leader of the Hellequin, a band of mercenaries working in France while serving under the aegis of the Earl of Northampton. Eventually, though, I warmed up to Thomas and his band, especially Brother Michael and the Irishman, Keane (the latter mainly due to his adoption of a couple of wolfhounds away from the Frenchmen who were hunting down him and Thomas; as an animal lover, it was a particularly satisfying scene).
The story itself is interesting yet oddly forgettable. Revolving around a mythical sword said to be the sword of Saint Peter, a sword said to grant whoever bears it certain victory over his foes, both the French and English army have sent scouts to find it in order to aid their endeavors. (If the year of the book's title doesn't hold any significance for you, it was in that year the Battle of Poitiers took place, which was the second major engagement of the Hundred Years' War. Edward, also known as the Black Prince—for what reason is still debated among historians—the son of King Edward III, had raided France that year, his second chevauchée [a destructive raid designed to inflict severe economic disaster on the enemy] through that war-torn country, spurring King Jean II of France to pursue him. The two ultimately met at Poitiers, and even though the English army was outnumbered, road-weary, thirsty, and exhausted, and though the battle was long, the English came out on top, capturing around 2,000 members of the French aristocracy, including King Jean himself, whose ransom alone—six million gold écus—was equivalent to about a third of France's GNP.) So each side believes they are in the right and that this sword, la Malice, will bring God's wrath down upon their enemies. In between battle scenes and personal dramas revolving around Thomas and his band we watch as this sword gets shuffled around from place to place and from person to person as it falls into the hands of those who would hide it and those who would abuse it. Eventually it finds itself in the possession of Sculley, a wild Scotsman marginally under the control of the Lord of Douglas, on the side of King Jean. After a brief but bloody sword fight between Sculley and Thomas, the fate of la Malice was something of an anticlimax. Maybe that was the point, but it just seemed rather disappointing. And that was the overall sensation I took away from my reading experience. It just felt as though the book was missing something, as though I was only getting part of the story. Perhaps it's due to the fact that it is number four in a series. Perhaps it's better read as part of a whole, when all the pieces fit together into a larger, more detailed picture.
I also have to disagree with the blurb on the cover from George R.R. Martin in which he states “Bernard Cornwell does the best battle scenes of any writer I've ever read, past or present.” Well, I'm very sorry George, but the author who writes the best battle scenes is still, to my mind, Conn Iggulden. Cornwell writes vivid, bloody, stirring scenes, to be sure, but they're nowhere near as atmospheric and breath-taking as Iggulden's. That's not to say Cornwell's writing is flawed. I've read his Warlord Chronicles, which tackled the story of King Arthur, and like those books, 1356 is a cracking good read. The dialogue is fast-paced, accessible without being overly-anachronistic, the story moves along and keeps your attention, doling out information in just the right amount without slowing down the action, and he allows the characters to develop as the story moves along so that by the end, though they may not be complex creatures, they're far from cardboard cutouts. At least for his “good guys”; Cornwell's bad guys in this novel tend to suffer slightly from the Black Hat Syndrome in that they're after one thing or one person, their motives for going after that thing or person are narrowly drawn (i.e. revenge or greed or simply because they're a black-hearted knave who loves being bad), and as such become near-caricatures of people. Basically, they're villains because they're villains and nothing more. Thomas is the most three-dimensional character of all; he's obviously one of the good 'uns, yet he does shady, even downright criminal things, he has conflicting emotions between what he's doing and what he should be doing—basically he behaves like a human being, especially one who's often placed between a rock and a hard place and must choose the lesser of two evils in order to move. (Two clichés in one sentence, woo hoo!) That said, I suppose the goal of most writers is for you, as the reader, to empathize with the good guys and Cornwell certainly accomplishes that. Or at least for me he did. Every time one of the characters found themselves in a perilous situation, I suffered along with them, heart beating rapidly, palms sweating, lips gnawed raw as my eyes zoomed across the page, reading as fast as I could in the hope that the character would soon find an escape.
So, yeah, despite some flaws and a slow start, in the end I would recommend this book as a good read. However, I do believe it would've been even better had I gotten to it after first reading the three books that came before it.
*It doesn't help that this brought up one of my biggest pet-peeves about book publishing: Why can't publishers identify a book that's part of a series? How difficult would it be to put a small number somewhere on the spine, or place, in small typeset, a sentence somewhere on the front cover informing potential readers that the book they're holding is #__ in a series? Or, at the very least, place a page at the front of the book listing the titles, in chronological order, that belong to a particular series, allowing the person holding said book to exclaim, “Hey, this is book #4 in the series! I need to read these other books first!” Really, would it put such a huge dent in their bottom line? I think not. In fact, doing so would encourage more sales, in my not-so-humble opinion: First of all, people wouldn't get pissed off about picking up a book in the middle of a series, and secondly, in my experience, people like to buy in bulk, so when they find the first (clearly labeled) book in a series, they tend to pick up the second one at the same time.
It took me a while for my attention to get drawn into this novel. Mainly because I discovered, only after I'd started reading the thing, that it's actually the fourth novel in Bernard Cornwell's Grail Quest series. Now, other people may have no problem picking up and reading a book from the middle of a series, but me? Um, yeah, that doesn't work for me. For better of worse, I tend to be rather OCD about book series: I hate reading books from the middle of one, and the idea of skipping around, reading the books out of order, positively drives me bonkers, giving me an eye twitch and the beginnings of a foamy mouth. So when I found out 1356 was number four in a series, I nearly screamed.* I also nearly stopped reading. However, I have such a backlog of ARCs I need to read and review that the notion of me trying to plow through the first three books (and that's only if I were able to find them at my local, woefully lacking, library in the first place) while still keeping up with my other ARCs just so I could be comfortable reading 1356 nearly gave me the same eye twitch as the one I was trying to develop due to reading 1356 in the first place. (Damn, that was an exhausting sentence!) So I took myself in hand (which is an idiom I've always found vaguely naughty, most likely because of my brain's permanent dwelling place in a nice and comfy gutter), gave myself a stern talking to, and soldiered on with 1356, suffering only the occasional eye spasm in the process.
I also had a rough beginning with this book as for the longest time I couldn't identify with or be sympathetic to any of the characters. It took some time for them to mean anything to me, even the main character, Sir Thomas Hookton, aka le Bâtard, leader of the Hellequin, a band of mercenaries working in France while serving under the aegis of the Earl of Northampton. Eventually, though, I warmed up to Thomas and his band, especially Brother Michael and the Irishman, Keane (the latter mainly due to his adoption of a couple of wolfhounds away from the Frenchmen who were hunting down him and Thomas; as an animal lover, it was a particularly satisfying scene).
