Groovy in Action introduces Groovy by example, presenting lots of reusable code while explaining the underlying concepts. Java developers new to Groovy find a smooth transition into the dynamic programming world. Groovy experts gain a solid reference that challenges them to explore Groovy deeply and creatively.
Because Groovy is so new, most readers will be learning it from scratch. Groovy in Action quickly moves through the Groovy basics, including:
Groovy on Windows
An additional bonus is a chapter dedicated to Grails, the Groovy Web Application Framework.
Early PDF chapters of Groovy in Action are available from the Manning Early Access Program (MEAP) at http://www.manning.com/koenig. As part of this program, readers can also discuss the early manuscript with the author and help shape the manuscript as it's being developed by joining the Author Forum.
Customer Reviews:
You can't live without Groovy. You just can't........2007-08-18
I am going to make this short, because I want to get ONE message across to you, loud and clear. If you are working with Java, you MUST take a look at Groovy.
I cannot overemphasize the coming importance of Groovy on the Java platform, not just in web development, but everywhere. Just try it already. You'll "get it." Just trust me and do it!
Groovy in Action is a first rate introduction and reference, and you really do need a book for this language. I don't recommend trying to go it alone with online reference material, though there is plenty there to give you a taste of why Groovy is about to become your new favorite language.
Read the other reviews. I'm not going to repeat a bunch of stuff here. But whatever you do, TRY GROOVY. You will quickly come to wonder how you ever got along without it.
Cracking stuff.......2007-07-20
Whatever you think about the merits of Groovy as a language, a serious contender on the JVM, or a complete mess, you couldn't hope to find a better advocate for Groovy than this book.
One of the secrets of GinA's success is that it assumes the reader is already proficient with Java development, including Swing, Ant and JUnit. It would also help to know about XML, SQL, HTML, JSP and a vague idea of how MVC applies to web apps. You don't need to be an expert in these areas, though. If you've sufficient knowledge to decode the preceeding alphabet soup of initialisations, you'll be ok.
The reward for possessing this background knowledge is that GinA doesn't waste time with trivial examples, and barrels through Groovy the language in the first part, leveraging your existing knowledge of Java to highlight the important differences in Groovy. In particular, the advantages of interpolating strings, simple hash and array construction syntax, optional typing and metaprogramming are stressed. The big win in Groovy over Java is the use of closures and their used in a block-based approach to iteration, which is as well motivated here as the material in, say, The Pickaxe is for Ruby.
The second part of the book provides examples of the Groovy library. It begins with an excellent chapter on Groovy's Builders, which provide a very neat, uncluttered syntax for putting together hierarchical structures. An obvious application is XML, and by extension Ant scripts, which appears to have some major advantages compared to the challenging readability of vanilla Ant. Even more impressive is the SwingBuilder example, which builds a GUI with the minimum of fuss and a complete lack of anonymous inner classes.
Beyond the Builders, there are also compelling chapters on templating HTML and server side Groovy (Groovlets), writing DAOs and DTOs in Groovy to simplify database programming, and a chapter on XML, which even manages to find the space to introduce Groovy for SOAP, XML-RPC and REST web services.
The final part of the book describes some non-core libraries and other applications of Groovy. The chapter on Groovy extensions to JUnit is interesting, although perhaps this is one place where it assumes too little on behalf of the reader. I would have assumed that the average developer sufficiently motivated to pick up a book on Groovy knows enough about unit testing and JUnit that more space could have been given to the advanced topics. Particularly appealing is the idea of testing Java code with dynamically typed Groovy unit tests, which would make mocking and stubbing more palatable; I would have liked more on that subject.
Another noteworthy chapter is the last one, which introduces the web app framework Grails. This has a different style to the other chapters, being a dialogue between two of the authors as they build a simple app. This reader admits to finding it a little bit naff, but it does usefully demonstrate the grails way (which is a lot like Rails).
If you have the slightest interest in Groovy, alternatives to Java on the JVM, or dynamic languages, GinA makes the perfect case for Groovy as a first class integration language for all the bits of Java where you really wish you were working with something like Perl, Ruby or Python. It's well-written, with good examples, clear explanations, and it's relentlessly practical, never forgetting its target audience. It's all the more impressive given lead author Dierk Konig's comment in the preface that English is not his first language. Kudos to him and his co-authors for what they've delivered.
One can only wish that every language had its GinA. Outstanding.
Mostly as good as everyone says.......2007-06-22
What more can be said of a book extolled by dozens of reviewers, a book that seems to have matched its subject in ubiquity, a book that will likely become to Groovy what the "pickaxe book" is to Ruby? As much as I would love to be a lone voice (or rather a lone whisper) of dissent, the clarity, simplicity, and accuracy of most of Groovy in Action cannot be overlooked. Let no one be fooled by the size of the book - to learn the gist of Groovy, all you really need is a leisurely stroll through chapters 2 through 7 (chapter 1 is the mandatory introduction/history chapter which, in the frustrating tech book tradition, doubles as the "free sample" chapter). Of course, most of its clarity and concision GIA inherits from the language it describes. Still, it is encouraging to have a book that is as valuable a reference as it is a tutorial, and GIA shines in both capacities.
