Any chance of a few more stories about Sandman? I relly enjoyed Gallows Thief and would like to read more. Michael White
It's a possiblity, but I don't know when.
Hello. Firstly let me once more thank for your great books!!!!!!!!! I am right now reading Sharpe's Sword and I just wondered how many of the Sharpe characters were purely fiction? Also I have not been able to find any info on the Southe Essex!!!!!! HOW COME?! Furhter more I would like to comment on the fact that the 95th are mentioned in the Hornblower series as a light foot regiment of redcoats under Major Sir Paul Edrington - which is correct? The mention in Hornblower or that of the Sharpe series????!!!! Best regards Christopher
The 95th were always Greenjackets! The real characters? I think I tell you that in the Historical Note at the end of the book, but if there are any characters you're uuncertain about, do write again and ask specifically. Why can you find nothing about the South Essex? because I made them up - I needed a regiment that I could move around to my heart's content - not a real regiment which would trap my story in real history.
Dear Bernard, to do original, I want to congratulate you. I just finish the Warlord trilogy and I am speechless, that so FANTASTIC!. Sure, I read it in French, so I assume it was not completely as good as in English, but it was still great!!! I start to think to read it in English now& I really enjoy the way you saw and described the story and the way you did not follow the standard story& I got questions for you (quite a lot, I am sorry for you&). The way you describe battles sounds like you did some research. Is that right? Did you make a lot of research before writing books like that? Could you let me know where you found your major data? Is the way they turn their shields to explain they are not coming for war historically true? Are all those types of details historically true as well. (Sorry for my small knowledge on the subject&). Like a lot of persons I am fascinated by Arthur story but I know it was probably not real. As you describe the way Igraine might have change the story to make it better, the real story might have been completely different. That is why I would like to know if you found some other historical information about Arthur that you did not describe at the end of the trilogy? If yes, could you let me know what are they (references) to enhance my small knowledge of the subject? I apologize for my bad English. I hope you could understand me& Thank in advance for your answer and thousands of thousands thanks for your stories. I will dream of them for a long time& Emeline
Merci beaucoup for a lovely message! Yes, I did a lot of research, but there are not many sources saying what it was like to stand in a shield-wall - horrid, I should think - so much of it is imagination. The detail about turning the shield upside down as a sign of truce came from a very old Welsh poem (I forget which one) so is probably true. Most of my sources are in the end-notes - I did use a lot of very old Welsh texts which I didn't mention - The Laws of Hywel Dda, the poems of Iolo Goch, Y Gododdin, and others - these are available in English translations (there's a wonderful series, The Welsh Classics, published by the Gomer Press), but I don't know of any translations into French. I took lots of details from those books, and from collections of old folklore - the Oxford Dictionary of Superstitions, edited by Iona Opie and Moira Tatem is very good on that. Thanks again.
Dear Mr Cornwell I am a great fan of your Sharpe books. I notice that you often refer to the French pas-de-charge as "Old Trousers" and wonder where this strange name could have come from? I'd love to know. Looking forward to "Escape"! Caroline
So would I - in Sharpe's Escape I claim that it's from a song, but that was honestly a wild guess. Does anyone know the real answer?
Dear Mr. Cornwell, I am a 16 year old who has been enthralled by your books for 3 years and struggle immensely to put one down when I am in the middle of one. I just finished reading Vagabond (having finished all of the currently available Sharpe books) and cannot wait to get my hands on Heretic. My first question is a Sharpe one: was there ever a book about the film that took place between Sharpe's Revenge and Sharpe's Waterloo called Sharpe's Justice (where he finds his brother back in England)? Was that your idea? And my second question is a Grail Quest one: How long was Father Ralph in Hookton from when he was tortured to when Guy Vexille came and could the villagers of Hookton not realize that Ralph was indeed from Astarac based on his accent? Jamie Neugebauer
If I remember rightly he was there about eight years? I'd have to reread the first book to check, but it's about that. They wouldn't tell anything from his accent! They couldn't understand people from the next county, let alone realise a French accent! Besides - Father Ralph was essentially English. The two Sharpe films 'Sharpe's Justice' and 'Sharpe's Mission' are both from screenplays only - no books, and I was not involved in writing the screenplays.
Are any of your books available in Canada on video? My son and I enjoy your work and would like to see them on video. Michael Robert
I do believe you can obtain all the Sharpe films on video through Amazon.ca.
Hi, I live in Tokyo and spend a lot of time on trains on my way to fix peoples pains, I'm an exercise kinesiologist. Anyway, your books have really made my long trips enjoyable. thank you. I have a simple questions though, the cover picture for your book Redcoat is the same as Jefff Shaara's book Rise to Rebellion and I'm just wondering if that's a coincidence or you guys are pals? A stupid question but had to ask. Anyway if your ever in Tokyo let me know Jeffrey
Never met each other, I guess that the two art directors had similar ideas.
Any chance that there will be a sequel to Gallows Thief? If not, is there any other new book in the works (apart from the Sharpe series)? Thanks and regards: JW
hello! Mr. Cornwell, I have been a huge fanand avid reader of your books since I was only 11. I was wondering what you plan to write on after the next Sharpe comes out. More Starbucks? More Rider Sandman? More anything because your books are all magnificent. Thank you for your time, Richard Mock
Something new. All to be revealed in good time (meaning when I'm confident I can make it work)
i was just curious what your favorite personal book you have written is. also what you best selling book is. Thanks Shawn
My favourite books are the three Arthur stories - The Winter King, The Enemy of God and Excalibur. The best-selling? I've never asked and don't know - that may seem odd, but I tend to block out sales reports - I don't think they're good for the soul.
Dear Mr Cornwell, My compliments on your very entertaining style of writing. Of all your stories, my favourite series is Sharpe -- each book of which I have read at least 3 times (in 6 months). I have a query about your character of Teresa Moreno. She is based on a true-life character of the time -- please tell me who? And is there any further information about the real partisan? Thanks, and keep up the new Sharpe stories. Jane Russell
I don't think she is! I certainly don't remember basing her on any real person. There were women partisans, of course, but none who is the origin of Teresa. Sorry!