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Young Nicholas Hook is dogged by a curse, haunted by what he has failed to do and banished for what he has done. A wanted man in England, he is driven to fight as a mercenary archer in France, where he finds two things he can love: his instincts as a fighting man, and a girl in trouble. Together they survive the notorious massacre at Soissons, an event that shocks all Christendom. With no options left, Hook heads home to England, where his capture means certain death.
The tale begins in Dark Age Britain, a land where Arthur has been banished and Merlin has disappeared, where a child-king sits unprotected on the throne, where religion vies with magic for the souls of the people. It is to this desperate land that Arthur returns, a man at once utterly human and truly heroic: a man of honor, loyalty, and amazing valor; a man who loves Guinevere more passionately than he should; a man whose life is at once tragic and triumphant.
The year is 1820 and England has fought its last victorious battle against the French. Rider Sandman, a hero of Waterloo, has finally returned to London to wed his young bride. But instead of being able to settle down to his fame and glory, he finds himself penniless in a country where unemployment and social unrest are raging high, and where men - innocent or guilty - are hung for the merest of crimes. Thus, when the Home Secretary offers him a job as private investigator.
Four thousand years ago, a stranger's death at the Old Temple of Ratharryn, and his ominous "gift" of gold, precipitates the building of what for centuries to come will be known as one of mankind's most singular and remarkable achievements.
When William Faulconer rescues Nate Starbuck, his son’s friend, from the clutches of a Yankee-hating mob in Virginia, he finds a grateful and willing recruit for Faulconer’s Legion. But Nate’s decision to fight against his native North is only one of the human dilemmas facing the Legion. The Legion commander’s son is against the war, and his daughter’s fiancé is plotting for control of the family fortune. As a motley gathering of men prepares to engage the enemy at Bull Run, they have high hopes of ending the war before it starts.
When he's caught stealing, young Alan Dale is forced to leave his family and go to live with a notorious band of outlaws in Sherwood Forest. Their leader is the infamous Robin Hood. A tough, bloodthirsty warrior, Robin is more feared than any man in the county. And he becomes a mentor for Alan; with his fellow outlaws, Robin teaches Alan how to fight - and how to win.
Young Nicholas Hook is dogged by a curse, haunted by what he has failed to do and banished for what he has done. A wanted man in England, he is driven to fight as a mercenary archer in France, where he finds two things he can love: his instincts as a fighting man, and a girl in trouble. Together they survive the notorious massacre at Soissons, an event that shocks all Christendom. With no options left, Hook heads home to England, where his capture means certain death.
The tale begins in Dark Age Britain, a land where Arthur has been banished and Merlin has disappeared, where a child-king sits unprotected on the throne, where religion vies with magic for the souls of the people. It is to this desperate land that Arthur returns, a man at once utterly human and truly heroic: a man of honor, loyalty, and amazing valor; a man who loves Guinevere more passionately than he should; a man whose life is at once tragic and triumphant.
The year is 1820 and England has fought its last victorious battle against the French. Rider Sandman, a hero of Waterloo, has finally returned to London to wed his young bride. But instead of being able to settle down to his fame and glory, he finds himself penniless in a country where unemployment and social unrest are raging high, and where men - innocent or guilty - are hung for the merest of crimes. Thus, when the Home Secretary offers him a job as private investigator.
Four thousand years ago, a stranger's death at the Old Temple of Ratharryn, and his ominous "gift" of gold, precipitates the building of what for centuries to come will be known as one of mankind's most singular and remarkable achievements.
When William Faulconer rescues Nate Starbuck, his son’s friend, from the clutches of a Yankee-hating mob in Virginia, he finds a grateful and willing recruit for Faulconer’s Legion. But Nate’s decision to fight against his native North is only one of the human dilemmas facing the Legion. The Legion commander’s son is against the war, and his daughter’s fiancé is plotting for control of the family fortune. As a motley gathering of men prepares to engage the enemy at Bull Run, they have high hopes of ending the war before it starts.
When he's caught stealing, young Alan Dale is forced to leave his family and go to live with a notorious band of outlaws in Sherwood Forest. Their leader is the infamous Robin Hood. A tough, bloodthirsty warrior, Robin is more feared than any man in the county. And he becomes a mentor for Alan; with his fellow outlaws, Robin teaches Alan how to fight - and how to win.
It is 1347 - a year of war and unrest. England’s army is fighting in France, and the Scots are invading from the North. Thomas of Hookton, sent back to England to follow an ancient trail to the Holy Grail, becomes embroiled in the fighting at Durham. Here, he meets a new and sinister enemy, a Dominican Inquisitor, who, like all of Europe, is searching for Christendom’s most holy relic. It is not certain the grail even exists, but no one wants to let it fall into someone else’s hands. And though Thomas may have an advantage in the search - an old notebook left to him by his father seems to offer clues to the whereabouts of the relic - his rivals, inspired by a fanatical religious fervor, have their own ways: the torture chamber of the Inquisition.
Barely alive, Thomas is able to escapes their clutches, but fate will not let him rest. He is thrust into one of the bloodiest fights of the Hundred Years War, the battle of la Roche-Derrien, and amidst the flames, arrows, and butchery of that night, he faces his enemies once again.
Cornwell captures the chaos of battle better than anyone! historically accurate but never dull. the characters are human--they come alive in the story
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
it was better than the first one. couldn't stop listening. several dynamic characters are introduced
I remember reading the Grail Quest series 15 years ago and they were my gateway to Cornwell’s Sharpe series. Vagabond strikes me as Cornwell still learning his formula that he perfected in his Sharpe books. I found that this story really dragged in places and could use a trimming edit. Cornwell tends to be quite repetitive with some things, including countless priestly blessings for warriors to bring mayhem to their enemies, French battle planning, and an overly drawn out account of Thomas being tortured. I also feel that a Cornwell misses the mark (pun intended) on the medieval mindset, with the result that several characters just don’t seem right. There are some good parts though, such as when he writes about the actual battles and some other adventure parts. I think that Andrew Cullum did a great job with the narration, making the characters come alive. If you are a Cornwell fan, give it a listen. If not, I’d suggest you try the Sharpe series first.
Great characters and a story portrayed in a way that makes you feel like you were in the thick of the battle.
Exceptional story as always, and a mastery in narration!! If you love stories of battles, this is for you!
Well written, well read, very enjoyable, part 2 of the trilogy, the Grail Quest. Thomas of Hookton is a terrific character. I hope Mr. Cornwell revisits the character once more after 1356, the last story about him.
Another great series. Love it. Can't wait to start the next book. I ended up binge listening because it just got really good and I didn't want to stop listening.
Well narrated too. Great job.
another cornwell home run. everything he writes is awesome. this is another series that I will be listening to over and over.
After having read 'Archers Tale' I knew the story would grab me.
The reason I will not be listening to another of these recordings is due to the horrible accent put on for the attempt at a Scottish lord.
This made the book almost unbearable.
I love Thomas of Hooktan as much as Uhtred of Bebbanbar. The character development is phenomenal & it's like you can smell the shit & blood hear the thrum of the longbow & clash of swords with the genius writing style that lets you go back in time