Bernard Cornwell is the author of over 40 novels, nearly all dealing with historical adventure. One series features a British soldier fighting Napolean, another is a trilogy of the King Arthur era, another series is set in the American Civil War, and another is set in 9th century England. Still another is set in late 14th century England and Europe at the onset of the Hundred Years War. This series features Thomas, a brilliant soldier who is trained at childhood (if you did not train as a child you did not master the bow, the weapon that controlled all warfare of that time-period) to master a long bow and be an archer. Cornwell is a master of what I call true historical fiction. Most of the characters in his books really lived, his historical detail shows scholarly research, and he often sets the books around real battles in history. Like his other series, the Archer's Tale features great characterizaions, thrilling plots and the reader is transported to the villages, battle fields and into the lives of his characters. I urge anyone who has not discovered Cornwell yet to read The Archer's Tale, a great place to start.

Richard