Your Questions

Q

In your book 'Sharpe's Escape" in the description of the defenses at Lisbon, you mention that they used "withies'. I know that they were usually used as pens for the livestock. Can you explain how they were used in the defense system? I think my last name explains my interest. I have a recent copy of a withie made in England about five years ago. Thank You, John R. Withey

Submitted April 18, 2006

A

Did I? I don't remember! I usually use the term to describe the dead branches used to mark shallow water. I suspect it's a dialect term I learned growing up on the shoaling coast of Essex. It can be used, though, of any flexible piece of wood (a sapling, for instance) and perhaps I used it to describe how the Napoleonic equivalent of a sandbag was made - a box of withies, filled with earth and called a gabion.

Q

I WAS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED AFTER READING THE LAST PAGE OF "SHARPE'S ENEMY", TO LEARN THAT I HAD WASTED MY TIME READING ABOUT A FICTIONAL BATTLE. I HAVE READ ALL THE SHARPE NOVELS IN CHRONOLIGICAL ORDER UP TO THIS POINT. I LOVE TO STUDY HISTORY VIA THE NOVEL. THIS IS THE FIRST FICTIONAL BATTLE I HAVE ENCOUNTERED FROM YOU. FICTIONAL CHARACTERS AND FICTIONAL SITUATIONS ARE OK, BUT FICTIONAL BATTLES? I HAVE LOST INTEREST IN COMPLETING THE SERIES UNLESS I KNOW WHICH BOOKS DEAL WITH "REAL" BATTLES. CAN YOU IDENTIFY THESE FOR ME, SO I CAN SKIP THE REST? I REALLY DON'T EXPECT AN ANSWER, BUT THIS E-MAIL ALLOWS ME TO VENT. Lawrence Soule

Submitted April 18, 2006

A

I hope you feel better after venting. I know this will disappoint you, and maybe cause you further irritation, but I write fiction. Every book contains unreal things. But, to keep you from a heart attack, you must deny yourself Sharpe's Siege and Sharpe's Enemy.

Q

Hi Bernard, just discovered your web site and wanted to say thanks for all the hours of enjoyment your books have given me. I have been a fan since the age of seventeen and have read every book you have written that I could get my hands on (and now i find there are Sharpe short stories too !!) I was just wondering if you ever intended to write a novel reuniting Sharpe with his daughter Antonia or if you would ever write another book about the Lazender family? Frances Speller

Submitted April 18, 2006

A

Another Lazender book? It might happen . . . it isn't on the radar yet, but I've thought about it from time to time. Antonia? I'm sure she lived happily ever after...

Q

Hey I'm a great fan of Sharpe, and adore your work! Just wondering what is the favourite Sharpe book that you've written? And was the information I received correct in saying that there is a new Sharpe book coming soon? carry on the great work! Charlotte

Submitted April 18, 2006

A

My favourite Sharpe book? I really like Seige, but I also really like Tiger, and Regiment and Trafalgar and Company, and many others. But my favourite Sharpe book is always the next one, which in this case will be Sharpe's Fury - coming to the UK in October.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I am a keen reader of the Sharpe novels as well as pretty much every other series you have written. My name is Ross Jones and I am currently in my second year studying History in the University of Glamorgan, Wales. Due to your Sharpe books, I have gained a large interest in the Napoleonic Wars and am in the process of research for an Independent Study for my course that I am completing on popular portrayals of Napoleon Bonaparte,including both fictional, and academic views. I have included Balzac's Les Chouans and would, by your leave, include the Sharpe novels as examples, and case studies if you will. I was hoping that if you could spare me a few minutes of your time, you could possibly share with me the sources you used in your portrayal of Napoleon Bonaparte, and your characters' attitudes towards him. Thank you very much for your time, yours most sincerely, Ross Jones

