Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
New York : Harper, 2010, c2009.
Description
A fugitive English forester and mercenary defender saves young novitiate Melisande and, defending himself from a vengeance-seeking rapist priest and Melisande's father, finds himself slogging his way to Agincourt as an archer in King Henry V's army.
Media reviews
Agincourt is yet another cracking read from Bernard Cornwell, full of action and interest. It treats the kind of history which can be seen with precision and flair, but many people will find it has ignored the kind of history which counts, offering an exciting book of historical events instead of a
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truly historical novel.
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In fact, Cornwell's historical accuracy is excellent throughout, and he gracefully acknowledges his sources in an interesting "Historical Note" at the end. Agincourt isn't a glorious battle; you see every mud-clogged, blood-soaked inch of the field and smell the sweat and excrement of the archers,
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knights and foot soldiers who fought for those hard-won inches. But when the fighting's over, you're left with a sense of awe at what was done there, and admiration for the men who did it. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member DavidGoldsteen
Let's face it -- on some level, Cornwell always writes the same book: there's the lower-class, stubborn hero, who's always a gentleman and a warrior. There's a corrupt authority figure (nine times out of ten a churchman), and a slightly paternal ally in a position of authority. Plus history,
What's amazing is that this is perfectly satisfying. Cornwell might do one thing, but he's mastered it. If you like military history or historical fiction, he's your man.
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detailed, violent, and set at a critical point.What's amazing is that this is perfectly satisfying. Cornwell might do one thing, but he's mastered it. If you like military history or historical fiction, he's your man.
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LibraryThing member JeffV
Cornwell's Agincourt is a one-off novel (not part of series) taking place during Henry V's chevauchee through France in 1415. It follows the fortunes of an archer named Nick Hook, who is plagued by enemies of his family and narrowly escaped a French atrocity at Soissons. Returning to England, he is
The French and Burgundians, meanwhile, put together a massive army, intent on crushing the upstart English king once and for all. By most accounts, the army opposing Henry was three to four times the size of sick, depleted English force. The armies met near the town of Agincourt, on a muddy field saturated by rain the night before. The mud bogged down French men-at-arms and cavalry in heavy armor, while the English longbowmen wreaked havoc upon the initial waves. As the body count mounted, the French struggled to get past the wall of corpses, and were defeated in detail. The result was one of those most one-sided and unlikely victories in the history of warfare.
The battle took place on the feast day for the saints Crispian and Crispianan, coincidentally the patron saints of Soissons whose aforementioned destruction at the hands of French and English turncoats instigated the campaign. This leads to the only thing I really didn't like about the book -- those two saints would actually "speak" to Hook, saving his life on multiple occasions. I'm not really a fan of incorporating supernatural nonsense into historical novels, so this is a pet peeve more than anything else. Cornwell used a variety of resources for his historical background material, the most important was the book Agincourt by Juliet Barker, a book I read a few years ago and highly recommend.
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enlisted in Henry's campaign, which began with the long siege and capture of Harfleur, and then a long trek through northern France as the army made its way toward Calais to evacuate back to England. Henry believed he was on a mission from god, however, and was making a statement claiming he was the rightful heir to the French crown.The French and Burgundians, meanwhile, put together a massive army, intent on crushing the upstart English king once and for all. By most accounts, the army opposing Henry was three to four times the size of sick, depleted English force. The armies met near the town of Agincourt, on a muddy field saturated by rain the night before. The mud bogged down French men-at-arms and cavalry in heavy armor, while the English longbowmen wreaked havoc upon the initial waves. As the body count mounted, the French struggled to get past the wall of corpses, and were defeated in detail. The result was one of those most one-sided and unlikely victories in the history of warfare.
The battle took place on the feast day for the saints Crispian and Crispianan, coincidentally the patron saints of Soissons whose aforementioned destruction at the hands of French and English turncoats instigated the campaign. This leads to the only thing I really didn't like about the book -- those two saints would actually "speak" to Hook, saving his life on multiple occasions. I'm not really a fan of incorporating supernatural nonsense into historical novels, so this is a pet peeve more than anything else. Cornwell used a variety of resources for his historical background material, the most important was the book Agincourt by Juliet Barker, a book I read a few years ago and highly recommend.
