Bulletin Board

How about this for an idea - following from Sharpe, a book following Harper post the wars - can't remember off the top of my head whether Harper goes into stud farming or opens a pub, but plenty of scope for adventure in Ireland against his true enemy! Marcos

Dear Mr. Cornwell, RE: Canadian book tour, May 3-7 ish... I read the diary section and saw that you are planning a trip to Canada for the new Sharpe book. I live in the US but travel to Canada frequently...do you know when you might be in Montreal or Toronto? Also, any book signing locations/times announced yet? Please advise at your convenience, Regards, Kelly Dudgeon

Bernard I have been a fan of the Sharpe novels for some time having been exposed to them in the UK through the TV adaptations. I have recently read Harlequin and felt compelled to write. This is the best historical novel I have read. I am an archer myself and the way you have characterised the archers in the book I fely complete empathy and understanding with them. Are you an archer yourself? I have just started Vagabond and look forward to reading Heretic in due course. Have you any more plans regarding the 100 years war. A facanating period that you have brought to life superbly. Best Wishes. Michael Baxter

Bernard, I first became aware of you work after watching Sharpe's Rifles on UTV when it was first screened a good many years ago and subsequently watched all episodes screened which put me on to your books. I have read everything you have written to date. One aspect I particularly liked, being an Irishman myself, is the historical references and the mythological anecdotes (I'm thinking Cuchulainn here) that you have dotted around the many diverse Irish characters in your stories. I have often felt very sad when a character I've liked has died during a book, I can think of no greater compliment I can give to an author, other than buying books, than saying how your wonderful characterisation has endeared a great many characters to me. I'm thinking offhand here but the ones who stand out are Daniel Hagman, Major Hogan, Sagramor, Merlin and obviously Arthur. Without the books in front of me at the minute I can't name some others I wanted to from the Starbuck Chronicles and other friends of Sharpe. I look forward to (hopefully) seeing Starbuck at Fredricksburg where you may shed some light on the myth that we Irish only fought fot the Union. The Winter King Chronicles stand out as the best you have written in my mind, a legend that has always fascinated me. I also want to compliment you on your thrillers. I was shocked to see on the site that Scoundrel was not published in the US. I would describe myself as an Irish republican, though a staunchly constitutional one, and that book in my view gave a great dissemination of the conflict in the north as any I have read. There is just one reservation I have for the new Sharpe books that you are currently writing. I only read Sharpe's Prey recently and was unfortunately less happy with it than others. I felt Sharpe was being turned into some sort of a secret agent/superhero character used by the then secret service of Lord Pumphrey. To go this route in my view would devalue Sharpe as a character. I admire Sharpe for his leadership (Waterloo, Enemy), his courage (Siege, Eagle), his humanity (Revenge, Honour, Sword) and for the way you have documented his progression up the ranks against the odds and the close knit nature of the army unit. I think I like Sharpe to be in the army, not contracted out to the secret service. I hope you do not feel that comment over critical but I think it just echoes the fact I am a traditionalist by nature. I was glad to have the opportunity to access this site and thank you again for providing me with so many characters that I have enjoyed and still do. Conor Keelan

Dear Mr Cornwell, Please don't stop writing about Thomas of Hookton, you are the only writer I know that writes decent Historical books and I am Desperate to read Poitiers. I Beg you to reconsider stopping this book. I was really excited about your new book so Please continue writing it. I know this message is pathetic but you are the only Historical writer I like. Please finish the book. Alexander Fredrick Verrall

Hi Mr Cornwell. Just finished reading the 3rd book in The Grail Quest series. A brilliant book. Thank you for writing it. But what bothers me is that Thomas' tales are over. Please tell me you have not finished with Thomas as he is a great character in a fantastic time of our history. Cheers Trev.

Dear Mr. Cornwell. Please, please, PLEASE reconsider your regretable decision to scrap the fourth Thomas of Hookton novel. I don't think his character is depleted at all, and I would wager that the vast majority of your fans would side with me on this. We haven't complained about twenty Sharpe novels, have we? Having two of the three major battles of the Hundred Years War (Crecy and Poitiers) only ten years apart just begs for Thomas to be at both. Even if the end of the Grail quest was an ending for Thomas, it could be a new beginning as well, just as the end of the Indian trilogy was not the end of Sharpe's career. Anyway, I am extremely upset by your decision, and I really hope you will give it some more consideration. Alan Kempner

Having re-read the Starbuck chronicles recently (for the third time in my short life), I deduced that Colonel Lassan is probably Sharpe's son - he is, isn't he? Not too difficult to work out, I know, given the clues. I eagerly await the next installment(s). Anyway, the rest of your books are equally as fantastic ("Sharpe's Waterloo" being, in my opinion, the best and certainly most epic of that series), including the thrillers - I must admit I was tentative about reading them because I thought they simply couldn't be as good as your other novels, but suffice to say I was not disappointed. Finally, a word about the Warlord Chronicles: breathtaking. They are simply stunning, and I have to will myself away from re-reading them, as it wasn't that long ago that I picked them up for the first time. I'm sure that I will enjoy them as much as I did the first time when I next read them - which was an enormous amount. Thanks for your time (and, it goes without saying, your books!). Hugh

Dear Mr Cornwell , I had to write and offer My Congratulations on a Patriots trip to the Superbowl! Well done PATS. Great game and excellent prospects for winning the Superbowl. As always, enjoying your books . Eagerly awaiting the next Sharpe Book. Sincerely ,Patrick Early

What about A Crowning Mercy? It was a really good book! My man got me into the Sharpe novels a few years ago and we've read everything you've written since. I am on this web site constantly to check for new books and stumbled across Campion in the book shop. Never heard of it, but it was you. Another success! With love - Kylie

I have become a new fan of yours via my local council library and I am wending my way through Sharp's adventures, and Starbuck's vacation has run it's course so get him back to work please!!!!! Recently I was lucky to find GALLOWS THEIF at the library and enjoyed it throughly but as an AUSTRALIAN I must correct your version of historyin that AUSTRALIA WAS NOT AUSTRALIA until 1-1-1901, Captain A Phillips landed in Sydney which was part of the colony of NEW SOUTH WALES so named by Captain James Cook on 26-1-1788 and the land mass "terra australis" was all known as n.s.w. until various colonies were established ie Victoria,Queensland etc. and allfinally agreed to join together as one country in1901(this resulted in many strange "colony type " decisions such as differentsized rail tracks ) I hope you dont think I am "NIT PICKING". Hope Sharp's adventures run well into the 2000's I remain your loyal reader REX DALE

Mr Cornwell Please, please, please finish the Starbuck Chronicles. I've been left hanging for years now, and whilst I have enjoyed some of Sharpe (mayber there's too much of him now), followed Thomas of Hookton til he found the Grail, I am just so very dismayed that the Starbuck Chronicles have been put to one side. Not all heroes have to live (and I've deliberately stayed away from your other intervening themes) so as with the sunset of the South, so may Starbuck come to a close. Sorry to be so negative, but I so much need to see an end for Starbuck and his companions. Sincerest regards Les