Agincourt

I am a fan of Cornwell, having read all of the Saxon Tales series except the latest release. This was my first foray into a standalone work of his and I was quite pleased with his fictionalization of the Battle of Agincourt. While I agree with fellow Goodreaders that Cornwell overused certain phrases, slang, and curses throughout the book, I thought that his depiction of combat, the mechanics of the English longbow, and his attention to detail regarding late-medieval armor, weaponry, and wartime logistics were spot on. He also admits in the the afterword that he studied the likes of John Keegan's Face of Battle and several serious and notable scholars of both the Battle of Agincourt and fifteenth century European warfare.

Among my favorite books, historical fiction or any broader category. Dampens you, makes you shiver with cold, makes you feel helpless as you follow Henry's army through France, and you exult after Agincourt. Fantastic book.