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LibraryThing member briandarvell
My first time reading something by Bernhard Cornwell. For anyone who enjoys a good middle-ages style of historical fiction this book would be perfect. It had lots of action and decent character development. It turned out to be a real quick and fun read. I will definitely read another Cornwell novel
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in the future. Show Less
LibraryThing member Shuffy2
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother" Henry V
What would you do if you heard voices in your head telling you what to do, would you follow them?
Nick Hook does and they lead him on a journey across England and France. He tries to
Great read for guys or girls, especially for history buffs and fans of Shakespeare's Henry V like myself. A thrilling read that kept me turning the pages. My only compaint is that I wanted it to go on...
What would you do if you heard voices in your head telling you what to do, would you follow them?
Nick Hook does and they lead him on a journey across England and France. He tries to
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make up for past mistakes, to make ammends and earn redemption in order to deserve a chance at life and at love. His bravery and strength make him the perfect archer in King Henry V's army and lands him at one of the most famous battles of all time- Agincourt!Great read for guys or girls, especially for history buffs and fans of Shakespeare's Henry V like myself. A thrilling read that kept me turning the pages. My only compaint is that I wanted it to go on...
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LibraryThing member BruderBane
“Agincourt” by Bernard Cornwell is a thoroughly researched engaging historical novel in a similar vein to other adventure novels from Mr. Cornwell. However, “Agincourt” did not capture my enthusiasm and enthrall me like Mr. Cornwell’s other works have in the past. The story felt too much
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like recipe and although the final battles are quite realistic and detailed, for me they didn’t have the brutal piquant I’ve come to love from Mr. Cornwell. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jthierer
A good exploration of what it might have been like to have been at Agincourt. The novel follows an English archer, Nicholas Hook, from the sack of Soissons to the siege of Harfleur and the climactic battle at Agincourt. Along the way, Hook falls in love and meets up with lords from both sides,
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including the King of England. The novel moves along briskly but makes time to really establish all the main actor's characters and motivations. The siege of Harfleur drags a bit, but otherwise the novel is excellent. Show Less
LibraryThing member dougwood57
Agincourt is pretty standard fare from Cornwell, for good and ill. He tells a middling back story with modest character development, but sets it in a fascinating historical context with some smashingly good action. Few writers surpass Cornwell in describing a battle, whether it be Richard Sharpe
The book checks in at 464 pages, which for my money are about 150 too many. The entire point of the book is to get to the historic battle and he dawdles. As most readers will know, the historic battle of Agincourt saw a small English Army under King Henry V defeat a French army roughly 8 times its size. The English archers played a critical role here and continued the shifting importance from man-at-war to the average figthing-man in battle (a trend started at Crecy in 1346). Agincourt was immortalized by Shakespeare's Henry V (Folger Shakespeare Library).
Cornwell does a nice job describing camp life. And the siege at Harfleur is interesting, but it is after all a siege and it is in the nature of sieges to be rather dull, gray endurance contests. The character development is may be even a bit thinner than usual.
All that being said I still give the book 3.5 stars for the excellent description of the battle preparation and execution. And after all, the point of the book is the battle and if he takes too long to get there Cornwell still brings the action to the page like few others. I add a bonus half-star for Cornwell's trademark historical note at the end. All historical novels should have such an appendage. Cornwell refers the reader to several books, including the excellent Face of Battle by John Keegan and another Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England by Juliet Barker that I have not read but that sounds interesting.
Recommended for fans of Cornwell and medieval battle.
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leading a 'forlorn hope' at Badajoz in the Napoleonic Wars (Sharpe's Company (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #13) or Lord Uhtred on the 'shield wall' in Saxon days The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Chronicles Series #1). Here he adds the young archer Nicholas Hook at the siege of Harfleur and the battle of Agincourt in 1415. The book checks in at 464 pages, which for my money are about 150 too many. The entire point of the book is to get to the historic battle and he dawdles. As most readers will know, the historic battle of Agincourt saw a small English Army under King Henry V defeat a French army roughly 8 times its size. The English archers played a critical role here and continued the shifting importance from man-at-war to the average figthing-man in battle (a trend started at Crecy in 1346). Agincourt was immortalized by Shakespeare's Henry V (Folger Shakespeare Library).
