Bulletin Board

Dear Bernard, A 10th Century Viking burial site was discovered near Cumwhitton in Northern England. Have you heard about it? This, I believe, overlaps your story in 'Last Kingdom'. Go to MSNBC.com if you can and read the article about it. Charles

I was looking for an audio file of the Pas de Charge to give myself a better feel for it while reading your books.

After a lot of searching I found the "Pas de Charge Marine" at most of the way down the page for the following link from the French Troupes de Marine. Playing it the rhythm is as you described (in I also forget which Sharpe book). I also found your site and the FAQ regarding the rhythm.

www.MultimediaMilitaireetdesTroupesDeMarine.org

Enjoying your books greatly,

Steve.

I got into your Sharpe series of books one dreary evening when I was 16 while doing my homework and looking for something good to "listen to" on the telly while I did and ended up on UK Gold where Sharpe's Gold was being shown. I ended up neglecting my homework in favour of the programme and then begged my mum to buy me the sharpe books - I had the whole lot then published within 4 months. It was these books that inspired me to delve more into the Napoleonic War and I did a 4000 word extended essay on it at A-Level, using as source material a great number of the books that you reccommend. I'm now at the University of Kent (Canterbury) reading History with a view to teaching. Before I read your books on Richard Sharpe I wasn't really aware of any "interesting" history taking place before 1900 and now the Napoleonic era is one of my favourites. Similarly after reading the Starbuck chronicles I became interested in the US Civil War and read up on it in fits and bursts (usually when I've just finished rereading the books) finding it strangely compelling. An immensely sad conflict, moreso than I ever realised and now I feel sorry for the South (and especially Robert E. Lee because he would never get his citizenship back) right from the beginning of Rebel because I know they are going to lose and I so badly want Starbuck to be able to win. I suppose I see in him the teenage me looking for a place to fit in. I apologise for the legnth of this ramble, I just want to communicate how much pleasure and enjoyment I get out of your novels. When I'm commuting to London for a holiday job and reading Copperhead suddenly Victoria will vanish and I'll be watching Nate struggling to survive. Please keep up the good work and bring Starbuck back from holiday one day - I want to know how he ends up...I hope you don't kill him off (though as the author it's certainly your perogative ;)) I wait eagerly for your next release to add to my collection (even though my fiance thinks I should spend my money on things other than hardback books). Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope to tear myself away from the History reference books and come and see you at the NAM in October to get one of my books signed. Thank you, Elizabeth

Hello Mr. Cornwell, I am an avid reader of your books and have not read one I have not liked so far. I took a look at your F.A.Q. page and your answer that Thomas of Hookton was not going to be coming back saddened me. I won't ask you to write a book on him for me, because I believe true writing is from the heart and should not be forced but if you do indeed start to write another story of our hero from Hookton, please let us know! Thanks. Charlie from Virginia

In reply to the question about which Irish Regiment had the motto "Faugh a Ballagh" (clear the way), it is currently The Royal Irish Regiment created in 1992 and was originally the motto of the Royal Irish Fusiliers formed in 1881. Peter Brown

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I'm just writting to tell you that I REALLY enjoyed the Arthur's trilogy! I received 'The Enemy of God' as a gift from my sister who worked for a newspaper in the Cultural section and had received it from the publishers to divulge it. I knew it was the second book, but I started reading it and couldn't stop. Then, as I was very curious for the sequence of it, I bought Excalibur, and then, wishing to know how everything begun, The Winter King. This sequence of reading a trilogy is quite strange, but it didn't make me love that story less. After having read Marion Zimmer Bradley's books versions of the same characters some time ago, and others author's, and movies, I was fascinated by the way you build the romance, from Derfel's point of view, from a man's feelings. I could get into his soul, and feel exactly how it would be (or was) to live those times. And to know "his" sentiments was like falling in love with him: such a brave and noble man, with a honoured heart, strong, but humble, turned wise by his life and all the richness of challenges and experiences he had... Thank you for the opportunity of getting back in time many centuries ago, where I found the warrior that still lives inside me, somewhere, with a sword and lots of love for life and mankind (with all its weakness, sweetness, love, battles, and wish for peace). Best Regards, Fernanda (São Paulo, Brazil - 33 years old)

JUST FINISHED THE BEST READING IN A WHILE WITH YOUR ENTIRE STARBUCK CHRONICLES. CANNOT WAIT UNTIL ANOTHER ONE IS RELEASED BUT REALIZE IT MIGHT BE A WHILE . ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR AN ENJOYABLE JOURNEY THRU THE EARLY CIVIL WAR WITH NATE STARBUCK. SAMUEL HIRSCHMAN

Dear Mr. Cornwell, since I've seen some of the Sharpe series in a Russian TV chanel some 8 years ago, I have been hunting your books one after another because it is no very easy to get them hear in Latvia. I have enjoyed your every novel and truely look forward to the new ones. Thank you very much for the hours of pleasure spent together with your characters!!!! Linda Dombrovska

Hello Mr. Cornwell, I guess you can see from the form that my name is Nicholas, and right now you are my favorite author. That's saying a lot, since I'll read about a book a week (if my studing will allow it). Anyways, I'm also an aspiring artist, looking at taking up writing in the UK (I live in Brasil). However, that's not really the point. I'm writing because I read Stonehenge right after I finished the Warlord Chronicles and I just couldn't help but find an uncanny similarity between the two stories. Merlin and Camaban are clearly connecter, as are Saban and Derfel. I don't know, I just wanted to say I found that quite ingenious, how history repeats itself, I suppose. Anyways, I've got Gallows Theif waiting patiently until I've sucked Hamlet for all its got (school work, but fun nonetheless), and I want to say again that the works are brilliant! You are an inspiration. An avid reader, -Nick

Hi Bernard, Have you read Mark Urban's 'Rifles'? I'm just finishing it, and highly recommend it. It's an excellent history of the 1st Battalion, 95th Rifles from 1809-1815. By the way, I've never been a great fan of naval history, always prefering army histories/stories, but your 'Sharpe's Trafalgar' made me go out and buy Patrick O'Brian's 'Master and Commander', the first of the series featuring Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend, naval surgeon and intelligence agent Stephen Maturin. I'm now on the 15th book of the 20 book series, and, like your books, can't read them quickly enough to see what happens. David Coates