The story itself is interesting yet oddly forgettable. Revolving around a mythical sword said to be the sword of Saint Peter, a sword said to grant whoever bears it certain victory over his foes, both the French and English army have sent scouts to find it in order to aid their endeavors. (If the year of the book's title doesn't hold any significance for you, it was in that year the Battle of Poitiers took place, which was the second major engagement of the Hundred Years' War. Edward, also known as the Black Prince—for what reason is still debated among historians—the son of King Edward III, had raided France that year, his second chevauchée [a destructive raid designed to inflict severe economic disaster on the enemy] through that war-torn country, spurring King Jean II of France to pursue him. The two ultimately met at Poitiers, and even though the English army was outnumbered, road-weary, thirsty, and exhausted, and though the battle was long, the English came out on top, capturing around 2,000 members of the French aristocracy, including King Jean himself, whose ransom alone—six million gold écus—was equivalent to about a third of France's GNP.) So each side believes they are in the right and that this sword, la Malice, will bring God's wrath down upon their enemies. In between battle scenes and personal dramas revolving around Thomas and his band we watch as this sword gets shuffled around from place to place and from person to person as it falls into the hands of those who would hide it and those who would abuse it. Eventually it finds itself in the possession of Sculley, a wild Scotsman marginally under the control of the Lord of Douglas, on the side of King Jean. After a brief but bloody sword fight between Sculley and Thomas, the fate of la Malice was something of an anticlimax. Maybe that was the point, but it just seemed rather disappointing. And that was the overall sensation I took away from my reading experience. It just felt as though the book was missing something, as though I was only getting part of the story. Perhaps it's due to the fact that it is number four in a series. Perhaps it's better read as part of a whole, when all the pieces fit together into a larger, more detailed picture.
I also have to disagree with the blurb on the cover from George R.R. Martin in which he states “Bernard Cornwell does the best battle scenes of any writer I've ever read, past or present.” Well, I'm very sorry George, but the author who writes the best battle scenes is still, to my mind, Conn Iggulden. Cornwell writes vivid, bloody, stirring scenes, to be sure, but they're nowhere near as atmospheric and breath-taking as Iggulden's. That's not to say Cornwell's writing is flawed. I've read his Warlord Chronicles, which tackled the story of King Arthur, and like those books, 1356 is a cracking good read. The dialogue is fast-paced, accessible without being overly-anachronistic, the story moves along and keeps your attention, doling out information in just the right amount without slowing down the action, and he allows the characters to develop as the story moves along so that by the end, though they may not be complex creatures, they're far from cardboard cutouts. At least for his “good guys”; Cornwell's bad guys in this novel tend to suffer slightly from the Black Hat Syndrome in that they're after one thing or one person, their motives for going after that thing or person are narrowly drawn (i.e. revenge or greed or simply because they're a black-hearted knave who loves being bad), and as such become near-caricatures of people. Basically, they're villains because they're villains and nothing more. Thomas is the most three-dimensional character of all; he's obviously one of the good 'uns, yet he does shady, even downright criminal things, he has conflicting emotions between what he's doing and what he should be doing—basically he behaves like a human being, especially one who's often placed between a rock and a hard place and must choose the lesser of two evils in order to move. (Two clichés in one sentence, woo hoo!) That said, I suppose the goal of most writers is for you, as the reader, to empathize with the good guys and Cornwell certainly accomplishes that. Or at least for me he did. Every time one of the characters found themselves in a perilous situation, I suffered along with them, heart beating rapidly, palms sweating, lips gnawed raw as my eyes zoomed across the page, reading as fast as I could in the hope that the character would soon find an escape.
So, yeah, despite some flaws and a slow start, in the end I would recommend this book as a good read. However, I do believe it would've been even better had I gotten to it after first reading the three books that came before it.
*It doesn't help that this brought up one of my biggest pet-peeves about book publishing: Why can't publishers identify a book that's part of a series? How difficult would it be to put a small number somewhere on the spine, or place, in small typeset, a sentence somewhere on the front cover informing potential readers that the book they're holding is #__ in a series? Or, at the very least, place a page at the front of the book listing the titles, in chronological order, that belong to a particular series, allowing the person holding said book to exclaim, “Hey, this is book #4 in the series! I need to read these other books first!” Really, would it put such a huge dent in their bottom line? I think not. In fact, doing so would encourage more sales, in my not-so-humble opinion: First of all, people wouldn't get pissed off about picking up a book in the middle of a series, and secondly, in my experience, people like to buy in bulk, so when they find the first (clearly labeled) book in a series, they tend to pick up the second one at the same time.
March 1, 2025
Thomas of Hookton, he of the Grailquest trilogy, is brought out of inventory for Cornwell's 1356, and given a chance to participate in one of England's greatest battles, Poitiers.
Hookton may remind you of that character, Indiana Jones. He searches after artifacts, masters weapons, is shrewd, and speaks several languages...all of which prove valuable. But Thomas, in his fourth adventure is more like Jones in his first, Raiders of the Lost Ark, than his fourth, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, because this story is as much about adventure as about a historical battle. And, like Raiders, it comes complete with humor and camaraderie.
Cornwell, a prolific writer of historical fiction, is known for his research and skill in getting battle scenes right. I have always found him able to bring any particular historical period to life, mostly because he invests much of his energy in portraying how common people actually were able to live through perilous times.
Thomas of Hookton may not be his most complete hero, or even his most interesting, but this is a lively story that has a full range of characters: good nobles and bad, good priests and bad, women who are too different to live comfortably by their societies' rules, and, the stuff that kings were involved with in the days of waning chivalry.
This is the period of the Black Death, The Hundred Years War, and Edward III on England's throne. England claims the French Throne as well and controls a substantial part of France. Bands of English soldiers roam the French countryside trying to provoke a battle with the French king. Thomas is the leader of one of those bands and we find ourselves with him as he tries to make the best of a hard life and comes to pursue another ancient relic that may determine the outcome of this protracted war.
The first half of the book deals with several delicate moral and legal issues with regard to hired soldiers serving a noble for less than noble ends and their duties and obligations when that noble reneges on their agreement. The second half of the book begins when Thomas gets word of that the Prince of Wales is in France gathering his forces for a confrontation with the King of France. Cornwell sets up a series of plot-driven tornadoes that continue to swirl around the central hurricane that is building in the region of France then known as Poitou.
Very entertaining and enlightening, if you enjoy the nuances of this period of English history. Cornwell is a master at providing an "everyman's view" of important historical events.
