It is 1356 in France.  The Black Prince, the heir to the throne of England, is wreaking havoc with his army over the French countryside, destroying crops and villages with impunity.  The French king, King Jean II, is running out of excuses to engage the enemy, and yet still he waits, afraid to commit and lose everything.  He is especially afraid of the English archers who possess unerring accuracy and incredible power on the battlefield.  Although he has been told  that there is a way to defeat the archers, King Jean still hesitates.  Then his bishop tells him that there is a sword, reputedly the sword of St. Peter, which will bestow strength and power on the one who holds it. The King, believing that this is a sign of God’s favor, orders the sword, known as la Malice, be found and brought to him.

The Earl of North Cumberland also hears of this mythical sword and orders Thomas Hookton, also known as le Batard, (who has appeared previously in Cornwell’s Grail Quest Trilogy)  and his men known as the Helequin to find the sword before the French.

As the search for the sword converges with the English and French armies at Poitiers this famous historic battle unfolds. The massive French force who were dominated by the heavily armored calvary and dominated the field of battle, engage a vastly out numbered English force who are poorly positioned and cut off from any water supply. As Thomas Hookton and his men participate in this epic battle the value of the English bowman in this conflict becomes central to the astounding outcome of this battle.

Cornwell is an amazing story teller, but not only that he makes history come alive in 1356 in a way that few authors can do.  Although this is a story about a famous pivotal battle in the Hundred Years War, he is able to make it relevant and new.  His characters both historical and fictional inhabit a real world, grounded in historical references, beliefs, and values. It is obvious that he has done his research thoroughly and that he is very familiar with what he is writing about.  Finally, every critic agrees that Cornwell’s battle scenes are written exceedingly well, giving the reader the ability to see the whole even while revealing those essential and critical details that make the battle real.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Brenda’s Rating: **** (4 out of 5 Stars) 

Recommend this book to: Keith and Ken

Books Study Worthy: No

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