Bulletin Board

Bernard, You tricked me!!!! I thought the Saxon stories was going to be a trilogy like Grail Quest, but I'm glad we'll get to see Uhtred again!!! Thanks for the great reads!!! sincerely, Jake Kesterson

I own a lot of your books. I have most of the Sharpe stories and enjoyed them all. I was once a Sergeant in the British army myself, but in less dangerous times, fortunately. I've read the first two of the Starbuck Chronicles. I think 'Copperhead' is one of your best. I liked the Patrick Lassan character and found him very intriguing. I enjoyed the connection to Sharpe. I'm hoping he shows up somewhere later on. I think writing must be bloody hard work and I hate to think of all the hours you must have spent on research. However, I very much appreciate the results. Regards, David

hello! I'm an avid reader of your books, especially the Sharpe series, and i admire your though historical research, the very base of all your series. i just finished Sharpe's Waterloo, but here i stumbled on some errors. for one you use repeatedly the term "Belgians". you should know that this name was unheard of in 1815, since Belgium was created in 1830, and for a long time the common people here told: first we were oppressed by the Spaniards, then the Austrians, then the french, then the dutch and now the Belgians! in fact the term "Belgians" was invented and introduced by the (french speaking) founders of Belgium in 1830 in an attempt to create a sense of nationship for its inhabitants, but had never been used or known before. secondly, you give the impression that all those "Belgians" in 1815 were napoleonists, wishing to be part of the french empire forever. some "Belgians" had that wish, especially the french speaking region of charleroi, but the Flemish north (2/3 of the "Belgian" population),had no such wish and resisted the french invaders for years and even had a big battle with the french army near the town of turnhout. This "war of peasants" (boerenkrijg in Flemish) also raged for years in southern Belgium and in Luxembourg where it was named "kloeppelkrich". maybe it could inspire you a new book! anyway i thank you for all the magnificent reading you provide us all! Eric van der Stappen

I just wanted to drop you a quick line to say how much I enjoy the Sharpe series of books. I'm a bit of a late starter in that I only recently picked one up for the first time..... and couldn't put it down! Now I am rapidly making my way through the series by harassing my local library (cheap I know!) via their online reservation service! What's more I decided to give the Grail Quest series a go and lo and behold was just as hooked. In short I just wanted to give you a "big up" (how with the times am I!) and assure you that I will buy another one or two of your books...... but will read the rest from the library! It's the thought that counts..... :o)

Christian Featherstone

Dear Bernard, I thought you might be interested to know that in Canberra (Australia) your books are stolen from bookshop shelves so often that at least two shops now keep your books behind their counter. How popular can you get??? Regards, Clive King Member, Australian Society of Authors.

Dear Bernard, I read a great many books. I can honestly say that none have given me more pleasure than yours. Your recent Saxon Stories are superb and have been a particular joy to read. Best wishes, Rob Walsh

Thought you and your publishers would want to know (if you do not already) that in the paperback edition of "Sharpe's Devil" (Perennial Ed.) that has been in bookstores for a while now, the separator page captioned "Part II - Cochrane" appears twice, once where it should be and then in place of what should be "Part III - Vivar" according to available hard-bound copies. I see from a recent posting that other enthusiastic fans are also dismayed by the typos (I've now taken to making marginal notations, which somehow mitigates the annoyance), but this one stands out particularly and is worth highlighting if only so other readers won't have to conduct their own library searches to find the correct Part III caption. Also noted that on page 106 of this paperback edition, when Sharpe is replying to Captain Morillo at the Celestial Fort, he says "Meaning an early start ... that will leave my friend and I alone with Sergeant Dregara?" The "I" appears as "we" in some hard-bound copies but not all, so it's hard to tell what was intended for the original. Overzealous editing, perhaps, or a grammatical lapse by our rough-hewn character? Have only praise, though, for the form and substance of all the tales. Along these lines, I smiled when I read the March 19, 2007 item from the individual who noted that he's re-read at least four times the passage where Sharpe gets the letter from the Prince Regent (in "Sharpe's Enemy") and hears about his majority. I also was quite taken with that scene, and from time to time read it aloud just to savor the dialogue. It leaps off the page as a juicy performance piece for a skilled character actor and is truly vivid playwriting, just begging to be tucked verbatim into the dramatization. I've always wondered why it was omitted from the filmed version of that book. Seems a loss for the TV audiences. Good wishes, as always, in every respect. Nancy Nemon

Dear Mr Cornwell, last weekend I enjoyed your book "The last kingdom" very much - a wonderful reading for a long rainy afternoon! But I stumbled over one little passage. You wrote there that Uthred wears his sword on his back "for drawing it faster". By my experience as an reenactor (and participant in the battle of Hastings last year ...) with some skills in sword fighting I want to contradict - it is really impossible to draw a relatively long typical viking sword if you wear it on your back. It's looking quite cool in movies, but it has definitely no advantage! The best way to wear a sword and to draw it as fast as possible is the simple traditional one by the side on the hip ... I hope my little remark was helpful - and it didn't refer to a mistake in the German translation of your book! Yours sincerely, Lutz

You are the most fabulous writer on planet earth! Just keep writing. I looked at your web page, because I am dying to get my hands on the book which will follow Lords of the North. Uthred, your ancestor, is my favorite character and I have read ALL of your books. I am eagerly waiting for more. I do agree with a previous correspondent who asked: Do you really have to sleep at night? Do your really have to stop to eat your Christmas dinner? We want MORE! Thank you for the hours and hours of pure joy we have gotten from reading your books. Martha Scott

I have read almost all of your books - I am now saving them up so that I KNOW I have a good book to read! I have just begun to read 'The Pale Horseman' and noticed that you mentioned George MacDonald Frasier in the front. A friend of 33 years suggested I read some 'Flashman' stories, I am grateful to my buddy for the recommendation and I can't understand quite why, but get a strange warm fuzzy feeling that you should honor GMF by mentioning him in one of your own works. Please don't stop writing, neither I nor my 14 year old son, an avid Sharpe fan, will know what to read....except for Flashman, but he would not understand most of that humor, at least not yet....I hope, though you never know in schools today. Thank you for entertaining me !! Bill Bewlay