[Ten years before this battle, the French had been devastated by the English at the Battle of Crecy. Part of the tension in the plot (as we go from one camp to another) is what did the French learn from that encounter that would change their tactics in this battle? The English, under the Prince of Wales, find themselves cut off from retreat by a superior force of French knights and archers. In fact, at one point the English accept terms of surrender, which the French then repudiate in hopes of gaining a glorious victory for France. Cornwell skillfully narrates the various elements of the battle that prove to be as tactically interesting as the Battle of Gettysburg. Some elements may be repetitious, but only because there are a limited number of things that can be done with a bow or hand weapon. The cover of 1356 quotes George R.R. Martin as follows: "Bernard Cornwell does the best battle scenes of any writer I've ever read, past or present." I have to agree. Don't take the 3 star rating to denigrate this. I am just comparing it to some of his other heroes including Uhtred and Sharpe.]
3.5
Hookton may remind you of that character, Indiana Jones. He searches after artifacts, masters weapons, is shrewd, and speaks several languages...all of which prove valuable. But Thomas, in his fourth adventure is more like Jones in his first, Raiders of the Lost Ark, than his fourth, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, because this story is as much about adventure as about a historical battle. And, like Raiders, it comes complete with humor and camaraderie.
Cornwell, a prolific writer of historical fiction, is known for his research and skill in getting battle scenes right. I have always found him able to bring any particular historical period to life, mostly because he invests much of his energy in portraying how common people actually were able to live through perilous times.
Thomas of Hookton may not be his most complete hero, or even his most interesting, but this is a lively story that has a full range of characters: good nobles and bad, good priests and bad, women who are too different to live comfortably by their societies' rules, and, the stuff that kings were involved with in the days of waning chivalry.
This is the period of the Black Death, The Hundred Years War, and Edward III on England's throne. England claims the French Throne as well and controls a substantial part of France. Bands of English soldiers roam the French countryside trying to provoke a battle with the French king. Thomas is the leader of one of those bands and we find ourselves with him as he tries to make the best of a hard life and comes to pursue another ancient relic that may determine the outcome of this protracted war.
The first half of the book deals with several delicate moral and legal issues with regard to hired soldiers serving a noble for less than noble ends and their duties and obligations when that noble reneges on their agreement. The second half of the book begins when Thomas gets word of that the Prince of Wales is in France gathering his forces for a confrontation with the King of France. Cornwell sets up a series of plot-driven tornadoes that continue to swirl around the central hurricane that is building in the region of France then known as Poitou.
Very entertaining and enlightening, if you enjoy the nuances of this period of English history. Cornwell is a master at providing an "everyman's view" of important historical events.
[Ten years before this battle, the French had been devastated by the English at the Battle of Crecy. Part of the tension in the plot (as we go from one camp to another) is what did the French learn from that encounter that would change their tactics in this battle? The English, under the Prince of Wales, find themselves cut off from retreat by a superior force of French knights and archers. In fact, at one point the English accept terms of surrender, which the French then repudiate in hopes of gaining a glorious victory for France. Cornwell skillfully narrates the various elements of the battle that prove to be as tactically interesting as the Battle of Gettysburg. Some elements may be repetitious, but only because there are a limited number of things that can be done with a bow or hand weapon. The cover of 1356 quotes George R.R. Martin as follows: "Bernard Cornwell does the best battle scenes of any writer I've ever read, past or present." I have to agree. Don't take the 3 star rating to denigrate this. I am just comparing it to some of his other heroes including Uhtred and Sharpe.]
3.5
March 18, 2024
'1356' is the fourth book in Cornwell’s Grail Quest series all set during The Hundred Years’ War, a fact that I hadn't realised before starting it. The series’ protagonist, Thomas of Hookton, is now known throughout France as 'le Bâtard', the commander of a fierce band of mercenary English longbowmen called the Hellequin. As with the other books in the series Thomas is given a quest to find a religious artifact, this time a sword called 'la Malice' – the sword that Saint Peter used in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Cornwell isn't particularly great at character development but one of the best things about his books are his villains, and this novel is no different with a colourful cast of adversaries opposing Thomas’ quest. These include a malevolent priest called Father Calade and an ambitious Cardinal (Bessières), who believes that finding 'la Malice' will help him become the next pope.
The Battle of Poitiers, the main battle in the year 1356 after which the book is named, is the setting for the novel’s climax. I am a fan of historical novels and one of Cornwell's strengths is writing gripping medieval battle scenes. Once again the battle at Poitiers is masterfully written, but the conflict between Thomas and the cardinal over la Malice dominates this story. Personally I would have quite happily foregone this section of the story but overall 1356 is a worthy addition to Cornwell's catalogue which I believe can easily be read as a stand alone (as I did) or as it was intended as a continuation to this series.
Cornwell isn't particularly great at character development but one of the best things about his books are his villains, and this novel is no different with a colourful cast of adversaries opposing Thomas’ quest. These include a malevolent priest called Father Calade and an ambitious Cardinal (Bessières), who believes that finding 'la Malice' will help him become the next pope.
The Battle of Poitiers, the main battle in the year 1356 after which the book is named, is the setting for the novel’s climax. I am a fan of historical novels and one of Cornwell's strengths is writing gripping medieval battle scenes. Once again the battle at Poitiers is masterfully written, but the conflict between Thomas and the cardinal over la Malice dominates this story. Personally I would have quite happily foregone this section of the story but overall 1356 is a worthy addition to Cornwell's catalogue which I believe can easily be read as a stand alone (as I did) or as it was intended as a continuation to this series.
April 22, 2025
LOL. Mój ulubiony tom tej serii jest tomem, który jest poza główną trylogią. Nieźle.
August 3, 2021
For those who like historical fiction, Bernard Cornwell reigns as a one-man treasure trove, spanning the Dark Ages to the Civil War and beyond.
He's one of the rare popular novelists who not only churns out novels at a rapid clip, he also makes sure they're of high quality. That enviable streak continues with his latest book, 1356, a renewal for the main character in his Grail Quest series. Don't let that last note worry you: The book is a stand-alone but takes on additional texture if you read any of the Grail Quest novels, sequentially or not.
The star of the series is Thomas of Hookton, an excommunicated archer-for-hire who, in three previous adventures, fought his way across England and beyond, seeking vengeance on raiders from Normandy and encountering plenty more obstacles. The Earl of Northampton is Thomas' liege lord, but he allows ample room for his expert archer and a band of mercenaries known as the Hellequin to take on profitable free-lance work between assignments for the earl.
He's one of the rare popular novelists who not only churns out novels at a rapid clip, he also makes sure they're of high quality. That enviable streak continues with his latest book, 1356, a renewal for the main character in his Grail Quest series. Don't let that last note worry you: The book is a stand-alone but takes on additional texture if you read any of the Grail Quest novels, sequentially or not.
The star of the series is Thomas of Hookton, an excommunicated archer-for-hire who, in three previous adventures, fought his way across England and beyond, seeking vengeance on raiders from Normandy and encountering plenty more obstacles. The Earl of Northampton is Thomas' liege lord, but he allows ample room for his expert archer and a band of mercenaries known as the Hellequin to take on profitable free-lance work between assignments for the earl.
