Your Questions

Q

Greetings! Having just finished the last of your books - this will be my first summer vacation without a Bernard Cornwell novel to entertain me. You are without a doubt my favorite author. My favorite character you have ever created is Nathaniel Starbuck - due to the varying shades of gray that you layer him with. He reminds me of a character you might find in non-historical fiction novel. My question is - do you ever read modern American novelists such as Richard Russo, John Irving or T.C. Boyle for fun? Best regards/Craig

Submitted August 3, 2004

A

I do! Thanks for your message.

Q

Dear Mister Cornwell, Thanks for the reply. Glad to hear that you will carry on the Sharpe legend. I am re-reading the Peninsular War books from Rifles to Regiment. I feel they have great detail. Now with the current King Arthur film out, I will collect your Arthur books. I hear they are excellent. The film was shot only ten miles away from me in the Wicklow Mountains. Were you ever in Wicklow while you lived in Ireland? Thanks, Bye. Colum O'Rourke

Submitted August 3, 2004

A

I was indeed, and loved it.

Q

Dear Mr.Cornwell I think your books are superb and would like to ask you 3 questions 1) Is there any chance of a Warlord series Film or T.V series because these are my favourite books of all time. 2) The Sharpe books that have become extremely valuable what cover do they have? 3)Will you be writing any books on the Roman period as others writers who have turned their hands at this period have written great books without having writing skill that cannot be compared to your own.Keep writing best wishes Richard.

Submitted August 3, 2004

A

1) I don't believe there is much of a chance - too expensive to make.

2) Sharpe's Sword (British first edition with dust jacket) is one. You might find others by checking out used book dealers (such as abebooks or alibris)

3)I've thought about the Roman period, but Conn Iggulden does it much better so I'll leave it to him.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I just read on your site that they showed some Sharpe movies on the History Channel in London. Do you know if they will be showing any of the Sharpe movies in the U.S anytime soon? And in many of the other Arthur stories they had him searching for the Holy Grail. Did you leave that out so you could do the Grail Quest series, or did they not know about the Grail in the 5th century? Did you replace the Grail story in the Arthur books with the Cauldron and the other treasures? Thanks Cody Smittle

Submitted August 3, 2004

A

It was not the Sharpe movies, but a four part series called 'Sharpe's War' (see the Diary page for more details). There is a possibility it may be shown on the US History Channel at some point, but that hasn't been confirmed yet.

In all the oldest versions of the Arthur story the quest is always for the cauldron - a very frequent feature of Celtic folk-myth. The cauldrons were replaced by the grail much later, and I merely restored the cauldron to its proper place!

Q

Just wanted to ask a two quick questions. 1. Why in second book in the warlord chronicles do the black sheilds not take part in the battle outside of London? 2. When does your new book 'The Last Kingdom' come out in Australia? Gareth Marley

Submitted July 29, 2004

A

Lord knows! They weren't even there, were they? I can't remember, but it's a long way from their haunts. And the Black Shields, if I remember rightly, were never intrinsically involved with Arthur's men - but intervened when it suited them. I understand The Last Kingdom will be released in Australia and New Zealand in October, and in Canada in November.

Q

Mr. Cornwell, since you are kind enough to answer questioins from your fans, here goes. 1) What is the most recent historical period you would consider writing about. 2) I read somewhere that you would not be interested in writing about world war II. Does that represent a general disinterest in the period or just a desire to not write about it? Thanks. Mike

Submitted July 29, 2004

A

Most recent historical period - probably the American Civil War. World War II? No desire to write about it, that's all!

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I love your books! So far I've read the Grail Quest, the Warlord Chronicles, Stonehenge, Sharpe's Tiger and I'm now reading Sharpe's Triumph. The Warlord Chronicles are by far my favorites and they have sparked an interest in Arthurian legend and the history of Celtic and Dark Age Britain in me and I thank you for writing such great books. I have a few questions about the Warlord Chronicles and also some about the Sharpe books.

