Your Questions

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, before I ask a few questions (which I hope have not been asked 1000 times already) I want to thank you for all the pleasure you have given me with your books. They were all fantastic but the Sharpe books are my favourites and Richard Sharpe has helped me through some difficult times in my life, has comforted me when I was sad, gave me courage when I was weak and entertained me when I just needed to 'escape'. And as I cannot thank him properly (unfortunately) all my gratitude goes to you for creating such a character and for writing as splendidly as you do.THANKS!!!! As for the questions: I have visited some battlefields/sites of battles (not all Sharpe related) and was wondering which battlefield, of the ones you have visited, you think has the most atmosphere and is most worth a visit. Then...and I fear this is a silly question..can you tell me whether Sharpe has blue or dark eyes? I remember reading in "Tiger" that his eyes were blue but if I recall correctly in other books they were described as dark..? Have you ever thought about writing a novel about the Battle of Bannockburn? I'd love to read something about this great battle written in your fantastic style. (Also I'm thinking that if it was made into a movie Sean Bean would do well as Robert the Bruce..!) Last(silly) question: if Sharpe was to live in our time now, what do you think he'd be? A farmer, soldier ..etc. and do you think he would like it here? I'm looking forward to reading more of your excellent books and would be thrilled if you could find the time to answer my questions. Best wishes, Nathalie

Submitted February 18, 2005

A

Battlefields - In the Peninsula - I like Salamance the best. In the US? Antietam. Probably the most evocative of all the battlefields I've visited (must be more than a 100) is Verdun, which is an extraordinary place.

Sharpe's eyes? Dark blue, of course.

The Battle of Bannockburn? I haven't thought about it - but I'll keep it in mind!

If Sharpe lived now he'd probably be a trooper in the SAS - and I'm sure he'd like it.

Q

Hi, in Sharpe's Honour you refer to the medievel knights seeking women to save which was known as the quest for the holy grail. This shows that you had studied grail lore 20 years before Dan Brown's 'Davinci Code', have you read this and what did you think? what do you think of the possibility of the holy grail being the documents showing the blood line of Jesus Christ? In your expert historical studies you must have came accross many versions of the story. many thanks, Chris.

Submitted February 18, 2005

A

I don't think the grail was the blood-link - I'm much more prosaic and think it was a real object which probably got chucked onto a Palestinian trash-heap sometime in the 1st century.

Q

Bernard I have just finished "The Last Kingdom". It is a truly excellent read. I enjoy all your books but until now the Arthur Series had been my favourites. Personally though I think that The Last Kingdom was even better than these. So one question and one request. Question: One character - Beocca - displays some signs of having cerebral palsy. Was this intended or does he have some unspecified condition with similar symptoms? Request: Hurry up and write the next book in the series. Thanks. Steve

Submitted February 18, 2005

A

I'm sure it's unspecified!

Q

Hello Mr Cornwell I have two quick questions regarding Sharpe. 1. I know you do not intend to go backwards in time again, but I did wonder whether you would ever consider writing about Sharpe's adventures in Portugal (1808), as a short story maybe? You mention he fought there during that year, so a (longish) short story would be ideal. Then it could be added to the other 3 short stories and released as a book! Any chance? 2. Do you think you will revise the Sharpe books in the future for continuity sake? eg Harper had been by Sharpe's side through Portugal 1808-1809 according to 'Eagle', but then they built a relationship only after their fight in 'Rifles ,Jan 1809. I said 'quick questions' didn't I? Sorry Nick R

Submitted February 18, 2005

A

Any 'prequel' now will, as you suggest, be a short story, so that's a real possibility. Will I revise the Sharpe books for continuity? It's something I'd like to do, and I've talked to my publishers about it, and they'd like it, so that too is a very real possibility.

Q

I greatly enjoy your historical ficition. Some of your books I am reading a third time! Concering Agincourt, have you seen the latest TV theories on Agincourt? I believe the show was "Battlefield Detectives" - but I am not sure. The theories are that the longbow was of almost no value because of the recent improvement in plate into true steel and that many of the French actually suffocated in the mud. If you do write about Agincourt, is this the kind of material you would take into consideration? Or would you be inclined to make the longbow more important in your version to make the story more entertaining? Douglas Gilliatt

Submitted February 18, 2005

A

And why were they suffocating in the mud? Not because swords and spears put them down there, but because the arrows did. And while it's true that plate armour was virtually proof against most arrows, how many men could afford it? I'm waiting for a new book - coming this autumn? - by Juliet Barker, which will doubtless be brilliant . . but I have my doubts about TV detectives.