June 21, 2013
Nobody look as I try and slip this review through my updates and sweep it under the rug forever.
Oh the excruciating pain of it. I have been such a fan of Cornwell for so long that I feel guilt and embarrassment at my reaction to this book. I had really liked the Grail Quest series and Thomas of Hookton. I had been so excited to discover that after all those years there was to be a fourth instalment. There may have even been a happy dance involved when I heard he was writing a fourth book in the series. But this was not the instalment I had expected and it appears I wasted good energy on that happy dance.
To be honest, I do not think I am Cornwell's target audience anymore. I am not seeing the poetry and prose that I once did in his books. Instead, in the last two books I have read by him, Azincourt and 1356, I am seeing simply written pulp fiction.
In saying this, I do believe that no author is perfect - even when it is the Grand Wizard of Historical Fiction - and since I have liked and loved 11 Cornwell books in the past then surely loathing two now is acceptable to the world of literary yin and yang.
I worship the Saxon series. It is the series that spurred my love of the historical fiction genre. Book seven of that series is due for release and upon reading an excerpt of that book, The Pagan Lord, I see that same poetic style of writing that brought me to the Bernard Cornwell band wagon.
As for 1356 though, it is not for me and I have decided never to get excited about any other Cornwell release again, unless it is a release in the Warrior Chronicles/Saxon Stories.
Oh the excruciating pain of it. I have been such a fan of Cornwell for so long that I feel guilt and embarrassment at my reaction to this book. I had really liked the Grail Quest series and Thomas of Hookton. I had been so excited to discover that after all those years there was to be a fourth instalment. There may have even been a happy dance involved when I heard he was writing a fourth book in the series. But this was not the instalment I had expected and it appears I wasted good energy on that happy dance.
To be honest, I do not think I am Cornwell's target audience anymore. I am not seeing the poetry and prose that I once did in his books. Instead, in the last two books I have read by him, Azincourt and 1356, I am seeing simply written pulp fiction.
In saying this, I do believe that no author is perfect - even when it is the Grand Wizard of Historical Fiction - and since I have liked and loved 11 Cornwell books in the past then surely loathing two now is acceptable to the world of literary yin and yang.
I worship the Saxon series. It is the series that spurred my love of the historical fiction genre. Book seven of that series is due for release and upon reading an excerpt of that book, The Pagan Lord, I see that same poetic style of writing that brought me to the Bernard Cornwell band wagon.
As for 1356 though, it is not for me and I have decided never to get excited about any other Cornwell release again, unless it is a release in the Warrior Chronicles/Saxon Stories.
October 5, 2022
6,5/10
Creo que es de los libros de Bernard Cornwell que menos he disfrutado y de largo el peor de esta serie del grial.
La trama es un más de lo mismo que los anteriores, innovación cero, de nuevo tener que buscar una reliquia que según las leyendas otorga fastuosos poderes al que la posee. Tras 4 libros con lo mismo lo cierto es que la cosa pierde bastante gracia y me ha costado pillar el ritmo en muchos momentos de la historia, algo que con Cornwell no me suele pasar.
Por otro lado, tiene a su favor que hay acción, bastante bien narrada, una batalla interesante y algunos momentos donde Cornwell sabe como divertirnos.
Libro que al final se deja leer, pero que si no lo lees tampoco te pierdes nada.
Creo que es de los libros de Bernard Cornwell que menos he disfrutado y de largo el peor de esta serie del grial.
La trama es un más de lo mismo que los anteriores, innovación cero, de nuevo tener que buscar una reliquia que según las leyendas otorga fastuosos poderes al que la posee. Tras 4 libros con lo mismo lo cierto es que la cosa pierde bastante gracia y me ha costado pillar el ritmo en muchos momentos de la historia, algo que con Cornwell no me suele pasar.
Por otro lado, tiene a su favor que hay acción, bastante bien narrada, una batalla interesante y algunos momentos donde Cornwell sabe como divertirnos.
Libro que al final se deja leer, pero que si no lo lees tampoco te pierdes nada.
November 23, 2015
This was a decent read, but a bit disappointing to one who has read a lot of Cornwell. It really seemed too light hearted, almost slapstick at times. It was more like a caper than a historical fiction novel, but had a drawn out battle thrown in at the end.
I did like the book, but never felt engaged like I have in other Cornwells. It just didn't match up with the previous books in the Thomas of Hookton series.
I did like the book, but never felt engaged like I have in other Cornwells. It just didn't match up with the previous books in the Thomas of Hookton series.
March 17, 2022
Finishing this series just made me want to read Chivalry by Christian Cameron again. Not my favourite Cornwell series by a long shot.
March 1, 2024
Review to follow
July 20, 2021
Absolutely stellar 14th century military historical fiction!
I love Thomas Hookton but had seen mixed reviews of this 4th and final book of the series so I wasn't sure if I'd ever get around to it. I'm so glad I did! It was fantastic.
We get our usual collection of power-hungry churchmen who of course come with Cornwell's pointed digs at the Church, always a hit. But what surprised me, and was my favourite part, was Cornwell making fun of knights enamoured with (themselves) tales of chivalry and honour, to a very humorous extreme. And then of course, the usual violence, archers kicking serious ass and competent military leaders vs incompetent ones.
I loved all of it and am seriously considering rereading the whole series soon.
I love Thomas Hookton but had seen mixed reviews of this 4th and final book of the series so I wasn't sure if I'd ever get around to it. I'm so glad I did! It was fantastic.
We get our usual collection of power-hungry churchmen who of course come with Cornwell's pointed digs at the Church, always a hit. But what surprised me, and was my favourite part, was Cornwell making fun of knights enamoured with (themselves) tales of chivalry and honour, to a very humorous extreme. And then of course, the usual violence, archers kicking serious ass and competent military leaders vs incompetent ones.
I loved all of it and am seriously considering rereading the whole series soon.
December 1, 2016
Ok I have to admit this book had become background noise. I think I am out of the loop having not read the previous grail series.
February 12, 2023
A blessedly shorter book than Vagabond, but an unnecessary add-on to the Grail Quest series. Honestly, I could've stopped after Heretic and missed nothing.
This novel rejoins Thomas of Hookton and the Scotsman Robbie Douglas nine years later. The Hundred Years War is still raging, and Thomas has entered into mercenaryism by hiring out his band of archers to the highest bidders - as long as the target is not the English. Meanwhile, a sinister cardinal is looking for a legendary weapon called Le Malice, the sword drawn by Saint Peter himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. The French believe possession of this holy relic will result in their absolute victory over the English.
The high point, as ever, is the final setting of the novel. The Battle of Poitiers unravels with overconfident princes, impossible odds, and an ultimate showdown between Thomas and a murdering bastard named Sculley.