With all its accolades, GIA does have two caveats. First, it is getting closer and closer to being out of date. Groovy 1.1 is already in Beta, and it has an impressive list of features not covered in this Groovy 1.0 book: EJB3 support, JUnit4 and TestNG integration and annotations, just to name a few. I am reminded of Pragmatic Programmers' Agile Web Development with Rails, whose second edition shipped a year after its first. I sincerely hope GIA 1.0 buyers will not be similarly cheated.
The second caveat is the coverage of Grails. Grails may be the single most attractive Groovy application to date yet its coverage in GIA is flaky at best. The authors decide to abandon their polished, clear, and concise writing style and instead author the entire chapter as a bland conversation amongst themselves. In addition to failing to grasp the humor in such presentation, I find that this style hinders me from following along with the tutorial. It makes scanning back for missed steps or clarifications extremely difficult. Furthermore, vapid attempts at humor occupy space that could be otherwise devoted to some omitted topics, such as mapping domain objects to specific tables or using data sources. Coverage of these topics would have been far more valuable than the authors' purported beer garden conversations with a DBA named Martin.
Despite the pour Grails coverage and the looming Groovy 1.1, Groovy in Action is a must-have for anyone who is even mildly interested in Groovy or dynamic languages in Java in general. Coupled with the ease, clarity, and downright beauty of the Groovy language, GIA can turn even a passing interest in Groovy into a burning passion.
Programming literature.......2007-05-15
It is a Gordian challenge to write an interesting and readable book about nothing but a programming language. Dierk König and his co-authors actually did succeed in cutting the knot. They even accomplished much more: they added lots of insight about object orientation, programming language design and good software development. As long as I only had the PDF availabe, it served me as THE reference for all my questions about Groovy. Now the printed copy makes my commuting time worthwhile. Cover to cover. 700 pages of computer LITERATURE.
An amazing journey.......2007-03-29
The book contains a lot of Groovy interesting features, with samples tested to work,asides the writting style exciting to you to discover the new programming world open in front of your eyes thanks to the exceptional Groovy features.
I consider it as much as a Groovy bible.
Amazon.com
Michael Baigent, Henry Lincoln, and Richard Leigh, authors of The Messianic Legacy, spent over 10 years on their own kind of quest for the Holy Grail, into the secretive history of early France. What they found, researched with the tenacity and attention to detail that befits any great quest, is a tangled and intricate story of politics and faith that reads like a mystery novel. It is the story of the Knights Templar, and a behind-the-scenes society called the Prieure de Sion, and its involvement in reinstating descendants of the Merovingian bloodline into political power. Why? The authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail assert that their explorations into early history ultimately reveal that Jesus may not have died on the cross, but lived to marry and father children whose bloodline continues today. The authors' point here is not to compromise or to demean Jesus, but to offer another, more complete perspective of Jesus as God's incarnation in man. The power of this secret, which has been carefully guarded for hundreds of years, has sparked much controversy. For all the sensationalism and hoopla surrounding Holy Blood, Holy Grail and the alternate history that it outlines, the authors are careful to keep their perspective and sense of skepticism alive in its pages, explaining carefully and clearly how they came to draw such combustible conclusions. --Jodie Buller
Book Description
SPECIAL ILLUSTRATED EDITION WITH EXCLUSIVE NEW MATERIAL
“One of the more controversial books of the 20th century.” –UPI
“Enough to seriously challenge many traditional beliefs, if not alter them.” –Los Angeles Book Times Review
Explosive, thought-provoking, fiercely compelling, Holy Blood, Holy Grail breaks bold new ground with its shocking conclusions about the lineage of Christ and the legacy of the Holy Grail. Now this lavishly illustrated
collector’s edition features exclusive new material plus dozens of full-color photographs, drawings, symbols, architecture, and artwork, making it a dazzling feast for the eyes as well as the mind. Based on decades
of research, filled with eye-opening new
evidence and stunning scholarship, this authoritative work uncovers an alternate history as shocking as it is believable–as it dares to ask:
Is the traditional, accepted view of the life of Christ in some way incomplete?
Is it possible Christ did not die on the
cross?
Is it possible Jesus was married, a father,
and that his bloodline still exists?
Is it possible that parchments found in the
South of France a century ago reveal one
of the best-kept secrets in Christendom?
Is it possible that these parchments contain
the very heart of the mystery of the Holy
Grail?
According to the authors of this extraordinarily provocative, meticulously researched book, not only are these things possible–they are probably true. So revolutionary, so original, so convincing, the most faithful Christians will be moved; here is the book that has sparked worldwide controversy, now newly updated and beautifully illustrated for the collector’s shelf.
“Like Chariots of the Gods...The plot has all the elements of an international thriller.” –Newsweek
“Compelling.” –Philadelphia Inquirer
“An astonishing hypothesis.”
–Publishers Weekly
Customer Reviews:
This IS the original.......2007-09-23
This is where it all started for me... 10 years and over 140 books later this book is still the best and the one i refer back to as the information contained is excellent.
What a story, whether true, false, fiction or non, it grips you from page 1 to the very end in a mystery that is so compelling and has such wide reaching implications you simply can not put it down.
I only wish the 3 authors had produced more work together.
