Your Questions

Q

As an avid reader who has read every book you have published do far, I am delighted to see new books for this year. I watched a TV programme last week in the UK called "Sharpe's Challenge", and wondered, what happened to the book by that name? Did I miss it, or was it never anything but a screenplay? Best regards Keith Reddy

A

A screenplay - hope you enjoyed it!


Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell First of all, let me start off by saying...Good god, there has never been an author who can write such an enthralling novel. I have read the Warlord Chronicles and I am eagerly awaiting the Lords of the North Country.B.T.W. Please tell me when thats coming out in Australia! seeing that you have only put the dates of the U.S and U.K releases up and also that they are so late in the year kinda fills me with dread about when it will finally be released here. The Warlord Chronicles had me running back to the book through the day to find out what happened next, not even the Lord of the Rings had that affect! You are one hell of a storyteller. You've also inspired me to take up writing. Don't worry its nothing like your books, though I have to say if I get even half as much success as you, Il be cheering! Its killing me not being able to run some ideas from my book past you, but i understand the crap it might cause...though to be perfectly honest id be more honoured then anything if some of my stuff did by chance happen to end up in a future book of yours. Well once again, your a great storyteller, hope you get the time to reply, but i understand if you don't. Matthew Hanks

A

The Lords of the North should be available in Australia in June. I believe Australia and New Zealand follow the same publication dates as the UK.


Q

Dear Mr Cornwell. Many thanks for all your wonderful books, which I am working through, they have relit an interest in history that I had forgotten and introduced me to new eras to explore. Sharpe is my hero, but am always intigued by his earl life and how he came to the army and his early time there. I know you have been asked this before, but any plans for how the boy Sharpe found his 'true calling' (the British Army) to be written. The social history of that time would have so much to offer and would be of great interest. However, whether you do or not inform us of this time, please keep up the good work and "To the Regiment! I wish I were there!.
Andy

A

I'm not planning a book about Sharpe's early life, at least not at the moment.


Q

You have been saying for ten years that Nate Starbuck will be back. With so many of the major battles about to occur in his near future must us loyal fans wait much longer? Please, pretty please, more Starbuck. Also, the tv show did so well for Sharpe, could there not be some screen time for Nate? Phillip Knowles

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I am an avid fan of your writings, and my favourite is the Starbuck chronicles, and I am wondering what happeened to Starbuck after Antietam and The Bloody Ground? I thought there would be some follow ups from these novels. Yours faithfully , Tony Denman

A

I do hope to get back to Starbuck one of these days.


Q

I first was exposed to Richard Sharpe on some late-night TV years ago. About a year ago I remembered the movie (vaugely) and looked up "Sharpe" at my local library. I have been hooked ever since. Your writing style is completely absorbing. I have to plan reading your books for when I don't have chores, home repair, etc., because I have great difficulty putting the book down! My question is about the song "Over the hill and far away." I've heard the tune on tapes of the TV series, and wonder where I could find the rest of the word, music, etc, or if more of the song even exists outside of our imaginations. It would be a great song to teach my kids on hikes and such. Thanks for enriching our lives with your work! Phillip Outzen

A

The songs - and the words - are available on a CD entitled "Over the Hills and Far Away, The Music of Sharpe". Click on the Sharpe books page, then click on the link for 'Suggestions for Further Reading', scroll down to the 14th listing and you will find the posting for this CD along with a link to Amazon.co.uk to purchase the music. Enjoy your hikes!


Q

Hello there Mr Cornwell. I would just like to thank you for the many years of pleasant reading that you have so generously provided. I started on Sharpe, then Arthur when I was 14, and then the rest in mixed up orders as i read them whenever i found one in the libraries of Birmingham.My favorites would have to be the Arthurian Tales as I have loved Arthur since I was a child. However I must shamefully admit that at the first read they were your only books that I hated because I fell in love with Mallory's "traditional" story and believed your version to be blasphemous! However after reading the trilogy a couple of more times(your wqriting is that good! Even the ones I hated still had to be re-read) i have grown to love these books so much that I have read them at least once a year for the last six years. I wish the Arthur's story didnt end at Avalon (even though its the ending that made Arthur and Mallory famous) just so you could have written more!I am very eagerly looking forward to Sharpe's Fury and The Lords of the North but have just a couple of questions. How many more Saxon books are there likely to be (I want Uhtred to get Bennanburg back, but at the same time I don't want his story to end!). And is there any chance that you could PLEASE get Hollywood (or any other film industry) interested in your Arthur books! Or any of your other books! Thanks again Mr Cornwell and please continue the very good work. Mohd Waqas

A

I don't know how many books there will be for Uhtred - more than three, less than 12?