This was a weird book, cluttered with strange characters and plotlines to nowhere. It's hard to say any Cornwell book is a waste of time, given his penchant for high body counts and gory details. In that sense this book was a lot of fun, and I'll miss reading the Medieval Adventures of Tom and Robbie, but I still think I could have lived with skipping it.
This novel rejoins Thomas of Hookton and the Scotsman Robbie Douglas nine years later. The Hundred Years War is still raging, and Thomas has entered into mercenaryism by hiring out his band of archers to the highest bidders - as long as the target is not the English. Meanwhile, a sinister cardinal is looking for a legendary weapon called Le Malice, the sword drawn by Saint Peter himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. The French believe possession of this holy relic will result in their absolute victory over the English.
The high point, as ever, is the final setting of the novel. The Battle of Poitiers unravels with overconfident princes, impossible odds, and an ultimate showdown between Thomas and a murdering bastard named Sculley.
This was a weird book, cluttered with strange characters and plotlines to nowhere. It's hard to say any Cornwell book is a waste of time, given his penchant for high body counts and gory details. In that sense this book was a lot of fun, and I'll miss reading the Medieval Adventures of Tom and Robbie, but I still think I could have lived with skipping it.
August 21, 2024
More Cornwell…he delivers the goods on France, Britain, the Church. All the while giving a good account of the humans amidst the turmoil of war…
November 2, 2012
"They were mercenaries and they called themselves the Hellequin, the devil's beloved, and they boasted that they could not be defeated because their souls had already been sent to hell."
"1356" is a good, solid, testosterone-laden action adventure set in late middle ages France, amidst the ongoing feuds, battles and wars between the French and English. Bernard Cornwell is known for his meticulously detailed historical fiction, and his incredibly vivid and life like battle-realism. This book has all of that and more, but it's missing something that drives the success of his other stories: a robustly solid plot.
"1356" picks up the story of Thomas of Hookton, star of Cornwell's "Grail Quest" series. The book is positioned as a stand-alone novel set within the world and characters of "Archer's Tale", "Vagabond" and "Heretic", most recently published in 2003. Cornwell provides plenty of explanation and backstory to provide the historical context for the characters and their relationships, but what the story doesn't have, and what made "The Last Kingdom" so amazing, for example, is its epic scale and breadth. I'm not referring strictly to time-scale, but rather a story that’s as bold and unique as its many battle scenes. “Last Kingdom” is major motion picture-worthy. The story behind "1356" would make a fine TV movie.
The plot revolves around a quest for a sword of historic and religious significance; supposedly, the holder of 'La Malice' will be the supreme ruler. Once that stage is set, the story is propelled by the different organizations chasing after this weapon of great power: Hookton, known as La Batard, is seeking the object for the English. A rather nefarious Cardinal who carries some serious Hookton baggage from the previous novels, is out for its power to propel him to the Papal throne.
Surrounding this core story are the subplots of kidnapped heroines, conniving Lords, and a reasonably well-developed cast of secondary characters that provide a platform for Cornwell's terrific skills in writing dialogue.
Unfortunately, where the entirety of "1356" feels itself like a subplot of the larger "Grail" suite, the actual subplots of this novel feel even less significant.
As a fun battle-adventure in middle ages Europe, I strongly recommend this book. While it doesn't go much beyond that, I got a strong enough sniff of Cornwells' Hookton mythology that I plan on digging into "Archer's Tale", the first in the series, very soon.
I received this book as part of the Amazon Vine program.
"1356" is a good, solid, testosterone-laden action adventure set in late middle ages France, amidst the ongoing feuds, battles and wars between the French and English. Bernard Cornwell is known for his meticulously detailed historical fiction, and his incredibly vivid and life like battle-realism. This book has all of that and more, but it's missing something that drives the success of his other stories: a robustly solid plot.
"1356" picks up the story of Thomas of Hookton, star of Cornwell's "Grail Quest" series. The book is positioned as a stand-alone novel set within the world and characters of "Archer's Tale", "Vagabond" and "Heretic", most recently published in 2003. Cornwell provides plenty of explanation and backstory to provide the historical context for the characters and their relationships, but what the story doesn't have, and what made "The Last Kingdom" so amazing, for example, is its epic scale and breadth. I'm not referring strictly to time-scale, but rather a story that’s as bold and unique as its many battle scenes. “Last Kingdom” is major motion picture-worthy. The story behind "1356" would make a fine TV movie.
The plot revolves around a quest for a sword of historic and religious significance; supposedly, the holder of 'La Malice' will be the supreme ruler. Once that stage is set, the story is propelled by the different organizations chasing after this weapon of great power: Hookton, known as La Batard, is seeking the object for the English. A rather nefarious Cardinal who carries some serious Hookton baggage from the previous novels, is out for its power to propel him to the Papal throne.
Surrounding this core story are the subplots of kidnapped heroines, conniving Lords, and a reasonably well-developed cast of secondary characters that provide a platform for Cornwell's terrific skills in writing dialogue.
Unfortunately, where the entirety of "1356" feels itself like a subplot of the larger "Grail" suite, the actual subplots of this novel feel even less significant.
As a fun battle-adventure in middle ages Europe, I strongly recommend this book. While it doesn't go much beyond that, I got a strong enough sniff of Cornwells' Hookton mythology that I plan on digging into "Archer's Tale", the first in the series, very soon.
I received this book as part of the Amazon Vine program.
December 27, 2017
A question. Who writes historical fiction better than Bernard Cornwell? If you have an answer please let me know.
The years is 1356, what a surprise, and William Prince of Wales is causing havoc in France and Thomas of Hookton, now Sir Thomas, is in the thick of things.
This is the 4th book in the Grail Quest series. In the books #1,#2,#3 Thomas has been a busy boy. So far he has found the Lance of St.George's and the Holy Grail, no less. To find out what Thomas did with these Holy Relics you will need to read the the other books. Sorry no spoilers here.
This time round the holy artefact that everybody is in search of is the Sword of St. Peter (La Malice)
Thomas's old protagonist Cardinal Bessieres believes that with the sword he would be unstoppable in the realising his life's ambition of becoming Pope. Thomas stops at nothing to prevent Bessieres from getting the sword. On top of all this The Lord of Douglas, a Scottish nobleman, who is in France and aligned to the French throne wants to do nothing but kill the English.
The descriptions of the battles make you feel that you are right in the midst of it all. You feel the horror, you see the blood and gore. Above all you feel such sorrow for the plight of the horses who are unwitting participants in this war of man.
These books highlight just how bloody awful war is. The common man is, in reality, nothing but cannon fodder. Who cares that hundred die? I think they cared.
These books are great yarns but the actual history is meticulously researched. I just wish that when I was going to school Bernard Cornwell was writing my text books.
