Bulletin Board

One your contacts mentioned watching the recent movie "TimeLine." Aside from being a thoroughly awful waste of time (the book wasn't much better), it looked like a depiction of the 100 Years War by Disney. Yes, I noticed the predominace of longbows used by the French. They only used the trebuchets for hurling fire balls. But the stupidest thing was that both sides always lit their arrows during the night battle (which also very unlikely since soldiers were very hard to control in the hours of darkness) and when the English decide to fire an unlit flight of arrows, the French panic and scream, "Night arrows, night arrows!!" Having read the Grail Quest, it just boggles the mind how dumb Hollywood can be. Guy E. Orr

Thank you for your great imagination. My father and I have been buying each other the newest Sharpe book for any reason we can think of. It has been a great experience for us. I also wanted to thank you for your Warlord Chronicles books. I have never like the Arthur legends until reading your version. Thank you for making them real. Every character was a huge improvement on the traditional interpretations. I loved how Merlin preyed on people's supersitions more than performed actual magic. Thank you for countless hours of reading enjoyment. Todd Elliot

Dear Bernard I have just finished reading your novels of Arthur. I haven't read any other of your books but these three. I just wanted to tell you how enjoyable and inspirational I found them. Great stuff, keep up the good work. All the best Barry Foster, Navan, Ireland.

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I really like your books and have all the Sharpe series on video. Your historical research seems to be extremely good. However, I often wondered HOW you imagined that awful sergeant's behaviour patterns. ... A superb actor, too, one could really dislike him ! Why? Because when I was a conscript in the Dorsets (in Austria) in l949, we had a sergeant running the battalion police. His name was Algeron and, so I was told, he still had a piece of metal in his head. However, his corporal was my nemesis ... L/Cpl Nash ... who used to say ..."Yew, soljer, whatyerdoin' wiv a cigarette 'older, that's again miletary reg-u-lations." I never, ever swore in the army until I met this little, which he was, b.....d. Mind you it was a little effete using a cigarette holder but in them thar days it had a filter and on l0/- a week one made ones own cigs. SGT ALGERON USED TO ALSO GRIMACE AND NOD HIS HEAD FORWARDS ALL THE TIME ... but otherwise was not a S.O.B. Just thought you'd like to know that..... re your Baker rifles, well, the guys always wanted to borrow mine as it 'shot straight', mind you, that, as you well know, was a Lee Enfield ... but the one time I shot with a Bren I got bored with hitting the bull every time from 600 yards so I shot at the moving marker ... and even notched the stick ... but the butts didn't like this at all. Yours truly, Freeman Newton, White Rock, B.C. Canada. ... an excellent place to retire to. Freeman Newton

I have finished reading your 'Warlord Chronicles' and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Your interpretation of Arthur was so believable to me that I have to remind myself that it is not fact. I absolutely loved the character Derfel and now that I have finished the books I feel a little bit sad, as it feels as though I have lost a friend! I would love to think that he died his warriors death and was burned so that he could join Ceinwyn and his family in the otherworld. Thank you very much for writing such a brilliant book. Helyna Thomas

Hi! what can I say other than the same thing you hear time and time again - your books are fab! I fell in love with Derfel, broke my heart with Arthur and now find myself falling in love all over again with Robbie Douglas and Thomas of Hookton. Obviously you have had the highly successful Sharpe series televised, has there ever been any indication of a series or films of The Arthur Books? They are truly stories that would make excellent films. I would love to hear from you. Rachel Malone

A pity Sharpe could never meet Harry Flashman, there would be an interesting conversation. Paul Morgan

Hi Bernard, just read the first chapter of the Last Kingdom on the site and it's great, can`t wait for the complete book. Read Sharpe's Siege whilst on holiday and enjoyed it immensley. Am about to read Heretic - the Grail series has been wonderful. I was first introduced to your books when I read the Winter King and I can honestly say the Warlord chronicles are the best books I have ever read, Derfell is a great hero and your interpretation of Arthur, Lancelot, Merlin and all the cast is both believable and gripping. I enjoy all the Sharpe stories, but my other favourite of your books is Stormchild, Tim Blackburn not being a usual hero but a very good one nonetheless. Thanks for taking the time to read this, Rob.

Just wanted to say thanks for the Sharpe series and the Warlord series, (including Stonehenge) I enjoy reading them and get a lot of inspiration and ideas from your books, hopefully you be coming to a book tour in North of England, many thanks, Mr Ashley Crook

Dear Mr Cornwell, please can you tell me if you are going to tour the UK and visit Windsor again to promote your new book A Crowning Mercy. I saw you at Windsor last year and had a very enjoyable evening. David Dean

Dear Bernard....a word of thanks. I'm struggling through the final placement of my PGCE course, trawling through endless lesson plans and worksheets, and just wanted to say that the occasional pip at you website pumps a bit of life back into my sorry hide! Can't waith to read The Last Kingdom, and frankly, I'm a bit gutted that the next installement will take a coupla years to get to the shelf! Keep up the good work and take no prisoners. Owe Phillips