Your Questions

Q

Hey Bernard, I was wondering if you have any intention of watching the new "King Arthur" film that is due for release next month? Being an avid fan of your Arthur series and interested in dark age Britain, I wonder if big screen mythology will match the Arthur legend protrayed in your books! thanks - Danny

Dear Sir Thank you very much for writing so many fantastic books. I was wondering, as you know there is new Arthur film made and they are claiming incorrectly that it is "the untold true story", I was wondering did they ever approach you for your Arthur series? Thanks again for all your great books. Ian

I know it's not based on your books, but have you seen the new King Arthur film? I have a bad feeling that it's not going to be anywhere near as good as it could be if it was based on your books, Roman Arthurs and Russian knights et al? Also could you recommend any other fictional Arthur books, just to last me till the Last Kingdom? Damian

Submitted July 26, 2004

A

I haven't seen the movie and I probably won't, only because those of my friends who have seen it say that it is dire. Everyone claims their version of Arthur is the untold true story! The real untold true story is that we don't know what the true story is. My favourite is T.H. White's The Once and Future King.

Q

Mr. Cornwell, thank you for the Sharpe books, some of my favorite reading every(and I have over 3000 books). I hope you're working on something new???? Mike Walls

Can you please tell me if you anticipate writing another Sharpe book in the near future? If so, can you give me some idea as to when? I eagerly await your next one!! Colin Dougan

Submitted July 26, 2004

A

I do anticipate it. I even expect to begin it as soon as I've finished the book I'm writing now, which is the follow-up to The Last Kingdom - so Sharpe should be behaving badly again by this autumn.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I love all the books you have written, and read them all over and over again!! I do have a small question however, why does Sharpe's style of speech change throughout his career from the unpolished to the exact and slightly stiff style he demonstrates when he finally commands his own battalion? I appreciate he has grown up and matured but I am curious all the same! Also.... why does Sweet William behave so rudely towards Sharpe in Sharpe's Waterloo? And why does Sharpe let him get away with it? Is it simply jealousy over Sharpe's new married state? I felt sorry for Richard!!! thank you so much for many many hours of blissfull reading!!!! Emma Sheppard.

Submitted July 26, 2004

A

Sharpe's speech changes because peoples' style of speech change as their circumstances change. I can't think of another reason! As for Sweet William - Sweet William was in love with Lucille and felt hard done by, which he was.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, thank you for your answer. I live in Co Fermanagh in Norther Ireland, and in our county regiment was the 27th Inniskillings (now part of the Royal Irish Regiment), I was just wandering if it would be possible for them to be included in a Sharpe Novel? Well done with Rebel, Bird and Falconer were great characters. Mickey O'Donohoe P.S I was wandering if Donaju from Sharpe's battle was a variation on my surname (of which there are 90 variations Donahue O'Donague and so on) after all he was in an Irish company, are there still Irish regiments in the Spanish army?

Submitted July 26, 2004

A

I'm sure it is a variation, and there were plenty of 'wild geese' serving in the Spanish (and French) army. So far as I know there aren't any Irish regiments left in the Spanish army, but I'm no expert. I think the 27th Inniskillings should be included. They might be already? (Can't remember). Certainly their 3rd battalion was in the thick of things from 1812 to 1814. The Ist and 2nd battalions served on the east coast of Spain, which is a fascinating campaign that Sharpe has yet to visit - an idea there, thank you!

Q

I've read the "Warlord Chronicles" and I've really enjoyed it. But I was just wondering, did Derfel and Ceinwyn really exist? The Juggernaut

Submitted July 26, 2004

A

They did. Derfel is one of Arthur's companions who somehow got told out of the stories as time passed, and Ceinwyn was Arthur's betrothed in the early stories, but he stood her up for Guinevere, the fool, and she also vanished from the later stories.

Q

Dear Sir I recently finished Gallows Thief & I want to thank you for writing such an excellent novel. I enjoyed it immensely! I loved how you portrayed cricket it in the novel & especially how you described some of the rules that have now since changed. ( stump wicket & underarm bowling indeed!) Are you a cricket fan your self? The English are doing quite well against the West Indies at the moment; hopefully they can keep up their form until they meet us. I recently saw King Arthur & apart from the wardrobe, I though it was an awful movie. I feel it did no just to your awesome trilogy. Have you seen it? If so what are your thoughts? Kind regards Michael, Sydney Australia.

Submitted July 26, 2004

A

Am I a cricket fan? Yes, yes and yes, and yes I hope we keep up our form until we meet you and keep it when we meet you too. And for any of our readers who are baseball fans, let me recommend Ed Smith's Playing Hardball, a look at baseball written by a cricket player, and a terrific read available from Amazon.co.uk. I don't plan to see the new King Arthur movie.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, In Sharpe you mention Forlorn Hope volunteers several times and judging by the amount of research that goes into your books I assume you know an awful lot about them. I wonder if you could impart some of that information to me to help with my research on the subject for my degree. Specifically, I have found reference to a Forlorn Hope medal which I assume was awarded to surviving volunteers. I have contacted the Sealed Knot and received some information on the medal during the English Civil War, though information on its use after this time (particularly during the Napoleonic Wars) is hard to come by. Any information on the Forlorn Hope groups or the medal, or anywhere you can point me to do my own research would be gratefully received. Thanks in advance Nathan

Submitted July 23, 2004

A

I know nothing about the English Civil War practice. In the Napoleonic Wars no medal was given for members of a Forlorn Hope, though the officer commanding it would usually receive a promotion, and the sergeant would probably receive a battlefield commission. I have heard that the badge of an oak-leaf wreath was given to men who survived, but I can't vouch for the truth of it and have never seen such a badge. There were not, as such, regulations covering this, but rather an inherited code of practice, which simply reckoned that the first men into a defended breach were so likely to die that the job was reserved for volunteers. Forlorn Hopes were not always used - it was up to the general commanding, but they were usually employed and there was no shortage of volunteers. The best discussion of this, which I think you'd find useful, is in Richard Holmes's Redcoat (in the chapter headed The Imminent Deadly Breach).

Q

Hi, I love the Sharpe books (indeed, most of your others too) and you are right, it has led me on to reading non-fiction books regarding that period. My question is, are there any plans to reissue the Sharpe books in hardback? Regards Graham

Submitted July 23, 2004

A

No plans at this time.

Q

Bernard I have read, reread and read again the Sharpe, Starbuck and Thomas novels. They are fantastic. I know that Thomas is finished but please keep Sharpe & Starbuck coming as fast as possible. You've said that Starbuck is on leave but I'm really looking forward to his next adventure. In the meantime could you please suggest any good novels based on the American Civil War. Best regards Declan Hennessy

Submitted July 23, 2004

A

Many people adore The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, so why not start there?

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I have just read the first chapter of 'The Last Kingdom' and thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait for the book to be released in October. I was just wondering if the Last Kingdom is part of a series? If so how many will there be?. Also what period/s of history are you interested in/want to write about next. Thanks for your time, Ben.

Submitted July 21, 2004

A

The Last Kingdom will be part of a series - don't know how many books there might be - three? four? maybe more? I do have some other projects in mind, but don't like to say too much too soon.