Greetings, Mr. Cornwell

First of all, thank you so much for writing the Saxon Stories – I haven’t delved into your other works yet (having only recently discovered you!) but I have to say that Uhtred is probably my favorite literary character to date and I rate his tale pretty high on my list of greatest fiction books ever (up there with LOTR, though saying that puts me at risk of sounding like a kiss-ass). I am especially appreciative of it’s grounding in historical reality.

Can you describe Uhtred’s hammer pendant?  When he was sold into slavery, he said it was left to him because it was a poor thing carved of whale bone, but in the next book after that he said he had to polish it all the time, because it was made of iron and forever rusting.  Perhaps you’ve described it in your more recent novels, as I haven’t read them all (yet) – but I was wondering, could you clear this up for me?  What is it made out of?  Does it have anything inscribed on it, runes or designs?  I ask about these detail because I might want to commission a replica.  I have a friend who makes such hammers, or steel, bronze, and silver.  If it’s whale bone, I guess I’ll have to look elsewhere.

Thanks for you time.
Matt Walker