Bulletin Board

Q

I have read most of your books and am about to begin book 4 of the Starbuck series. While I look forward to each new Sharpe offering, I would love to see Starbuck and Truslow march again!
Finley Harckham


Q

I enjoyed reading all your Books published in Italy (so far). I'd like to know what's coming next and look forward to see Sharpe on TV in my country as well. Will Mr. Cornwell be visiting Italy? All the best, matteo matteo

A

I hope to visit Italy some day! I'm not sure what will be published in Italy next, but I think all three books of the Grail Quest series should be available in Italian at some point.


Q

I'm sure you've heard this many times from many people but I just wanted to say that your work has been absolutly amazing. I just finished the Arthur book and it has been a long time since I've wanted to read more by a certain author till now. I had some of my friends read Winter King and they too went straight to bookstores to buy the rest of the series. Thank you. Wendy


Q

A friendly physics lesson: I recently read and enjoyed the Grail Quest series, and I'm sure you receive plenty of mail with historical nitpicks. Here's a scientific one. At the end of Heretic, whin Guy is charging Thomas, he is stopped by an arrow. The quality of an object which determines how well it can change another's velocity in a collision is its momentum. A 0.4kg arrow travelling at 50m/s has a momentum of 20 kg m/s. A 100 kg man in plate running at 5 m/s has a momentum of 500 kg m/s. If the arrow sticks to him, then he'd still be moving at 4.8 m/s after the collision. You can also think about it in terms of conservation of momentum: any 'kick' that Guy received would also be received by Thomas in the opposite direction when he launched the arrow. If Thomas is not thrown back when he launches the arrow, Guy won't be thrown when he receives it. The same applies to gunfire. This doesn't mean that arrows couldn't do a great deal of damage to armor and flesh - that's a result of the arrow's kinetic energy. Most of the energy a strong archer uses pulling the bowstring back is used to destroy the arrow and the target on impact. Chuck Bean, Physics teacher


Q

Hello Bernard, having just heard your Desert Island Discs, and just finished reading Sharpe's Escape I thought I would say how much I enjoyed both. The recent Harlequin trilogy I thought outstanding, better even than the Arthurian novels - not sure how you keep both quantity and quality up ! We had the same Yachtmaster Instructor in Stan and I sailed with him last 3 years ago -he's still in robust form ! Every good wish for your future success, with kind regards, Cliff Dixon

A

Thank you! Please do pass on my best wishes to Stan next time you see him.


Q

All your books are brill, I have read the Sharpe ones and Battleflag. How about some Starbuck movies. Christopher Gath

A

No plans for any Starbuck movies at the present, but who knows?? Thanks for your message.


Q

Mr Cornwell.... Prelim text read and acknowledged I read an article in the Halifax Herald about your recent book signing and regret I missed you. I love the Sharpe series and have either read the books or watched the series on TV. It actually wasn't the signing that instigated this note, but the short bio that was included. My famly came from Essex - grandfather Harry, born in Roxwell, went to india with Essex Regt, eventiually to Canada after Boer War. He enlisted in WWI at 45. I was born in 1946 in Manitiba and also grew up on C S Forrester which is likely why I now live in Nova Scotia. I hope there are many more Sharpe books to come. I think it is the straighforward concepts of honour and decency combined with a rugged individualism that make Sharpe a great hero. And the books I think focus on that and not on a complex web of intrigue such as is seen in mystery novels. There is intrigue but it is more like real life played on a chess board shaped like Europe. Anyway, thanks for all the wonderful reads and I am looking forward to this latest book. By the way, will Richard ever come out of retirement again?? Eventually I would like to see closure on his life. I recall another series of books - these written by Len Deighton - where the story of his hero Richard Sampson just stopped. I still miss not seeing the end even after about 15 years. Rick Harrington

A

Thanks for your message. Not sure if Sharpe will come out of retirement again, but never say never!


Q

Hello again Mr Cornwell I was looking through your reading club and noticed a few By Richard Holmes. Have you seen his War Walks books. I recently got two volumes there may be more, I'm not sure, and found them excellent. Covers battles from Agincourt to the 20th century, including Waterloo and accompanies his TV series. Two other books I didn't see in the club both by Mark Adkin are The Sharpe Companion, The early years and The Waterloo Companion. All these books should make good reading for anyone interested in military history or your stories in general. regards Nigel. P.S. Think the picture of you with the cannon Mark used should go in your image gallery. Great pose.

A

Thanks for the recommendations - we'll be happy to add them to the Reading Club page.


Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell: I recently attended your lecture at the Science Center in Vancouver, B.C. I had a silly comment about smeared smoke. Remember? May I say what a pleasure it was to hear you speak and to watch you sign your name to three of my books. You have a remarkable ability to distill history down to the exciting bits, and you have a very keen grasp of human nature. Your body of work is truly the most entertaining fiction I have ever read. Well, I think Conan Doyle's "The White Company" is just as good, but frankly he's dead and I've shaken your hand, so there you go. With unending admiration, David G. Medlock

A

And I was very happy to be there to shake your hand my friend. Thanks for your message!


Q

thank you for wonderful reading loved Harlequin and the series having read all the Sharpes and now into the Arthur ......wow ....... thank you thank you thank you from me and my sons, Glennys