Harlequin

Harlequins are lost souls, so loved by the devil that he would not take them to hell, but left them to roam the earth. In French, the word is hellequin � the name given to the English archers who crossed the Channel to lay waste the towns and countryside. In the fourteenth century the English were just beginning to discover their national identity, and one of the strongest elements of this was the overwhelming success in battle of the English bowmen. England�s archers crossed the Channel to lay a country to waste. Thomas of Hookton was one of those archers. When his village is sacked by French raiders, he escapes from his father�s ambition to become a wild youth who delights in the opportunities which war offers � for fighting, for revenge and for friendship. But Thomas is hounded by his conscience. He has made a promise to God to retrieve a relic stolen in the raid from Hookton�s church. The search for the relic leads him into a world where lovers become enemies, enemies become friends and always, somewhere beyond the horizon that is smeared with the smoke of fires set by the rampaging English army, a terrible enemy awaits him. That enemy would harness the power of Christendom�s greatest relic � the grail itself. In this, the first book of a new series, Thomas begins the quest that will lead him through the fields of France, until at last the two armies face each other on a hillside near the village of Crecy. From Publishers Weekly The young archer Thomas of Hookton joins the forces of King Edward III to fight against France in Cornwell’s latest, which takes place in the mid-14th century at the beginning of the Hundred Years War. Thomas, a brilliant, handsome warrior who combines physical strength and skill with the bow, survives the pillaging of his village to become an archer and then rescues a female counterpart known as the Blackbird after she’s nearly raped by Sir Simon Jekyll during one of the troop’s raids in France. The nobleman becomes Thomas’s chief rival as Jekyll continues to pursue the Blackbird, and Thomas is finally cast out of his unit after failing to kill Jekyll in an ill-conceived assassination attempt. He recovers to join and couple with the Blackbird, making his way through France and parlaying his skills into a royal pardon even as his opportunistic partner leaves him for the libidinous Prince of Wales. The three members of Cornwell’s romantic triangle eventually meet during a huge climactic battle at Cr�cy, where Thomas must face up to a demanding family legacy involving a quest for a special lance. Cornwell has been down this path many times before, and he’s a consummate pro when it comes to plying the tried-and-true combination of heroic characters; a fast-moving, action-packed plot; and enough twists and turns to keep the narrative from lapsing into formula. He uses his historical expertise judiciously as well. This book mark the beginning of a promising new series that brings an intriguing period to life. (Oct. 9)Forecast: Cornwell, the author of the Richard Sharpe series, set during the Napoleonic Wars, has a strong and growing U.S. fan base. The Archer’s Tale, already a bestseller in Britain, should strengthen his hold on the Patrick O’Brian crowd. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal Already a best seller in England under the title Harlequin, this novel is the opening salvo of a new series by the author of the well-known Richard Sharpe books (e.g., Sharpe’s Trafalgar). Set in the early 1400s at the beginning of the Hundred Years War between England and France, this novel depicts one of the most bloody and violent periods in the history of conflict between these two nations. After the theft of the treasure of Hookton, a broken lance thought to have been the weapon St. George used to slay the dragon, young Thomas, the bastard son of the village priest and a skilled longbowman, joins the English army in hopes of recovering the relic. Instead, he finds himself caught up in the invasion of France. Cornwell has crafted an extremely well-written novel, grounded in actual historic events. As in the Sharpe books, Cornwell’s battle scenes are particularly memorable. This series, however, promises to be a bit meatier. More attention is paid to fascinating secondary characters and the roles they play in the political, religious, and social arenas of the time. Highly recommended. - Jane Baird, Anchorage Municipal Libs., AK Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, now available in paperbackthe first book in the Grail Series--a 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. At dawn on Easter morning 1343, a marauding band of French raiders arrives by boat to ambush the coastal English village of Hookton. To brave young Thomas, the only survivor, the horror of the attack is epitomized in the casual savagery of a particular black-clad knight, whose flag -- three yellow hawks on a blue field -- presides over the bloody affair. As the killers sail away, Thomas vows to avenge the murder of his townspeople and to recapture a holy treasure that the black knight stole from the church. To do this, Thomas of Hookton must first make his way to France; So in 1343 he joins the army of King Edward III as it is about to invade the continent -- the beginning of the Hundred Years War. A preternaturally gifted bowman, Thomas quickly becomes recognized as one of England's most deadly archers in King Edward's march across France. Yet he never stops scanning the horizon for his true enemy's flag. When Thomas saves a young Frenchwoman from a bloodthirsty crowd, her father -- French nobleman Sir Guillaume d'Evecque -- rewards his bravery by joining him in the hunt for the mysterious dark knight and the stolen holy relic. What begins as a search for vengeance will soon prove the beginning of an even higher purpose: the quest for the Holy Grail itself.

at Dawn On Easter Morning 1343, A Marauding Band Of French Raiders Arrives By Boat To Ambush The Coastal English Village Of Hookton. To Brave Young Thomas, The Only Survivor, The Horror Of The Attack Is Epitomized In The Casual Savagery Of A Particular Black-clad Knight, Whose Flag -- Three Yellow Hawks On A Blue Field -- Presides Over The Bloody Affair. As The Killers Sail Away, Thomas Vows To Avenge The Murder Of His Townspeople And To Recapture A Holy Treasure That The Black Knight Stole From The Church.

to Do This, Thomas Of Hookton Must First Make His Way To France; So In 1343 He Joins The Army Of King Edward Iii As It Is About To Invade The Continent -- The Beginning Of The Hundred Years War. A Preternaturally Gifted Bowman, Thomas Quickly Becomes Recognized As One Of England's Most Deadly Archers In King Edward's March Across France. Yet He Never Stops Scanning The Horizon For His True Enemy's Flag.

when Thomas Saves A Young Frenchwoman From A Bloodthirsty Crowd, Her Father -- French Nobleman Sir Guillaume D'evecque -- Rewards His Bravery By Joining Him In The Hunt For The Mysterious Dark Knight And The Stolen Holy Relic. What Begins As A Search For Vengeance Will Soon Prove The Beginning Of An Even Higher Purpose: The Quest For The Holy Grail Itself.

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perhaps The Greatest Writer Of Historical Adventure Novels Today.

After surviving a vicious attack on his village in 1343 A.D., archer Thomas of Hookton joins the army of King Edward III as he prepares to launch an invasion into France, but his quest for vengeance takes him on an epic 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. The first volume in this new series begins a medieval quest for the Holy Grail. When his English village is attacked by French marauders led by a vicious knight, young Thomas vows revenge and to retrieve a holy treasure taken from the church. Traveling to France, Thomas joins the army of King Edward III at the beginning of the Hundred Years War, becoming a preternaturally gifted--and deadly--archer 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. Thomas of Hookton, having witnessed the massacre of the people of his coastal English village by a marauding band of French raiders on Easter morning 1343, embarks on a quest to hunt down the black-clad knight who led the attack