Your Questions

Q

Just finished The Last Kingdom- Great tale- thank you. I was born in Denmark and lived 9 months under German Occup'n till father pulled a trick on them and got us out to NYC. I have a dumb question, but wasn't it the Jutes (from Jutland) not the Danes? The Vaestra vikingar pillaged England, Scotland and Ireland (I always wear red on St Pat's Day), and the Oestra vikingar (the Svea) who travelled west and south through the land of the Rus into the Med. When I lived in Beirut 1961-3 I heard about mosaics of the "vikings" trading with the moslems, but they always had their right hands on their swords. Seems we Yanks had to learn that the hard way. I look forward to your next in the series. When did King Canute (knud) come into the picture. The Danes werre quite democratic, and probably no more violent than any other tribes of the period? Congrats, Erik

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

The Jutes, I think, came with the first wave of Saxon invaders and settled mainly in Kent. The Danes arrived much later. It's odd, isn't it, that we call them Jutes and not Danes, but I suspect the Danes, coming three hundred years later, didn't think of them as Danes either - and by then the Jutish settlers were speaking English and seem to have been assimilated into the other Saxon tribes. Is this a pre-history conundrum like the Schleswig-Holstein question?

Q

I enjoy all of your books, but it seems that the Last Kingdom was really well done. I hope there will be more forthcoming soon about this time period. Also, Do your writings reveal your personal feelings of religion. It seems that they all have a common thread of disallusion over formal relgion and a bent toward pagansim or secularism.
Glen Robinson

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

I'm not sure they all have - Rider Sandman (Gallows Thief) is a very conventional Anglican, while Swynyard, in the Starbuck Chronicles, is undoubtedly improved beyond recognition by becoming a Christian. Sharpe, I confess, is an unbeliever, while the books about Arthur and Alfred are set in times when Christianity was in competition with other religions, so some reflection of that is necessary, and I don't believe that Christianity had a monopoly of morality and paganism a monopoly on immorality.

Q

Hi Bernard! What would happen if Richard Sharpe met Becky Sharp - from Vanity Fair? James

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

This is a family-friendly website, so I can't say, but you can guess, and I think they'd enjoy it.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell I have read all of your books. I like the Sharpe series. I was wondering if you were going to write a book about how Sharpe kills Morris? He told some one that he would kill Hakeswell and Morris for flogging him and he killed Hakeswell but not Morris. If you think I would sue you for writing a book from this idea you are crazy!!! you are my favorite author. Sam Peele (P.S. - I found an interesting fact during my spring break in Bermuda. I was walking on a kind of secret path near some old british forts and there was this big cross made to commerate the men who dead of the yellow fever in 1864 and one man's name was Private T. Sharpe - he was a soilder in the 2nd battilion of of the 2nd regiment of foot.)

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

Thanks for the interesting fact. I hope Sharpe gets his revenge on Morris one day (and so does Sharpe!). Thanks for writing.

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell. Would you ever consider allowing the adaption of the Sharpe novels, or for that matter, your other history sagas into a series of comic books? Comics, as you may know, have become a tremendously sophisticated medium over the years, they definitely are no longer just for children! There are some spectacularly talented artists out there, men who could make Sharpe come alive in a whole new way. And a comic is not constrainted by the budgetary limitations of say, the film Sharpe. All the awe and terror of Napoleonic warfare can be shown with thousands of men fighting. An average Sharpe novel could be adapted in 6-8 issues, which would mean somewhere around 175-200 issues for the whole saga. This is something I really would like to see, and I would bet it would open up a whole new market for Sharpe. Alan Kempner

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

I haven't given it much thought, but I suppose I'd consider it.

Q

Mr Cornwell, re "Fallen Angels", where Gitan fed Culloden with sponges soaked in hot lard, did you create that form of torture, or is it a historical fact? If so, when and where was it used? Thank you, David Cundy UK

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

It existed. But I wrote the book so long ago that I don't remember the source. Sorry.

