Bulletin Board

Mr. Cornwell, My wife and I winter in central Florida. A couple years ago I was looking for some information on sailing and a local librarian told me about a couple of your books. I read them and was captivated. Thank you for them. Then I started reading others and am now at 13 of your books. I've read the grail quest books this winter and both books in the King Alfred series and am anxious for September when I can buy "Lord of the North." In the meantime I want to read the King Arthur books. I'm saving the Starbuck Chronicles for winter 2007. You should know that I value the stories so much that I've purchased all the books I've read so I have them in my library to re-read sometime. Again, I'm looking forward to the further adventures of Uhtred and friends. Thanks for the most wonderful and exciting reading I've ever had. God bless you. I'd like to know if you will be in the Cleveland, OH area sometime so I can have some of my books signed. Yours, Harry

I need Help! ! Last fall on a trip to Switzerland, someone suggested that I try the Cornwell books. I had never heard of them but my wife just happened to get the first Grail book. Talk about luck. A few months later, I've gone through the Grail, Saxton, Arthur and Starbuck series and am working on the Thrillers before diving into the Sharp books. I can't stop! I'm now on a first name basis with all the girls at the library. During deer season, I even carried a book to read sometimes while I was sitting in a shooting house. I've never done this before. Either Bernard is going to have to start writing faster or I'm going to have to read slower. I was reading about the Battle of New Orleans the other day (one of my ggggrandfathers was killed there) and thinking he personality of Andrew Jackson and the frontier farmers stopping the greatest army in the world would be a great story told by Bernard Cornwell. Anyway, I just want to say Mr. Starbuck is getting restless and wants to get at those "damn Yankees" again. Keep up the good work. Shelby Smith, Canton, Mississippi

Dear Mr.Cornwell I just wanted to take this oppurtunity to thank you for writing such wonderful books I love them all. I especially love the Sharpe series I have them all even the short stories. I just am really appreciative of your efforts and really want you to keep writing. Thanks from Canada, Michael Kucharski, Oakville, Ontario, Canada

I was introduced to Richard Sharpe three years ago, by a woman who owns a local used book store. I had been looking for a Flashman, whom she despised, and she said that Sharpe, in contrast, had a conscience. I chose Sharpe's Tiger. It was to be read during recovery from surgery. I began Sharpe's Tiger while recovering from a heart catheter. I read to just past the point when Sharpe is flogged. The next day, I had open heart surgery, but after reading about the flogging followed by the surgery, I was slow in returning to the book. Afterwards I began reading the books voraciously, in chronological order until my wife began calling herself a Sharpe widow. I then limited myself no more than one per month. I have enjoyed the story of the growth of Richard Sharpe as a person the most. I seem to have matched him at times with my own injuries. I was in recovery from shoulder surgery as he was recovering from his wounds after Lucille shot him. I have only one more book to go. I will miss my visits with Mr. Sharpe and look forward to when your book-in-progress comes out. Now for your other series. Thank you, Bill Pellettieri

Mr. Cornwell, please do not write any more books for about four months. It's been that long since I've had any sleep reading the ones already published. Ralph Holmes ps. my wife hates the sound of your name or "be right back, honey, just going to Barnes and Noble."

Hi Mr. Cornwell. If I may, I'd like to chime in for a bit on Thomas' October 10th question about Roman influence on Saxon/Viking fighting techniques. It seems to me that there was a very definite break in the two styles. The Romans prefered an open formation, with each legionaire having space to either side (in this they presaged the British Line). This gave them battlefield flexability against the much more cumbersome phalanx. Although they occasionally closed ranks tight to form the testudo, this was only used in special cases, such as the Romans being surrounded and hit from all sides. Although the Saxons had a short bladed weapon, the saex, my understanding again is that it was not the weapon of choice, and they were more likely to favor a long double-edged blade. The saex was more often used in a shortened form as a dagger and utility knife. The shield wall almost certainly had only a coincidental similarity to the Greek phalanx, there was no historical relation. However, it is interesting that even well-armed and armored forces kept it, an indication that a formation may survive out of inertia even when the original reason for it no longer applies so much. Alan Kempner

This sounds a bit lame but your Sharpe books have always been a great source of comfort to me in times where there wasn't really a lot else to turn to so I just had to say thank you for creating such a readable and vivid series of books. Shame I can never convince the wife to watch the tv series! I read my dad's copy of Rifles/Eagle that were in one big book when I was ten and now at twenty two I finally have them all. All were fantastic (except Revenge which dragged on a bit)and I have gone on to discover more about Wellington's army from further reading. Hated reading at school so thanks for getting me into something that I can learn from and enjoy at the same time. Thank you again. Adam (Evesham, England)

You are the best. I´m brazilian, poor, your books are very expensive, but I don't worry about it; For example: The price of Excalibur is R$ 52,00, and this means 10% of my salary. I like so much your way to relate. Please, I will ask you a favor: don´t stop to enchant the world with your words. Thanks. Your fan, Igor Alessandro. I pray for you.

I just finished "The Pale Horseman". I have now read all of your books and found they have a common flaw. They all come to an end. Please keep writing. Clayton W. Brown

dear Sir. you probably get letters like this all the time, but may I just say how good your books are - my favorites are the Arthur books. I got into them so much I could see myself being there. What a really good read they all are. I must have read them about five or six times and I enjoy them now as I did when I first read them. Thanks, Tony