Just finished 'A Crowning Mercy'. A wonderful book; any more 'of this ilk' in the pipeline? Joceline Morrison
No plans for more at the moment, although I hope you've had the chance to read Fallen Angels.
Dear Mr. Cornwell: Now that you have reassured us (sort of) about poor little Antonia Sharpe, tantalyzed us with hints about Sharpe's father (please don't tell us it's Simmerson!) and have us waiting impatiently for 'Sharpe's Fury', is there any possibility that the BBC will film another Sharpe in the not too distant future? Susan James
One can always hope!
Mr. Cornwell, Thank you for replying to my last letter. 'You're a story-teller, so start telling a story' was a great bit of advice. It may seem obvious- but it is very inspiring- I've now propped your quote above my computer to remind me. As always, I have a few questions..
1. I was wondering if you were familiar with Orwell's Homage to Catalonia- about his time spent fighting in the militia during the Spanish Civil War. I found the account very gripping and I wondered what your thoughts, if any, were on the subject.2. I noticed in Sharpe's Waterloo that he is using a battered old sea captain's spyglass instead of the telescope Wellington gave him for his service in India. I think you mention him losing it in Toulouse. It may seem minor, but the telescope- alongside the green jacket, the baker rifle and the heavy cavalry blade- seemed to me a unique identifier of the character- like Holmes' pipe and deerstalker hat. Will you consider having Sharpe retrieve it? Or at least tell the story of how it came to be lost?
3. C.S. Forester states in the Hornblower Companion that 'after Waterloo a large number of Napoleon's Old Guard had organized themselves into an association that had seized, and attempted to colonize, an area of Texas, at a time when Texas was still part of Mexico and Mexico was still fighting for her independence' Have you ever thought about bringing Sharpe into this somewhat dimmer corner of history? As others have pointed out- this technically keeps Sharpe's vow never to fight against America intact.
4. You mentioned in an interview in Paperback Parade #64 that you were a fan of the Richard Stark Parker novels- that they 'fill you with envy'. I wonder if they have had any deeper influence on your Sharpe books? They seem similar, in that you never know too much about the character, and every story is largely self-contained. What do you think the qualities a character in an ongoing cycle of stories must have to maintain this kind of integrity? I ask because this seems to be one of your greatest strengths as a storyteller- not to use one of your books as a crutch for another to lean on. None of your books read like sequels and I think that's a very enviable quality.
5. Lastly, have you ever read Candice Millard's River of Doubt? If not, may I recommend it? It is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt's journey into the Amazon after losing the 1912 election. He battles cannibal tribes, flesh-eating bacteria and a thousand other perils to trace an uncharted river- it's a riveting account of a little wrinkle of history that seems to have been forgotten. Anyway, thanks again for taking the time to read my questions&again, congratulations on the OBE, best of luck with the play and I can't wait for the Fury R. Kulb
1. I re-read it last year and was, as ever, appalled by the treachery of the left. It's marvellous, of course it is, and if you enjoyed it then can I recommend you try Antony Beevor's new (actually revised and reissued) book on the Spanish Civil War?
2. I seem to remember that Pierre Ducos smashes up the telescope? But then the Marquesa gives him another one . . . . I don't remember all the details because the books were written so long ago. But I think his new one was stolen from King Joseph (Napoleon's brother). Mind you, Sharpe would probably be happy with an sea captain's spyglass . . .
3. Not really - Forester himself dealt with it so brilliantly in a short story which is published in Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies that I'm not sure anyone can better it. It's the first story in the book, and in it Hornblower meets a Mr Cloudesley Sharpe - no relation.
4. I don't think the Parker books had that much influence because I didn't discover them (silly me) until the Sharpe series was well and truly launched. I suppose Parker's appeal is his emotionless and ruthless nature, and the flat way the story is told. I regard that as a virtue, and I suppose, and I don't want to be immodest, I have a fairly flat narrative style. By flat I mean that you don't ginger up the prose with too many adjectives - you tell it as it is and let the reader do the rest. But Parker is MUCH flatter than Sharpe, and all the better for it. On the other hand Sharpe occupies a larger canvas, which isn't necessarily a virtue. As to the qualities of a character? I have an instinct that you leave the main character very slightly indistinct so that the reader can project their own qualities to fill the gap.
5. I read it and enjoyed it. I suspect he was quite mad to do it, and was lucky to survive.
I'M A BIG FAN OF SHARPE AND I'M RECREATING SOME OF SHARPE'S ADVENTURES BY USING MINATURE MODEL SOLIDIERS, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD TELL ME WHAT NUMBER THE SOUTH ESSEX REGIMENT IS SUPPOST TO BE SO I CAN PUT THE NUMBER ON THE COULOURS? MICHAEL SARSFIELD
It doesn't have a number, which is odd, I know, but deliberate. The next vacant number in the Wellington era army would have been the 105th, so I could have chosen that, but it sounds far too French! To have used a smaller number - i.e. the 45th or 63rd, would have been to poach from an existing regiment, so I decided they would be uniquely numberless.
