Your Questions

Q

Loved your Arthur books as I said before in previous letter. Are there any plans for a book or series about the roman invasion/occupation of Britain? It's rarely talked about in historical fiction genre, at least in a good way. Also which of the rebellious kings (as well as other character in the series) in the Winter King are based on real historical characters. Because all I have found on Gundleus and Gorfyddyd are christian saints when ever I google their names. Thanks. Scott Stamper

Submitted June 28, 2005

A

The names are real - but almost nothing is known about these people. And early regal lists are hopelessly unreliable. And if you google them you will probably be stymied that the spellings differ so enormously. I just tried Guthred, a 9th century king of York, and came up empty, but eventually tracked him down under Guthfrith.

Roman invasion? I don't know - maybe someday? But not anytime soon.

Q

Bernard, I am aware from your excellent Sharpe books that both Richard Sharpe and his trusty sidekick Harper were both over six feet tall. How tall was the average foot soldier in the early nineteenth century? I am sure that I read somewhere that the average soldier was only 5' 6" tall during WWI. Mitch, Liverpool

Submitted June 28, 2005

A

I think the average height was about 5' 4" or 5' 5", though the Highland regiments were supposedly a bit taller.

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell, I wrote to you before with a rather stupid question but I've been wondering this for a while now and wanted to know: If Sharpe was a real character and everything that you've written about him was true, then would he be one of Britain's great historic heroes and we would have heard of him or would he just be another brave soldier in the Napoleonic wars? Considering that he did save Lord Wellingtons life, survived the war with India and France, managed to take an eagle and rose from the ranks! P.S. Look forward to your reply, I think your work is unbelievably brilliant and can't wait to read more. Carrie Overthrow

Submitted June 28, 2005

A

I suspect that the great heroes of history tended to be of high rank - I can think of very few lower rank folk who made the pantheon. There was no newspaper coverage of the Napoleonic Wars other than reprinting the general's despatches, and even then only when there was a victory to be announced. Wellington disapproved of men like Sharpe, so he was unlikely to mention him in despatches. Sharpe would doubtless have been notorious inside the army, but that reputation is most unlikely to spread beyond unless and until he held high enough rank to send his own (immodest) despatches.

Q

Mr Cornwell, I am an avid fan of your works and must first congratulate you on every single one of them. My favourites would have to be the Starbuck Chronicles though. When will we see another? I realise that you have started a new series of books, and that they will ocupy most of your time for a good while, but please please please please spare a thought for the many many Starbuck fans out there. I have heard that they may be dramatised by US TV into a sort of "Mini-Series" not disimilar to the Sharpe television series, but I fear this is not true can you confirm? Also is Patrick Lassan the son of Sharpe. (His father was an english Infantary soldier, Sharpes son was/is called Patrick after his best friend patrick Harper, ect)? many thanks keep up the wonderful work. ps more Rider Sandman if you get time.(but not a the price of Starbuck) /Gareth Jameson

Dear Bernard, I've read everything you've written and for some reason ended up with the Starbuck series, which I finished last night. I now have withdrawal symptoms; you have left Nate in the air.We all want to know what happens to him and Pecker, Belvedere and Lt. Gillespie, he of the croton oil. As a result of the books I bought the dvd's of Gods and Generals and Gettysburg. Starbuck and Gettysburg what a team. I'm sure all these e mails deny you writing time, but do please let us know about Nate. Lee Menzies . London

Mr Cornwell, I am writing simply to thank you, for the countless hours of joy I get from reading your work, however Mrs Hickman may feel like a Cornwell widow and beg to differ. I look forward to your next work eagerly . yours sincereley Neil Hickman. P.S is there any chance of finding out anything else about the fate of Nathaniel Starbuck?

Submitted June 24, 2005

A

I don't know anything about a Starbuck tv series. Patrick Lassan is Sharpe's son. And I do hope to return to Starbuck someday, but I can't say right now when it might be...