Q

Hello, Mr. Cornwell, and thank you for many happy hours of reading your books! I'm sure you have lots of mail to read, so I'll get on with my nit-picky little question. What year did Sharpe die? I'm pretty sure I read a reference to it somewhere, but can't remember where I saw it. Also, have you ever mentioned when Lucille or either of Sharpe's children died? Just wondering how long these great characters were around. Have a great day and thanks again! Christina

Submitted February 18, 2005

A

I can't remember if I ever said when Sharpe died. Of old age. In bed. Probably not his own.

Q

I would really love to knwo how the soldiers of the British Army were paid before and during the Battle of Waterloo. I have read some of your Shape books, and there have been veiled references to money being stolen from dead (French) bodies. But I am still mystisfied as to how the regular soldier received regular payment.
Leonora Burton

Submitted February 18, 2005

A

They got paid regularly, ho ho. Meaning that if there was cash available, then they would be paid in cash on a regular basis, but there rarely was cash available, so they kept records in pay-books and, when cash was available, they were paid their arrears. I've found some evidence that some men preferred to let their pay be deferred until campaign's end, but that seems to have been up to each individual regiment. But there was a system, and it worked well enough, but they didn't want paper money or promissory notes, and armies can't march around with wagon-loads of cash, so on campaign the men usually waited in the knowledge that the arrears would eventually be paid. And, of course, they stole from the dead, from the enemy injured, from just about anything. And at Vitoria (Sharpe's Honour) they hit the motherlode.

Q

Hello, You recently said you've just finished writing the follow up to The Last Kingdom (which I adored), so I was wondering what is the next book you will start to write? Also concerning the follow up, will this book be set around Uhtred? or based around his son Uhtred Uhtredson? (is that the right name?) I loved how you wrote about Uhtred's transition from boyhood to manhood in The Last Kingdom and could understand how you want to keep that. Also how many more Last Kingdom books will there be? Thank you very much for your time, James Trethowan.

Dear Mr. Cornwell, Two questions. Firstly, do you have an idea of how many books will be in the Viking series and secondly, do you have a name for this series? It seems like all your series have collective names (I.E. The Grail Quest, The Starbuck Chronicles etc.) so I was just wondering if you had a name yet. Thanks for the great books. David Heaton Sydney, Australia

Submitted February 18, 2005

A

I sort of think, meaning I'm not sure, that there will be seven or eight. Or nine? More? Don't know, but probably at least seven. And it's usually the publisher who comes up with a series name (I'm not so keen), and so far that hasn't happened. The Saxon Tales? The follow up to The Last Kingdom starts on the day after that first book ends, and follows Uhtred through the next year of his life. I'm not sure what I'll write next.

Q

Hi Bernard, What is your opinion of the writing of Martin Amis? Do you recommend any fictional authors from Cambridge or your region? I look forward to reading your 2005 text, and hope to hear from you soon. Truly, Kimberley Gilmour

Submitted February 18, 2005

A

I've always enjoyed Martin Amis enormously. Cambridge? I don't know any authors from Cambridge - I live in Cape Cod and the best around here is Dennis Lehane.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I greatly enjoyed both your Warlord Trilogy and your Grail Quest trilogy. Recently, I decided to get acquainted with the much celebrated Mr Richard Sharpe, and have since been immersed in reading through the entire series chronologically (I am currently about to finish Gold.) If you can bear with me, I have a Sharpe question that has been gnawing at the back of my mind. I was curious why you chose to send Sharpe to Copenhagen during his interval between Trafalgar and the Peninsular war, rather than on the ill-fated Buenos Aires expedition under Home Popham? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Sharpe's Danish adventure thoroughly. I'm just curious as to why you came to the decision to keep him in London and then send him to action in Denmark instead of sending him to the Cape of Good Hope with Sir David Baird and then on to South America under Popham? Since several companies of both the 1/95th and 2/95th were part of Popham's force, I thought Sharpe might have fit in quite nicely on that folly. Thank you for the wonderful books. I can't wait to get through the rest of the Sharpe series (all of them are already bought, and just waiting their turn on the bookshelf) and then delve into The Last Kingdom. Cheers, Gus Miranda

Submitted February 18, 2005

A

Probably because I know Copenhagen fairly well and have never been to Buenos Aires and was too lazy to make the visit!