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    Harlequin
    Harlequin
    Harlequin
    Audiobook14 hours

    Harlequin

    Written by Bernard Cornwell

    Narrated by Andrew Cullum

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The first book in Bernard Cornwell's bestselling Grail Quest series, in a bright and bold repackage.

    The year is 1342. The English, led by Edward III, are laying waste to the French countryside. The army may be led by the King, but it is the archers, the common men, who are England's secret weapon. The French know them as Harlequins.

    Thomas of Hookton is one of these archers. But he is also on a personal mission: To avenge his father's death and retrieve a stolen relic. Thomas begins a quest that will lead him through fields smeared with the smoke of fires set by the rampaging English, until at last the two armies face each other on a hillside near the village of Crécy.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateNov 25, 2014
    ISBN9780062393760
    Harlequin
    Author

    Bernard Cornwell

    Bernard Cornwell was born in London, raised in Essex and worked for the BBC for eleven years before meeting Judy, his American wife. Denied an American work permit he wrote a novel instead and has been writing ever since. He and Judy divide their time between Cape Cod and Charleston, South Carolina.

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    Reviews for Harlequin

    4/5

    737 ratings37 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Such a fun, fascinating book. Few authors can capture the feel of battle like Cornwell. Great story, so many wonderful characters and amazing writing that transports you back to the Middle Ages. Now, on to book two!
    • 4/5
      There is nothing like a good Bernard Cornwell novel to make me content. This was the first book in a Trilogy about the Holy Grail. Going in, I thought it may have fantastical elements, but it really was more of a classic Cornwell novel about England and France in the 100 Years War. This novel ends with the Battle of Crecy.

      He sets up the trilogy nicely, leaving loose ends but nothing that made hurt the story as one that can stand alone. I am looking forward to the next book in the trilogy. I really think that Cornwell is one of my favorite authors.
    • 5/5
      Incredible tale based on historical events told by a master storyteller. Was extremely difficult to take any breaks while listening to this masterpiece!
    • 1/5
      Terrible editing makes this audiobook almost impossible to listen to. No comment on the story as I can barely follow with the choppy cuts and awful pacing.
    • 3/5
      I didn't like this one as much as I liked the Warlord Chronicles, and I never really got to care for the characters, but it was an enjoyable, quick summer read. The historical details were interesting, and although the actual location of the grail and what it was like weren't surprising to me, it was an interesting idea.
    • 5/5
      As always, amazing historically detail. I wish the books were nubered in the series though.
    • 4/5
      Having been a big fan of historical fiction for as long as I can remember, I'm ashamed to admit this is my first Cornwell novel. Judging by how much I enjoyed Harlequin, it's definitely not going to be my last.

      Cornwell seamlessly blends historical fact and fiction and is one of the few historical fiction authors who stays as close to history as possible, but also makes these minor tweaks to it so that the story becomes, in a way, unpredictable. Sure, a quick Wikipedia search can show you whether or not the Black Prince or any other person died at Crecy, but even if you know there's still suspense in the way Cornwell weaves his words, and his depiction of the battle at Crecy was thrilling to hear. I have a huge interest in the Hundred Years' War, so it's great to hear an accurate (for the most part) account of one of the most important battles of the century-long conflict, especially in a time where it doesn't seem like a lot of modern historians are willing to write readable nonfiction on the subject.

