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Harlequin: The Archers Tale (The Grail…
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Harlequin: The Archers Tale (The Grail Quest, Book 1) (edition 2001)

by Bernard Cornwell

Series: The Grail Quest (1)

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2,818595,032 (3.84)39
From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the first book in the Grail Series--the spellbinding tale of a young man, a fearless archer, who sets out wanting to avenge his family's honor and winds up on a quest for the Holy Grail. A brutal raid on the quiet coastal English village of Hookton in 1342 leaves but one survivor: a young archer named Thomas. On this terrible dawn, his purpose becomes clear--to recover a stolen sacred relic and pursue to the ends of the earth the murderous black-clad knight bearing a blue-and-yellow standard, a journey that leads him to the courageous rescue of a beautiful French woman, and sets him on his ultimate quest: the search for the Holy Grail.… (more)
Member:floriferous
Title:Harlequin: The Archers Tale (The Grail Quest, Book 1)
Authors:Bernard Cornwell
Info:HarperCollins Publishers Ltd (2001), Edition: U.K., Paperback, 484 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:***
Tags:read, history, fiction

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The Archer's Tale by Bernard Cornwell

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» See also 39 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 53 (next | show all)
I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book, as battle descriptions aren't usually something I love. But I've read his Warlord series and loved it, so I was cautiously optimistic. I did really enjoy it. I think the good characters and the mystery around Thomas' family background helped a lot and that battle descriptions didn't dominate to storytelling until later on in the book and I didn't mind them at all once I got there. I liked that Thomas wasn't a flat character. He's got the "I'm not like other men/archers" vibe a lot, but also times, like after battles he's very typical. He also has some personal reflection after seeing how destroyed Jeanette was after her rape and wondered how many women he and his fellow archers had left in this state. I found the relationship between Thomas and Jeanette more natural/less forced than that of Thomas and Eleanor. How in love, not lust, could he really be with a 15 year old? I can believe them together as a couple due to circumstances but not really "in love" that fast. It feels like that should have been more of a slow burn. I can't wait to read the next book though. Starting right after I finished this review. ( )
  Michmars | Mar 11, 2024 |
Historical Fiction
  BooksInMirror | Feb 19, 2024 |
Cornwell has a bit of a formula, and you recognize bits from Sharpe and Last kingdom, and one-offs like Azincourt. Which isn't to say it's bad, it's a very good formula. But this book feels less inspired than his others and is very clearly just part one of a trilogy rather than a self contained story in a larger series. ( )
  A.Godhelm | Oct 20, 2023 |
A good read. Great detail about living in the Middle Ages and fighting a war. ( )
  jsmick | Oct 31, 2022 |
This series of books have sat gathering dust on my to be read pile for some reason.
Finally decided to read first in series, and its everything you come to expect from this author, an absolutely quality read. Superb characters and feel for time and place. Gripping from first to last with plenty of action, in fact almost non stop.
Totally recommended ( )
  Gudasnu | Mar 15, 2022 |
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"... many deadly battles have been fought, people slaughtered, churches robbed, souls destroyed, young women and virgins deflowered, respectable wives and widows dishonoured; towns, manors and building burned, and robberies, cruelties and ambushes committed on the highways. Justice has failed because of these things. The Christian faith has withered and commerce has perished and so many other wickednesses and horrid things have followed from these wars that they cannot be spoken, numbered or written down." - Jean II, King of France, 1360
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HARLEQUIN is for Richard and Julie Rutherford-Moore
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The treasure of Hookton was stolen on Easter morning 1342.
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Was published as The Archer's Tale in the US.
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From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the first book in the Grail Series--the spellbinding tale of a young man, a fearless archer, who sets out wanting to avenge his family's honor and winds up on a quest for the Holy Grail. A brutal raid on the quiet coastal English village of Hookton in 1342 leaves but one survivor: a young archer named Thomas. On this terrible dawn, his purpose becomes clear--to recover a stolen sacred relic and pursue to the ends of the earth the murderous black-clad knight bearing a blue-and-yellow standard, a journey that leads him to the courageous rescue of a beautiful French woman, and sets him on his ultimate quest: the search for the Holy Grail.

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