Gary May
Denial cannot change fact............2007-09-03
.
....nor can frequent repetition create it.
There are some interesting facts presented here, and some even more interesting conclusions drawn from those facts.
And thus the fight begins.
Some of the most intriguing facts are those surrounding Rosslyn Chapel. Inside there are carvings of plants that were not "discovered" by Europeans until two-hundred years AFTER their carving.
This is great book on the Templars and one theory of their demise.
Or is it fact????
It's interesting....These doubters........2007-07-31
Alot of you are doing exactly what they said the critics have done, You can argue all you want about Prior and etc, But they will agree with me that the most important topic here is the gospels pertaining to Jesus, you must remember that they think the most interesting thing here is that there is a civilization of people who believe in Jesus because of what they have been told to believe by force or condition to believe since childhood(like me, being a preachers kid) But they have now questioned not what you believe but on what grounds do you believe. They didnt make up verses, They quoted what was in the bible the King James Version! Think about this! What is the mystery behind the "Two Mary's" is Mary of bethany and the Magdalen the same? well according to the bible THEY ARE! Is there contradictions concerning the resurrection in the gospels? Well according to the gospels THERE IS! Is there something odd about the way Jesus was tried & convicted by Rome's accord? If you read the gospels with a historic eye THERE IS! People pick up the bible and read it along with what they question and you will come out with the same conclusions.
Holy Moses.......2007-07-03
If you are a historian, this is the book for you.
If you do research, this is for you.
If you are doing leisurely reading, this is not for you.
This book requires concentration.
holy comic book Batman.......2007-06-21
How did this comic book end up in the 'Catholic' section.. I can think of lots of different sections it belongs in but should NOT be in 'CATHOLIC' section.. people look for Catholic books in the Catholic section.. That's like putting 'Adventures with Barney' in the 'Classics' with Shakespeare!!
Book Description
Margaret Starbird’s theological beliefs were profoundly shaken when she read
Holy Blood, Holy Grail, a book that dared to suggest that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalen and that their descendants carried on his holy bloodline in Western Europe. Shocked by such heresy, this Roman Catholic scholar set out to refute it, but instead found new and compelling evidence for the existence of the bride of Jesus--the same enigmatic woman who anointed him with precious unguent from her “alabaster jar.”
In this provocative book, Starbird draws her conclusions from an extensive study of history, heraldry, symbolism, medieval art, mythology, psychology, and the Bible itself.
The Woman with the Alabaster Jar is a quest for the forgotten feminine--in the hope that its return will help restore a healthy balance to planet Earth.
Customer Reviews:
Thought provoking.......2007-10-08
When Margaret Starbird read the Holy Blood and the Holy Grail she was infuriated by it and decided to do some of her own research to refute it. However she found herself caught up in the story and with her own variant on it. Unfortunately some of the sources she found weren't particualarly historical or accurate and some of her leaps of faith are a bit overdone.
To my mind sometimes a flower is just a flower. There are many examples of artisans finding particular shapes and colours that just appealed to them, and I'm sure they could have done in their sleep to fill in backgrounds. I stitch myself and I find myself being attracted to some of the same imagery over and over, sometimes I look deeper for the meaning but sometimes that pattern just plain appeals to me. I'm sure it was the same with some of the papermakers that Starbird mentions in the book. There may have been some who had meaning but there may have been others who just picked a shape because it was easy, well known, had a relationship with their master or just plain appealed to them.
And this is the main flaw of the book. Just because an image has certain meanings to certain people does not mean that everyone imbues it with that meaning. Just because certain people or peoples imbue certain items with certain meanings does not mean that all people do the same.
It may be that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, and some of the arguments for are quite compelling (the fact that non-married men were a rarity and that this would have been mentioned in the Bible is one of many); but we may never know the truth. The truth at the moment is that Christianity has ignored the female and the feminine for a long time and this is begining to be something they may not be able to ignore for much longer.
This book gained a few points for making me think but lost some for it's slightly rigid view of the feminine and the masculine. Some of the flights of literary fancy are a little overwritten, but her heart is in the right place.
A Penny for your Thoughts!.......2007-10-05
List Price: $16.95
Used: from $0.01
New: from $1.45
All New (71 from $1.45) Used (167 from $0.01)
A penny for your thoughts? That Margaret Starbird's book on Mary of Bethany, who she has mistaken for Mary Magdalene, is selling for a penny speaks volumes. When an item costs more to ship than it is worth, it is not worth moving beyond the trash can. So although you can read Margaret Starbird's thoughts for a mere penny, the postman's time to deliver it is more valuable then the book itself! A christian's literalist view of marriage being the only role for an early Christian woman. Save your penny for a rainy day!
A Great Read.......2007-08-25
I really love that Ms. Starbird has done so much reasearch on Mary Magdalene. Some may overlook her in the bible, but I think she is one of the most important characters and whatever her role may have been, it's nice to know that Jesus Christ had this woman in his life.
Metaphorical Masterpiece.......2007-02-13
A beautiful expose on the sacred feminine. Also worth reading is Gardiner's 'Gnosis' and Acharya's 'Christ Conspiracy.'
