Your Questions

Q

I strongly suspect that this message is a huge waste of your time but it seemed worth a try!! I hope you don't mind?! I am interested in where the name 'Starbuck' came from for your character. It may be as simple as a love of modern coffee varieties - although I suspect not ... For some years I have sporadically been exploring the history of the house I now live in. Exploring censuses and local records we have put together what is a highly speculative theory about the house. In brief; we don't know when the house (originally 4 farm cottages) was built but it seems to be in the 1850s. Later documents state that they were built by Joseph Starbuck although he never seems to have lived in them. He appears in local censuses of the period and his extended family tend to appear as labourers or paupers. There is no evidence to support his ability to build 4 cottages except that he appears in 1851 listed as a sailor. It gets complicated but there appears to be evidence that he went to sea, made his money (as was possible in those days!) returned home, built the cottages as a kind of pension. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to have worked because he ended up as cottager and then later a labourer. The ages on the census are consistent with this being the same man and although the village is on a canal there is a clear distinction made between a boatman & a sailor. It is extremely (!!!!!) unlikely, but maybe you came across a sailor/adventurer in the mid-1800s that may have prompted your characterisation? Just a hopeful thought, I'm sure, but worth a try! My apologies if I have wasted your time, Jane Fraser. (Mill Lane Cottages, Hickling, nr Melton Mowbray, Leics.)

Submitted April 15, 2005

A

The name has nothing to do with the coffee - it's an old New England name (mainly from Nantucket), and, of course, it's the name of the Pequod's first mate in Moby Dick.

Q

Dear Mr. Bernard I think I've read about 90% of your books and enjoyed them all. Thank you. I know Starbuck was written some time ago, but I just finished the forth book recently, and I fear so much time has gone by that you might have forgotten Billy Blythe? Surely Nate will have to exact his revenge on him. I won't die happy until I know you've taken care of Billy. I thought perhaps you were reluctant to kill Billy off too soon, as I have read your comments which lead me to believe that you regretted ending Obidiah Hakeswell's career so early. P.S. I enjoyed you putting Sharpe's son Patrick Lassan in the Starbuck books. You said that his father WAS British and his mother is French. I guess by 1862 Sharpe is dead, but please don't tell us how it happens. I want him to enjoy France after the wars live long.
Rob Goodhand

Submitted April 15, 2005

A

Billy Blythe is not forgotten...

Q

Hi Bernard I would just like to say you are an exellent author. I have read the first 4 Sharpe books, and after finishing Trafalgar I was just wondering why was there 2 different UK editions of Sharpe's Prey published so soon after each other. Is there a problem with one of them? Are they different in any way? Thanks for the great books; and keep the coming! Sam

Submitted April 15, 2005

A

No difference at all as far as I know.

Q

Hello again, I remember reading once that you had considered writing about Robin Hood. The character fascinates me and I would love to read your take on him - any chance? Regards, Lindsey

I'm from Brazil, and I loved your books that were published here (and others that I had bought at Amazon). I have a suggestion, and since it has nothing to do with lawyers, I hope you will at least consider it a bit: is it possible for you to, someday, write a story about Robin Hood, the same way you wrote one about (king) Arthur? I also like his tales a lot, and it would be a great pleasure to read them (re)written by you. Best regards, and sorry about any english mistakes. Gustavo

Submitted April 15, 2005

A

Maybe, one day, who knows? But it's not high on my list at the moment.

Q

Mr. Cornwell, Can you recommend a good self-study course for learning Old English? You have inspired me to try to read the old Anglo-Saxon masterpieces. Mike

Submitted April 14, 2005

A

I don't know of one, sorry. They must exist out there. . . try Amazon?

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I was wondering (if the question is not too indiscreet) how much you enjoyed school. Your being a successful authour leads me to believe you excelled at your classes...at least, it makes me very curious. Thanks. Stuart Old

Submitted April 14, 2005

A

Not a lot, but that probably wasn't the school's fault. And I was an extremely mediocre pupil.

Q

Mr. Cornwell: Thanks for writing such marvelous books! My question. In "Sharpe's Escape" why has LTC Lawford's personality changed? He treats Sharpe almost as an inferior and is very rude at times. In the other books he treats Sharpe almost like an equal; calls him by his Christian name and appreciates Sharpe's ability as a soldier and officer. Keep up the good work. George M. Carney

Submitted April 14, 2005

A

I don't think he treats him any differently, but then I wouldn't, would I?

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, After reading the Grail Quest series and the Warlord series I was wondering why there is barely any mention of archers, or their effect in battle, in the Warlord series? It seems Thomas and his archers were invaluable against the French but Derfel and his men don't seem to consist of any archers at all. Any reason for this? Yours Sincerely, David Heaton

Submitted April 14, 2005

A

Because there isn't any real evidence that archers were much used in early mediaeval European warfare. We know that the huge warbow that will dominate the Hundred Years War existed (examples have been found in Britain from 2000 BC), but it was an incredibly difficult weapon to master and I suspect that very few men ever did - and those would have been the specialist hunters. Sometime around the end of the 13th Century it seems there was a craze in England and Wales for that long yew bow, and suddenly there were sufficient archers to make a battle-winning army. But they simply didn't exist before, and the shorter hunting bow did not have enough power to pierce whatever armour protection it came up against. So I've no doubt there were a few archers in those early armies (we know, for instance, that archers fought at Hastings), but they weren't equipped with the long bow - they had a shorter version with much less power, and it didn't make a real difference.

Q

In The Last Kingdom hardback version page 166, you write Wird Bith ful araed (my translation!) does it literally translate to fate is unstoppable? Kind regards. Graham

Submitted April 11, 2005

A

'Wyrd' is 'fate' or 'chance' or destiny - bid - our 'be', ful is an intensifier (like our word full) and araed is a bit more difficult - it carries the meaning of determined or resolute, but intensify it with ful and you end up with something like Fate is Inexorable or unstoppable. It's from an Anglo Saxon poem called The Wanderer and one translation I have renders it 'Fate is relentless'. I've always liked it!

Q

Thank you very much for all your books! I have enjoyed all of them. I even have a couple of signed Sharpe's. Are you planning a book tour of the UK to go with the release of the Pale Horseman? Once again thanks and keep up the good work.
Simon Wells

I didn't manage to get over to Norwich (U.K) for your visit to Ottakers book store. Many thanks for the duly signed copy of Heretic. I was wondering, are you planning another book signing tour within the U.K for October 2005?

Eugene O'Neill

Submitted April 11, 2005

A

There will be a book tour in the UK for the release of The Pale Horseman. The book is scheduled to be released on 3 October which means I'll most likely be on tour from 3 October thru 7 October. Details for the book tour will be posted to the Diary page as soon as we receive them.