The Grail Quest (1) - Harlequin (Grail Quest 1)
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Amazon.co.uk Review
Following the phenomenal success of the Sharpe novels set in the Napoleonic Wars, Bernard Cornwell has turned his storytelling talents to another great moment in English history, the Hundred Years War between England and France throughout the 14th century. Harlequin is the first book in Cornwell's Grail Quest series, which chronicles the adventures of young Thomas of Hookton, "a big, bony, black-haired country boy". Thomas rejects the church in favour of the life of an archer in France after his village is brutally sacked by the French. The young Thomas fights back against the French with his bow, and "in that one instant, as the first arrow slid into the sky, he knew he wanted nothing more from life". He vows to seek revenge on the plains of France, and recover the holy relic of St. George stolen from his village by the sinister "harlequin" with whose destiny Thomas finds himself inextricably entwined. The rest of the action moves at a hectic pace across the violent and bloody battlefields of northern France, as Thomas falls for a beautiful French widow nicknamed "the Blackbird", makes a mortal enemy of the "poor, bitter and ambitious" Sir Simon Jekyll, and follows the ensign of King Edward III and his heroic son, the Black Prince. Harlequin is a fast-paced and graphic recreation of the Hundred Years War, despite a rather gratuitous fixation on rape and pillage. The action comes thick and fast, although it remains to be seen if Thomas of Hookton has the wit and flair of Cornwell's other great heroic creation, Richard Sharpe. --Jerry Brotton
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
‘Reader Tim Pigott-Smith leaps into the saddle of this charging destrier of a story with a whoop of joy.’ Christina Hardyment, The Independent.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is truely wonderful introduction into the grail quest series. Harlequin (aka The Archer's Tale) kickstarts the trilogy with a bang, introducing a typical Cornwallesque Heroic character (strong, impoverished and with tragedy in his past) who is then followed through a series of adventures both at home and in the middle of the hundred year's war in France.
If you like the Sharpe series then you'll love this too. A different period of history, but equally well explored, with historical facts and battles being interwoven into a story based around an intricate plot of familial revenge and power. If you're buying this then seriously consider buying Vagabond and Heretic (the rest of the grail quest trillogy) because once you get into the story you won't want to have to wait for the next installment...
113 of 121 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Okay, it's a great yarn - book one of my favourite B.C. Series thus far (excepting Sharpe, of course). But BE WARNED "The Archer's Tale" is "Harlequin" by another title. BC wanted the book to be called "Harlequin" (as it was originally release un the UK) but the Yanks, as they've a pre-teen lovey-dovey-pukey-sickey series of inoffensive 'romantic' novellas called the 'Harlequin' series the publishers didn't want angry parents complaining that their pre-pubescent, highly impressionable Young American children were being actually taught something about European History; the 100 years' War and the battle of Agincourt, through a piece of historical fiction. That said, the book is absolutely FANTASTIC even though the whereabouts of the Grail are stunningly obvious to anyone with half a brain cell (pre-pubescent Young Americans not included). The stunning brutalitly and harsh reality of life, warfare and politics in the early part of the 100 years' war is finely and easily depicted, here. Enjoy and buy the others!
111 of 119 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This book is "Harlequin" the first book in the "Grail Quest" series with a new title. Cornwell fans beware, do not think that it is a new book!
Having said that Cornwell produces his usual standard of work with an excellent story drawing on strands of christian mythology and well researched history. For me the thing which makes Cornwell the best writer of historical warfare novels since Forester (Hornblower & Death to the French) is his attention to the detail in his heros' daily lives. In this book, Cornwell shows that he is as knowledgeable about the life of an archer in the 14th century as he is about infantry in the 19th century.
A Cornwell book is always worth buying, reading and re-reading.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A good read by a good author, but ...
I was given this book to read as a third choice so being an avid reader and also a fan of Cornwell's Azincourt, I began reading hoping for something equally as good. Read more
Published 1 month ago by H de Fanque
A terrific read
This is the first of Cornwell's 'Grail Quest' trilogy, set near the beginning of The Hundred Years War. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Steve D
Good Cornwell book but not his best
As much as I like the Sharpe books, the Warlord Chronicles is far more to my taste when it comes to Bernard Cornwell. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Snikt5
Superior to Sharpe, inferior to Warlord Trilogy
An entertaining read from beginning to end. It is the first novel in the grail quest trilogy, the whole of which you should enjoy if you are a fan of Bernard Cornwell's other... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Amazing Annie
Military history for lazy people!
Having read almost all of Cornwell's Sharpe series, I thought i'd follow him back to the 13th Century and see what this series of books has to offer. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Griff
Somewhat slow at times.
The story seemed to lose its way somewhat in parts, I though. Characterisation interactions were inconsistent at times and explanations long winded. Read more
Published 6 months ago by S Evans
The first Bernard Cornwell I read - still my favourite.
I picked this up shortly after it was published when looking for a good holiday read on an uninspiring week in Jersey. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Robin White
wow
bernard cornwell certainly knows how to write a classic. Book arrived in perfect condition and on time. Excellent
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Published 8 months ago by myattj
My favourite Bernard Cornwell series
Not much to say except the grail quest series are my favourite series of books by my favourite author. I think I maybe prefer the other two books in the series but not by much.
Published 8 months ago by Only Me
The Quest begins.....
Starting in the early days of what was later to be called "The Hundred Years War" this first book of a trilogy introduces us to Thomas of Hookton - an English archer - who survives... Read more
Published 9 months ago by David Briggs
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