The archer
The archer is a novel by Bernard Cornwell . It was published on June 4, 2001 in England by HarperCollins under the title Harlequin . Other publishers are:
- In Italy: Longanesi
- In Germany: Ullstein Verlag
- In France: Presse de la cité
It is the first book in a trilogy about the adventures of a young archer in the Hundred Years War .
Summary
The action begins in 1342 in the small fishing village of Hookton on the southern English coast. It's Easter, and eighteen-year-old Thomas and four other men traditionally guard the little church of the village from the rampage of the tains and goblins , monsters of English folklore. But the peaceful existence of the village is disturbed at dawn by the landing of Breton knights who enslave the women, kill the men and burn the village. Thomas manages to save himself, but the attackers kill his father (the pastor of the village) and steal the lance of St. George that is kept in the church . Thomas vows to avenge his family and people and goes to France, where he places himself under the command of William Skeats, the commander of a squad of archers fighting in Brittany .
England is in the Hundred Years War against France. Over the next eight years, Thomas becomes a soldier, meets terrible enemies, loyal friends and charming, albeit dangerous, women and, in search of the destroyers of his village, gets into a chain of adventures that make him a legendary secret of the lead entire Christianity: the Holy Grail .
ISBN
- The Archer , (In Search of the Holy Grail) is available under various ISBNs:
- ISBN 3-548-60950-3 .
- ISBN 3-548-26393-3 .
- ISBN 978-3-548-26393-9 .
- Weltbildverlag