[.ca] Heretic (ISBN 0060748281)

From Amazon.co.uk:
Heretic is the third book in Bernard Cornwell's much-acclaimed Grail Quest series, a series that many were initially cautious about because it represented something of a change of pace for the master historical novelist. But Cornwell quickly demonstrated that this period of history was well within his remit, and the sequence has proved to be among his most mesmerising work. Heretic begins with a bloody battle outside Calais in 1347, a short time before the city fell to the English. The sympathetic Thomas of Hookton is bending every sinew at the service of his master, the Earl of Northampton; after risking his life time and again, Thomas finds himself commissioned to track down the most sacred relic in Christendom, the Holy Grail. He travels to Gascony, seat of power of his nemesis, Guy Vexille. Utilising his archers, Thomas conducts a fierce guerrilla war against Vexille, and yearns for a face-to-face encounter. But then Thomas is routed and finds his campaign in shreds, facing the twin enemies of the church and the plague. In this third book, Bernard Cornwell ups the ante in every sense: along with the splendidly realised battle scenes (a Cornwell trademark), the evocation of the Middle Ages is more crowded and bustling than one might have thought possible without subsuming the protagonists. But most of all, it's the character of Thomas that powers the narrative; having his hero fall in love (sensitively handled here) sets off the ultimate conflict with his mortal enemy perfectly. Leave the 21st century behind and venture into a dark and foreign era--it's a journey you won't regret. --Barry Forshaw

The quest continues...:
The Holy Grail was the most sacred of all treasures in medieval times, sending armies on quests for the fabled cup all over Europe. Thomas of Hookton, a young English archer of some considerable skill, finds himself in France searching for the grail, but instead finds himself a bundle of trouble. Thomas saves a girl from being burned at the stake for witchcraft and suddenly finds himself excommunicated from the church, and an enemy of his friends. To make matters worse, English archers in France were popular amongst bandits- because of the high price on their heads. Thomas and his newfound love soon find shelter in a monastery, which holds further clues to the whereabouts of the mythical grail. The monastery proves to be an unsafe hideout, as Thomas' ambitious and ruthless cousin also seeks the grail, and would quite like to see Thomas and his heretic girlfriend dead. Things come to a head when Thomas is reunited with his former friends, but ends up besieged in a castle. While the English longbow was the most deadly infantry weapon of the era, it was no match for the early cannon, subtly named Hell Spitter, dragged in from Italy to knock down the castle. The Italian gunners however bring something far more deadly with them in the form of the Black Death. Bernard Cornwell brings to life a number of aspects of the medieval age, like the deep reaching influence of the church, and how allegiances among soldiers were made and broken. He also offers a view into the harsh realities of medieval life, like the desperate poverty of peasants, who were an easy target for both soldiers and bandits alike. Cornwell pulls no punches when it comes to graphic descriptions of violence and war, and how something as simple as a broken limb could prove fatal. While Robin Hood may have been noble enough to steal from the rich and give to the poor, Thomas of Hookton stole from the poor when he had to, and killed the rich when they deserved it. This is a fast moving and historically accurate story with characters flawed enough to be real people, tangled in one of the most futile but enduring treasure hunts of all time.

Suspect Motives:
The greatest impediment to enjoying a novel (for me) is when characters act in ways that don't make sense, thus poisoning the rationale for the story line. Even given the notable lack of self-control of Cornwell heroes when it comes to women, in this case the major plot line was Thomas abandoning his course for the woman. The only motivation offered for Thomas's attraction is her beauty. But there is absolutely no indication of any character lurking beneath the body! I haven't counted, but I doubt she has more than 30 words of dialogue in the entire book. For the hero to make a 90-degree behavioral turn for a woman, one has to understand the woman to understand why he would do so. Because there is no credible explanation, the book from a story perspective has to fail. I hasten to add that the historical accuracy, battle scenes, etc. are Cornwell's normal high quality.

Good story with plenty of action:
Unlike the some of the other reviewers this was my first Bernard Cornwell book and won't be my last!! However I wasn't aware, when I read it, that it was the last in a trilogy so it might be preferable to read the other two first. I found myself getting gradually absorbed into the story, feeling compelled to follow the main characters through their quest for the Grail, honour and acceptance. The battle scenes were very descriptive as was general life in mid fourteenth century France, all making this an excellent and persuasive read.

A series worth reading:
I'm a big fan of Bernard Cornwell, and found this series very satisfying. I count on his books for their historical detail, great characters, insights into human nature and page-turning action. Some thoughts on reading this book: No betrayals sting harder than when we're betrayed by our friends. No gift is greater than being forgiven when we least deserve it. No greater crimes are committed than those that are committed in God's name.

3rd book in the series:
Set in 14th century France, where the peasants trying to survive were beset by greedy barons exacting rent and taxes, invading armies that pillaged and burned villages, a corrupt church, bands of unemployed soldiers who occupied areas for their own profit, gangs of bandits who preyed on everyone else, and the plague which appeared and decimated entire towns. Thomas of Hookton returns to France during the last stages of the seige of Calais. He reports to the Earl of Northampton, and leaves on a search for the Holy Grail. It is an interesting tale, and does raise a question. How would you recognize the Grail if you happened to find it? It was a cup, but there were hundreds of thousands of cups lying about. The quest is joined by various people who have their own interests in finding the Grail, some for personal profit, and some for power. Friendships are uncertain, and people sometimes form unlikely alliances (an enemy of my enemy is my friend). The main criteria for being a hero seems to be the ability to survive, and Thomas survives unusual perils while people around him perish. The novel has an interesting epilogue about the Grail. Readers are referred to Mercedes Lackey's short story "Once and Future" about a man who wakes up one morning to find himself in possession of Excalibur (it is found in her collection, "Fiddler Fair"). Possibly of interest is the fact that Thomas finds a woman companion who also survives. The author has a habit of disposing of women in his novels, although Sharpe also eventually settled down with a woman who seems to survive. I originally became interested in the series because the Earl of Northampton was a distant ancestor. The author has done extensive research into the history of time period, and his novels seem a good depiction of conditions.