Dear Mr Cornwell,

I have gained immense pleasure from reading your books having been at University in Durham and had close associations with nearly every place that Uhtred has travelled in his short life (without the modern travel advantages he gets about!). There is a place that I thought he might have come across. Indeed I imagine viking ships sailing up the river Ribble past Preston Lancashire when I look out over the river. The amazing Cuerdale hoard was found on a bend in the river. People up the coast have been found to have pure Danish DNA and place names like Goosenargh and Grimsargh are testmony to settlement. As he goes close (to Chester and Carlisle) perhaps he passed up the Ribble? Any plans in the book after Death of Kings on his way north? Some people think that Athelstan had a major battle in the area. Plenty of uncertainty about the later battle of Brunanburgh so room for a tale of things that happened in earlier years.

James Twigg