Your Questions

Q

Hi, Have recently started reading your books, namely the Sharpe series. I have never really been into the period or setting that they are in but I have recently been working on a project based on a computer game called Medevil Totalwar (you may have heard of it if you play pc games) anyway we are making a Napoleonic Mod of the game and your Sharpe's series was mentioned a few times, so I went out and bought one of them (Sharpe's Trafalgar), and I was very surprised that it had me hooked pretty much from the first chapter. So since then I have been making my way through the series in order. I just wanted to say I as far as I'm concerned you're up there with my favourites David Gemmell and Steven Erikson. Anyway enough babbling I wanted to ask a question, it's just a little thing that has been bugging me for a few of the books, why sometimes do the likes of General Harris (Sharpe's Tiger) and The Colonol from Sharpe's Havoc ( I forget his name) sometimes talk out of character. ie All throughout the books they talk like the gentlemen they are supposed to be then all of a sudden they're using word like "ain't". Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I can't imagine these characters using such slang as this. Anyway just thought I would ask. Sorry for the long winded question. Keep the books coming. Simon Hand

Submitted March 2, 2004

A

But they did! The word was very common in that period, not just among the great unwashed, but especially among the upper classes. An affectation, probably, but not uncommon all the same.

Q

Hello Mr Cornwell, Are there any plans to visit England (particularly Oxford) in the near future for any book readings or signings? I would love to have my Arthur books signed as they have given me so much delight after reading them again after a few years. PB

Hi Mr. Cornwell...Are you planning to do a US west coast tour promoting Sharpe's Escape? Dick

Please could you tell me if Bernard Cornwell is doing any book signing tours in the UK in 2004, and if yes the date and venues or the infomation to find these out. Thank you. Matt

Submitted March 2, 2004

A

I will not be touring in the US for the release of Sharpe's Escape, but I will be in the UK in early April for a book tour. The itinerary for this tour has just been posted to the Diary page today so check there for all the details.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I am just completing Excalibur after the first 2 novels. I was referred to them through my nephew and I must say that I am enthralled. I would say that your works are probably the best fiction I have ever read. I love the style and the way "it grabs ya!" The works are so "earthy" and believable. I did have some questions if they are not too much trouble. Is Briton = Welsh in the Arthur stories? That being the case "u" in Welsh is sort of like "i" so would Gundleus = "Gindleis" while Nimue = "Nimie" in pronunciation? Is your depiction of Lancelot (which was quite entertaining) based at all on the depiction in Le More d'Artur? or pure fantasy? Sagramoor = how? How was he supposed to be in Britain? Obviously you have relied on lots of historical and semi-historical works for inspiration, so how historically accurate would your novel be as compared to other works on Arthur or the Saxon invasions of Britain? I have recommended your Arthur series on a web forum that I frequent and I hope that other people get the chance to enjoy your works as much as I have. Now on to Stonehenge... PS, my nephew agreed that a very interesting variation of the Arthur series would be the same events from the Saxon invaders point of view. It's good to dream. Gregor Shepherd Melbourne Australia

Submitted March 1, 2004

A

Britain does equal Welsh, so your pronunciation advice is well taken. How would Sagramor be there? Because huge numbers of African (mostly North African) soldiers were stationed in Britain under the Romans - and doubtless some stayed and others, like Sagramor, joined the flotsam and jetsam of the empire's collapse and would have served as mercenaries. The Saxon point of view would be interesting - so perhaps you'd like to know that I'm presently writing the first in a series about Alfred and his successors - not the same period, but still Saxon!

Q

Dear Sir. Greetings from New Zealand I stumbled on the Sharpe series less then six months ago and have since purchased most of the Sharpe books and half a dozen of your others. The plan was to save some for winter but I doubt they will last that long. I'd like to thank you for exposing me to a fascinating historical period. Severn years ago I started collecting Martini Henry rifles. This has since led to an interest in the Anglo Zulu war. Another very interesting if short British military conflict. Have you ever considered basing one of you books in this war? Regards Barry Iacoppi

Submitted February 27, 2004

A

I am curiously repelled by all Britain's mid to late 19th century wars so I'll probably never write about them. Sorry!