Mary is my homegirl.......2007-01-14
After reading The Goddess in the Gospels, I read The Woman with the Alabaster Jar, Starbird's first book on Mary Magdalene. This book is more historical and thesis based than narrative. A lot of the material was nearly the same as The Goddess in the Gospels. It is an awesome book though, and a must read for anyone interested in feminist Christianity.
Book Description
An epic historical saga steeped in myth and legend, Heretic brings history to life with the wonderful characters and heart-stopping battle scenes that have made Bernard Cornwell a New York Times bestselling novelist.
Thomas of Hookton is a young man but already a seasoned veteran of King Edward's army. His fearlessness and uncanny prowess with the longbow make him a natural leader in what will be remembered as the Hundred Years' War. But the dangers on the battlefield are small compared to those of his true quest -- a hunt for a mysterious relic rumored to be the Holy Grail. Accompanied by a small but able band of soldiers, Thomas travels to his ancestral home, only to find it ensnared in a murderous struggle for possession of the Grail. But it is the arrival of a mortal foe -- and the rumored discovery of the Grail itself -- that forces Thomas to make a choice of historic consequence.
Customer Reviews:
Boring carnage? It is possible........2007-06-06
As I wrote in my review of The Archer's Tale, I was very disappointed in the way this series fizzled out in this, the third installment.Bernard Cornwell was one of my favorite
authors up until "Sharpe's Waterloo", but I feel he's again showing
symptoms of being too prolific.I just don't feel it.....
Fair conclusion to the Grail Series.......2007-06-04
First off: This is book 3 in the series. Go back and read the first two if you aren't starting here.
While you could jump into this book without the first two, you really lose the full effect without it.
Also, the first two books are better while the third wraps everything up, with a somewhat "standard" Grail story.
However a full review is probably silly, because either you read the first two -- and all you want to know if the 3rd one stinks -- and it is an OK book, so I wasn't disappointed reading it since it closed the series. As another review mentioned there is an interesting epilogue to the book.
And if you *haven't* read the first two, start there.
Excellent end to the series.......2007-05-13
The 3rd Book was as good as the first two. Couldn't put them down. Excellent read. Everything that this guy writes is both entertaining and educational.
Good historical fiction.......2007-03-08
I love historical fiction, and I really liked this trilogy by Bernard Cornwell.
Heretic is a confused conclusion to an average trilogy.......2007-02-20
Let me preface this by saying that Bernard Cornwell is probably my favorite living author. I am a huge fan of the Sharpe series, his Warlords trilogy, and his new Viking/Alfred the Great series promises to be his best yet. However, his trilogy about Thomas of Hookton and his adventures in the Grail Quest series have left me unsatisfied. This series started out well enough with the Archer's Tale, which was a riveting account of the English armies in France during the Hundred Years war. Cornwell's usual incredible attention to detail transported the reader back in time (like he always does) and really explains to you why things happened in the historical context. In this case, why the longbow was king of the battlefield. Thomas was your typical Cornwell hero, young and inexperienced but quickly a veteran in the arts of war. He was surrounded by the usual cast of battle hardened but friendly (to Thomas) veterans along with the usual well born foes looking to foil our heroes dreams. Hey, its a formula that works and I have no problem with Cornwell recycling this in different historical eras. He even added a very interesting female character in Jeannette and Thomas was caught up in the events leading up to the Battle of Crecy. Great stuff.
The second book, Vagabond, continued a good story, but started to really delve into the quest for the Grail and the historical events in France, while still relevant, were starting to take a back seat to the Grail quest. My biggest problem with this book is that Thomas would have been crippled for life following a certain episode (an episode I really hope Cornwell doesn't start using on his protagonists - we have George Martin for that). So for me, the book starts to take on a bit of a unrealistic format.
Finally, we come to the final book Heretic, and in my opinion Cornwell loses control of the story. First, he almost completely ignores history. This is more or less a fantasy novel set in France about the Grail. England and France reach a truce, and Thomas' liege the Earl of Northhampton sends him on an improbable task to take a castle in southern France and look for the Holy Grail. Ummm...OK. A shaky start, but the story is engaging as Thomas has his first command and we have a great scene where a castle is stormed and several good episodes of raiding. Then Geneiveve comes in and the story falls apart. She's a heretic condemend by the church and set to burn. She falls into the hands of Thomas and he defies the church and won't burn her, eventually getting excommunicated and losing all his men in the process. Cornwell has never written women well so I give some leeway on his female characters. However this is just sloppy. Someone else pointed this out but it bears further mentioning, I don't think Geneiveve has more than 100 words of dialog in the book. Who is she and why would Thomas throw away his soul and the duty to his liege lord (something conviently overlooked in his decision process) for this girl? All we know is she is anorexic thin and beautiful. Empoverished girls who bathed maybe one a month in the 14th century were not beautiful and its surprising that someone normally so attuned to period detail just lets this pass.
After Part One, the book moves in one confusing circle around the land of Astarac, the historical home of Thomas' ancestors and his cousin Guy Vexille, who I wish would have had a bigger role because he was actually the only interesting character in this book. Instead, we get chapter after chapter about a stereotypical and boring French Knight Joscelyn who we never for a moment suspect is a match for our hero. Vexille meanwhile is consumed by a religious quest and a warrior monk mentality that makes him dangerous (and ruthless). In the meantime, one of Thomas' best friends from the series goes completely insane and illogically turns against him and everyone he's fought with for the last several years. The conclusion isn't bad but it doesn't make up for the several hundred pages of aimless wandering it took to get there.
