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Harlequin

By: Bernard Cornwell
Narrated by: Tim Pigott-Smith
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Summary

The first in an epic new series, introducing a splendid hero, against the background of Europe in the Hundred Years’ War.

In the fourteenth century the English were just beginning to discover their national identity, and one of the strongest elements of this was the overwhelming success in battle of the English bowmen.

England’s archers crossed the Channel to lay a country to waste. Thomas of Hookton was one of those archers. When his village is sacked by French raiders, he escapes from his father’s ambition to become a wild youth who delights in the opportunities which war offers – for fighting, for revenge and for friendship.

But Thomas is hounded by his conscience. He has made a promise to God to retrieve a relic stolen in the raid from Hookton’s church. The search for the relic leads him into a world where lovers become enemies, enemies become friends and always, somewhere beyond the horizon that is smeared with the smoke of fires set by the rampaging English army, a terrible enemy awaits him.

That enemy would harness the power of Christendom’s greatest relic – the grail itself. In this, the first book of a new series, Thomas begins the quest that will lead him through the fields of France, until at last the two armies face each other on a hillside near the village of Crecy.

©2009 Bernard Cornwell (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
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WARNING - THIS IS ABRIDGED!

This is the second abridged Bernard Cornwell audiobook that I've purchased in error. Why would anyone want an abridged audiobook?

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1 person found this helpful

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Marvellous

As a huge fan of Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles series, I was delighted to find that the grail series is also narrated by the brilliant Tim Pigott-Smith so gave it a try. Although I generally prefer stories set in an even earlier period (the Chronicles and the Saxon series), this was utterly brilliant and I'm now going to read the books as these audiobooks are abridgments.

Tim Pigott-Smith is by far my favourite voice-actor for books of this sort - he uses a wide variety of voices and gets the dramatic reading just right.

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A riveting account of Crecy.

I don't often review books but this one deserves a mention - For the quality of the narration, for the Sonority of the narrator's voice and the Captivating story line.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Dodgy narration

To be honest, I was just glad to get to the end. The storyline was interesting enough to keep me listening, but Tim Piggott-Smith's narration spoiled it. Over-acting, poor accents and really odd inflections made it a real struggle.

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    2 out of 5 stars

Great story poorly told

This is one of my favourite books but I'm afraid Tim Piggott Smith doesn't have the gravitas of say Jack Hawkins and as a consequence my mind kept drifting away

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3 people found this helpful

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Good story, poorly delivered.

The book is set in 3rd person past tense which really fails to deliver the gripping story, particularly when narrated.
I listened to 3 chapters before the incessant "he said" "jake said" "they were" finally broke me.
Id recommend this book to listeners 14 and younger. Not for adults.

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