The years is 1356, what a surprise, and William Prince of Wales is causing havoc in France and Thomas of Hookton, now Sir Thomas, is in the thick of things.
This is the 4th book in the Grail Quest series. In the books #1,#2,#3 Thomas has been a busy boy. So far he has found the Lance of St.George's and the Holy Grail, no less. To find out what Thomas did with these Holy Relics you will need to read the the other books. Sorry no spoilers here.
This time round the holy artefact that everybody is in search of is the Sword of St. Peter (La Malice)
Thomas's old protagonist Cardinal Bessieres believes that with the sword he would be unstoppable in the realising his life's ambition of becoming Pope. Thomas stops at nothing to prevent Bessieres from getting the sword. On top of all this The Lord of Douglas, a Scottish nobleman, who is in France and aligned to the French throne wants to do nothing but kill the English.
The descriptions of the battles make you feel that you are right in the midst of it all. You feel the horror, you see the blood and gore. Above all you feel such sorrow for the plight of the horses who are unwitting participants in this war of man.
These books highlight just how bloody awful war is. The common man is, in reality, nothing but cannon fodder. Who cares that hundred die? I think they cared.
These books are great yarns but the actual history is meticulously researched. I just wish that when I was going to school Bernard Cornwell was writing my text books.
January 16, 2013
I thought this was vintage Cornwell. A well researched telling of the Battle of Poitiers - the second great English Victory of the 100 Yrs War and the campaign that led up to it. Mr Cornwell has now writen novels on all three of the great English victories: Crecy, Agincourt and now Poitiers.
As usual Mr. Cornwell writes vivid battle scenes. In addition to the combat, this has a little bit of everything - the battle scenes, wayward wife, chivalric knights, evil churchmen, early use of gunpowder, and the search for a magical relic.
All in all and enthusiastic recommendaton
As usual Mr. Cornwell writes vivid battle scenes. In addition to the combat, this has a little bit of everything - the battle scenes, wayward wife, chivalric knights, evil churchmen, early use of gunpowder, and the search for a magical relic.
All in all and enthusiastic recommendaton
December 2, 2024
Primary Conflict: Sep 1356 Battle of Poitiers (Black Prince v. King John II)
Billed as a stand-alone Thomas of Hookton tale - it really isn't. He's not seeking the Holy Grail here, but there is quite a bit of referenced background to the first three books. This one is centered around the battle of Poiters and a side quest of obtaining Le Malice, another relic. It's really Book 4 in the Series and they should be read in order.
The highlight is Poiters, which begins around page 500 of the 591 page book. Cornwell is brilliant at writing battles & detailing historically accurate strategy. As Cash sang - Kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer (or ale).
The rest of the book I found a bit cluttered with too many characters - and too much time spent on the French perspective. Tom gets lost in the mix with a new guy - some virgin tournament champ, who wasn't developed enough for me to care about.
The villain Cardinal is great - but again - he doesn't get to be evil enough.
It all added up to choppy read. When Tom is on the page having his side adventures, its fun...
Didn't hate it at all, but it's the weakest of the series.
...one small note, Thomas is describe in the beginning as being generally ugly - having a porcine face. I'm pretty sure he was described as being rather handsome and roguish in the previous books. Not a big deal - but my mind didn't draw him that way. He's, of course, a hero and looks the part.
Billed as a stand-alone Thomas of Hookton tale - it really isn't. He's not seeking the Holy Grail here, but there is quite a bit of referenced background to the first three books. This one is centered around the battle of Poiters and a side quest of obtaining Le Malice, another relic. It's really Book 4 in the Series and they should be read in order.
The highlight is Poiters, which begins around page 500 of the 591 page book. Cornwell is brilliant at writing battles & detailing historically accurate strategy. As Cash sang - Kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer (or ale).
The rest of the book I found a bit cluttered with too many characters - and too much time spent on the French perspective. Tom gets lost in the mix with a new guy - some virgin tournament champ, who wasn't developed enough for me to care about.
The villain Cardinal is great - but again - he doesn't get to be evil enough.
It all added up to choppy read. When Tom is on the page having his side adventures, its fun...
Didn't hate it at all, but it's the weakest of the series.
...one small note, Thomas is describe in the beginning as being generally ugly - having a porcine face. I'm pretty sure he was described as being rather handsome and roguish in the previous books. Not a big deal - but my mind didn't draw him that way. He's, of course, a hero and looks the part.
August 21, 2017
Listened to this on Audible. An easy 5 * from story to narration.
I read the original Thomas of Hookton trilogy years ago, but it didn't take long to get into this (which could be read as a one off) and feel like I'd not been away from Thomas and The Hundred Years War.
Great characters on both sides, excellent battle scenes and plenty of smiles and grimaces both!
I read the original Thomas of Hookton trilogy years ago, but it didn't take long to get into this (which could be read as a one off) and feel like I'd not been away from Thomas and The Hundred Years War.
Great characters on both sides, excellent battle scenes and plenty of smiles and grimaces both!
January 12, 2013
“A bloody, brilliant book that can be enjoyed by anyone. My favourite historical fiction author writes another strong entry in a great setting and delivers a great read that was one of my favourite novels of 2012.”
~The Founding Fields
I need to read more Bernard Cornwell. I know my brother’s a huge fan, owning most of his Sharpe books, and I read and enjoyed the first of that series and have seen the TV show with Sean Bean (which was awesome – and ladies and gentlemen, we have also found something in it where Sean Bean doesn’t die), as well as his novel Azincourt. If 1356 is anything to go by then Bernard Cornwell has still got what it takes, and even though this book wasn’t perfect, the author himself is still the king of historical fiction followed closely in my book by Simon Scarrow, author of the Eagle series. And the best part is about this book is that it can be read without reading the previous novels in the series as well – like I found out whilst I was reading it.
Obviously, the novel is set in the year 1356 and deals with the leading up to the Battle of Poitiers, famous for being a battle that I knew absolutely nothing about before coming into this book, and I was glad to see that Cornwell managed to hook me in and keep me there, as well as providing an educational look into the battle with his vivid descriptions, strong characters and a masterful understanding of medieval action.
Read the Full Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/01/....
I need to read more Bernard Cornwell. I know my brother’s a huge fan, owning most of his Sharpe books, and I read and enjoyed the first of that series and have seen the TV show with Sean Bean (which was awesome – and ladies and gentlemen, we have also found something in it where Sean Bean doesn’t die), as well as his novel Azincourt. If 1356 is anything to go by then Bernard Cornwell has still got what it takes, and even though this book wasn’t perfect, the author himself is still the king of historical fiction followed closely in my book by Simon Scarrow, author of the Eagle series. And the best part is about this book is that it can be read without reading the previous novels in the series as well – like I found out whilst I was reading it.
