ROMANCE

1356

by Bernard Cornwell
Harper: HarperCollins. Jan. 2013. 432p. ISBN 9780061969676. $28.99; eISBN 9780062198976. F
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Hooray! Thomas of Hookton, bastard son of a priest and hero of Cornwell's Grail Quest series (The Archer's Tale; Vagabond; Heretic) is back. Still fighting the French in the bloody Hundred Years War, Thomas and his vicious but principled band of mercenary archers search for the lost sword of Saint Peter, rumored to have the power to grant victory to any who wield it, before corrupt French church officials can get their hands on it. Offering the services of his men to anyone who might pay them, Thomas finds himself uneasily balanced among protecting his men, his abiding faith in God, and his desire to wreck vengeance upon those who would use their power to persecute his loved ones.
VERDICT Thomas of Hookton is one of Cornwell's most sympathetic and powerfully written characters. His sense of honor, innate dignity, and loyalty to those for whom he feels responsible are palpable and believable. This is a man anyone would want standing by his side in a tight spot. Finally, nobody, but nobody, writes medieval battle scenes better than Cornwell. He creates panoramas of visceral immediacy, both terrifying and glorious, while retaining a sense of humanity and mercy for those who know that grace and honor may exist in the midst of absolute carnage. [See Prepub Alert, 7/30/12.]
Reviewed by Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage P.L., AK , Dec 07, 2012
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