Your Questions

Dear Bernard, I have read and enjoyed every book in your brilliant Sharpe series (as well as most of the others), thanks for writing such a brilliant set of books. However as someone from the north of England there seem to be very few characters in Sharpe from there, any chance of adding one perhaps, you could even use my name, or not. Not a complaint really, just a bit of a shame I feel, you might well disagree, they are your books after all. Also what is your greatest regret in writing the Sharpe books. Warmest regards from a devoted reader, Matthew Hitchen, Lancs.

Dear Mr. Cornwell, Congratulations on the wonderful achievement of the Saxon Stories. My wife and I have both loved them and are eagerly awaiting the next installment. I have been writing on Alfred for years, so it wasn't long before I was saying to myself, Wow! He has done all the research! The rendition of fighting in the shield wall was tremendous, Homeric in intensity, and in my experience unprecedented. If you care to recommend any further reading in the period for us to divert ourselves while waiting for Sword Song, we would appreciate it. Best wishes, Bill C.

Mr. Cornwell I must say youre the only author I have ever been compelled to write to. The first book I ever read of yours was Stonehenge, and then I moved on to The Winter King, Enemy of God and Excalibur. I just finished Lords of the North. Shame on me for not reading the first two but it was the only one on the shelves of the series. It was a good three day read and I am (as usual) disappointed that the story is over (thus far anyway). Was that your clever way (in your authors note) of hinting at another story to come for Uhtred? I hope so& I must compliment you on your intricately written battle scenes. Few writers have had me on the edge of my seat during a written fight scene. Lately I have been wondering if maybe you possess a bit of a psychic streak with certain news articles that have appeared in the last year about villages near Stonehenge and a (Persian?) mummy with a golden eye. Though Nimue wasnt Persian I still found it uncanny. I am a 24 year old aspiring novelist not born, but raised and living in the middle of Alaska since I was two. My first book is being published a chapter at a time on the web. Its a Drama/ Sci-fi. Probably not your reading preference. Though its not mine either so who knows! I prefer historical fiction, mostly from the European area. But I dislike the study that goes along with writing the genre. Why I find astrophysics easier than untangling the web of history I will never know. Some of the other authors I enjoy are Rosalind Miles, (I have read her Guinevere series, which wildly contrast your Arthur series) Margaret George, though Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles has failed to capture my interest, Memoirs of Cleopatra, Mary Called Magdalene and Henry VIII were incredibly written. Perhaps I should save these comments for their authors, though if you have read them, youll understand. Now that I have realized that I am rambling and havent actually presented you with a question I suppose the only thing Im really curious about is this: So far, in the novels I have read you seem to favor the Pagans and the Christian monks/priests are almost always evil in nature but for the one key good guy priest. Arthur converted, or at least entertained the idea. Derfel converted, though it wasnt really a willing submission. I sense that sometime before Uhtred ends his tale he will convert as well but also secretly revel in his memories of the good ol days as Derfel did. Who do you favor? If either& One of your many enthralled readers, S.G. Sea

Hi Bernard Just wanted to say that I have only just got into the Sharpe books via a mate who allowed me, graciously as I now understand, to borrow Sharpe's Tiger to 'see how I got on with it'. Well, I have now swept through most of the series and it has been a real treasure to have discovered such a wonderful hero such as Sharpe, and equally, such a rich and historically relevant backdrop. I find myself unable to discern now between the separate books as the series seems to have blended into a glorious epic story. I am blessed, in a way, to have come to these books late, so I can read them in narrative order! I came to the series ignorant, mostly, of Wellington's achievements through out the early 1800's, and have discovered a real desire to discover more of this era of European history. I wondered if you could suggest a few books to help me understand the person of Napoleon more. Most of your work has to concentrate on the British side of the story, but I would be interested to read accounts from Napoleon's inner courts of their perspective of the era. Thanks once again for picking up a pen, and writing such riveting stories, with such contemporary relevance! cheers Jonny Tokyo

