Your Questions

I haven't yet read The Pagan lord so apologies if this is answered in there but I have started reading the Saxon Series from the start again and whislt reading the start of The Last kingdom you write that the story is about how Ethelflaed became so important to England. Whilst her presence has become greater and greater with each book, in The Death of Kings she was still not, what I would call, a major character.

Therefore, can I ask if the theme of the story arc has changed since The Last Kingdom or whether you still intend for the series to be the telling of Ethelflaed's story. I'm not complaining, but it was something that struck me upon re-reading and with knowledge of the rest of the series so far up to Death of Kings.
Andrew Rose

Dear Bernard
Please put us out of our misery and tell us who Sharpe's father was. This puzzle has now been running longer than The Peninsular War.
Keep up the brilliant work
Sincerely
John Hill

Hello Bernard,

I can't quite believe that you are so willing to communicate with your readers! I shall now take advantage of this facility though!

I see you spent some of your working life in my fair city of birth. Have you ever been back to visit? I'm 30 years old and the city has changed quite a bit around me as I've grown up. I'm sure the city feels quite different to someone who was working here at the height of 'our trouble'.

Also, I have often wondered if there would be a readership for stories of Ireland from the Viking/Danish era up to and around the Norman invasion. From your experience in the publishing and writing world, do you think this is an angle publishers might be interested in.

I love Uhtred! Currently reading the latest tale.

Peace and man-hugs from an big fan of your work.
Michael Rose

Dear Bernard,
Just wondering if you watched the extraordinary events unfold around discovery of Richard III body beneath a car park in Leiscter, and saw the programme shown over here (via YouTube maybe) about the manner of its discovery and the seemingly mystical course of events that led to this.
The reconstruction of his face left me really very emotional, especially when they found the 10 different injuries he endured at the time of his death. Basically sustained in the middle of a huge crush of men intent on killing him.
Is Richard III a subject/ person you are interested in? Did the events around his discovery have any effect on you? Inspire you to consider a novel about him or his time period?
Would be very interesting to read your take on the legend and the actual man.. (He did have scoliosis of the spine, and consequently a hunch back, was very, very slight, but was so impressive a fighter that even his worst haters remarked on his skill and valour)
James

Do you ever think you will come to Denmark for a signing or something like that. I would also recommend if you came to Denmark you should visit the new Viking exhibition in the National Museum.  Also are you already working on a new big series? I am really looking forward to the Pagan Lord and do you think you will ever revisit the Sharpe series again?
Jeremy Hillock

In reading the book 1356, there was a slight disconnect in that you refer to events or occurrences that happen between the end of the Heretic and 1356. I began looking for a book that covered that time period. Obviously there isn't one but  is there a book coming for that period (I guess things were pretty boring for him in England) and if not, any further adventures for Thomas post 1356?
Carl Chew

I love everything you have written and although this has been asked before.... Battle of Najera and Mr Hookton tearing things up in Spain, Battle of Verneuil and Duke of Bedford going Chuck Norris on the Scots with poleaxe swinging or Wars of the roses. After those books I can die a happy man. Pretty please with sugar on top?
Mattias

will there be any more Richard Sharpe novels-if so when?
John l Bonello

 

Do you plan any more Sharpe novels??  Highly entertaining and I would like to see more of them.
Charles E. Brown

Dear Bernard,

Soon as I saw the Pagan Lord on the Shelf of my local Tesco had to buy it! Three days later I had come to the end of another chapter and hopefully not the end chapter in Uhtred Seniors story. I was Thought he was finally going to get his hands on his ancestral lands, but it was not to be.  Now that Uhtred is in his 50's will the younger Uhtred feature more in the later books?

Looking forward to the next installment in Uhtred's rovering career.

Andy

Dear Bernard,
Thank you for your excellent books, I have so much trouble putting them down and cannot stop re-reading them. My question is regarding Dan Hagman, the best shot in the regiment and one of Sharpe most endearing characters.. Is he based on anyone you researched for the novels or was he some-one you had met in real life. He was such an endearing character and he was brilliantly portrayed in the series, he was the kind of man I would have liked fighting with me if I had been in Wellingtons army, under the command of Mr Sharpe of course! Looking forward to your next book, have just finished 1356 and have started Rifles again!
Terry Coulton