Bulletin Board

Dear Mr. Cornwell , Happy New Year ! My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting you at Hatchards in Oct.. This is the first time I have ever written a "fan" letter. I'm writing because your books have given me many hours of enjoyment. I devoured the Sharpe series as soon as they were available. Like many fans I look forward to the next "Starbuck" novel. You do a marvelous job in capturing the American Civil War. I am a recently retired NYPD Detective and your books have been a welcome distraction from the harsh realities of Law enforcement. Especially after 9/11. I lost a number of friends and collegues and worked the recovery. Thank you for your wonderful stories. Keep up the good work! I am a budding playwrite, and find inspiration in good stories and great diologue wherever I find it. Particularly in your books. Oh, and sorry about the Redsox this past year, and congratulations on The Mighty Patriots!! Great win last night! Yes, my wife and I were thrilled to be speaking with you about The Sox and The Pats. We are METS fans, but have affection for those two teams. Go PATS!! Thank you for your time and I look forward to reading more of your works in the future and perhaps meeting you again. Sincerely, Patrick

Mr Cornwell I have much enjoyed all of the Sharpe Novels. However I am surprised that no major Film has yet been produced regarding some of these gripping adventures, especially now where Digital Technology can enhance battle scenes etc. Have you ever been approached to consider this. I found the TV Series was good but did not capture the scent of battle, fear and tension which the books so impeccably. I am a big fan of a film called the Duelists, which was set over a number of years in the Napoleonic period. Have you heard of this story? Perhaps similar justice could be given to one or two gems such as Sharpe's Fortress, Eagle or Sword. G. Casey

Thank you yet again for the chance to escape reality, like many of the other correspondents on your site I have read the majority of your works, and have just enjoyed Gallows thief (after purchasing via a special offer in Sainsburys) please let us have more adventures a start another series!! in all your spare time! Mark

Imagine my suprise when visiting a bookshop before Christmas and seeing your paperback "A Crowning Mercy" on the shelf. Well, gotta say , fantastic book....the ending was amazing!. Looking forwad to the next great read! Owe Phillips

I recently saw a screenshot of an upcoming Arthurian film in the Daily Mirror. There were no details about the film other than Ray Winstone plays Bors and there was a screenshot of Guinevere in battle. Is this film in any way connected to your Warlord chronicles? Many thanks for giving me hours of enthralling reading, long may it continue. Neil Cooper

It all started with a friend of mine telling me about a book he had that was something to do about an English archer and his long bow. Got that book and before I knew it, blasted through it, through Stonehenge, through 3 books about Arthur, through Red Coat, through Gallows and onto Vagabond and then onto a series about a smart mouthed, head strong, yankee who was fighting for the south and doing a damn good good job of it!! Oh yeah, made time for Heretic too!!! All this before I even stopped to investigate the author. This Bernard Cornwell. That I suppose is the power of your writing. I was truly blown away. I had never read that voraciously in my life. I know what you're thinking, Where is Sharpe? Truth be told, everything in my life after work was on hold while I read all those books!!! I am itching to get into the Sharpe series and very well will. I just know it is going to be a journey, a long one. Besides that, I now need to get some reading glasses!!! My eyes are wore out!!! Anyhow, thank you for defying the system that would not give you a work permit!! As it turns out, it was a gift to all of us who have read and will continue to read your books. MORE STARBUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is time for Nate to ride again. I hope you agree!! Brian Cummings

Hi Mr. Cornwell, Just wanted to say the Sharpe series is great. I'm about halfway through them for the first time, and I think the stories are riveting, the battles intense, and your writing style always a pleasure to read. I'm a bit of a writer myself (you probably hear that a lot), and I was digging through some books on the shelf trying to see how different authors start their novels. Well, I pick one of my wife's suspense novels up and half fall asleep after the 1st paragraph. Then I pick up Sharpe's Tiger, and I'm into page 5 or 6 before I realize what I'm doing! Anyway, excellent series. Look forward to reading all the Sharpe books and your Hundred Years War series, of which I just bought the first book. Thanks! -Scott

Further to my e-mail of December about Wellington's plaque in Salamanca. The Times yesterday Jan 7 had an article about a proposed road through the battlefield. A bypass around the Arrapilles. Also a local archaeologist was having problems with uncovered grave pits. Thought you might be interested. Happy New Year. Nigel James

Hey, just thought I would send you a note as I am here on your site. Yesterday I bought "Harlequin". I had resisted buying into the whole historical novel franchise for a long time because a) the book covers on the Sharpe series seem so kitsch and b) I had thought them quite populist and c) potentially academic in detail. Well, I read a lot, and upon reading Master and Commander (hastily before the film came out) I realised that, hell this stuff is interesting. That said I was nearly put off by Patrick O'Brien's oft tedious detailing of British naval history. But I managed to read a couple of different authors until I happened upon your series in Waterstones. What a read! I'm pleased to say that Harlequin is definately the best story telling I've come across for a while. I'll be reading the whole series, I expect, now that I am over some of my prejudices. . This may be premature as I haven't even finished my first BC book yet (!!) but I think you combine history and storytelling better than any I have read, and the story on its own merits is as enthralling as any of the classic page turners. . Well done! Now about the covers. . . All the best Nikolai

I took a novel on holiday some years ago and now cannot remember the title, maybe from my descriptions from what I can recall you may be able to help me. It involved a sea-going Captain from the Americas,who was trading with the French, finally allied himself with Sharpe, it was the year Major Hogan died from fever. I own a lot of Sharpe's Novels which I read over and over and would be indebted to you if you can give me the Title of this Sharpes Novel. Many thanks. Raymond Miller