Q

Did Sir Simon Jekyll actualy die? If so I think the Earl of Northampton should have killed him not Sir Guillaume. Alex Verrall

Submitted February 27, 2004

A

He died. Sorry the wrong bloke got him, but that's death.

Q

Dear Bernard For your forthcoming Escape book tour will you be in Colchester and please could you say the date it will be released ?? While you have said you will not get Sharpe to the war of 1812. What about Fredrickson he is over there and Lundys Lane and Cooks Mill would surely beckon for him just as a stand alone to find out his fate after his break up with Sharpe. P.S There is a bit of a gap between Fredricksburg and Chancerlsville in between could Starbuck get to the battle of the Stones River ?? Look foward to Sharpes escape.

Submitted February 27, 2004

A

I believe Sharpe's Escape will be released on 1 April 2004. Don't think the book tour will take me to Colchester, but we should be receiving the full itinerary to post on the Diary page soon. As to your other questions - I'll think on it! But it won't happen very soon - too much else to be written.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell - You may not remember but you kindly signed 'Heretic' for me and 'Gallows Thief' for my daughter, Emma (at Durham uni) when you were in Norwich in October last year. Both were avidly read almost immediately, and we're very grateful. If I may, I have two questions: (1) Do you intend to write any more novels in the first person? Among my favourites are the Warlord Trilogy and the sailing thrillers, made all the more interesting by the singular perspective; (2) Do you intend to write any more modern thrillers? I have rarely read anything as breathtakingly exciting as 'Stormchild', particularly the cat-and-mouse suspense once the Genesis Community had been found and the stunning denouement. Looking forward to 'Sharpe's Escape'. Thanks once again. Fred Marsh.

Submitted February 27, 2004

A

I'm writing one now - it's tentatively called The Last Kingdom and is the first in a series that tells of the repulse of the Danish (Viking) army from England during the early 9th century. I won't say much more except that I haven't enjoyed writing a book so much since the Warlord Chronicles. Sailing thrillers? I'm not planning any more, but that doesn't mean much - it could happen, but probably not in the next year or two.

Q

Mr. Cornwell, your books, I feel, are terribly short, no offence for I lost hours of sleep cause of them, but most of them don't swell beyond 400 pages. My friends judges books by their thickness, over 550 pages are normal for them, and jeers at me for reading such short novels. So Mr.Cornwell, are you planning on writing a longer book? Alfonso

Submitted February 27, 2004

A

How many lines on a page? Most of my books are between 120,000 and 155,000 words, which is probably average. And never judge a book by pages, some publishers put 30 plus lines on a page, even 40 +, others as few as 26 or 27. It also depends on paper thickness! My British editions look much longer than the US ones because the Brits use slightly thicker paper, but I promise you I don't write short books - just average length.

Q

Dear Bernard Cornwell, I read your book "Stonehenge", I loved your book but have one question; in the book Derrewyn says " The stones killed them. The gods did come to the temple that night and killed the man who claimed he was a god and crushed the woman who thought she was a goddess." So did that mean that Lahanna and Slaol did unite just for a second, I think you should have had a solar or lunar eclipse going on when Lahanna ( the moon) and Slaol ( the sun) united for a second. If you are too busy to reply that is okay I would just like to know. Your Fan, Kat

Submitted February 27, 2004

A

Oddly enough that particular stone did collapse very shortly after the monument was built, but it's up to the reader to decide how much divine intervention was involved! I thought about the eclipse, but in the end decided against it. I was probably wrong.

Q

Dear Bernard after reading JM Hitsmans excellent Incredible War of 1812 (Graves editing notes at the end are just as interesting to read) and slightly frustrated that you never got Sharpe to that conflict. Do you think you will ever do any future series or one off novels about what is rather a freshly unexplored area of the Napoleonic wars since Spain/India and the naval side have been rather well covered now. P.S you mentioned in Your Questions responses that you were writing about the Vikings, will it be set during King Alfred and will it be a series or stand alone??? Thanks and good luck with the new Sharpe book out. Tony

Submitted February 27, 2004

A

It's possible. I've got a lot of research on various bits of the War of 1812, but I have to confess it's not high on my list of priorities. The Viking book is the start of a series set during the time of King Alfred.