Cornwell does a nice job describing camp life. And the siege at Harfleur is interesting, but it is after all a siege and it is in the nature of sieges to be rather dull, gray endurance contests. The character development is may be even a bit thinner than usual.
All that being said I still give the book 3.5 stars for the excellent description of the battle preparation and execution. And after all, the point of the book is the battle and if he takes too long to get there Cornwell still brings the action to the page like few others. I add a bonus half-star for Cornwell's trademark historical note at the end. All historical novels should have such an appendage. Cornwell refers the reader to several books, including the excellent Face of Battle by John Keegan and another Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England by Juliet Barker that I have not read but that sounds interesting.
Recommended for fans of Cornwell and medieval battle.
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LibraryThing member 5hrdrive
Seldom have I read a book that put me more squarely in the middle of the action than this. I swear, at times it seemed that I could see the carnage, smell the fear, hear the screaming, and feel the blows of the poleaxes. It's a rare book that can make your muscles sore from drawing an imaginary
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longbow, but this one is up to the task. If you are a military history fan and want to get a feeling for what battle truly might have been like, this is the book for you. Show Less
LibraryThing member jamespurcell
Entertaining story with Cornwell's usual set of believable and interesting characters. Vivid recreation of the upclose and brutal confrontations that constituted combat in medieval times. Very well done integration of the myths and sparse facts of a battle that still stirs the imagination. His
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reference sources, Long Bow, the Face of Battle and Agincourt by Barker are excellent non fiction looks at the same battle. Show Less
LibraryThing member AnneliM
Another of the author's excellent historical novels--describing the gore and bloodshed of this famous battle between the overwhelming French army and the much smaller force of Henry V, but which had the famous long bow archers.
LibraryThing member dsc73277
High adventure, with no shortage of action and bloodshed; in short, not really my thing, but Cornwell does it very well. The mass of fine details suggest that he has researched his topic thoroughly. The final section, which focuses on the battle of Agincourt itself (apparently Azincourt is the more
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correct name of the location), is particulary gripping as you move between different parts of the battle on the one hand and a violent attack on the French wife of one of the English archers that is taking place at the same time. I digested those final hundred or so pages in one sitting having taken months to get through the proceeding three hundred pages in very small chunks between reading other things. I'm glad I persevered. Show Less
LibraryThing member John5918
A very readable fictional account of one of the great battles which remains in the English national psyche. The story is told from the point of view of the archers, who were pivotal in this battle, and again form part of the English myth of that era. Welsh voices pop up occasionally as a reminder
Perhaps the main weakness is an exaggeration of the qualities of the archers - they become almost godlike figures in their strength.
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that the word "English" is often over-used. It does not shirk the horror of war - mud, blood and shit. Perhaps the main weakness is an exaggeration of the qualities of the archers - they become almost godlike figures in their strength.
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LibraryThing member viking2917
Very well done. Captures the gory details of medieval battle, and more interestingly to me, the characters seem medieval (rather than modern) in their thinking. The voice of Saint Crispin (& Crispinian) in Hook's ear was very nicely done. Cornwell seems fairly scrupulous in terms of historical
Heading off now to re-read the Agincourt section of [The Face of Battle] by Keegan....
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accuracy with respect to the battle itself, and as well to the living conditions of the time. Somewhat surprisingly the siege of Harfleur takes up a huge chunk of the book, perhaps more than the battle of Agincourt itself (and to be fair real events had similar durations in time, the battle of Agincourt was only a few hours). Particularly enjoyed the rendering of the siege of Harfleur and the tunneling operations that were a part of it.Heading off now to re-read the Agincourt section of [The Face of Battle] by Keegan....
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LibraryThing member bookvampire
If you are a fan of Sharpe's Rifle and the historical settings the the author interlaces with the main characters you think if Agincourt an old friend. The novel begins in the English country side and ends in France where the readerfollows the life of an English archer caught up in petty intrigues
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and great battles. Show Less
LibraryThing member Goldengrove
A gripping, bloody tale of Henry V's attempt to assert his claim to the French throne. Cornwall's books are always very well-researched, and if you can bear the gore this is a good read. I think it is fair to say that the depictions of violence are justified by the reality of the events - he does
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not hold back from describing the real horror of such brutal hand-to-hand fighting. Show Less
LibraryThing member Zare
Agincourt, place where disease-stricken and hungry English army managed to defeat mighty French army that had both superiority in numbers and (foot /cavalry) troop quality on their side.
