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Arqueros del Rey I: Serie Thomas de Hookton
512 pages, Paperback
Published January 14, 2026
About the author
Bernard Cornwell
535 books19.9k followersCornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother, who was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his birth mother's maiden name, Cornwell.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.
He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.
Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.
He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.
Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 10, 2026
He disfrutado mucho esta novela , aunque su inicio se me hizo algo lento. Los primeros capítulos avanzan con calma, construyendo a Thomas y su entorno, pero esa aparente tranquilidad no es más que el preludio de lo que viene después.
Porque cuando la historia arranca de verdad, lo hace sin concesiones. La Guerra de los Cien Años no se presenta aquí como una gesta heroica, sino como un escenario brutal donde la supervivencia depende más del acero,el arco, la sangre y la suerte que de cualquier ideal. A medida que la trama avanza, el ritmo se vuelve mucho más ágil y la lectura engancha con fuerza.
Lo mejor del libro es, sin duda, cómo Cornwell retrata la guerra: sin épica edulcorada, sin romanticismo. Aquí hay barro, hay miedo, hay hombres que matan para no morir. Las batallas son sucias, confusas y violentas, narradas con una intensidad que te mete de lleno en la línea de combate, donde el silbido de las flechas y el choque de las armas no tienen nada de glorioso.
Además, el autor combina con gran acierto hechos históricos con ficción, integrando personajes inventados en un contexto real que se siente vivo y creíble. Todo ello refuerza esa sensación de que la guerra no es un telón de fondo, sino una fuerza que arrastra a los personajes y los transforma.
En resumen, aunque el inicio puede resultar algo pausado, en cuanto la historia entra en materia se convierte en una novela dura, directa y muy inmersiva. Una visión de la Guerra de los Cien Años sin adornos, donde lo que importa no es la gloria, sino salir con vida.
Porque cuando la historia arranca de verdad, lo hace sin concesiones. La Guerra de los Cien Años no se presenta aquí como una gesta heroica, sino como un escenario brutal donde la supervivencia depende más del acero,el arco, la sangre y la suerte que de cualquier ideal. A medida que la trama avanza, el ritmo se vuelve mucho más ágil y la lectura engancha con fuerza.
Lo mejor del libro es, sin duda, cómo Cornwell retrata la guerra: sin épica edulcorada, sin romanticismo. Aquí hay barro, hay miedo, hay hombres que matan para no morir. Las batallas son sucias, confusas y violentas, narradas con una intensidad que te mete de lleno en la línea de combate, donde el silbido de las flechas y el choque de las armas no tienen nada de glorioso.
Además, el autor combina con gran acierto hechos históricos con ficción, integrando personajes inventados en un contexto real que se siente vivo y creíble. Todo ello refuerza esa sensación de que la guerra no es un telón de fondo, sino una fuerza que arrastra a los personajes y los transforma.
En resumen, aunque el inicio puede resultar algo pausado, en cuanto la historia entra en materia se convierte en una novela dura, directa y muy inmersiva. Una visión de la Guerra de los Cien Años sin adornos, donde lo que importa no es la gloria, sino salir con vida.
May 7, 2026
Hacía tiempo que quería leer a Bernard Cornwell ya que muchos me lo recomendaban como referente de ficción histórica medieval y he de decir que me ha dejado muy buen sabor de boca.
Es una de esas novelas históricas que se leen muy fácil y que te mantienen metido en la historia desde el principio.
La trama sigue a Thomas, un joven al que un buen día la guerra le cambia la vida por completo, acabando arrastrado por el ejercito inglés de Eduardo III desde Inglaterra a Francia en plena Guerra de los Cien Años. Este libro se centra mucho en la vida del ejército, en los campamentos, los asedios y las batallas. Cornwell no idealiza nada. Aquí la guerra es dura, hay hambre, saqueos, traiciones y gente que muere sin gloria. Y eso hace que todo se sienta muy real.
Me ha gustado mucho cómo el autor mezcla hechos históricos con una historia personal que va creciendo poco a poco. No es solo ver batallas una detrás de otra, sino seguir a un protagonista real que se nota su evolución y cómo va aprendiendo a sobrevivir en un mundo que al más mínimo error significa la muerte.
En cuanto a la forma de escribir, es directa y muy fluida. No se enrolla con explicaciones históricas largas, pero se nota que hay mucho trabajo detrás. Aprendes historia sin darte cuenta mientras lees.
Un buen inicio de saga que hará las delicias de aquell@s a quien les gusta la ficción histórica medieval, las novelas de guerra realistas y las historias que avanzan rápido sin aburrir.
Tras leerlo entiendo por qué tanta gente tiene a Bernard Cornwell como referente en novela histórica.
Es una de esas novelas históricas que se leen muy fácil y que te mantienen metido en la historia desde el principio.
La trama sigue a Thomas, un joven al que un buen día la guerra le cambia la vida por completo, acabando arrastrado por el ejercito inglés de Eduardo III desde Inglaterra a Francia en plena Guerra de los Cien Años. Este libro se centra mucho en la vida del ejército, en los campamentos, los asedios y las batallas. Cornwell no idealiza nada. Aquí la guerra es dura, hay hambre, saqueos, traiciones y gente que muere sin gloria. Y eso hace que todo se sienta muy real.
Me ha gustado mucho cómo el autor mezcla hechos históricos con una historia personal que va creciendo poco a poco. No es solo ver batallas una detrás de otra, sino seguir a un protagonista real que se nota su evolución y cómo va aprendiendo a sobrevivir en un mundo que al más mínimo error significa la muerte.
En cuanto a la forma de escribir, es directa y muy fluida. No se enrolla con explicaciones históricas largas, pero se nota que hay mucho trabajo detrás. Aprendes historia sin darte cuenta mientras lees.
Un buen inicio de saga que hará las delicias de aquell@s a quien les gusta la ficción histórica medieval, las novelas de guerra realistas y las historias que avanzan rápido sin aburrir.
Tras leerlo entiendo por qué tanta gente tiene a Bernard Cornwell como referente en novela histórica.
September 16, 2026
Me ha encantado , hacía tiempo que no me leía un libro de novela histórica tan de aventuras , que de verdad me enganchara tanto . Está llena de personajes carismáticos, de villanos y de pequeños héroes . Un libro que se acerca a las batallas de la Edad Media con crudeza y realismo. La primera vez que leo a Bernard y ya está en mis favoritos .
March 6, 2026
Trepidante,umos giros de guión buenísimos y muy bien escrito. Este hombre siempre engancha
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews