Agincourt

By: Bernard Cornwell

Narrated by: Charles Keating

Length: 16 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

Agincourt is classic Cornwell...[with] attention to historical detail, well-paced action, and descriptive writing that is a pleasure to read." (Boston Globe)

Bernard Cornwell, the New York Times best-selling "reigning king of historical fiction" (USA Today), tackles his most thrilling, rich, and enthralling subject yet - the heroic tale of Agincourt. The epic battle immortalized by William Shakespeare in his classic Henry V is the background for this breathtaking tale of heroism, love, devotion, and duty from the legendary author of the Richard Sharpe novels and the Saxon Tales. This extraordinary adventure will captivate from minute one, proving once again and most powerfully, as author Lee Child attests, that "nobody in the world does this stuff better than Cornwell."

©2009 Bernard Cornwell (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"The greatest writer of historical adventures today." ( Washington Post)
"Nobody in the world does this stuff better than Cornwell. (Lee Child, author of Nothing to Lose)
"Readers who haven't discovered Bernard Cornwell don't know what they are missing....He may well be the best historical novelist writing today -- and Agincourt may well be his best novel yet. (Vince Flynn, author of Extreme Measures)

So sad it ended

I am not normally a history buff. I am not even sure how I ended up with this book in my library. But there it sat for ages. Eventually, I decided to listen to it and the narrator’s amazing cadence and mastery had me enthralled from the beginning. The story follows an archer in the English army named Nicholas Hook. He is a simple forester who through a series of events ends up in London as an archer. The priest in his lord’s employ is a rapist. Hook heard a voice that tells him to save a girl’s life and fails to act. He ends up an outlaw and becomes an archer sent by England to assist Burgundy in a fight against the French army. When the town of Soissons falls, Hook (who has been riddled with guilt over not saving the girl) hears the same voice and another one telling him to save a novice nun from rape. This time, he recognizes the voices as St Crispin and St Crispinian (patron saints of Soissons) and saves the novice nun. The girl throws her fate in with Hook and returns to England with him. This time, he carries with him the story of the atrocities committed by the French. Hook becomes an archer for Sir John in the English army and is trained by him. Throughout, Sts Crispin and Crispinian talk to him. Often they give him good advice that keeps him alive. All events lead to Agincourt.

The story is a bloody one and has made me jerk in surprise at the vivid descriptions of the blood and gore that went along with medieval battles. The narration itself if almost hypnotic. I found myself sitting in the car for another 5 minutes when I got to work or when I got home from work. The book is long but amazing and I was so sad it ended. I got so invested in the fate of young Hook that at hour 11 I had to go look up the Wikipedia for the book because I could not bear not to know his fate. It took quite a bit of my anxiety away and I was able to continue to listen to the book.

I'm Speachless

First, if you are familiar with Mr. Cornwell's writing then you don't even need to read this. Just buy it. For those new to his work then this is a great way to get to know him. Others have mentioned the narrator and you may all know that you can have fantastic words on the page but a narrator can make it flat and uninteresting. Mr. Keating performs this work superbly! You can quickly distinguish between characters and "see" the landscape set forth.
Be warned. This one is not for the family trip but for the ride to work. The action is tough, the language is hard and the suffering is oppressive. War is dirty, smelly, chaotic, and not at all glamorous. Yet there is also great beauty and compassion. Simple love and complete devotion. I teared up with the emotional highs and in the lowest despair. I laughed too.
I can't wait for Mr. Cornwell's next adventure.

Amazing!

Qutie a bit of language, but to be expected in battle. A wonderful listen.

Solid Cornwell

If you could sum up Agincourt in three words, what would they be?

Historically accurate fiction

Who was your favorite character and why?

Nick Hook is the hero and appears in just about every scene in the book, so it's hard to escape his presence.

Which character – as performed by Charles Keating – was your favorite?

King Henry

If you could rename Agincourt, what would you call it?

Longbow

Any additional comments?

I selected this book after finishing the Sharpe series by the same author. All of the books seem to follow a basic recipe, but all were enjoyable.

First rate!

A well-narrated and gripping story. Almost like being there! The fear, the wonderment, the exhaustion, and the pride were palpable. The narrator was excellent.

wowza

that was amazing! i need more in my life! more more more more more more until I hit twenty words!

Wonderful, riveting, and brutal

This book is not for wimps. It tells the story of a horrific battle, and while it is not gratuitously brutal, Cornwell does not candy-coat what life was like back then. We loved this book. My husband got his bow and arrows out when we finished reading it and started shooting again. Apparently, the story of archers inspired him? The characters are wonderful, and the story is well told.

The only book I have reviewed

The only book I had enough enthusiasm for to review. Great stuff - get this one.

Good first person view of a major historic event

If you could sum up Agincourt in three words, what would they be?

Well written and well narrated, this tells the story of Henry II's siege and battle at Agincourt in a very accessible way. The story is engaging, with close attention to historical detail.

Gritty historical fiction

Great mix of historical people and events mixed with compelling fictional characters. Not for the faint at heart as the battle descriptions are gripping and realistic. The narrator does a fantastic job as well.