Lots of good history of course, as always. In particular I like how God and the belief in God is portrayed in the 14th century, even among vicious killers. But Geneiveve has to be one of Cornwell's worst main characters and Thomas slips several notches down the list of Cornwell heroes by the time this book is over. I can see myself rereading book one again, but I'll pass on the 2nd two books in this trilogy. Maybe Cornwell should pick up the war in the 15th century and try again.
Book Description
Grails is a breath of fresh air for Java developers
— Read the interview with Graeme Rocher at http://www.indicthreads.com
Reviewed and endorsed by Guillaume Laforge and Dierk Koenig of Groovy, The Definitive Guide to Grails, by Grails lead Graeme Rocher, is for anyone looking for a more agile approach to web development with a dynamic scripting language such as Groovy. It will show you the new direction web frameworks are taking and specifically how a dynamic scripting language like Groovy can be harnessed on the JavaTM platform for productive Grails development.
This book takes you through the Grails development life cycle, including its project infrastructure, screen generation, full automatic object mapping to relational database systems, and a flexible, easy-to-use web layer. This book also demonstrates how Grails complements Java web development. Topics include creating domain classes in the Java platform while still accessing advanced features like dynamic persistent methods, using Grails controllers to call business logic written in the Java specification, and testing your Java application logic using Grails test cases.
- The author tackles new issues like writing web applications with dynamic languages, an agile approach, Ajax, and more.
- The Java platform has always been about choice, and this book demonstrates how you can use select aspects of Grails that you choose.
- The book makes up for the current lack of solid Groovy documentation.
Customer Reviews:
A must read by today's Enterprise POJO Java Developers..........2007-10-07
Today's enterprise Java development is complex, tedious and challenging. In spite of numerous frameworks including Spring framework and HIBERNATE trying to address this complexity and make development simple, the truth is it is not simple. The Java developer community deserves a true framework built on very similar agile development principles that Ruby on Rails was built upon; DRY, Convention over Configuration and Boilerplate Code Generation.
Grails combines the power of Java, Groovy, Spring, HIBERNATE and more under the covers and brings out a true framework that increases your productivity to great levels.
This book clearly explains the concepts. Though some of the material and examples are little old compared to the latest Grails release, it is worth reading this book to understand the concepts. It will change the way you think and build Java applications.
A must read by every Java professional.
2nd Ed Will be a great work.......2007-07-03
I'm new to groovy/grails and hoped that the book would help me progress beyond the basic examples. Unfortunately this was not the case, as from about page 160 or so I was unable to keep my version of the bookmark application working (using grails 0.5.6). I even downloaded the source for the book and that would not run either. As a suggestion the book source code should be organized via chapter. In that way it is easier to follow the changes as the application is developed.
Having given this book a low rating, it's clearly going to be a great work once the second edition is published (hopefully shortly after the grails 1.0 release). Generally the text was well written, and very informative, and I'll be buying the second edition when it does come out! As a previous poster noted, how Graeme finds the time to do all that he does is amazing.
As to grails, I think it's got real potential, coupled with AJAX and grails should be a killer app - sorry framework.
Productivity combined with quality.......2007-01-26
Really great book!
It shows not only how fast and easy Web Application development can be on the Java Platform what you may expect as this is the book description but it also shows that Grails perfectly combines quality and productivity. High quality applications need to be easily automated testable. Authors presenting new technologies often forget this point but not Graeme who shows through the whole book how to take care to the quality of your application and even dedicates a special chapter to testing.
Awesome book - a must have for Java Developers........2006-12-24
Grails brings a smart, productive framework like Rails to the Java world, by way of Groovy. What's not to like about that? With Grails, you can create your standard Hibernate+Spring web application without slogging through reams of xml configuration or xdoclet notations. When you need to, you can drop back to Java - it's totally integrated.
It's a truly great framework, and this is a truly great book that describes everything you need to get started with it and more.
aptly named.......2006-12-16
The name says it all: Grails really is the holy grail of dynamic web application development on the Java platform and this book definitely is the definitive guide to find it.
Rarely has a project manager and lead developer written such a comprehensive guide to a technology so timely while being busy developing. My highest respect for Graeme, who covers the topic in very accessible way and leads us to a new level of productivity. Congratulations!
Amazon.com
Vagabond, the second entry in Bernard Cornwell's Grail Quest series, has been eagerly anticipated by those who read the first book, and it doesn't disappoint. Thomas has managed to survive the battle of Crécy. Still nursing his wounds, he is dispatched by the king on a mission to look into the matter of his father's inheritance, which is obscurely connected to the Holy Grail. This most precious relic of the Christian faith is a much sought-after object, offering the power of total victory in war to its owner. But Thomas finds himself in the middle of a battle against an army invading the North of England, and other shadowy forces pursuing the grail are prepared to slaughter anyone who stands in their way. In the ruins of his birthplace, Thomas discovers more about his father, and a dangerous voyage to France brings him up against his cousin and arch-enemy, Count of Astarc Guy Vexville. The stage is set for a merciless showdown.