Q

Mr. Cornwell. I was re-reading Sharpe's Siege recently- It prompts me to ask if you will ever make good on Sharpe and Killick's vow to share a drink together in Marblehead? I can't believe Ducos would let Killick off the hook for helping his bitter enemy escape- You've set him up as such a vindictive bastard- will you ever tell a story about Ducos trying to settle the score with Killick? Are you reluctant to tell a story with a seagoing protagonist? If so why? Do you feel the nautical side to the wars are too well-tread? Also, I wanted to ask if you regret not making Sharpe a bit older so that he could have participated in the actions against Napoleon in Africa and the Middle East? - The Battle of the Nile, Mount Tabor etc... Why did you start his career in India? - it seems an intriguing choice. And lastly, I was combing the Internet for interviews with you- in one, some years ago, you mention you were working on a book called Sharpe's Fury and were taking him to Denmark. whatever happened to that? are you reluctant to take Sharpe into every corner of Napoleonic history? do you feel it will stretch his credibility? I'm sure all your fans wouldn't object to marching Sharpe into as many conflicts as possible.... R. Kulb P.S. any plans to write about Cromwell's Ironsides? they have a certain aura about them similar to the mythic Riflemen. Also, a good novel you may enjoy about the Siege of Malta is "Angels In Iron" by Nicholas Prata.

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

Ducos and Killick? I honestly don't know - I suspect not, but never say never.

Seagoing protagonist? Why? Because there are so many other folk doing that, and doing it well, and my hero is a soldier, though he does occasionally go to sea (Sharpe's Trafalgar). It's not any distaste for the sea, far from it, but simply because, twenty odd years ago, I set off on a land-based saga.

Why did I start Sharpe's career in India? Only because it parallels Wellington's career, and I wanted to keep them close together - not always in each other's pockets, but close.

You will find Sharpe in Denmark in Sharpe's Prey.

Thanks for the Prata recommendation! And I've no plans to write about the Ironsides. They are fascinating, but I have a strong dislike of their brand of piety so probably couldn't be fair to them.

Q

I'm in the middle of my second reading of "The Last Kingdom." I'm not upset, just frustrated. Did Ragnar the Younger survive the storm, and is Thyra still alive, after being abused by Sven? How could you leave us hanging like that? I hope that these questions are resolved in the next book! Beth Harrison

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

For a chance to read an excerpt from the next book, The Pale Horseman, click on the link found on the 'What's Coming' page of this website.

Q

thanks for your answers... it's beautiful when an author has such a tight contact with his fans!!! I've read all the 5 Sharpe's books translated in Italy for Longanesi, (tiger, fortress, rifle, trafalgar, triumph) all the grail quest books and today I've bought the 5 books of the Arthur saga (in Italy are 5...). do you think that Longanesi will take in Italy the Starbucks chronicles sooner or later? maybe following the success of the movie "cold mountain" that is somehow related... so long and go on this way!!!!!!! Lorenzo Mantero

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

I don't know if the Starbuck Chronicles will ever be translated in Italy, but I do believe the Italian publisher will release The Last Kingdom in Italy at some point. They also have plans to translate Sharpe's Prey and Sharpe's Havoc.

Q

Bernard, Just somethings getting to me that I had to ask. In Sharpe's Escape I think it is, Leroy is a Major, but in Company he is a Captain and in Enemy he is a Major again. Was it a typo in Escape or was it writen on purpose? Another thing regarding Leroy, he is annoyed at Collett coming into the South Essex in Company because it meant he couldn't advance furthur up the ranks. Why couldn't he have bought the majority in the first place? Thirdly, what are Gentlemen Volunteers? I cannot find anything about them anywhere. Sorry if it seems like I am nitpicking, Joe. PS. Can't wait for the sequel to the Last Kingdom. Joe

Submitted March 18, 2005

A

I think he was breveted Major, dropped back to real rank and was then promoted properly. That's my explanation, because any other would imply that I Had Made a Mistake, and that never happens. Ever.

Probably because he couldn't afford it.

You'll find something about Gentlement Volunteers in Richard Holmes's splendid book Redcoat. If a young man wants to be an officer in a regiment, and there are no vacancies, he could serve in the ranks as a 'gentleman volunteer', and might get promoted when there was a vacancy. I don't think it was that common during the war - because battles provide lots of vacancies and expansion also provides opportunity.