Bulletin Board

Q

Mr.Cornwell, all my life, I have enjoyed scanning the "stacks" at a library, looking for interesting reading material. While looking for a murder mystery Patricia Cornwell, I found "Sharpe's Eagle " and was hooked. Soon after, "Sharpe's Battle" was shown on local public television. Sean Bean is Richard Sharpe when I read the books. I enjoy books about sailing and the sea. I recently found Josua Slocum"s "Sailing Alone Around the World" great adventure. I thought I had read all of your books until I saw here your "Traveler" series, I will have to find them too. Reading the Bulletin Board I notice there are some young readers, though most of us are older. My experience is that a lot of young people do not read for pleasure. Too bad more of them haven't dicovered your books, I feel they would enjoy them as much as I have. Thankyou for hours of enjoyment . Steve Lee 51.

A

Thank you Steve. I actually do hear from many young people - which is very gratifying


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Your finest work yet (TheLast Kingdom). I have read all your work and await the next in this series. Thank You, Jim


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Dear Sir: I believe that you receive a great deal of mail of this kind, but having just re-read Sharpe's Escape, I felt compelled to personally thank you for giving us Richard Sharpe and connecting him to the 95th Rifles and your own creation of the Prince of Wales' Own Volunteers. Sometimes it takes a fictional character to remind us of how best to live our own real lives. Sharpe is flawed, profane and impatient; in sum, real. But also trustworthy, honest to his men and himself, and loyal to those deserving. Of course, those who betray him have a real problem, and Sharpe's idea of turning the other cheek seems to be the other fellow's over an open fire; but I won't quibble. He's a soldier. Sharpe is an ideal, and one which at least I sorely need. Thank you again for this vast world in which I love to vacation time and again. "First on the field and last off-The 95th!" John H. Dixon


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Just thought I'd drop you a quick line of thanks - your work has given me many many hours of pleasure Mr Cornwell. My father introduced me to the Arthur trilogy in 2003, which became (with the honoury exception of Lord of the Rings) my favourite novel of all time. I have since read much more of your work, and the standard rarely, if ever, drops. I've just raced through the Grail series in the last week or so, Thomas is one of your finest characters. As an Englishman from Salisbury now living in Australia, I do find myself pining for the southern England countryside from time to time - your books can make me feel like I'm back there...Phil Dean


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Mr Cornwell I first started reading you Warlord Series and could not put any of them down. Usually after a series is over I want another book to come out to tell me what happened to the charaters after wards, however you left the series concluded with a finality that is rare. I've just finished the Grail Quest series and again couldn't put them down. You tell your stories with such imagination that your readers get trapped in the story and become part of it. I've just picked up Stonehenge and I'm sure it's goning to be great. Best of luck to you and please vist us here in San Antonio when you get a chance. William Todd


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Look!!! This really is not funny any more. You started a story many years ago and you have still not finished it yet. Its not like you can't finish it. It more like you won't finish it. To my mind a good storyteller will finish writing the story. Please can we see a return to Starbuck. Cheers and have fun Trev.


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My name is Michelle I'm 14 and live in Australia. I just finished Harlequin and am about to start the next book, but wanted to say how much I liked your book for both an exciting plot and all the history I'm learning at the same time. So I just want you to know that your books are also loved on the other side of the world. From Michelle

A

Thanks Michelle - it was a pleasure hearing from you!


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Dear Mister Cornwell, I have just read the Last Kingdom after reading a lot of your other books - the Warlord Chronicles, Grail Quest and all the Sharpes and I couldn't put it down. When will the next in the series be out in the UK? I can hardly wait. Daniel

My partner, Steve Taylor, and I loved your Arthur Trilogy, we've read them several times. Steve is now reading The Grail Quests and again is absolutely rapt... many wives/partners are golf-widows, I'm a Cornwell widow! Steve also read The Last Kingdom, buying a copy as soon as it appeared in our local Ottakers... my question is: Have you begun the next volume in what we hope will become another trilogy? I intend reading Kingdom as soon as I have waded through Jean M Auel's Earth Children saga... on part 2 but may not bother with part three until after I done Kingdom. I need a break from the Stone Age! A step forward in history would be wonderful. I'd love to hear from you soon and keep up the good work, we adore you! Joanna Harding & Steve Taylor

Until just recently I had never heard of you and your books. I read a review in The Wall Street Journal about The Last Kingdom and it was a good review. I happen to be of Danish & Scotish decent so I had an interest in a book that covered this area. I bought The Last Kingdom on Feb 1 and I have finished it today Feb 6. WOW!! I loved this book. I cannot wait until I can get my hands on the next book in the series. I think I saw it will be on the market in the UK in October? Do you know when it will come to the US? Thanks, Dan Jensen

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Thank you - I'm glad to know you all enjoyed the book. The next one will be out in the UK in October. I don't have the US release date yet, but we'll post the information as soon as we get it.


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Dear Mr. Cornwell, first let me say how much I enjoy your writing, especially the way you bring the past to life. Historical fiction is my favorite genre and in my book,you are tops. Next, you look very familiar to me. You see, I lived on the Cape for 12 years. I was in Truro, Wellfleet and West Yarmouth. I have since moved to rural W.Va.. Might you have been living in any of those areas? I really am writing this just to say thank-you for the many enjoyable hours you and your writings have given me.THANK-YOU! Sincerely,Don Hurst

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I do live on Cape Cod, but not in the towns you mention - although I have enjoyed visiting them!


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Dear Mr. Cornwell, I just read an interview you gave in 1997 where you said you were writing entertainment, not literature. I'll not debate whether your books "present ideas of permanent or universal interest" (Webster's definition of literature) - war-heroism-loyalty-love-struggle-friendship, but you are surely an amazing and marvelous storyteller and unless I am mistaken, most of classic literature started out as great stories. Your books may not be classed as great literature, but I'd be willing to wager that people will still be reading them long after the angst-ridden, navel-gazing doom-saying that pretends to pass for literature now has been long gone. Thank you and don't stop writing those wonderful stories! Roberta Parker