Responsible for the English victory were long-bowmen, ordinary folk drafted to war and “despised” by the
Story is told from the viewpoint of the archer, Nicholas Hook – we follow him from the day he was exiled from his hometown in England and pressed into mercenary service in Soissons only to end up as a part of Henry the Fifths grand army marching to subdue French. Brutal war is about to take place (mind you life in that time was pretty harsh itself and book describes this in great detail).
Recommended.
Responsible for the English victory were long-bowmen, ordinary folk drafted to war and “despised” by the
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noblemen because of their lethality (archers were always considered to be “unmanly”, “un-warrior-like” through centuries from ancient Greeks onward). Story is told from the viewpoint of the archer, Nicholas Hook – we follow him from the day he was exiled from his hometown in England and pressed into mercenary service in Soissons only to end up as a part of Henry the Fifths grand army marching to subdue French. Brutal war is about to take place (mind you life in that time was pretty harsh itself and book describes this in great detail).
Recommended.
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LibraryThing member ctgarry
Finished this unabridged audio book, a bloody fictionalization of the very real Battle of Agincourt (in the year 1415). Well done and the reader added a lot in the voice characterizations. This has rekindled an interest of archery of all things. This is a reminder that simple characters, simple
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motivations, straight-forward conflicts all can be easily woven into engaging narrative. The author makes it effortless. Show Less
LibraryThing member Chariton
Cornwell has done it again. Well researched, captivatingly told, and beautifully spun into a tale of one yeoman archer in king Henry's army.
LibraryThing member mojomomma
Blood and guts and war and fighting galore! I wasn't sure I'd like this, but the close attention to historical detail made it all interesting. The plot-line was a bit pedestrian...poor, but strong and brave Nick Hook works his way up from outlaw to archer. He saves the fair Melisande at the battle
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of Soissons were she is about to be raped by an Englishman. They escape and fall in love, only to travel back to France the following year to lay siege to Harfleur and then eventually fight the big battle of Agincourt. The fate of Melisande's father is left unresolved, which annoyed me. Melisande is also annoyingly perfect. Read this one for the history! Show Less
LibraryThing member justabookreader
Agincourt begins with a decision to commit murder. Nicholas Hook, an archer for the local lord, attempts to kill one of his family's sworn enemies, a member of the Perrill brood. He is convinced that if he were to kill a Perrill, the curse that plagues his family would be lifted. He would be
In London, after assisting in the execution of men and women deemed heretics, he hears a voice telling him to stop Sir Martin, a priest of his lord and a man not fond of Hook, from raping a young woman who was sentenced to die. He is uncertain of not only the voice, he believes it might be god speaking to him, but of what it is telling him to do.
Hook leaves for France and make his way as a renegade archer. He finds himself in Soissons, France and in the middle of a massacre. Hiding in a church, he once again hears the mysterious voice and this time acts as it demands. He saves a woman, Melisande, from being raped.
Hook and Melisande escape and find they like each other's company. While trying to make their way back to England, he finds himself in the service of King Henry V and part of the plan to conquer France so Henry can rightfully take his place as King of England and France.
Cornwell brilliantly describes the workings of a bow and clearly demonstrates the strength needed to harness the full force by the archer. His descriptions, which border on lessons, are worked flawlessly into the story. He is also quite graphic in describing the damage a bow, in the right hands, can do. One note for squeamish readers, you may find yourself passing over a few battle scenes quickly as Cornwell does not leave much to the imagination. This is not a deterrent as these same scenes add an intensity and brutal reality to the work that brings 15th century warfare to life.
The story is fast paced with a lot tension thanks to Hook's penchant for attracting trouble and desire to right what he perceives as wrong. All of the drama is neatly resolved in the end but that doesn't hurt the story. Cornwell is a real storyteller. He put the reader in the middle of the action so they can feel a bowstring being pulled and bones crunching beneath a sword. It's a great read.