Thomas is a protagonist drawn quite as pithily as his much-loved predecessor, and the sheer verve of Cornwell's storytelling here is irresistible. We are plunged into a distant age: bloody, colourful and dangerous. Roll on, volume three! --Barry Forshaw, Amazon.co.uk
Book Description
In 1347, a year of conflict and unrest, Thomas of Hookton returns to England to pursue the Holy Grail. Among the flames of the Hundred Years War, a sinister enemy awaits the fabled archer and mercenary soldier: a bloodthirsty Dominican Inquisitor who also seeks Christendom's most holy relic. But neither the horrors of the battlefield nor sadistic torture at the Inquisitor's hands can turn Thomas from his sworn mission. And his thirst for vengeance will never be quenched while the villainous black rider who destroyed everything he loved still lives.
From internationally acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell comes the spellbinding second chapter in his Grail Quest—the majestic epic adventure of duty, war, and destiny that began with The Archer's Tale.
Customer Reviews:
Vagabond.......2007-10-01
Second Book in an outstanding series about an English Archer tasked with trying to find the Holy Grail. Great descriptions of English battles against the French in the 1300 or 1400's. Super character development, great story line, I'm anxious to get the 3rd book in the series delivered any day now.
Good Writing is Gone.......2007-08-13
Whether you fancy 14th Century England/France and its historical interest or not, you cannot escape the excitment which Cornwell brings out in the characaters who existed in that time. Such good writing with attention to detail is lost and Cornwell brings it back. I thought I would never find a writer like Glenn Cook or Michael Moorcock, but I have and I will continue to enjoy his good writing for years to come....
T. Williams, Michigan
As engrossing as the first in the Grail trilogy.......2007-06-24
VAGABOND is the second book in the Grail trilogy, following THE ARCHER'S TALE. It continues Thomas of Hookton's duel mission - to lead archers in the English king's army and to find the holy grail, if it exists. Thomas is skeptical about its existence because he has never seen it, and because his father was thought to be a bit crazy.
As with the first book, VAGABOND accurately reflects the history of the Hundred Years War. Because the characters develop throughout the trilogy, it's best to begin with THE ARCHER'S TALE.
Don't miss the third book, HERETIC.
Historical Fiction: Well done again!.......2007-02-10
Bernard Cornwell has continued "The Grail Quest" trilogy with book 2 of the series, "Vagabond". This book continues the story of Thomas of Hookton, master archer in the English army, son of a "crazy" priest, and apparently, heir to the family burden, grail-keeper.
Book 1, "The Archer's Tale" in the U.S. (Harlequin in the U.K.), begins the story and the first battles of the hundred-years-war, but if you don't read the first book, you can still read "Vagabond" and be kept up to speed. This is both a positive and a negative. The positive is that, due to the fact that there is so much happening in the first book, Cornwell must recap alot of the information as backstory in the second book; the negative is that, having just finished the first book, I was a little bored with the redundancy of the backstory because I wanted to move on with the current storyline. The book was good nonetheless and I was never too put off by the inclusion of the backstory. I STILL DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THAT THE FIRST BOOK BE READ BEFORE THIS ONE. The "Archer's Tale" ("Harlequin") was wonderful and, obviously, all of the first book cannot be included in the second.
This is well written historical fiction, accurate concerning the battles, the cities and the major players (i.e. kings, lords, dukes, etc.), that were all part of the beginnings of the hundred-years-war. Cornwell is meticulous in his descriptions of the battles and the reasons for why each commander did what he did during the battle, providing interesting insight in to the nature of man and the causes of the war.
Cornwell also delivers the information with surprising candor and does not present the story from the side of the French, the English, the Scottish, or the many other countries who had men fighting in the war.
Most surprising and liberating about this book, as with the first, is Cornwell's blunt portrayal of Catholicism, The Inquisition, priests, and the greed of the church during this time. Cornwell again leaves nothing to the imagination and removes any shroud of solemnity or respect that is often offered the medieval church, but truly not deserved.
This book continues the story of Thomas of Hookton, his travels from France to England, back to France, his capture and torture by The Inquisition, his return to his love from the first novel and, ultimately, the acceptance of the burden that was presented to him in the first book; he is responsible for recovering the grail, the cup of Christ, and restoring his family, which was wiped out by the French aristocracy and the Catholic church as heretical, to their proper place in the world. His family, the Vexilles, were lords and members of the Cathar religion that was wiped out by the early Inquisition due to their growing numbers and their defiance to the Catholic church. They were, according to Thomas of Hookton's father, the chosen ones of God, responsible for protecting the grail and using it's power to bring peace to the world. Thomas was given the burden of recovering the grail after his father was murdered in the first book.
Historically accurate, vividly descriptive, with well-developed characters both from the first book and some newly added, and intriguing from beginning to end, I am again desperate to get to the next book and discover the fate of Thomas of Hookton.
Tepid Drama.......2007-02-06
Repetitious wordiness and a slow-moving story line detract from the interesting detail of the tumultuous events covered by this novel.
