Bulletin Board

Dear Mr Cornwell, I'm only 15, therefore possibly amongst your youngest readers, but I have been reading your books since I was around 12 or 13. I have greatly enjoyed many of your books, especially the Lazendar books, The Grail Quest, and The Arthur books. A Crowning Mercy is my favourite book of all books, and I thought I might just comment that it would make for quite a good movie. My thanks for your brilliant books! Kelsey

In regards to the comments about brevet rank in the British Army. The US Army also used brevet ranks especially during the Civil War. One major difference is that the breveted officer in the regular army continued to be paid at his permanent rank. When the war ended, all officers returned to their permanent rank. In 1863 George Custer and two other brevet captains were promoted to brigadier generals days before Gettysburg. By war's end, he had received another brevet promotion to major general. But by 1866 he had reverted back to captain. Eventually he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. It was as a lt. colonel that he was "temporarily" commanding the Seventh Cavalry at the Little Big Horn. The official commander was full colonel Samuel Sturgis. Sturgis was on court-martial duty in Chicago while Custer commanded the Seventh. After the Little Big Horn, Sturgis assumed active command of the Seventh and pursued Indians thruout the northern plains. Sturgis SD was eventually named for him. Brevet ranks definitely confuse things. While they were eventually done away with, until recent times much the same confusion existed because of the parallel promotion channels between the "regular" army promotions and the "reserve" army promotions. For a while I was a permanent second lieutenant and a reserve captain. Don Conrad

Dear Mr Cornwell, I have just finished reading 'Sword Song' and can only describe myself as - in the vernacular - 'gobsmacked'. There was one moment... that I had to put the book down for a moment, heart beating fast and with tears starting to my eyes. Indeed, Wyrd bith ful araed. There is a school of thought that there are just a few stories in the world, but each of them has power. We play them out, time and time again: only the details differ. I can only say that you have tapped into an archetypal artery and that your detailing is worthy of the best saga tellers. In this latest book, you also add greater depth to the character of Uhtred and the passage ...was masterly, as are his thoughts concerning the joylessness of the new religion of the White Christ. At 53 and as a father of two, I am perhaps too old now to dream of entering Valhalla, but I have been a warrior and there was once a time when I would have sought such a transformation.. I am very keen to hear of Uhtred's subsequent adventures and of how (in old age) he deals with the prospect of a straw death. You weave ripping yarns and you also give food for thought on timeless questions. For that I salute you, Mr Cornwell. May Bragi always be with you and may a good portion of Odhroerir's contents ever fall your way. And may the holy joy of Frodi-Frey descend on you and yours this Yuletide season. Best wishes from a Heathen, Chris Smith

Hallo Mr Cornwell, I don`t intend to take much of your time,nor am I sending any materials,and I don`t even want to ask you anything. Just want to express my gratitude for several hours of extreme pleasure. I bought `Harlequin` by total accident,and within few days I had all three books from the grail conquest. It was amazing and exciting and...well,you heard it for a million times,so you know what do I mean.THANK YOU very much for your books, I just can hope that Serbian publishers will translate some other of your work.all th best. Alexandar, Belgrade p.s. sorry for my bad English

First, thank you for the wonderful series, The Sharpe Books, they are giving me the most delightful reading since I retired. Second, I am reading them in chronological order i.e. from 1799 on. Question, and it sounds odd, but knowing that you wrote them out of order, such as 1981 Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Tiger 1997, I was wondering in which order you recommend reading them. Logic says 1799 on but I am curious as to your opinion. Thank you again for wonderful entertainment and historical lessons. As a cultural anthropologist I find them very informative. Ella A. Bennett

I'm so happy to see that I can now continue the saga of Uhtred with this last addition. Please continue, the books are fantastic,..thank you so much. Your a wonderful storyteller and I am very addicted. (love Sharpe)
Samadar Makowitz

I have enjoyed reading your Saxon stories, particularly I have taken great pleasure in working out the name places as given in the book without reference to your index. I was born and bred in the North East of England and Bamburgh Castle is a place I always visit when I return home. I am of good peasant stock and find it so interesting that even now generations upon generations later the old words can still be understood by someone who was born in a small village by the river wear, which just shows how little things change. Fascinating stuff. I do hope there will be more stories of Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Thank you for your wonderful books. Regards Janet Elgie

Dear Mr. Cornwell I would like to thank you for allowing me to be part of a whole new world. Like most boys growing up, I loved to play sports and hated to read. I did everything I could not to read as a child. As time went on, I found an excuse that worked pretty well. Someone told me I was dyslexic and had very little reading comprehension. I remember clearly the day I finished reading "The Red Pony". It took me longer than most and it was painful. That was sixth grade. I later graduated from a University with my engineering degree knowing that was the only book that I had ever read from cover to cover. It was about five years later that I read a small book about Lance Armstrong. Since then I have struggled with several books and not finishing one of them. My wife is an avid reader and loves all of your books. She told me about the Saxon Stories and thought that I might be interested. I am of Danish descent and if it wasnt for the pleading of my mother, I would be known as Thor Anderson. Needless to say, I picked up the Last Kingdom and could not put it down. I have just finished The Lords of the North and can not wait to start the Sword Song. Your writing has truly opened my eyes to a whole new world. I know that I will not like everything or finish everything that I read, but I know you have truly allowed me to enjoy reading (something that I have hated for most of my life). Due to the great height of accomplishment that it is for me to finish an entire book, I am now buying a signed 1st edition as a trophy. I have my first, in the process of buying the rest, and waiting for Sword Sang. Well, in a nutshell, thank you! Sincerely, Lance Anderson

Mr Cornwell, Do you realise the inspiration you have been to Miniature wargamers (grown men who play with toy soldiers...lol) across the world? first Sharpe sent hordes of miniature gamers into gaming the Napoleonic Wars. Secondly The Starbuck series and The Blue and Grey fought across miniature landscapes. Thirdly The Warlord Trilogy - armies of Romano British, Saxons, Irish and Scots fight regularly in tournaments across the globe and The grail Quest and the Saxon stories...need I say more. I think I can speak for most wargamers when I say you have inspired a generation of gamers with your books and also enticed us into reading more deeply into these periods. Many thanks for giving us fabulous literature to allow our hobby to bloom with romance and history side by side best regards Karl

I just read (again) "Sharpe's Havoc" and found it immensely enjoyable. I had gotten out of the habit of reading adventure novels until I stumbled on your Sharpe's series, which were such great fun that I got all your novels from the library and read until my eyes itched. Currently I belong to a Creative Writer's group in New Mexico, and enjoy writing my own stuff. And no, I won't be asking you to read my rubbish. If you ever decide to visit the Western USA, drop by. Beautiful scenery and inspiring history. Thanks for your efforts and great writing skill! Ray