      Andrew Cullum was an excellent narrator, able to pull off a large variety of characters in unique ways.
    • 2/5
      What comes first when I think of this novel is how the archer, despite serious injury to his ribs, crawled for no apparent reason over the top of buildings to shoot his bow at people. That's almost all I can remember of the story.
    • 1/5
      This book seems to be mostly about rape, and incidentally about an archer. I just could not get past the way in which women appeared in the book only to be assaulted and carried off. I eventually gave up trying to read it halfway through because i didn't care what happened, and didn't want to subject myself to more of the violence.There are plenty of books which manage to deal with the time period, and even raping and pillaging, in ways that don't turn my stomach. This was not one of them.quite disappointing, because some of his other books are good.
    • 4/5
      This is my first time reading Cornwell. I don't generally like so much telling in place of showing, but he moves his story more quickly this way and I'm impressed with the degree of historical detail. There's lots to learn about the 14th century in northern France, especially military history, in the context of a fast-paced adventure structured around historical incidents. I've gathered the primary reason to read Cromwell is for a boots-on-the-ground viewpoint during whatever battles he's covering. The Battle of Caen (1346), for example, is much more visceral here than reading dry Wikipedia facts. It took me a while to warm up to Thomas of Hookton, since he's not exactly a standup guy. When his initial love interest gets kidnapped, 'our hero' only feels relief that he need no longer worry about her pregnancy. Cornwell doesn't sugarcoat it when Thomas' band is roaming the French countryside, destroying lives and livlihoods; it's dirty work, not heroic thrills. As an English archer Thomas is feared and hated by his enemies, for killing from a distance and being heedless of chivalry. Character growth eventually kicks in, and he's aided by contrast with others in the story of similar rank. The plot is more impressive than Thomas. Considering it's "on rails" - forced to fit with actual historical events - Cornwell is surprisingly creative. It took a few turns that I didn't anticipate, and drew in a broader cross-section of society than just army ranks. This promises to be a good series for anyone welcoming (or who can abide) an extra dose of military in their historical fiction.
    • 3/5
      Takes a while to get into but its worth it. This is a good series. Crecy is well described together with the typical conflict.
    • 5/5
      Outstanding tale of Thomas of Hookton, an archer who fights on the side of England during the beginning of the Hundred Years War. This is well-researched historical fiction set in 13th Century England and France for the most part. I really enjoyed listening to the audio. The narrator was great, and the story kept me hooked from beginning to end.
    • 4/5
      Set in the mid-fourteenth century, during the early stages of the Hundred Years War between England and France, Bernard Cornwell recreates the battle scenes so vividly that you'd think he'd witnessed them first hand.Many characters are based on real historical figures, including the kings, princes, earls, etc., while the main character is the fictitious Thomas.Thomas is an expert archer who often lands himself in trouble. But he also has a knack of surviving. One of my favourite quotes comes from a friend of Thomas's after they meet following another of the archer's near death experiences:"So here you are, and with a beautiful girl as well! I tell you, Thomas, if they forced you to lick a leper's arse you'd taste nothing but sweetness. Charmed, you are."The author has a talent of blending humour and horror in these types of bloodthirsty tales. He also manages to inject some romance. Thomas has two loves.I won't state which lady prevails, though will say that Jeanette is well-crafted by the author, proving to be one of the strongest characters in the book. Apart from the author's usual habit of inserting needless dialogue attribution - needless because it's obvious who's speaking - which is especially annoying when placed in the middle of a sentence, thus disrupting the narrative flow, this is well-written, fully-researched novel.A good read.
    • 5/5
      Begins slowly but then builds to a fine cracking pace.The story concerns the exploits of Thomas of Hookton who is an English archer,fighting for the King against the overwhelming French forces in various battles on French soil. We end this first book in the 'Grail Quest' trilogy with the battle of Crecy. This battle is told in typical Cornwell fashion at great length and in much gory detail.A very readably book indeed.
    • 2/5
      This was the first Cornwell book I ever read and I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't happen for me. I didn't find any of the characters particularly relatable, or even likeable for that matter. The plot seemed thin, and consisted mostly of a series of battle and bloodshed, culminating in a huge battle at the end. To his credit, Cornwell writes battle scenes very well, and I really felt like I was on there. However, a 14th century battlefield is not somewhere I want to be, and I didn't find it enjoyable. This book would probably appeal more to those who are seeking lots of action, historical accuracy, but little character development. Not a bad book, but definitely not my cup of tea.
    • 3/5
      A solid adventure story, from a master of the genre. I have few quibbles about the way his man uses his longbow, Cornwell being better about the minutiae of running a Baker rifle. Still, I had a good time following a man with a grudge about his life gradually adjusting to find a level of success. Readable, and pretty good about the battle of Crecy.
    • 5/5
      First of the Grail Quest series. Excellent in every way.
    • 4/5
      Cornwell, best known for his Sharpe series, which takes place during the Napoleonic Wars, has an interest in early Arthurian history as well and has written several books related to that legend (I haven’t read any yet). He has also written a book about Stonehenge, and his most recent, Archer’s Tale (I was able to snag an advanced reader’s copy) takes place during the 14th century. A young archer, son of a priest and a serving woman, is orphaned during a French raid on his father’s village. His father had brought a lance to the village where he was priest, and one of the reasons for the raid was to steal the lance, which reputedly had reliquary powers. Young Thomas swears revenge.

