Dear Bernard, first let me say I have just finished reading Sharpes Escape and I enjoyed it immensely. A great read. But I was wondering if after the Last Kingdom if you might get back to Starbuck it has been awhile! Also wondering if you had read Peter Cozzen's book on the battle Chickamauga?. It truly was a soldiers battle and wondered if you might be tempted to get Starbuck there. And as another posted said it would be great to see Starbuck go west and fight the likes of Grant and Sherman. Ceratianly even if you do not decide to send him west (I hope otherwise) would you write about his experiances at Malvern Hill. Contemperary accounts often describe it as a holocaust and it does seem a slightly tragic prequel to Gettysburg. On a different period there has been many fictional books on the Roman period but with the exception of possibly Boudicca (Incidently Mel Gibson's new film about her is being billed as Braveheart with a bra!!) little has been written from the people fighting the Romans perspective. Could you ever be tempted to write about Hannibal and his battles. After all Trebia/Tresymane and Cannae are legendary while even his final defeat at Zama was with his own tactics. It would be great to see you write about Hannibal especialy Cannae which is a legendary victory that other victories are measured against. Finally Napoelon considered his 7 greatest commanders of all time as Alexander/Caeser/Hannibal/Gustuvas Adolphus/Turenne/Eugene and Fredrick the great, who would you consider your 7 top generals of the past??? All the best Tony.
I haven't read Peter Cozzen's book, but I will - thank you. I may be tempted by Hannibal someday, but there are other projects to complete first. Top 7? Lord knows . . . Caesar - Alexander - Gustavus Adolphus - Marlborough - Frederick the Great - Wellington - Napoleon - that's straight off the top of my head, and we're missing Grant and Lee - need more time to think!