Booking It: The Archer's Tale

Impressive archery is a frequent “wow” factor for the big screen. From Robin Hood to Legolas to Hawkeye, masters of this highly specialized weapon intrigue and entertain us, providing the opportunity for diverse and pretty badass fight choreography. In Bernard Cornwell’s book The Archer’s Tale, the real, historical archery masters come to life in a vivid, bloody painting.

Set in 14th century England and France, The Archer’s Tale follows the story of a young man named Thomas who joins the English army to seek revenge on the French after his town is raided, leaving him the only survivor. Thomas is one of the infamous English archers who use longbows, a far more deadly weapon than the crossbows used in France and the rest of Europe, and one of the biggest reasons England posed a major threat to France. They are known as the “devil’s horsemen” and are hated throughout France for the destruction they wreak on the countryside. Cornwell successfully evokes the dark reality of medieval warfare. Although the protagonists and narrative are fictional, most of the battles are lifted directly from history, making the backdrop to the action highly realistic. Cornwell does not romanticize the events, or shy away from the raping, burning, pillaging and slaughter that occurr. Yet he manages to make the characters who commit these horrors lively and enjoyable so that you root for them. They are not simply faceless monsters, although they are sometimes not especially well-developed. He does not demonize the French or the English. It is often jarring, in fact, to be reminded that these characters whose witty banter you enjoy on one page destroy dozens of people’s lives on the next.

Even Thomas, though he is presented as somewhat more restrained and level-headed in the violence relative to other characters and he is never explicitly identified as a rapist, is capable of his own fair share of pillaging, drunkenness, blasphemy and even cold-blooded murder. Though uncomfortable for a reader searching for good-at-heart protagonists, these characters would be unbelievable and unrealistic if they were written any other way. It would also be as bad and boring as a formulaic genre novel. Presenting the people committing the atrocities of war as the human beings that they are, no matter how violent and awful, is not only necessary for the accuracy of the story, but also a thought-provoking exercise important to every part of human history, including today.

One of the most impressive elements of the novel is Cornwell’s obviously extensive research. The battles and other major events involving more characters than just the protagonist are almost all based in historical fact. He also spends a great deal of time discussing the mechanics of archery. Although most of it is relevant, it could probably have been condensed, and certainly the level of detail included is not necessary to understanding the plot. The text occasionally gets lost in a technical tangent. It is a fantastic mini-history lesson on archery, if that intrigues you, but would probably seem boring to someone uninterested in the subject. Since the story is so strongly rooted in historical events and the importance of the longbow, I would not recommend it for someone who does not care for historical fiction. It does not require any particular foreknowledge of 14th century history to enjoy the book, but it is certainly more enjoyable if you have a least a vague interest in the era.

Something I particularly enjoyed in this novel was Thomas’s attitude as the protagonist. A major part of the plot is his promise to his dying father that he will recover a relic stolen from the church when their town was raided by the French. Despite this vow and the recurring instance of every other father or mentor figure reminding him he has a destiny to fulfill, Thomas remains reluctant and vaguely annoyed at the whole situation. He is not angsty or upset about being “chosen,” he just genuinely does not care and wishes other people would stop badgering him about it. Although his “destiny” does play a role throughout the novel and form part of the climax, Cornwell allows the novel to make fun of itself and subvert the weary Destiny trope, at least a little bit.

The Archer’s Tale offers a wonderfully detailed glimpse into the life of a 14th century English longbow archer. It is a bloody, dramatic story all the more interesting for being rooted in historical fact. Although it is probably not going to win many awards for literary value, the book is a page-turner. It is well-paced and occasionally shocking, with colorful characters and an engaging plotline. The research and commitment to accuracy is truly outstanding. Ultimately, it is a fun story with a history lesson on the side that is well worth the read.