Agincourt, by Bernard Cornwell

Bernard Cornwell has written a large number of historical fiction books. In Agincourt (also entitled Azincourt) he puts his considerable skill to use to provide a fresh look as well as great entertainment based on one of the most famous and best documented battlesAgincourt, by Bernard Cornwell in early English history. In doing this, he lets readers view the political background as well as the historical events in the novel through the perspective of a fictional character: Nick Hook, an extraordinary archer, the bastard son of an English nobleman and an unlikely confidant of saints.

As Bernard Cornwell has recently written a trilogy about an English longbow man, Thomas of Hookton (The Archer's Tale), and clearly is very knowledgeable about bows, archery, and other related themes, this is a wise choice. As well, it is a perspective that allows Cornwell to write an action packed novel that does not dwell overly much with some of the larger issues of the times in general and the campaign by King Henry V in particular. And, indeed, this is a book full of action with blood, foul language, archery, and mud.

Nicholas Hook is a young archer outlawed for striking a rapist priest. He is more or less forced to enter the French campaign. He keeps hearing the voices of two saints in his head, and during the sack of Soissons, he rescues a French girl from rape. And afterwards falls in love with her. But at the same time problems are brewing – his enemies from England enter the scene and he has to deal with enemies within his own camp as well as the challenges posed by the campaign and the enemy.

The story of Agincourt is legendary. King Henry V leads his army into France to claim his right as King of France. But at the time, as in more modern wars like Vietnam, the soldiers seemingly don’t know or care why they are in France. They've been sent to kill Frenchmen. That is their job. And what they dream of is plunder and ransom – which may make them rich if they are lucky – or rape. Overall, the perspective Cornwell provides - on the battles, the era, the participants, the technology - is fairly rational and somewhat cynical.

The way to Agincourt is hard and bloody. First is the fall of Soissons, a nasty tale of betrayal and cruelty. Then there is the siege of Harfleur, which it took too much time to win. Then, there is the final, somewhat unlikely but very heroic battle on Saint Crispin's Day at Agincourt. There a small English force - Cornwell accepts the theory of 30,000 French and 6,000 English as the most likely - overcome a French army five times larger. The archers were positioned ahead and to the sides of the English men-of-war, who were staged in two rear positions. Would this strategy prove effective?

Cornwell's historical accuracy is very good throughout – even though there are some minor flaws concerning armor and such - and he gracefully acknowledges his sources in an interesting "Historical Note" at the end. The characters are drawn with vivid strokes, and the side-stories are interesting. But most of all this is a book of battles, military technology and fighting. The final battle is carried out in painstaking detail and is very exciting.

Agincourt is a great read. I tore through it. And I really felt it left me with a deeper understanding of the era, English history, and military technology. I do not hesitate to recommend it.

Links to Bernard Cornwell's Agincourt: amazon US, Amazon UK: Agincourt and Cornwell at amazon UK, and Againcourt at amazon CAN

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