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welcomed home and all members of the Hook pride would flourish. Instead, he merely grazes Perrill, which he is convinced is the curse at work, and finds himself explaining the incident to his lord with as few words as he can summon, the norm for Hook. Thanks to the lord's soft spot for Hook he is shipped off to London without the punishment some believe he fully deserved. In London, after assisting in the execution of men and women deemed heretics, he hears a voice telling him to stop Sir Martin, a priest of his lord and a man not fond of Hook, from raping a young woman who was sentenced to die. He is uncertain of not only the voice, he believes it might be god speaking to him, but of what it is telling him to do.
Hook leaves for France and make his way as a renegade archer. He finds himself in Soissons, France and in the middle of a massacre. Hiding in a church, he once again hears the mysterious voice and this time acts as it demands. He saves a woman, Melisande, from being raped.
Hook and Melisande escape and find they like each other's company. While trying to make their way back to England, he finds himself in the service of King Henry V and part of the plan to conquer France so Henry can rightfully take his place as King of England and France.
Cornwell brilliantly describes the workings of a bow and clearly demonstrates the strength needed to harness the full force by the archer. His descriptions, which border on lessons, are worked flawlessly into the story. He is also quite graphic in describing the damage a bow, in the right hands, can do. One note for squeamish readers, you may find yourself passing over a few battle scenes quickly as Cornwell does not leave much to the imagination. This is not a deterrent as these same scenes add an intensity and brutal reality to the work that brings 15th century warfare to life.
The story is fast paced with a lot tension thanks to Hook's penchant for attracting trouble and desire to right what he perceives as wrong. All of the drama is neatly resolved in the end but that doesn't hurt the story. Cornwell is a real storyteller. He put the reader in the middle of the action so they can feel a bowstring being pulled and bones crunching beneath a sword. It's a great read.
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LibraryThing member booksandbutter
I have enjoyed this novel. I like the way it is written, enjoy the characters, and feel that it is written for either men or women.
LibraryThing member ulfhjorr
Cornwell's writing is simply amazing. He expertly weaves the lives of his characters around huge events that allows the reader to experience both parts of history without feeling manipulated. It goes without saying that Cornwell's descriptions of battle and strategy are excellent, but his writing
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is equally stunning in how he brings individuals from such a foreign time and place to life. Show Less
LibraryThing member Unkletom
As with all of Bernard Cornwell's books, Agincourt is an exciting adventure. My only complaint with his books is that they are fairly formulaic; same story, different battle. Fortunately for him and us, it is a good story.
LibraryThing member usnmm2
Bernard Cornwell delivers an excellent retelling of Henry V 's fight with the French in the 15th century.
LibraryThing member pierthinker
Bernard Cornwell is a master of action-adventure historical fiction. His Sharpe series, tracing the exploits of an infantryman through the Napoleonic Wars, is his most well-known work, but represents only about half of his output. Agincourt is one of the most famous battles, and victories, in
The wait was worth it. Cornwell manages his narrative in a believable way to take us through the build-up and actual battle. The way men fought is well described and he does not shy away from the brutality of the age while convincingly portraying this as a time, like any other, when people got on with their lives as best they could.
Cornwell clearly understands his history and cleverly weaves it into the narrative and action so we never feel we are being lectured.
If there is a weakness, Cornwell, like many action writers, draws women sketchily and never quite knows how to bring them into the centre of the action. They end up as little more than plot devices. Having said that, you don’t read a Cornwell novel to get insights into man-woman relationships.
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British history. This event and this author were made for each other and it seems strange that it took so long to bring them together.The wait was worth it. Cornwell manages his narrative in a believable way to take us through the build-up and actual battle. The way men fought is well described and he does not shy away from the brutality of the age while convincingly portraying this as a time, like any other, when people got on with their lives as best they could.
Cornwell clearly understands his history and cleverly weaves it into the narrative and action so we never feel we are being lectured.
If there is a weakness, Cornwell, like many action writers, draws women sketchily and never quite knows how to bring them into the centre of the action. They end up as little more than plot devices. Having said that, you don’t read a Cornwell novel to get insights into man-woman relationships.
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Awards
RUSA CODES Reading List (Winner — Historical Fiction — 2010)
British Book Award (Shortlist — Shortlist — 2009)
Language
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
493 p.; 21 cm
ISBN
9780061578908
DDC/MDS
| Fic Historical Cornwell |