I learned that it is very hard to review audio books. When you're spreading a 17 hour book over more than three weeks of listening, and most of your listening is done while walking on the morning commute, things might get lost. However, Charles Keating's narration is really engaging, with great growelly voices and a hint of humor or wonder where needed.
Cornwell's novel follows an archer, Nicholas Hook, who escapes to France as an English mercenary after hitting a priest (a killing offense - even if he hit the priest in an attempt to stop him from raping and murdering an heretic girl). During a devastating loss in Soisson, Hook saves a young novice, Melisande, from being raped by an English traitor, and together they steal away across France to Calais and back to England. Hook becomes a favorite of his new lord, Sir John, whose company he remains in through the campaign in France in 1415, appointed to the longbow by King Henry V, himself. Throughout his adventures, Hook is often visited by the Saints Crispin and Crispinian, martyred brothers who offer him advice and strength (or tough words on St. Crispin's part).
Out of everyone in the novel, I'm pretty sure Sir John and Father Christopher were my favorites. Sir John is constantly cursing and telling his men what sorts of violence befit the death of a damn Frenchman, looking to Father Christopher as if - I think - taunting him. But FC only ever replies "As you say, Sir John." Occasionally the priest would offer up his own slurs against the French, which (along with the mad and evil Sir Martin) made room for some interesting speculation on the role of religious men in Henry's campaign, and the fallibility of men.
Some of the more memorable scenes from the play are hinted at here, but I think that's more because they are memorable scenes from history. Harfleur in the play is where Henry V calls for his men to go "Once more unto the breach," and is conquered. In history, and this book, Harfleur was an embarrassingly long siege. The scene in the play where Henry hangs his old friends for stealing goods from a church is transferred to a personal loss for Hook, which informs a later scene where the eve of St. Crispin (and Crispinian)'s day gives the archer a "little touch of Harry in the night."
Mostly, this book is one long account of how horrifying warfare was in the 15th century. Tunnels and counter-tunnels, trebuchets, how an arrow pierces flesh and scrapes bone, how dysentery is effing awful, how swords rip through bellies and throats - but also how organized it was. Messengers and Heralds (as in the play) are treated with respect and candor. Sir John and "Le Signeur de Feurre" (The Lord of Hell, Melisande's father) share a mutual respect for each other's skills on the field, even though they hate each other. "Maybe they are friends," one archer thinks watching them walk and talk together, though it's an odd kind of friendship.
I do feel like I learned a lot, and the book is action-packed since it's pretty much brawl after siege after battle after war. The characters are interesting and likeable, and it's not hard to see why the English remember Harry with such reverence and fondness - he was their brother for a day after all.
Agincourt
- Paperback: 512 pages
- Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; Reprint edition (December 29, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 006157890
Audio Book
- Publisher: HarperAudio; Unabridged edition (January 20, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0060780967
- ISBN-13: 978-0060780968
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