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Date first published	16 Oct. 2000
ISBN Number	0 00225 965 6
Page Count	365 h/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

Harlequins were originally lost souls, so much in the devil's favour that he left them free to roam the world. The name was given by the French to the English archers who crossed the Channel to spread devastation and terror.

Cornwell's hero Thomas of Hookton is one of these archers. After his village is sacked by raiders, he rebels against his father's fond wish that he take holy orders and becomes one of the crack archers in the army of Edward the Second. Edward and his son, The Black Prince, are off to conquer France, where the archers will be the deciding factor in the invasion.

It will be no surprise to the readers of Cornwell's superbly detailed historical novels that the universe presented here has a vividness and colour that takes the breath away. His protagonists inhabit a bloody and dangerous world, conjured up with broad and striking brush strokes, with the historical background and Thomas's amorous involvement with a Breton widow rendered with equal skill. The novel becomes a quest for Christendom's holiest relic, the Grail itself,

Review

As a prelude to writing this review, I reread the review that I wrote of Heretic, and was surprised to find that I didn't like the character of Thomas Hookton. After what is the second read of this book after nearly ten years, I found that I liked Hookton. He has a certain arrogance admittedly, but then he is a man than suddenly finds out out that rather than being a mere bastard, he is one from a large noble family in France.

Unlike some of the Cornwell novels, the book is contained within just a few short years from the death of his father to his joining of the the army. There is a gap which is briefly covered, but the gap would add nothing to the story, apart from perhaps sketching in more details of Thomas's new found friends. Friends that would probably make his father turn in his grave.

Much like Sharpe, Thomas becomes known to his superiors, through his knowledge, reading, and also his eye for the terrain. Like Sharpe, Thomas has a respect of women, and his protection of a Countess in La Roche Derrian, leads him to meet an implacable enemy. Thomas makes the mistake of trying to kill Sir Jocyln, but fails, which leads to him being hung in retribution.

The book tries hard to explain the situation, leading up to the battle of Crecy, which is a name familiar, but a battle which I had no real knowledge of. (I'm more familiar with the Napoleonic battles). Having knowledge of who wins the battle does take the edge of the suspense, but having read the book, you wonder how the English managed to defeat the second charge. The first having been stopped with arrows, and poor French discipline.

It is quite obvious that the period was a horrible one for the average French man and woman, as the English tried to destroy the French monarchy, which appears to have been riven, with internal dissent.

As with all of his books the battles, and the aftermath of them are very well written, and it serves as a reminder that there is no real glory in war just dead men and horses, and the moans of those not lucky enough to die outright.

I enjoyed the book immensely. The details are perfect from the bombast of the French to the humour of the English army. It is difficult to describe them as infantry, as the archers were largely mounted. It is also interesting to see that English Knights fought on foot, whilst the French rode. The reason being that English Knights could not make a frantic dash for glory, something that the English Cavalry were wont to do in later Wars (e.g The Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimea, and several charges made at Waterloo).

A good book to take you away from Sharpe, but still stay with the English as they lay waste to Europe. The Grail aspect is always in the background, but this is much more a story of the English in France at the start of the 100 years war.

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