Q

Dear Sir: I've now read 27 of your books including all of the Sharpe's books and I have a simple question. Did you kill Hakeswill twice? I seem to remember being killed by an elephant in India and then again in Spain. Thank you, love your books. Paul Papadakis

Submitted June 24, 2005

A

I never said the elephant killed him any more than the snakes in the snake pit did or the tigers in Sharpe's Tiger. The man has a loathsome habit of surviving.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell Would that I had possessed the funds and the timing to have saved us all from that "King Arthur' film debacle. For years I've fantacized about acquiring the funding to shoot your version of the Arthurian saga, but now we are left with this watered down pitiful version which, thankfully, came and went with nary a ripple in the waters of the cinematic art. I'm ploughing through the Sharpe books at the moment and was a little confused at the apparent death and then re-apperance of Hawkeswill, the sudden loss of the Sarah character and some other little idiosyncratic anomolies, until I took the time to look at the publishing dates of the individual books in the series. Ahah, said I, all is well. I'm just curious why you created the series and then went back to fill in certain gaps in the timeline of the Napoleonic wars? Not that it matters. This is just a very long winded way of letting you know that I love your work and look forward to each new book with high anticipation. I just discovered "Scoundrel" which I will read when Sharpe is at his destination, wherever that turns out to be. Rest assured that if I ever find the necessary backers, Pendragon will see the light of projectors. Best wishes, Mick Fowler

Submitted June 24, 2005

A

I originally imagined ten or eleven books in the series, but when the Sharpe tv shows came along it seems sensible to write more Sharpe.

Q

Thank you for one of the most exciting, breathtaking reads in many a moon. STORMCHILD is, indeed, a gripping tale, especially Parts 1 and 2. However, Tim's heroic exploits in Part 3 I found a bit too far fetched, i.e., exhausted, blood spilling from his boots, in driving rain, was able to carry a trussed up "bad guy" and stuff him into an 18"X4' crevice together with himself and Jackie...??? Uh, uh, or did I miss something? Also, never felt comfortable with his daughter as the main bad guy. Tim tells us "Nickle" is trying to kill him to prove she's a "better sailor". What does automatic weapons fire have to do with seamanship? But, bottom line, you're one hell of a gifted writer. When can we expect another exciting sea yarn? Frank Farmer Long Beach, CA

Submitted June 24, 2005

A

No plans for another right now.

Q

Mr. Cornwell, I am a new fan to your Sharpe novels, but I have almost read them all. As a former infantryman in the U.S. Army, I wanted to say that I really enjoy Sharpe. You really have a grasp of the mind of the common soldier, and this is the important link (to me) that keeps the pages turning. I was intrigued by the American, Rifleman Taylor. I just wanted to ask if there were a lot of Americans who had, one way or the other, wound up in Wellington's Army? There has not been a lot of resources at my disposal to find this information. I realize you are a busy man, but I would be thrilled just to hear what you have to say. Sincerely, David DeForest

Submitted June 21, 2005

A

To be honest I don't have a clue how many Americans were in the British army - we do have figures for the Royal Navy and there were certainly US citizens serving at Trafalgar. There were lots of loyalist Americans in the British army, some of them went to very high rank, but I based Taylor on the supposition that every nation has its rogues and wanderers, and such a man is quite likely to end up in the army - though he's not based on any real evidence.

Q

Marvellous books, the lot of `em....i`ve had the pleasure of reading `em all several times over.......bar the american civil war ones.............i`ll get there eventually. Can`t wait for the next "alfred" in october. Now i`ve got one little question...i know Sean Bean was a big influence in making the Tv series so popular.......... & i just wondered if he`d had any sort of influence on your good self???.....specifically if he managed to convert you into a "Blade"!!!...........Sean being a mad Sheffield United fan....as...er (cough)... coincidently i am too!!!............would it be too much to ask that my favourite author be a Blade too!!! :-) Al Roberts

Submitted June 21, 2005

A

I know you won't approve of this, but my big sports (as a fan) are American Football (the Patriots) and rugby, of which I'm hugely fond, and to a lesser extent, cricket. I never get to see any cricket because it happens during the sailing season on Cape Cod, but I do make a pilgrimage to the UK to see some rugby every year. The Blades, of course, are the greatest team ever, in any sport, on any planet, but that's about all I know of them.

Q

I've read every Sharpe my fav's being Regiment andHonor, which ones got the the best response in general from the public? Best wishes-Bruce

Submitted June 21, 2005

A

I honestly don't know - I'm not sure how I'd find out either. Or perhaps we should organise a popularity contest in this website and you can vote for your favourite Sharpe novel? It's an idea .