2005-11-14 - 4:42 p.m.
While we have to deal with pesky archers, at least we don’t have to dodge musket balls.
Finally back in NC.
There is a very strong gravitational pull around Rockville MD, and I had to achieve an extreme escape velocity to escape my orbit.
In other words I’d rather hang out with my sweetie than come back here.
But the end is near, and soon I hope to hand this place over to a real estate agent and head up to MD for good.
I started listening to a new book on the way back from Rockville,
Bernard Cornwell’s “Archers Tale”
Set in the mid 14th century it follows a common yeoman through several campaigns in France and beyond.
Bernard Cornwell is best known for his Sharpe novels, which follow a common solider through several campaigns in France during the Napoleonic war. I guess the common solider, and the hated French are kind of a theme for this author. (I hear these are actually pretty good.)
In England “The Archer’s Tale” was released under its original title “Harlequin”.
Of course a “Harlequin” novel in the states is a certain type of Romance novel, often of the “bodice ripper” variety
The publishers obviously didn’t want this book confused with those, which is terribly ironic since in fact “The Archers Tale” is a very historically accurate bodice ripper.
To be fair, this is a book about war, and a very accurate one at that, and since rape and plunder were the major motivators for the common solider, a lack of bodice ripping would have stood out in this book.
It’s not that bad, (the book I mean) and students of the period will find lots of little details that the author has gotten correct which is always nice. This isn’t high literature, but it is a good tale and I’m looking forward t the next two books.
Since this is an audio book review, I must mention that the reader is better than average. A poor reading performance can absolutely ruin a book no matter how good the content.
Ok, going back to work, and the Scottish campaign of 1347!
Justus