      Off to France, Thomas becomes part of Edward III’s campaign against the French (this is the beginning of the Hundred Year’s War). He’s bright and an excellent archer, so he is soon part of the Earl of Northumberland’s retinue and plays an important part in the destruction of several French fortresses. He also gains Sir Simon Jekyll as an enemy. Cornwell has done his research and, in a historical note, states that all of the battles and events are real, as are a majority of the characters . For example, the battle and destruction of Caen took place exactly as it does in the novel. He’s also included lots of fascinating detail about medieval warfare, including this description of loading the earliest cannons: “[Gunpowder:] was made from saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal, but the saltpeter was heavier than the other ingredients and always settled to the bottom of the barrels while the charcoal rose to the top so the gunners had to stir the mix thoroughly before they ladled the deadly powder into the bellies of the jars. They placed a shovelful of loam, made from water and clay soil, in the narrow part of each gun’s neck before loading the crudely sculpted stone balls that were the missiles. The loam was to seal the firing chamber so that the power of the explosion did not leak away before the powder had caught fire. Still more loam was packed about the stone balls to fill the space between the missiles and the barrels, then the gunners had to wait while the loam hardened to make a firmer seal.”

      During the destruction of Caen, Thomas has the good luck to save the life of Eleanor, who turns out to be the daughter of Sir Guillaume d’Eveque, the man whose herald Thomas had seen during the destruction of his village. D’Eveque then saves Thomas’s life and reveals to him that Thomas may be one of the Vexilles, supporters of the Cathars, heretics who believed that the church was unnecessary for salvation, which came from within. Thomas’s father, a priest, was in hiding from the rest of the Vexilles, but he had stolen the lance of St. George. So despite himself, Thomas's fate seems to be inexorably drawn to retrieval of the lance that also has a connection with the Holy Grail.

      Cornwell is a master at conveying a sense of time and place. The importance of the longbow (called that only later — here it is properly called just the bow) and the advantage it gave to the English becomes clear. An archer could loose 3-4 arrows in the time one crossbow quarrel could be fired, and Cornwell quotes Benjamin Franklin in the epilogue as saying the American Revolution could have been won much faster had the Americans used the bow instead of the musket, but it was easier to train someone to use a musket than to learn the technique of the longbow. Its destructive power at Crecy, the denouement of The Archer’s Tale, is vividly recounted in as bloody a scene as you can imagine.

      Sherman’s march to Atlanta pales by comparison to Edward’s chevauchee, the wastage of the French countryside. Everything was destroyed in the hope that the French would leave the security of their castles and come out to fight in order to prevent more destruction. You also get a real understanding of how miserable it was to be a peasant, a plaything for armies, subject to the wrath of soldiers and the whim of knights. It was not a pleasant time.

      I have ordered several books related to the Hundred Year’s War and the Cathar inquisition. A short examination reveals that Cornwell’s view of the Cathars is fanciful at best.