Book Description
A brutal raid on the quiet coastal English village of Hookton in 1342 leaves but one survivor: a young archer named Thomas. On this terrible dawn, his purpose becomes clear -- to recover a stolen sacred relic and pursue to the ends of the earth the murderous black-clad knight bearing a blue-and-yellow standard, a journey that leads him to the courageous rescue of a beautiful French woman, and sets him on his ultimate quest: the search for the Holy Grail.
Customer Reviews:
Historical Fiction at its Finest!.......2007-08-31
The history is accurate, the characters are engaging, and the story lines are superb - everything you want from historial fiction. Read just one Bernard Cornwell book and you'll be hooked for a very long time. Trust me - read "The Archer's Tale" and you'll find it quite impossible not to finish the series.
Thomas of Hookton has a Hook.......2007-08-12
Right from the first chapter you know this is another Bernard Cornwell hit. The tone is set with a daring raid, a quick set up of "good guys" and "bad guys" and a unique spin on the Hundred Year War. Bernard Cornwell manages to blend his awesome command of history with a snappy driving plot and typical Cornwell larger-than-life-yet human characters. Cornwell brings to a boil and we never quite get down to a low simmer -- which is a good thing. Grand adventure, hip characters and a thriller-like pace make for a great read and another Cornwell triumph. Perhaps I didn't quite enjoy this at the level I did his "Saxon Chronicals" or the "Arthur" trilogy, but it's immensely wonderful for all of that.
Excellent History and Action together.......2007-07-10
Cornwell is always an entertaining read and The Archer's Tale holds true to form. Excellent character development makes the reader feel like they are part of the story. Definitely recommend the book to readers who enjoy action based historial fiction.
Wonderfully entertaining!.......2007-07-07
This is the kind of historical fiction that can sustain itself over a series of books. That is good as this is the first of three (The Grail Quest). What I enjoyed in this book was the knowledge that Cornwell uses to establish the context of the story. His knowledge of the national movements, motivation of various leaders, the technology that is crucial to each side, is simply superb. In this book, the main character is likeable enough that anyone would want to know what happens next. His motivations never get muddled or are neglected.
One strength of Cornwell's writing is that his characters are true to the time. Their worldview is captured in what they do, how they think, where they go, and what they believe. This is not one of those Historical novels set in the 13th or 14th centuries populated by 21st century characters. Thank-you Mr. Cornwell.
Finally- Cornwell's books creates an urge in me to go to the UK, France, and see the land for myself. It is that good.
I look forward to the next volume in the series.
Engrossing, entertaining tale, the first in a trilogy.......2007-06-24
THE ARCHER'S TALE was my introduction to Bernard Cornwell. While I favor historical fiction, I never thought I would be intrigued by novels about distant wars or battles. Was I wrong! The story draws you in straight in the beginning and leaves you wanting more.
I defer to nessiemonster's (see An excellent adventure, June 23, 2003) description of the story and comments on the accuracy of the history. It's a very well-written review.
Don't miss VAGABOND and HERETIC, the second and third in the trilogy, respectively.
Book Description
From royal and suppressed archives comes documented proof of the heritage of Jesus in the West and the long awaited discovery of the Holy Grail. In fulfilling this time-honored quest, penetrating new light is cast upon the Grail Code of Service and the venerated feminine element, upheld in chivalry but forsaken by the Church in order to forge a male dominated society.
This unique work offers revelatory insight concerning the descendant heirs of Jesus and his brother James while, in documenting a hidden legacy of the Messiah, it unveils hitherto guarded facts about characters such as Mary Magdalene and Joseph of Arimathea. Tracing the sacred lineage through centuries of persecution and Inquisition,
Bloodline of the Holy Grail reveals a systematic suppression of authentic records and a strategic manipulation of the New Testament Gospels.
Featuring all the charm and adventure of Arthurial romance, coupled with enthralling Rosicrucian and Templar disclosures, this extraordinary work has a cutting edge of intrigue that removes the established blanket of enigma to expose one of the greatest conspiracies ever told.
Customer Reviews:
One-Trick Pony.......2006-03-28
Satan is a one-trick pony... he mixes lies with truth. The Bible calls him the Father of Lies. And if he really exists and has been around for as along as he has... he must be pretty darn good at it by now. Yes its true that Jesus is the Son of God, everything else in this fairy tale is a convenient "fact". Anyone can just throw "facts" out there but I challenge this author to provide as much fact as Lee Strobel does in "A Case for Christ". "But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their (Christians) simple trust, you'll soon wish you hadn't. You'd be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck." I'll give you three guesses who said that.
The Who's Who of the biblical world ...........2006-02-24
This book is not an easy read. It does take some brain thought or you will be lost. Although I did find it very interesting and factual. I would pass it onto those who take the bible as the 'only' word. This book shows that there is other documentation out there and the author has done his homework. A must read for those who want to know more about who's who in the bible.
Bloodline of the Holy Grail.......2006-01-18
Laurence Gardner has written a wonderful book which opens a whole new perspective on the Holy Grail and the bloodline. This book along with HRH Prince Michaels of Albany's work has sturred me to dig deeper into our family geneology. What I have discovered has certainly changed my perspectives on life.
