Occasionally I like to take a step out of my comfort zone or genre and read something that I would otherwise skip over. This time around it was Bernard Cornwell's 1356...and it did not disappoint!
Having never read anything from Bernard Cornwell....I was surprised! The story is incredibly well written, and highly detailed oriented. The characters were strong, likeable and in some instances, unlikable.
The familiar characters of Thomas of Hookton, also known as la Batard, and his men are in the middle of France seeking to help Edward III and his son Edward, the Prince of Wales. We follow Thomas to the Battle of Poitiers, where he must seek another holy relic, protect his wife and men, and face down the corruption from the Church's most inner circles.
Throughout 1356, the various character move throughout the countryside. As we follow each, the events that made the Black Prince, or otherwise known and Edward, Prince of Wales famous. The chevauchess or the particularly destructive kind of military raid that had made Edward III of England famous. Instead of besieging a castle or conquering land, men at arms on a ChevauchΓ©e created as much destruction, carnage and chaos as possible to both break the morale of enemies & deny their rulers income and resources.
Bernard Cornwell writing grips the reader and holds throughout the entire book! Although the characters of this book are part of his Grail Quest, Archer's Tale, Vagabond, & Heretic Series, this book can be read without having to read those.
Go with God and Fight Like the Devil. A fascinating hero and the pursuit of a sword with mythical power - this is the remarkable new novel by Britain's master storyteller, which culminates at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. Thomas of Hookton, a veteran of Crecy and many other battles, is the leader of a mercenary company of bowmen and men-at-arms who ravage the countryside east of Gascony. Edward, Prince of Wales, later to be known as the Black Prince, is assembling an army to fight the French once more but before Thomas can join, he must fulfil an urgent task. La Malice, a sword of mythical power guaranteeing victory to its owner, is thought to be concealed somewhere near Poitiers. With signs that a battle between the English and the French is looming others are seeking the treasure too, and some - French, Scots and even English - are pursuing their private agendas against Thomas. But all - Thomas of Hookton, his enemies and friends and the fate of La Malice - become swept up in the extraordinary confrontation that follows, as the large French army faces the heavily outnumbered English in battle.
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