I'm trying to write a book about American's impressed into the British navy circa 1807 but I'm having trouble doing research. Where do you get your details at? Will Johnston
There are a huge number of sources, so many that it's hard to know where to start - but if I were you I would concentrate, for the moment, on the books of N.A.M. Rodger. He is presently publishing a three-decker history of the Royal Navy and the second volume, The Command of the Ocean, ends with the Napoleonic period - and it's brilliant, with a good deal of sociological detail that you'd find invaluable. Another, older, book of his is The Wooden World, also brilliant. If you want details of a warship then you can hardly beat Stephen Biesty's Cross-sectional Man of War - aimed at a young audience, but absolutely terrific. For some quirky stuff I'd get The Sailor's Word Book, published in 1867 by Admiral W. H. Smyth - available in reprint and full of weird and wonderful stuff that you can shamelessly plagiarise (out of copyright) and sound extremely knowledgeable. Another invaluable book would be The Trafalgar Companion, by Mark Adkin. It's a big book, and the hardback was expensive, but it's crammed with excellent material, is superbly illustrated, and will save you hours of work! Good luck!
Hello, I have enjoyed all the book I have read so far from sharpe to the saxon stories! Now I am interested in writing a book but the research looks a bit daunting. What is the best way to carry out research? Matthew
By reading everything and anything on and around the subject you plan to write about. Some research comes from recent books, and I try to keep up to date, but I use lots and lots of very old books too, often they have details which more modern scholarship leaves out. Good luck!
I have just fininshed reading "The Lords of the North" - will we be reading about Uhtred's return to Bebbanburg? Monica Douglas
You will, but Uhtred is still a long way from Bebbanburg, he won't get back up there till much later in the series.
Mr. Cornwell. A few years have now passed since i last wrote to you. Since then i have been reading on in the sharpe series, at present i am reading sharpes Havoc, only needing to finish that along with sharpes escape and sharpes fury and i will be done with the series. Feels kind of sad to be leaving Richard after 21 books of "Friendship". I was wondering, will you be blessing us with any more sharpe books? And also, you wouldnt know if there will be a film of Sharpes Devil? It would be fascinating to watch the audience between Sharpe And Napoleon, as well as the attack on Porto Crucio and Valdivia, or the fight between the Mary Starbuck and Espirito Santo. I would also like to congratulate you on your order. Wll done. Sincerely, Christopher Jespersen.
More Starbuck PLEASE. How many more Sharpe books are you planning to write? enjoy them all, congrats on your OBE. Jason Teager
How many more Sharpe? I honestly don't know, and have never really sat down to plan them out. Four more? Five more? Truly can't tell.
No plans for a film of Sharpe's Devil as far as I know.
Dear Mr Cornwel, I would like to thank you for the many enjoyable hours your wonderful books have given me. I was interested to read that the Arthur series is your favorite, and I hope that it will one day be made into a film so that everyone can appreciate what an exceptional story they are. Do you use researchers when writing your books, or do you do all the research yourself? Please keep writing. Scott Brundish
Do it myself.
Hi Bernard. Still illustrating Derfel even though things have gone so quiet from Toby that I fear the graphic novels will never see fruition. However, I see repeated requests for Derfel's story to be continued and you always replying that his story is told. Is it? What happens after the battle of Cammlan when he leaves the beach? Does he go straight into the service and Sansum and join the church or does he get to fight some more untill he is far too old? (there were other survivors and he did say they needed someone to lead them just before the boat sets sail with Arthur) Perhaps he becomes a farmer (like Arthur wanted to) and just lives happily with Ceinwyn for a few more years. How does Ceinwyn die and when? Who becomes High King and does Derfel serve him for a while, or does he decline to serve him. How does Igraine track him down to Dinnewrac to be told Arthur's true tale? Yes I know these are all hinted at at the end of Excalibur and throughout all the trilogy when we see the old Derfel narrating, but WE NEED TO KNOW! I have been having email conversations with some of your readers all of whom have expressed the same feeling. So please, if fate is really inexorable, never say never! Regards, Andrew Moore
I honestly don't know what happens to Derfel after Camlann - it was trouble enough getting him that far without having to devise a plot for his post-Camlann existence! And there won't be more. The Arthurian saga without Arthur is like Hamlet without the prince, so I won't be writing it! I've no idea what the prospects are for a 'manga' version of the book, though I do know that a very large Japanese publisher would like to produce one . . we shall see.