ineffablebob 's review for:

Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell

adventurous dark informative slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell is a historical fiction novel following Nick Hook, an English archer who finds his way into the army of Henry V that invaded France and fought the famous battle at Agincourt. It's written from Hook's perspective, with the grim and gritty realism of life in the 15th century. Which means a lot of violence, casual cruelty, and suffering - but also loyalty, friendship, and even love. Plenty of historical figures make appearances - my favorite is Hook's commander Sir John Cornwaille, who was known as one of the greatest fighters of his time. The style reminds me of grimdark fantasy like Joe Abercrombie's First Law series, though of course it's really the other way around since this was real history. This book made the perfect companion to reading Juliet Barker's history of Agincourt, bringing the story to life.