1)What is the sign to avert evil and did the ancient/early Britons do it, touch iron, or spit to avert bad luck like in the books or did you make these up?

2) In the Historical Note at the end of the Winter King you wrote that you used Cadbury Castle as the setting for Camelot but did not think it to be the most likely location, what do you think is the most likely location?

3) How is "Hywelbane" pronounced? (I'm sure it's not the way I have been pronouncing it).

4) I have read that there was a St. Derfel Gadarn and I was wondering why you spelled it Cadarn in your books if the real man was called Gadarn?

5) Why does Derfel call himself (before he converts of course) a pagan? I may be wrong but I thought the word pagan was a derogatory term used by the Christians to mean any non-Christian person and I didn't think the real pagans would have called themselves that, please clear this up for me.

6) Do you plan to write any more books set in Dark Age or in Celtic Britain?

Now some Sharpe questions.

1) I'm confused about the order of the ranks in the British army and was wondering if you could tell me what they are from lowest to highest?

Do you know yet (or will you tell yet?) where and in what year your next Sharpe book will take place?

I apologize for asking you so many questions and I hope you don't mind. Thanks for taking the time out of what must be a very busy schedule to answer these. I can't wait to read the rest of the Sharpe books and The Last Kingdom and I thank you for the many hours of reading enjoyment your books have given me. P.S. Any chance of you coming to Washington D.C. or Virginia anytime soon?Thanks again. James

Submitted July 29, 2004

A

1) The sign seems to have been the horns (i.e. extending your index and little finger), but it's hard to be sure - but there are references to this, and to the spitting and touching iron, in various books that deal with folkways and superstitions - a good summary can be found in the Oxford Dictionary of Superstitions.

2) What I said was that I chose South Cadbury 'not because I think it the likeliest site (though I do not think it the least likely)' which is a bit convoluted, but accurate. I think South Cadbury is very likely, but so are a half dozen other hill fort sites in south-western England, and it would be almost impossible to choose between them.

3) So far as I know - Hugh-ell-bane.

4) My sources have Cadarn, yours have Gadarn, let's sort the whole thing out.

5) Derfel calls himself a pagan because he's writing late in life when he's a Christian, and anyway, lots of pagans probably assumed the label proudly, especially as it only meant 'country-dweller', so isn't a terrible insult.

6) I don't think I'll set any more books in the dark ages, unless you count the 9th century, which I'm busy writing right now.

Private (trooper in the cavalry), corporal (no lance-corporal in the Napoleonic army), sergeant (various types of sergeant, but this reply can't go on forever!). Those are the non-commissioned officers. The commissioned officers were: ensign, lieutenant, captain, major, lieutenant-colonel, colonel, brigadier general, lieutenant general, general, field-marshal.

Yes, and I'm not telling. Sorry.

I may be in Washington D.C. in the early part of next year for the American release of The Last Kingdom. Keep an eye on the Diary page as details will be posted there as soon as we receive them.

Q

Hi Bernard, I've just been reading a letter in the Your Questions section from someone who asks you to write about the 27th Inniskillings. Having just finished Sharpes' Waterloo ( for the second time) I can say that you have inded written about them. They were at Waterloo occupying the area formerly, and briefly, held by the Dutch Belgians. Unable to deploy into line because of the constant threat of cavalry the Inniskillings were forced to remain in square for most of the day and were almost entirely battered to death by the french artillery. I've read other accounts of Waterloo which also make reference to that square which held its ranks even in death. My question is probably stupid but how did the rank and file know where to position themselves when ordered to form up? I suppose they had drill practices but did each man have his own appointed place? Being in the middle of a square - or at the back of a french column - must have had a much better survival rate than being in the front ranks - who decided? I was interested in your description of modern Waterloo. I'm determined to get there one day - hopefully in 2015. Is there an "atmosphere" or have the ghosts been chased away by the souvenir kiosks? Regards, Fiona