Go with God and Fight Like the Devil. A fascinating hero and the pursuit of a sword with mythical power – this is the remarkable new novel by Britain’s master storyteller, which culminates at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356.
Thomas of Hookton, a veteran of Crecy and many other battles, is the leader of a mercenary company of bowmen and men-at-arms who ravage the countryside east of Gascony.
Edward, Prince of Wales, later to be known as the Black Prince, is assembling an army to fight the French once more but before Thomas can join, he must fulfil an urgent task.
La Malice, a sword of mythical power guaranteeing victory to its owner, is thought to be concealed somewhere near Poitiers. With signs that a battle between the English and the French is looming others are seeking the treasure too, and some – French, Scots and even English – are pursuing their private agendas against Thomas.
But all – Thomas of Hookton, his enemies and friends and the fate of La Malice – become swept up in the extraordinary confrontation that follows, as the large French army faces the heavily outnumbered English in battle.,
Obviously, the novel is set in the year 1356 and deals with the leading up to the Battle of Poitiers, famous for being a battle that I knew absolutely nothing about before coming into this book, and I was glad to see that Cornwell managed to hook me in and keep me there, as well as providing an educational look into the battle with his vivid descriptions, strong characters and a masterful understanding of medieval action.
Read the Full Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/01/....
October 31, 2012
Bernard Cornwell's strength is making a historical period come alive. He not only talks about the battle but the food they eat, the clothes they wear, the way they talk and other details that make the period real and like you are actually there. It's a very rare gift.
Lord Labrouillade has a beautiful wife who hates being married to him and runs off with another man. Who wouldn't hate being married to him? He's a fat, gross, cruel, unpleasant, coward of a man. The count enjoys a good meal. For his dinner he had a venison pastry, a roasted goose, a ham drenched in lavender honey and small birds cooked in red wine. As he ate "the yellow fat dribbled down his chins."
He hires Sir Thomas Hookton to bring his wife back. As Hookton tries to rectify the situation war is breaking out in France as the English Black Prince ravages the countryside. Hookton is on his own quest to find the fabled la Malice, St. Peter's sword. He has disposed of the Holy Grail in a manner he feels keeps it safe from humans and he wants the same for the sword.
There is a whole cast of characters that are interesting and quite believable. My favorite was the dowager Countess Malbuisson, an 82 year old, looking for a little excitement at the end of her life. There was Roland Verrec, a knight who believes strongly in chivalry. Who can forget Sculley, a fierce Scottish warrior? This shows the strength of Cornwell whose bit players could all have a novel of their own.
Of course, where Cornwell excels are the battle scenes. You can actually feel yourselves in the heat of the fight. This is my favorite line, "Enemy could smell enemy, smell the shit as bowels emptied in terror, smell the wine and ale on their breath, smell the blood that slicked the grass." That tells us everything about the battle.
I sat up until 3:30 am to finish the book. I just couldn't find a place to be able to stop and put the book down. I just had to find out what happened next. I highly recommend this book
Lord Labrouillade has a beautiful wife who hates being married to him and runs off with another man. Who wouldn't hate being married to him? He's a fat, gross, cruel, unpleasant, coward of a man. The count enjoys a good meal. For his dinner he had a venison pastry, a roasted goose, a ham drenched in lavender honey and small birds cooked in red wine. As he ate "the yellow fat dribbled down his chins."
He hires Sir Thomas Hookton to bring his wife back. As Hookton tries to rectify the situation war is breaking out in France as the English Black Prince ravages the countryside. Hookton is on his own quest to find the fabled la Malice, St. Peter's sword. He has disposed of the Holy Grail in a manner he feels keeps it safe from humans and he wants the same for the sword.
There is a whole cast of characters that are interesting and quite believable. My favorite was the dowager Countess Malbuisson, an 82 year old, looking for a little excitement at the end of her life. There was Roland Verrec, a knight who believes strongly in chivalry. Who can forget Sculley, a fierce Scottish warrior? This shows the strength of Cornwell whose bit players could all have a novel of their own.
Of course, where Cornwell excels are the battle scenes. You can actually feel yourselves in the heat of the fight. This is my favorite line, "Enemy could smell enemy, smell the shit as bowels emptied in terror, smell the wine and ale on their breath, smell the blood that slicked the grass." That tells us everything about the battle.
I sat up until 3:30 am to finish the book. I just couldn't find a place to be able to stop and put the book down. I just had to find out what happened next. I highly recommend this book
October 6, 2014
Bernard Cornwell's novels have snagged me from the first time I read The Archer's Tale several years ago. When I checked 1356 out of the library, I had no idea it was a continuation of the story of Thomas of Hookton from The Archer's Tale. What a marvelous surprise! I love that Cornwell writes with historical accuracy, and is so knowledgeable about the subjects he chooses. Following this, I think I shall go check out and reread the first three novels of The Grail Quest!
December 29, 2024
Na beschuldigingen van valsspelen, toch maar besloten om de epiloog dit jaar nog te lezen. Heel vermakelijk boek, middeleeuwse veldslagen zijn best cool.
May 25, 2024
Trylogia Świętego Graala miała zakończyć się na trzech tomach, ale ostatecznie zyskała dodatkową część, ponieważ Thomas z Hookton postanowił odnaleźć również miecz świętego Piotra. Całą tę historię opisał Bernard Cornwell w powieści Łucznik.
Rok 1356.
Czarna śmierć powoli odchodzi w zapomnienie, a konflikt angielsko-francuski wybucha na nowo. Anglicy organizują łupieżcze wyprawy i plądrują południe Francji. Francuzi gromadzą wojska i sojuszników, by zmierzyć się z najeźdźcą.
Thomas z Hookton wraz z własnym oddziałem hellequinów przemierza Francję, angażując się w spory lokalnych arystokratów. Niespodziewanie hrabia Northampton nakazuje mu odnaleźć miecz świętego Piotra, który temu, kto go zdobędzie, ma zapewnić zwycięstwo w trwającej wojnie. Jednak nie tylko Thomas zamierza odnaleźć tę cudowną broń – kardynał Bessières pragnie zdobyć ją dla Francuzów.
Rozpoczyna się kolejna bezlitosna walka…
Miecz świętego Piotra.
Nie mogę powiedzieć, że mi się nie podobało, bo Bernard Cornwell wie, jak pisać pasjonujące powieści, ale z drugiej strony miałam wrażenie, że Łucznik to trochę słabszy, wręcz zbędny dodatek do fantastycznej serii.
Dodatek, który wydawał się powtarzać schemat z Trylogii Świętego Graala, zmieniając jedynie artefakt, który Thomas z Hookton musi odnaleźć.