Submitted April 15, 2006

A

Sources? Dear God, I've been reading this stuff for over forty years and couldn't possibly remember a tenth of the books, let alone which were the most influential. I'll try, but forgive me if this reply is very unsatisfactory. Probably the oldest and , in many ways, the strongest influence was C.S. Forester - not a proper historian, I hear you complain, and right you are, but he was a very influential writer. Since then I've read just about every possible military history of the period, and a vast amount of other books, and nothing I've read has changed that early picture. And, of course, it's a very conventional British picture, which says he was an unprincipled, untrustworthy bastard. Probably the best recent book I've read on him, maybe because I agreed with so much of it, was Paul Johnson's diatribe, entitled Napoleon, published in the Weidenfeld and Nicholson series 'Lives'. Do I have no liking for him? Yes, of course - he could be very beguiling and he spoke a lot of sense about military matters, and certainly Julia Blackburn's marvellous book The Emperor's Last Island made me feel some sympathy, which increased greatly when I visited St Helena and walked around Longwood House. Evengeline Bruce's superb book shows him in a different light - impossible to totally dislike a man who loved the lovely Josephine as he did - and she was a sweetheart and he did her wrong, but then, as I said, he's basically an unprincipled, untrustworthy bastard! Josephine deserved better.

Q

Hi again Bernard I am compelled to write again in praise of your Arthurian trilogy. Armour of God is turning out to be even better than Winter King. I really like the way you have woven the 'Round Table' elements into the Brotherhood of Britain. Also, the tale of Tristan & Iseult was so intriguing and alas, so sad. Merlin's 'apparent' deterioration leads us to believe he has had it, but there's life in the old druid yet. The rift between Derfel & Arthur, and the tragedy of Dian have made compelling and heart-breaking reading. I have another question...there appears to be two places with the name 'Isca' - one in eastern Siluria (where Lancelot stays for a while), and another on the Exe in southern Dumnonia. Is this correct? Best Regards.........Darryl Potter

Submitted April 15, 2006

A

Chester and Exeter - confusingly both called Isca at some time, as were other places, Isca being a very common British (i.e. pre Roman, pre English) name probably meaning a fast-flowing river.

Q

A couple of questions. 1. You've mentioned the promise Sharpe made about not going to America in 'Sharpe's Siege'. I looked and for it and can't seem to find it. What was the promise and who was it to?

2. You've written before about the characters dictating how their stories come out regardless of how you want them to be. Is there an event (like the death of a character, or story change)that shocked you the most? One that totally came out of left field? Thanks, Jonathan Mullins

Submitted April 15, 2006

A

It's made to Captain Killick and I found it on p. 290 of the UK hardback edition - I think the promise not to fight against the USA is made earlier, but it's described again on p. 290

Without doubt it was Sharpe falling for Lucille and staying in France. I never saw that coming.

Q

Bernard, Thanks for gradually filling the Sharpe gaps.Do you plan to go way back before India? Some of his memories touch on times & places that maybe need expansion.I think hard times in Flanders comes to mind.It would be good to know how he came to join the army in the first place.Thank you for many sleepless nights reading your novels. Nev.

I am halfway through reading your Sharpe series in order, and I have noticed that on occasions Sharpe has mentioned fighting in Flanders, would I be right in suggesting this will be written about? Thanks, and keep up the good work, your writing has helped me invaluably. I never used to read books regularly and now I can't put your books down. I try to tell my friends about you in school but their minds have already been brainwashed by television.
Aaron Parker

Submitted April 15, 2006

A

Flanders isn't in the plans at the moment, but never say never...

Q

Firstly I would like to thank you as the Sharpe books (it took me less than four months to read all 21 or so) were what got me interested in History, which I started at the begining of this year for GCSE. I am as Sharpe suggests very interested in the Napoleonic Wars, and I have begun to visit the battlesites them-selves in Spain and France that is, I was awestruck by many of them especially Almeida. So thanks. (Also I fear to say I have now been a member of the SAS for a year and half) I have two questions first, is the next Sharpe Book going to be the last?, and are there going to be any more books in the Starbuck Chronicles? thanks, Alex

Submitted April 15, 2006

A

The next Sharpe book will not be the last - and there will be more Starbuck, some day.

Q

Mr. Cornwell, I need to sart off by saying how much I completely love the Sharpes series. Some friends and I have been discussing Sharpes Tiger on a message board, hookton.com and we all thought it was fun to choose who WE thought would make the perfect cast for the story becoming a feature film. We are all very curious, if YOU were given the opportunity to cast Tiger who would you choose? Christine Wood

Submitted April 15, 2006

A

Sean Bean? No one else. And Pete Postlethwaite as Hakeswill. As for the rest, I honestly don't know. Quite a lot of the new 'Sharpe's Challenge' (with, of course, Sean Bean) is drawn from Tiger, though sadly without the tigers.