Dear Mr. Cornwell: I have just finished Sword Song and am eagerly ready to take up the last of the Saxon series. What has made this series so personal to me is that I am (as best as I can determine) related to many of the main characters. I am directly related to King Alfred through his son Edward and also his daughter Alfthryth. A little sketchier is my direct relationship to Ragnar “Lodbrok” Sigurdson presumably through his son Sigurd. That would make Ivar and Ubba uncles. Even though the main character Uhtred is fictional, I do show in this rather strange looking tree, an Ughtred of Northumbria, son of Walroef. His numbers are 100 years later than your story’s hero, but he is tantalizingly close in name and place. Any connection–storytelling wise that is? Would you have any suggestions on how I can get more reliable information of the viking side? Looking forward to reading more of your works. Thank you so very much, David Hess