    • 5/5
      I read the newest book in this series, 1356, not knowing anything about it. After reading that, I just had to go back to the beginning of Thomas of Hookton's tale. The story is based around the events of the Hundred Years' War that pitted France and England in a long series of skirmishes. It tells the tale of a young man who yearns to get revenge on the soldier who raided his town, killed his father, and stole an ancient relic.The action is fast-paced; the recreation of the battle of Crécy is riveting, and Thomas is a well developed character. Being that this is the beginning of the Grail Quest series, Thomas does seem very confusing at times, but I think that makes him more likable, and the story more entertaining.If you like historical fiction this is a must read.
    • 5/5
      Very enjoyable. Hard to put down. Mr Cornwell is a very good writer of historical fiction. I can't wait to start on book two.
    • 3/5
      "The hellequin...are the dead who have no souls. The dead who were so wicked in life that the devil loves them too much to punish them in hell and so he gives them his horses and releases them on the living."from Bernard Cornwell's "The Archer's Tale"This first novel in Bernard Cornwell's "Grail Series" is a rock n' roll 14th Century swords, horses and armor action adventure. The characters are interesting but cliched, flawed enough to develop an emotive reader response, but without real emotion and depth. The story is fast-paced, heavy on detailed scenes of 14th century battle, tactics, equipment and armor. And yes, there's some sex too.This novel sets the stage for a series focused on Thomas of Hookton, the bastard son of a priest who's grown up with a passion for archery, despite his father's best attempts at keeping him focused on intellectual pursuits. During a French raid to steal an awesome religious relic, the spear St. George used to slay the dragon, Thomas' passion is crystalized in a single pull of his bow, and the underlying premise of Cornwell's series is revealed: "In that one instant, as the first arrow slid into the sky, he knew he wanted nothing more from life. He was an archer."Later, Thomas leaves his home in England and joins an archery unit known as 'the hellequin', in support of his Kings' military pursuits across the channel. Cornwell describes Thomas' developing expertise in the skills of war, "It was not just that he was a good archer--the army was full of men who were as good as he and there was a handful who were better--but he had discovered he could sense what the enemy was doing." And so a plot full of blood, revenge, chivalry, humor and even love, begins.This is the third Cornwell book I've read. "The Archer's Tale" is exciting, interesting and diverting. It's not deep, but it's fun. It's not insightful, but the story flows well, and the pages turn themselves.
    • 4/5
      This was the first Bernard Cornwell novel I read and it hooked me. Solid plot with an interesting main character and it really captures the feel of the times.
    • 3/5
      I read this whilst on holiday in France, a perfect setting for a good read.
    • 4/5
      Great read about the use of the long bow in british tactics. The French would cut the middle finger of English Archers captured in battle so that they could never pull the string again. Ergo, the middle finger salute to the French by the British archers.
    • 4/5
      Bernard Cornwell has a gift -- not just of story-telling, but of conveying "realness" in his books. The Archer's Tale was no exception. Historical vibrancy, not just accuracy. The characters in this book become real individuals, the more you read. You befriend them, loathe them, root for them, mourn for them... At one point, when things looked particularly bleak for Thomas, I took a breath, and realized that if he died at this point in the book, Cornwell would have had to have cajones of steel to have called the book The Archer's Tale. I do have a word or two to say about Cornwell's treatment of one of my favorite characters in the book near the end (no spoiler here) and am debating about reading more in the series to see the outcome, which I don't think can be grand. Cornwell also has a knack of writing battle scenes that are probably the most accurate and descriptive ones I have read. You can understand the battle as it plays out across the field, or ford or town walls, whatever, and you can also feel the bloodlust awakened in the participants. I did have a lot of trouble with one spot, describing a head wound, that was just a little too close to home for my comfort. (As I was listening to this on audio, I just drove down Calhoun Street saying "lalalala I can't hear you" and cringing/waving my hands to wave the images away when the words got through. )This is the first book in the Grail Quest books, and I probably will read others in the series when I stumble upon them. As for Cornwell, he's on my favorite authors list. If you ever have a chance to go hear him speak, do so. Highly entertaining and informative (and lives part of the year here in Charleston.)