I'd be happy to see the films made!


Q

Do you think there could be a Sharpe console game on things like the PS2/3 and the Xbox 360? Christopher

A

It's been talked about, but so far nothing seems to have come of it. Perhaps some day?


Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I first picked up a sharpe book over 16 years ago and I have read all of them, expect for the new ones that fill the gap. I must say I really identified with the character of Sharpe. In short he was an inspiration to me. I achieved a lot in my life, leaving school, with no qualifications, then going back to studying again to gain a Masters Degree. I am not saying Sharpe did this completely, as there were other factors invovled, but your novel certainly gave me hope, a goal, encouragement and wonder at a man who came from nothing, yet achieved everything through sheer talent, good luck and meeting the right people. This is what happened to me and I thank you for producing such wonderful stories. I must ask two questions, if I may, is there going to be more Sharpe novels set after 1815- 1817 (just watched Sharpe's Challenge great stuff)? Will we see Sean Bean acting the part again in other films based on your books? I think Sean did the part really well and I hope to see him in more films. I was particualary impressed with him coming back to the role after all his hollywood movies he has done. well thanks once more Best Wishes Darren

A

I don't envisage writing any more Sharpes after Waterloo - but I've learned never to say never.

If they do film another Sharpe book, I hope Sean will play the part!


Q

Hi there I just wanted to say I'm a huge fan only 17 have watched all the Sharpe's and now plan to read them not really a question just a compliment on managing to capture the Napoleonic times so well and making it so enjoyable... and also are you still continuing books or are you thinking of putting the lid on the pen? Gareth

A

No 'lid on the pen' just yet! There will be two new books this year - the third book of the Saxon stories, The Lords of the North, and a new Sharpe book, Sharpe's Fury.


Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, as an ex serving soldier, I have an observation. It seems to me that apart from the obvious advances in military equipment, the general relationship between Commisioned British Officer and the NCO/Warrant Officer of today doesn't seem to have altered a lot, resulting in an Army strikingly similar to that which Sharpe served in. Did you do any research on today's army to use in the relationships that take place in your books, Simmerson comes to mind? The resemblance to some officers that I had the "pleasure" of putting up with is remarkable! or was it a conglomeration of several different people, as surely no one commisioned officer could be that terribly incompetent. Seriously though, I would be very interested to know why, apart from the great man himself (Nosey), how the recurring theme of incompetent officers came about. Surely apart from their ability to purchase their commisions they were educated men as they are today? (Apparently) The Sharpe books are fantastic by the way, and go some way to making me feel avenged by my twelve years (apart from four years spent at Bovington Camp in Dorset as DRAC's driver) of mental flogging inflicted by the commisioned nitwits of today. I am chuffed to hear that you are going to be writing a new Sharpe adventure. Will you also be novelising Sharpe's Challenge? Thanks for your time in reading my tongue in cheek comments, no offence anyone who knows me, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! Richard Anstis

A

I didn't base any of the Sharpe books on today's army! I suspect that humankind doesn't change much, and the incidence of fools is probably the same today as it was yesterday, though I fervently hope that the sheer incompetence of some Napoleonic period officers isn't being repeated! I'm thinking, particularly, of Lt Col Peacock who ran away at Tlavera at the first shot (Simmerson is based on him) and of General Erskine who was almost blind and mostly mad (he was an MP as well, but does that surprise us?) When Wellington heard that Erskine was being sent to him, he complained, and received the famous letter from the Horse Guards which said 'No doubt he is sometimes a little mad, but in his lucid intervals he is an uncommonly clever fellow, and I trust he will have no fit during the campaign, though he looked a little wild as he embarked.' Wellington got rid of him, as he mostly got rid of other utter incompetents. There were, to be fair, some terrific officers. Rifleman Harris believed his battalion's officers were 'the best in the world', and in the new book (coming this autumn), LSharpe's Fury. there's a portrait of Gen Sir Thomas Graham, who is a paragon. I suspect that most officers at the sharp end were OK, and still are - I've just finished Richard Holmes's book, Dusty Warriors, about the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment in Iraq, and the officers (and the men) come out very well - though of course the book is almost wholly about men in action and doesn't much deal with the REMF's!