Dear Bernard in regards to the American civil war during the battle of the wilderness Northern troops came across Lee and then withdrew if they had captured/injured or killed Lee do you think the war would have been shortened and who would have taken command of the army if both him and Longstreet were incapacitated??? BTW Any plans to get Starbuck to the Overland campaign where Lee and Grant go head to head it was a horrendous slug fest but some historians consider it to be Lee's best generalship holding off Grant as long as he did would you agree????? On another note in regards to your Archer series have you ever considered a PREQUEL to those books since Thomas farther seems a really interesting character and would have a great story to tell. Besides Mapplins Moor and Halidon Hill are before Harlequin and you have to write about those fights???? And finally in regards to Sharpe if he does get to Albuera will he be with the Die Hards holding on or charging with the Fusilier Brigade???? Geriant

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I am an English Professor who did my Ph.D. work on Sir Thomas Malory's _Morte Darthur_, and I want to tell you, first of all, that I very much enjoy your excellent adaptation of the Arthurian stories. It seems to me you have succeeding in doing what the film _King Arthur_ only pretended to do, which is to construct a real historical space for Arthur. I sometimes teach a course in the narratives of Arthur from the Middle Ages to the present, and your book _Excalibur_ has been the capstone for that course, with great success. Having now read quite a lot of contemporary adaptations of the tales, both out of interest and for professional purposes (great excuse), I've increasingly noticed the interesting relationship that the authors of Arthur have with the historians of Arthur. Obviously, without some historical record, the Arthurian stories would lose a great deal of their "punch"--its that connection to a real past that makes the better written versions of the books especially compelling--that moment, when even though you know you're reading fiction, there's a kind of shimmer in time, when you almost feel like you can look back and see...something. At the same time, the tone many Arthur authors take towards Arthur's historians can be challenging, as I felt the last paragraph of your afterword to Excalibur challenged an historical establishment that sometimes denies Arthur's existence--maybe failing to do him and us justice in the process? My question is, how do you feel about the histories and historians who are the bones of the narratives to which you give your literary bodies? Is there a sometimes sense of conflict there, or is it just my fevered imagination? I should, as fairness demands, add that I _am_ an academic, so don't be surprised if your answer ends up someday in a conference paper or an article. It's an occupation hazard--or, at least, a hazard of dealing with those in my occupation. Best wishes, Roberta Roberta Davidson, Chair Department of English Whitman College Walla Walla, WA 99362 U.S.A.

Hi Bernard I have noticed that many authors recommend other author's books i.e. comment from author on front cover, back cover etc of another authors novel. Out of interest how do you decide which authors/books to supply a comment for? Is it purely dependent on your enjoyment of the author's previous work or being associated with the same publisher? Yours being very nosey. Phil

Hello - I always enjoy your attention to sight/sound/feel detail, particularly the sounds of battle, the references to cigars, and of course Sharpe's various injuries. Have you thought about using more sound "imagery?" Particularly, the sound of the pipes? There is a great website called the "Bob Dunsire forum" (www.bobdunsire.com) that you may find interesting. You may have an interest in some of the more obscure history subsections of the forums, as well as the often humorous "beer-tent." PS: my bookshelf is anxiously awaiting the next "Uhtred" installment. Regards, JEM

HI, just a quick note to say I was just wondering about your Saxon stories which says in the beginning " But I am Uhtred, son of Uhtred, and this is a tale of a blood feud. And it is a tale of a woman and her father a king " and I was just wondering if that Uhtred's "woman of gold" who Gisela mentioned is Alfred's daughter ? thanks Adam Shanks !

Mr. Cornwell, First, I would like to say that I absolutely love your Grail quest trilogy and the first three Sharpe novels (as I'm sure I will enjoy the rest of the Sharpe novels as I read them). I just finished Sharpe's Fortress, and am actually planning to go to Northern India with some friends of mine currently serving in Iraq when they finish their tours of duty in December. While Seringapatam is too far south for this trip, I think Gawilghur may be an option, but I can't find anything online about it other than what relates to your novel. I was wondering, since you've been there, if you would be able to give me some tips as to how to get there and what to expect as far as travel times go. I think I will send my copies of the India books over to Iraq for my friends to read so they will be as excited to see the spot as I am. Any information you are able to pass along would be very beneficial. Brandon Darnell