Bulletin Board

I have just finished watching all 14 DVD's in the Sharpe series ( the best birthday present I've had for years). I still read the books (repeatedly) and wondered if you feel that the films encourage lazy or non-readers to pick up the books and find out how much better they are than the series could ever hope to be. Thank you for many years of entertainment and God save Ireland and King George of course. Andrew Coombs

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I recently finished reading your Arthur Warlord Chronicle books, and I loved them. I hesitated to start reading The Winter King because I was currently reading a book for school. I started reading it anyways and was captivated. I could not put it down. I stayed up all night and finished reading it. The next day I couldn't wait to go pick up Enemy of God, and I took great delight in reading the second book in this series. It was the same with Excalibur, which had a spectacular ending, and was a great conclusion to these books, in my opinion. I just wanted to let you know that I very much enjoyed reading these books. I loved Derfel's character and story, as well as the people in it. I liked how the books had historical information, as well as a fantasy side to them with Nimue and Merlin's magic. However, my favourite aspects of the novels were the love story between Derfel and Ceinwyn, and of course the battles(Hywelbane, the pig bones in the hilt, ceinwyn's brooch, all were fantastic). I want to thank you for writing these books. For me you created a world in my mind that I wish I could have been a part of. They are one of a kind to me, and are my personal favourites in my book collection. I plan to read them again some time soon, probably in the summer. Thank you very much, Sincerely Andrew Wallitchek

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I recently finished reading your Sharpe series starting with Sharpe's Tiger and all the way through Sharpe's Devil. A friend was reading them and got me started. As scandalous as it may seem, my local library didn't have a single one, but oh, the joys of interlibrary loan. As I finished each book I went on-line and requested the next one, so it took me from last June until March to read them all. I read other things while waiting for each loan to come through and found that I had to be very disciplined to make myself finish what I had started before cracking open Richard Sharpe's next adventure. Now that I have finished them, I am feeling quite bereft. My friend and I will look forward to the further adventures of Sharpe and in the meantime, I'm sure I can find something to read. Thank you for providing so many hours of reading enjoyment. I particularly liked the historical notes at the end of each book as I am always curious as to what really happened. It was like a little piece of something sweet at the end of a good meal. Eileen Grah

Hi, Mr Cornwell. I'm a Brazilian man that discovered your books with my father, that is a great reader. I'm sorry about my poor english, but I need to write you to thank you for your books about Arthur. I really never had read a history like that. You have described Arthur exactly as I have been imagining. So... one more time. Thanks for you beautiful work. Carlos Eduardo de Lima Joaquim

Mr. Cornwell I have read many of your books and just finished the Arthur trilogy. I must say they are among the best books Ive ever read. The characters were so vivid, I felt like I knew them. I was moved to tears at many points of the story . Anyway keep up the awesome writing, I look forward to your next book (loved The Last Kingdom). Michael

Just a short note to say how much I enjoy your books. The Grail Quest was wonderful and now I am in the final book of the Arthur series. I've read nearly all of the Sharpe books and it is a comfort to know there are many more to read. Well done, Mr. Cornwell, and many thanks. Dwight Tichenor

Beautiful work and a beautiful and informative internet site. Lee Mueller

Dear Bernard, I'm accustomed to Aubry and Mathurin at sea, Sir John at the Bow Street Courthouse, Mma Ramotswe in Africa, Paul Scott's gang in India and Ensign Richard Sharpe on terra firma (Latin I believe). Ergo (Latin again) I did not read "Sharpe's Trafalgar" until I finished all the other books in the series. What a pleasant surprise! The research was excellent, the writing outstanding and the pace among the best sea yarns I have ever read. I know you generously credit your rearchers and others for their help, but the writing is simply great. Keep up the excellent work. Don Healey

Dear Mr. Cornwell, Whilst clearing out some stuff recently I came across a stack of old Sharpe books and decided to read them in chronological order.Started to read Sharpe's Tiger and lo, and behold a news item comes on the good old B.B.C. Tipoo(or Tipu, as the subtitles had it )Sultans' treasures being sold at Sothebys Auctions 25th May! Checked out the on-line catalogue and there's all the tiger-y stuff.Weird co-incidence.Love your new stuff by the way.I have written to you before about re-enactors and I often recommend your Arthur books to people.Now I can suggest the new Anglo-Saxon one as well. Thanks! Mari Hannigan.

This is a follow-up to my e-mail sent earlier today. Having just sent that message I turned the T.V. on and there's a Meet The Ancestors programme about Bamburgh Castle. Are you haunting me?Seriously, it was quite an interesting snippet about 6 anglo saxon skeletons found buried at the site, all high status, one 10 yr old child,one teenager, three adults,all from what is now lowland Scotland but was then northern Bernicia, and one adult from the island of Iona, off the West coast of Scotland. Now all I need is A Celtic Dark Ages,a Medieaval,and an American war mention to have all your series referenced in one day! Don't worry, I'm not some kind of conspiracy theorist, it just seemed like a strange co-incidence! If you can check out the Sothebys on-line catalogue tho' It's quite fun! yours Mari Hannigan

Mr Cornwell, greetings

Don't know that you're much of an artifact hound, and you probably have already heard about this, but- Sotheby's is doing a sale on the theme of the Tippoo Sultan. Not an everyday sort of thing.

Thought you should know, at least.

Or not.

Whatever http://search.sothebys.com/search/collArea/BrowseCat.jsp?&source_indicator=E&event_id=27283&sale_number=L05222&event_name=The%20Tipu%20Sultan%20Collection

All best regards

B. Allen

Dear Mr. Cornwell: With regard to Geraint's question in his May 2nd posting, there are no books about the 95th Rifles role in the War of 1812 because they only caught the very tail end of it, the New Orleans Campaign, which was over in only two weeks, and was a total waste of time, as the peace had already been signed in Ghent. Any good history of the battle (try Robert Remini's "The Battle of New Orleans") should tell Geraint all there is to tell about the Rifles' role in it. Also, of course, there is Mark Urban's "Rifles," which might contain some information. Alan Kempner