I personally do not have opinions on what a person's religious beliefs are, that is for them to decide. What the revelations as well as the historical proof has rejuvenated my ancestral awareness and a new way of living life.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has been seeking their very connection with their own spiritual and religious awareness.
How A Book Can Change Lives.......2005-12-16
I read "Bloodline of the Holy Grail" and found familiar family names published in the geneology charts. That awakened a deep curiosity that led to a lifelong quest for the truth about my own heritage, and this changed my life forever. My journey led me to Kashmir to do an in-depth study of "Jesus in India." Now, having read "The Magdalene Legacy" I still want to know more. Mr. Gardner is a powerful writer who does extensive research, and his books will alter many more lives well into the future. Few books can have such powerful impact on history and on changing lives. His may be the books that actually change yours too. What greater testament to an author's impact than this?
A Real Joy.......2005-09-07
as a seeker of truth on the meaning of life,I find this book confirms many of the things I found and gives a clearer picture of the "Christian Philosophy" I believe Jesus was a "Son of God" like many others. He was not the only one to achieve the "oneness". My "God" is the infinite creator of the cosmos, which is still being created. This creator does NOT
write books, sire children,answer prayers or speak to people, and does not need or heed our supplications. The soul is infinite and must through many incarnations reach that oneness. This book cleary supports that Jesus was a man created like the rest of us and achieved that oneness. thank you Mr Gardner
Book Description
This definitive work about the Templars and their presumed hidden knowledge addresses many fascinating questions, with rare photos from the Rosslyn Chapel Museum (Scotland) included.
Customer Reviews:
the templars and the grail.......2006-08-03
the book is too especulative not mush scientific information can be obtained.
Interesting Read.......2006-07-02
An Interesting read and a good compliment to
Holy Blood Holy Grail. It could be a bit more
in-depth and a bit less academic.
neat websites.
The dramatic story of the Knights Templar.......2005-06-05
The Knights Templar was a monastic order of Christian warriors that grew out of the medieval campaigns to free Jerusalem and Palestine from the domination of the Muslims in several waves of invasion known collectively as the Crusades. These warrior monks were believed to conduct mystical rites, guard the famed Holy Grail, and possess the lost treasures of Jerusalem. The order's wealth and political activities evolved to provide banking services to kings, act as trusted diplomats, engage in far flung business enterprise, and even work as navigators. The order was ultimately doomed to succumb to political intrigue and the malevolent greed of kings. In The Templars And The Grail: Knights Of The Quest, Oxford-based medieval historian Karen Ralls presents the dramatic story of the Knights Templar, presenting the many beliefs and theories about their presumed powers and arcane knowledge. Drawing upon both popular and academic sources, this impressive, exceptionally well written, and thoroughly accessible history is especially recommended to students of Metaphysical Studies and Medieval History.
A must-have book on the Templars.......2004-08-10
Every now and then a book comes along and you think 'thank God someone has done this!' This book really works on several levels -- firstly, the author is solid and credible, being a professional medieval historian, but also someone who has had previous curator experience at the museum exhibition at Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland --a place now known to many more of us, as it is featured in the last chapter of the Da Vinci Code novel. However, this book is a solidly-researched, nonfiction work and a fascinating read on the history of the medieval Order, the Grail, and Rosslyn Chapel, etc. For those who may already have read a bit about the Templars, it still has a lot of intriguing new stuff, yet it's backed up with solid, factual documentation and good references and footnotes-- again, something you often don't see nearly enough in popular books on the Templars. This is not the usual 'one theory book' on the Templars, which I found refreshing to say the least. But it's easy to read and follow overall, and this author doesn't attempt to 'take sides'. A variety of research and views are presented, and then, we, the readers, can take it from there. What seems to be unique here is that this author takes great care to distinguish between fact and speculation -- something in my opinion that is a problem with many of the existing books on the Knights Templars. But although I'd already read some on the Templars and still learned a lot more, a friend of mine who had read nothing at all about them also found this book really intriguing, which says something, too. The photos of the carvings of Rosslyn Chapel were great, and I especially liked the various intriguing bits here and there in each chapter -- like material on the Black Madonna, geometry, St Bernard's role, the medieval origins of traveller's checks, the Jolly Roger pirate flag and medieval Templar naval warfare, various excavations under the Temple Mount, Templar symbolism, and so on. A good resource to have around, and it's not surprising this book is on its fifth printing in a year...it's also easy to 'dip into' when you like. Definitely worth getting.
Fascinating and evocative yet balanced.......2004-02-11
Written by an academic medieval historian, this is one of the best history books on the Knights Templar to come out for some time -- it is balanced (many academic but also some popular sources used, but carefully) and thoughtful, yet still manages to be readable and very intriguing. An ideal combo. The sources are reliable, so this author simply does not need to resort to mere sensationalism, which is so often the case with books on the Templars. The material on Scotland is great, especially the chapter on the enigmatic carvings of Rosslyn Chapel, a place that was also featured in the novel The Da Vinci Code. I would have liked a bit more on medieval Templar naval strategies and warfare and the Jolly Roger, but overall, if you are looking for a solid, reliable book that still has compelling research, admitting that there are still some important unanswered questions about the 'White knights' of the Crusades -- it's a valuable reference book to have around, plus a great read!
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