Bulletin Board

Greetings! What seems a life time ago in my dearly departed youth a friend who got me interested in war games pressed a copy of Sharpes Rifles into my hands with the hearty endorsement of "Read this mate and maybe you will learn how Napoleonic battles work". I would point out he had just administered what is more commonly known as a "right pasting" on the wargames table. He was not wrong. So thanks Mr C (forgive the familiarity) for all of Sharpe's escapades in Spain. Thanks for introducing me to the Hundred Years war, thanks for Stonehenge, the Arthur Trilogy, Starbuck and all the rest. Without them my lunch hour and those (rare) moments when I can get away from the kids and squirrell myself away with a thumping good book wouldn't be the same. Thanks again and keep up the good work! Gary Moore

Dear Mr. Cornwell, My daughter and I are fans of your writing and have read many of your novels. I just finished rading The Pale Horseman and found it to not be quite up to your usual top quality writing, especially the ending. I felt completely let down. You just stopped the book. No explaination of what happened to Uhtred or how he handled himself after that last battle. I almost got the feeling that you had to write so many words and when you reached that number, you just stopped. Both my daughter and I were very disappointed. Your other novels gave the reader some conclusion, this one certainly didn't. Sincerely yours, Two fans

Hi Bernard I just wanted to say thank you for such wonderful reading. I'm in Australia and the Sharpe Series was playing on cable on UKTV. My husband is English and suggested we watch it as he has fond memories of the series. I liked it so much and was very curious to read the books. Hence I bought the whole Sharpe Series and am thoroughly enjoying them. I've also read nearly all your other books now and I can honestly say the best books I have read in a long time was the Arthur Books. I just thought Derfel was a fantastic character and I was really sad when I finished reading them as I didn't want the story to be over. My husbands favourites were the Grail Quest series. We've both just read the Pale Horseman and can't wait to read the next one in the series. We've just had a baby and even though we are really busy when we do have time we snatch up your books and they really help us to have some chill out time and relax. We tell as many people as we can about your books. Thank you very much once again and we wish you all the best in the future and can't wait for any new releases. Cheers, Nicole and Allan Gough. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Congratulations on the OBE award! I am a fan of your Sharpe novels and have enjoyed reading them for many years. The Sharp TV Series on BBC America is an excellent adaptation of your books. Keep them coming! Steve (Fellow Brit living in Bellevue, NE)

My hat off to you sir! I 1st read the Starbuck chronicles 8yrs ago and loved them. I really wish you could finish this saga. The Arhur books were nice but not really my cup of tea, but I read them waiting for more on Starbuck. Recently my father and brother read 13 of the Sharpe books and I just finished those. I love the battles and his ultimate victory over his adverseries each time. My only objection is the taking of the Lord's name is vain, but I do love your books. Glenn Rovira

Hi Bernard, congratulations on receiving the OBE, very well done, you deserve it for the incredible history class you provide with every book you publish. My wife and I visted Spain and Portugal this past May and as part of the fun, at least my fun time, (she didn't seem to complain about waiting in the car), I scrambled over some of the battlefields, battlement sites and cities, mentioned in your Sharpe's series, I never would have found myself in some of those places without Sharpe as my guide. Julian Paget's "W's Pen War" helped a little as well. After returning home I found a copy of "The Sharpe Companion" by Mark Adkin. (Both books a must for the dedicated - Between these two books and visting the sites I am now getting a better picture of what obstacles have been presented to you in writting these delightful novels. If you ever come to Victoria BC, (I think I read somewhere you have a relative here), please have your publisher's arrange a forum, reading or whatever, possible like the one you had recently in Britain this past May. (Lots of old warriors out here) We would love to attend. Waiting patiently for "Fury" Cheers, Richard Severs

Mr. Cornwell: I would like to thank you for your many books, of which I have now read all but five. I am a forty-seven year old Canadian military officer and helicopter pilot who until two years ago had not picked up a work of fiction since I was essentially a teenager. I always felt that there was so much to learn about the world that to read fiction was an impediment to making the best use of my time. The need for professional reading had a lot to do with the evolution of my attitude. Like you, I am a keen fan of George MacDonald Fraser (the only fiction I read over a thirty year period), but the infrequency of his offerings made such forays into fiction very infrequent. In June of 2004 while attending the funeral of the uncle of a friend I reunited with a fellow with whom I had worked in the Guard at Fort Henry (Kingston)some 25 years ago (recreating the British infantry of the line circa 1867). He put me onto your work, a delightful blend of fact and fiction, and since that time I have come to read and own all of the Sharpe series, the Grail Quest, the Warlord Chronicles, The Starbuck Chronicles, Gallows Thief, Stonehenge and Redcoat (and even Mark Adkins' book). But by far my favourites have become the Saxon Stories - to the extent that I had to order Lords of the North from Amazon.uk due to the delay in getting it on the shelves locally. I enjoy them so much that I recommended The Last Kingdom to one of my French Canadian squadron commanders who struggles with english, but who has become consumed with the story of Uhtred (He read The Pale Horseman in his second language in a single day). Truly a testament to your ability to tell a rousing story! I must say that I too am quite relieved to learn at the end of each book's historical note that the story of Uhtred will continue. The only feedback I would offer you is a personal desire to see film director Peter Jackson do justice to your story of Arthur, and my re-stated thanks for allowing me the pleasure of rediscovering reading for pleasure and relaxation. May you live to be 100, with a book or two released every year! Cheers! Mike Dabros

Dear Bernard Cornwell, OBE: May I salute you as such, or must I wait until it has officially been awarded to you by the Queen? At least you now know how your future salutations will appear. A friend of mine recently introduced me to your work when he loaned me 'The Last Kingdom'. I read it in the course of three days. For weeks, I scoured the local library for 'The Pale Horseman', but it was such a popular title, I was only able to check it out last Thursday. Saturday night, before I took my wife out on a date, I finished it as she was applying her make up. Now, I am debating whether or not to order 'The Lords of the North' from Amazon UK. I don't think I can wait until it's January 2007 release. I will be purchasing the other two, also. I had not read a book I truely could not put down in the longest time, and for that I thank you. I plan to start the Sharpe series soon as well. From what I gather, it seems more of your fans start out reading the Sharpe series than the Saxon series, but I'm glad to have discovered your work nonetheless. Break a leg, Duncan! If I can get out to Chatham in August, I might just try to see your performance. I live in the Boston area, so it might be a day trip for us. My wife and I stayed at the Chatham Bars Inn for our anniversary a few years ago, in April, and the tranquility of an early spring makes you realize why people choose to live on the Cape year round. Do you find yourself escaping the tourist season, or do you enjoy a crowded beach? Keep on writing! Thanks again entertaining, and teaching me some history at the same time. Yours truly, Eric Olson

The first book of yours that i read was The Pale Horseman which I couldnt put down until I was finished. I'll be reading more of your books. If you are going to the trouble of putting a map in the front of the book, which I enjoy, please make it larger and include some of the places you mention in the book."Fate is inexorable" and if fate brought me to you please bring me to the places you put in your stories. Thank you for your time, Greg McBroom

Just an FYI on some news of potential interest. See link to BBC. Thanks for writing the Uthred series! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5192634.stm.
R. Wesley