Bibliography

Date first published	27 September 2012
ISBN Number	978 0 00 733184 0
Page Count	374 h/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

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.

The Hundred Years War rages on and the bloodiest battles are yet to be fought. Across France, towns are closing their gates, the crops are burning and the country stands alert to danger. The English army, victorious at the Battle of Crécy and led by the Black Prince, is invading again and the French are hunting them down.

Thomas of Hookton, an English archer known as Le Bâtard, is under orders to seek out the lost sword of St Peter, a weapon said to grant certain victory to whoever possesses her. As the outnumbered English army becomes trapped near the town of Poitiers, Thomas, his men and his sworn enemies meet in an extraordinary confrontation that ignites one of the greatest battles of all time.

Storyline

Review

I debated long and hard whether to put the book with the other Hookton novels - even though this story is not part of the Grail Quest - or put it in the miscellaneous novels. I finally settled on keeping the Thomas Hookton novels together.

This also has to be one of the most succinct titles of a novel ever. Well at least I know the year of the battle!

Whether I' getting soft in my old age, or whether Cornwell has made the character slightly softer, I'm not sure, but he seems more likeable in this story, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Thomas is now living in France looking after his masters (The Earl of Northampton) lands and people. Thomas an his men are also for hire. Besides Thomas there is quiet a cast of characters, good and bad noble and devious, pretty damsels to be rescued, and of the course the French to be put to the sword, arrow or club. Again the attention to detail in the book is breath taking and you feel a part of the time.

As I said the range of characters is quite unusual, you have the Virgin Knight who believes in a code of honour that has long been abandoned, yet who finds that life on the field of battle is a far different matter than the Tournaments that he is used to fighting in.

The story up until the point where Poitiers is reached is almost a story in itself, and could possibly survive without the main battle. However Poitiers is where all of the main protagonists are brought together, to sort matters out.

The story is one of action, there is little let up in pace, but the characters remain human, and humorous, even when in the worst of situations, Hookton has definitely grown on me, and from the background story there looks to be more adventures for Thomas.

An excellent story of a period of time with which (I'm ashamed to say) I'm not really familiar with. Read and enjoy a master at work.

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