Submitted July 29, 2004

A

Who decided? I guess it was the luck of wherever you happened to parade in a company the first time you were ever formed up - though some daft officers did like to array the men according to height. But they were extremely well drilled so, when an order came to form square, they knew precisely where to go because they'd done it a hundred times before, But thanks for reminding me of the 27th! And Waterloo? I don't find it as atmospheric as other battlefields, though Hougoumont still has a brooding atmosphere. The main valley has been disfigured with too many monuments, notably the Dutch-Belgian Lion Mound, which is a monstrosity ('they've spoiled my battlefield', the Duke of Wellington complained when he saw it). But it is worth a visit and I suspect I might see you there in 2015!

Q

Dear Mr Cornwel, I have to say that I think your books are fantastic and I have liked every book of yours that I have read (Warlord Chronicles, Grail Quest, Gallows Theif, Stonehenge, Sharpe' Tiger, Triumph, Fortress, Havoc and almost finished Trafalgar.) My favourite series is the Warlord Chronicles and they are also now some of my favourite books. I have read the Last Kingdom's first chapter and I cant wait for it to come out and at the moment, I am reading the Sharpe series in chronological order (although I read Havoc first because it was cheap at a supermarket.) and am finding them very good, gritty adventure books. Just a few questions: 1) You mention finding the characters names for the Warlord Chronicles in records. What are the records called? I would love to look through them. 2) I heard they are making more in The Sharpe series for TV, will they fill in the gaps of the ones they have done or are they re-doing them all in chronological order like the books? 3) Will you ever write a novel on Nelson's battle at the Nile? and finally 4) Will you ever write a novel/series on Harold and the conquest of England? Thanks again for the excellent books, Louis Reed

Submitted July 29, 2004

A

1) Basically whatever's left from the period! We have the historian Gildas's book, there are some documents, old poems, saints' lives, deeds, wills, grave inscriptions. They're scattered all over the place, so it's hard to point you in one direction. I'd start with Gildas's book - De Excidio et Conquestu Brittaniae - and see if you can find a modern translation - it does exist in various anthologies of Arthurian material.

2) There may be a new Sharpe TV series in 2005 - an adaptation of Sharpe's Tiger and Sharpe's Fortress, but nothing is definite just yet.

3) & 4) Probably neither!

Q

SR. CORNWELL... HI... I SALUTE YOU... I'M FROM BRAZIL (ACTUALLY I AM AT LONDON) AND ONE OF YOUR HUGE LEGION OF FANS... SORRY BY THE INFOMALITY... BUT... YOU RULE... Mr. CORNWELL... I WOULD LIKE TO GET A DEEPER DESCRIPTION OF DERFEL... ARTHUR... CEINWYN... AND OTHERS GREAT CHARACTERS FROM ARTHUR'S CRONICLES... I AM ALSO A HISTORIAN... AND I WANT TO WRITE A BOOK THAT RESUMES THE BRITAIN'S HISTORY AND IT'S STORIES! I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THE CURSE THAT NIMUE CAST AT CEINWYN IT WAS VERY INTERESTING... I ALSO WOULD LIKE IF YOU COULD GIVE ME SOME LINKS OF CELTIC RELIGION... OR A SITE OR BOOK THAT EXPLAINS THE GODS THAT WERE NAMED AT THE STORY... NOW I LEAVE... I HAVE GREAT RESPECT TO YOU... GOODBYE AND KEEP WRITING YOUR FASCINATING BOOKS... THAT STUN ME WITH YOUR WISDOM!! Bruno L.P.

Submitted July 29, 2004

A

A deeper description? There isn't one! He's a very shadowy figure. As for the gods, etc, I'd suggest you use your Library Loan service to get hold of The Celtic World, edited by Miranda Green (Routledge, New York and London, 1995), which has a very good section on Celtic religion.