1356: A Novel
Although definitely a stand-alone, Cornwell’s latest foray into the dark days of the Hundred Years’ War features the reappearance of the rascally Thomas of Hookton, aka Le Batard, the main character of his enormously popular Grail Quest trilogy. As Thomas and his band of not-so-merry mercenaries roam the ravaged French countryside in search of pillage and plunder, they are bidden by the Earl of Northhampton to unearth the lost sword of Saint Peter, a mythic weapon purported to bestow on its owner tremendous powers for either good or evil. Naturally, the French are also seeking this holy relic, and all roads lead to Poitiers, where the badly outnumbered English forces wage a fierce battle against their enemies, resulting in one of the most improbably astounding victories of the protracted conflict. In addition to carving out another action-packed martial adventure, Cornwell spotlights one of the most significant but often overlooked battles of the era.      High Demand Backstory: Cornwell, the master of martial fiction never lacks an audience and the reappearence of the engaging hero of the Grail Quest provides an added incentive to revisit the pivotal Battle of Poitiers. --Margaret Flanagan