Oczywiście, cała otoczka akcji jest stworzona tak, jak można się spodziewać po Cornwellu: realistycznie, brutalnie, bez zbędnego pudrowania rzeczywistości. Bitwy i potyczki są opisywane z pasją i precyzją. Jednak mój problem polegał na tym, że znając poprzednie powieści, łatwo przewidywałam, co dokładnie się wydarzy. ;)
Podsumowując, mimo moich drobnych zastrzeżeń, powieść jest świetna i czyta się ją doskonale. Dlatego polecam ją szczególnie fanom literatury historycznej, bo każde spotkanie z Thomasem z Hookton to prawdziwa gratka. :)
https://unserious.pl/2024/05/lucznik/
Rok 1356.
Czarna śmierć powoli odchodzi w zapomnienie, a konflikt angielsko-francuski wybucha na nowo. Anglicy organizują łupieżcze wyprawy i plądrują południe Francji. Francuzi gromadzą wojska i sojuszników, by zmierzyć się z najeźdźcą.
Thomas z Hookton wraz z własnym oddziałem hellequinów przemierza Francję, angażując się w spory lokalnych arystokratów. Niespodziewanie hrabia Northampton nakazuje mu odnaleźć miecz świętego Piotra, który temu, kto go zdobędzie, ma zapewnić zwycięstwo w trwającej wojnie. Jednak nie tylko Thomas zamierza odnaleźć tę cudowną broń – kardynał Bessières pragnie zdobyć ją dla Francuzów.
Rozpoczyna się kolejna bezlitosna walka…
Miecz świętego Piotra.
Nie mogę powiedzieć, że mi się nie podobało, bo Bernard Cornwell wie, jak pisać pasjonujące powieści, ale z drugiej strony miałam wrażenie, że Łucznik to trochę słabszy, wręcz zbędny dodatek do fantastycznej serii.
Dodatek, który wydawał się powtarzać schemat z Trylogii Świętego Graala, zmieniając jedynie artefakt, który Thomas z Hookton musi odnaleźć.
Oczywiście, cała otoczka akcji jest stworzona tak, jak można się spodziewać po Cornwellu: realistycznie, brutalnie, bez zbędnego pudrowania rzeczywistości. Bitwy i potyczki są opisywane z pasją i precyzją. Jednak mój problem polegał na tym, że znając poprzednie powieści, łatwo przewidywałam, co dokładnie się wydarzy. ;)
Podsumowując, mimo moich drobnych zastrzeżeń, powieść jest świetna i czyta się ją doskonale. Dlatego polecam ją szczególnie fanom literatury historycznej, bo każde spotkanie z Thomasem z Hookton to prawdziwa gratka. :)
https://unserious.pl/2024/05/lucznik/
August 11, 2016
(Really, it's 2.5-star rating.) I came to this book without having read any of others in the series, but it did work well as an account of the events leading up to and including a specific, important battle. Cornwell does a nice job of mixing in enough of the backstory that, as a person new to both this series and Cornwell, I didn't feel in the dark as far as the character's motives were concerned. This book has a nice, quick pace to it that kept me turning the pages.
I appreciate Cornwell's attention to historic detail (in addition to doing the research, he visited the actual battlefield and used that experience to inform his battlefield narrative) and his ability to blend his fictional story into the French-English battles from history. His understanding of the weapons and armor really helped add a sense of reality to his battlefield descriptions.
That said, I held back a bit on my star rating because Cornwell tries too hard and comes up too short in his attempt to inject some artful storytelling flourishes. Especially in the final 25-percent of so of the book, he has an incredibly annoying habit of trying to heighten the drama (or maybe impart some gravitas) by ending each scene with a short, single-sentence paragraph.
There are several writers who can pull of this technique, but Cornwell, no matter how many times he tries (and judging by the number of books he's written, I suspect he's been trying for years), isn't among them. Every time he used this technique to end a passage, I was jarred out of the story (which I otherwise did enjoy), and my attention was drawn to his clumsy attempts at a writerly flourish. Although his writing was mostly unobtrusive, when he switched scenes, it clanged like a football bouncing off of a goalpost.
Here is a sampling of single-sentence paragraphs that Cornwell let linger before switching to another scene. I doubt anyone can deduce any serious spoiler details from these, so this shouldn't ruin the book for people who plan to read it.
"And the steel of the arrowheads was weak."
"And dreaming of Paris echoing with cheers."
"And the prince let out a long sigh of relief."
"To help an army escape."
"Because the English were beaten."
"Because France was going to fight."
"Because the army would escape."
"Coming to the river."
"And heard the war drums."
"It was all for Bertille."
"And so the carnage began."
"Then charged again."
"And Saint Denis me Saint George."
"And somewhere a trumpet called."
"So the French sent for help."
"The enemy was coming again."
"He smelled victory."
Tedious, isn't it? Granted, seeing those out of context heightens their awkwardness, but I don't think I'm being unfair in calling Cornwell out on this. Though it's a good story and most of the writing works, when he tries to enhance the story, he ends up hurting it.
I appreciate Cornwell's attention to historic detail (in addition to doing the research, he visited the actual battlefield and used that experience to inform his battlefield narrative) and his ability to blend his fictional story into the French-English battles from history. His understanding of the weapons and armor really helped add a sense of reality to his battlefield descriptions.
That said, I held back a bit on my star rating because Cornwell tries too hard and comes up too short in his attempt to inject some artful storytelling flourishes. Especially in the final 25-percent of so of the book, he has an incredibly annoying habit of trying to heighten the drama (or maybe impart some gravitas) by ending each scene with a short, single-sentence paragraph.
There are several writers who can pull of this technique, but Cornwell, no matter how many times he tries (and judging by the number of books he's written, I suspect he's been trying for years), isn't among them. Every time he used this technique to end a passage, I was jarred out of the story (which I otherwise did enjoy), and my attention was drawn to his clumsy attempts at a writerly flourish. Although his writing was mostly unobtrusive, when he switched scenes, it clanged like a football bouncing off of a goalpost.
Here is a sampling of single-sentence paragraphs that Cornwell let linger before switching to another scene. I doubt anyone can deduce any serious spoiler details from these, so this shouldn't ruin the book for people who plan to read it.
"And the steel of the arrowheads was weak."
"And dreaming of Paris echoing with cheers."
"And the prince let out a long sigh of relief."
"To help an army escape."
"Because the English were beaten."
"Because France was going to fight."
"Because the army would escape."
"Coming to the river."
"And heard the war drums."
"It was all for Bertille."
"And so the carnage began."
"Then charged again."
"And Saint Denis me Saint George."
"And somewhere a trumpet called."
"So the French sent for help."
"The enemy was coming again."
"He smelled victory."
Tedious, isn't it? Granted, seeing those out of context heightens their awkwardness, but I don't think I'm being unfair in calling Cornwell out on this. Though it's a good story and most of the writing works, when he tries to enhance the story, he ends up hurting it.
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