    • 4/5
      A well-written, and as far as I can tell, historically accurate account of what it was like to be an archer in the English army around the time of the Battle of Crecy.Two things I always like about Cornwell are the fact that he does his research, and the fact that he is willing to have sympathetic characters on the enemy side.His greatest drawback in this book is that the female characters come over even sketchier than usual. I had very little feeling of Eleanor as a real person.
    • 5/5
      Book 1 in the Grail Quest series. Set in the Hundred Years War, The Archer's Tale follows the exploits of Thomas, the son of a priest who witnessed the destruction of his village and killing of his parents by French raiders. Bent on vengeance and a desire to uncover secrets about his family that his father took to the grave, Thomas joins the English military and sets on a course that ends with the epic Battle of Crécy in 1346.In typical Cornwell style, The Archer's Tale includes a healthy dose of authentic history tweaked for story-telling purposes as need (and explained in the author's note at the end). The only thing that really seemed implausible was arranging for all of the protagonists to converge at the same spot and time on the battlefield. Still, it was a well-paced story and a great read for anyone interested in medieval life and warfare.
    • 3/5
      Thomas Hookton watches as his village, family and friends are destroyed and vows revenge against the destroyer. He drifts into life as a bowman in the English Army, losing sight of his vow to avenge the death of his father. The story follows Thomas' experiences, and begins to unravel the mystery of his origins and his connection with the man he has sworn to kill. Cornwell has done a superb job of bringing the battle scenes to life on the page. HIs technical knowledge of the weaponry and techniques of the era is backed up by a flair for descriptive detail. He is less effective in bringing his characters to life and, in particular, in exploring what drives them. As an example, the Countess of Armorica "the blackbird" is a major character in the early part of the book. A substantial portion is told from her point of view. Ultimately, she just wanders off. Little effort is made to help the reader understand what motivates her. Thomas himself is an insipid character, evoking little sympathy or feeling from the reader. I'd recommend the book on the basis of descriptive detail and accurate portrayal of the era but it's unlikely I'll read the rest of the series.
    • 3/5
      This is my first book by Bernard Cornwell, who is a rather prolific historical fiction writer across various time periods.The Archer's Tale begins in the village of Hookton on the English coast. There, the lance of St. George was kept safely in the rafters of the church - until one day when Frenchmen raided the town and stole the lance. The only surviving villager is a young man, Thomas, the protagonist of the story. His journey leads him into France at the beginning of the Hundred Year's War. He is content as an archer for the king, but slowly, more clues emerge regarding the raid on his village and the history of the stolen artifact, and they seem to lead towards the ultimate of prizes: the holy grail itself.I love historical fiction, but I admit I had trouble getting into this book. Maybe it was the male perspective. Maybe it was the blatant portrayal of rape, including that of a minor character. The viewpoint shifts were annoying at times and seemed to give away too much of the plot. One of the major antagonists of the book dies without much fanfare at all, which seemed anticlimactic. Still, the historical details were intriguing, if sometimes excessive (there was about a two page spread on how early cannons worked, and then they blasted a few times and didn't do much, and that was that). Thomas matured in the course of the book, but I never felt that invested in his survival.I think I'll pick up some of Cornwell's other books on the medieval period, if I find them used and cheap, but I'm not going to run out and buy the rest of this particular series.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this first book of the Grail Quest series; the reason for less than a 5-star rating is only because so far I don't like this series as much as the Saxon series.In this novel, Thomas of Hookton serves as an archer for the English army under Edward III, at the beginning of the battles of the hundred years war. Very interesting to learn of the value of the archers within a battle. Thomas grows as a person, as he interacts with other characters of this novel. These other characters, enemies and friends, are also well-developed and add to the enjoyment of the novel.