Bernard Cornwell
Hardcover | Pages: 453 pages Rating: 4.13 | 22524 Users | 1426 Reviews
Identify Based On Books Agincourt
| Title | : | Agincourt |
| Author | : | Bernard Cornwell |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | First |
| Pages | : | Pages: 453 pages |
| Published | : | October 1st 2008 by HarperCollins Publishers |
| Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Fiction. Medieval. War. Cultural. France. European Literature. British Literature |
Narrative In Pursuance Of Books Agincourt
Agincourt is one of the epic battles of history. It was fought by two badly matched armies that met in atrocious conditions on St Crispin's Day 1415, and resulted in an extraordinary victory that was celebrated in England long before Shakespeare immortalised it in Henry V. It has always been held to be the triumph of the longbow against the armoured knight, and of the common man against the feudal aristocrat, but those are history's myths. Bernard Cornwell, who has long wanted to write this story, depicts the reality behind the myths. Nicholas Hook is an English archer. He seems born to trouble and, when his lord orders him to London as part of a force sent to quell an expected Lollard uprising, Nick's headstrong behaviour leads to him being proscribed an outlaw. He finds refuge across the Channel, part of an English mercenary force protecting the town of Soissons against the French. What happened at the Siege of Soissons shocked all Europe, and propels Nick back to England where he is enrolled in the archer companyof the doughty Sir John Cornwaille, a leader of Henry V's army. The army was superb, but sickness and the unexpected French defiance at Harfleur, reduce it to near-shambolic condition. Henry stubbornly refuses to accept defeat and, in appalling weather, leads his shrunken force to what appears to be inevitable disaster. Azincourt culminates in the battle. Seen from several points of view on the English side, but also from the French ranks, the scene is vivid, convincing and compelling. Bernard Cornwell has a great understanding of men at war and battlefields and this is his masterpiece. This is what it must have been like to fight at Agincourt.Be Specific About Books Supposing Agincourt
| Original Title: | Agincourt |
| ISBN: | 0007271212 (ISBN13: 9780007271214) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Characters: | Henry V of England |
| Setting: | England,1415 Soissons,1414(France) Azincourt,1415(France) |
Rating Based On Books Agincourt
Ratings: 4.13 From 22524 Users | 1426 ReviewsCommentary Based On Books Agincourt
Excellent. Simply excellent. Brilliantly written, easy flow and so much detail! This book follows the fictitious character of Nicolas Hook and its climax is the famous battle of Agincourt! What a battle it was! I could tell the author did his research. This was simply gripping. If you love English history, find entertainment in the blood and gore of humanity's strifes with one another, this book is for you.3.75 StarsI'll never look at the Longbow the same again. I also didn't realize it was England's primary battle equipment that was exclusive to the English. The Longbow is credited for winning not only The Agincourt Battle, but the Crecy one as well. The English could not be defeated in an open field. Even with 6000 English and 30,000 French (according to Cornwell) which is why the Agincourt Battle went down in history as one of England's most successful battles.Cornwell tells the story around
So... I had high hopes for this one. I think I also hold Cornwell to a higher standard than most authors. So even though I'm only giving it three stars, this is probably a better account of a historical English battle in the Hundred Years War than most you will find. I just can't give it the same number of stars as my least favorite book in The Saxon Stories (if there even is such a thing).For starters, our hero Nicholas Hook is kind of a bland guy (but one that actually lived! Which is pretty
Bernard Cornwell is absolutely terrible at showing the softer side of war. This book was filled with violent, gritty, visceral, dishonorable, disgusting, horrific acts of warfare ... and I loved every page of it. It's apparent from Cornwell's writing that the man has done his homework. The battles spring to life just like the great yew longbows mentioned in the book. The siege and battle sequences were so well written that I could almost smell the blood, piss, and shit. However, it has been a
As always, Cornwell delivered a wonderful story that was impeccably researched and moved along well. I have to say that Bastard is my new favorite insult after reading this. It's annoying my dog I think but everyone in this book was a bastard!
Azincourt gets 3 Stars because a)Cornwell writes a great battle scene and b)who cares what else, I read it for the battle scenes, none better. Not much of a plot here, Henry V goes to France to take what is "his" and the French object. Long siege at Harfleur weakens the English Army but Henry decides to march to Calais, giving the French King a two-fingered salute. The armies meet at Azincourt and I appreciated how Cornwell explains how the battle likely went, especially from the archer point of
I am an avid fan of all Bernard Cornwell's books but this one ranks among my favourites. I found it exciting, beautifully written and the preparations for the battles plus the actual actions were so gripping. An utterly absorbing book which I have read quite a few times.
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