Your Questions

Hello Mr. Cornwell,

let me tell your I have read all your medieval novels, I loved them so much! I have a couple of questions... any chance you'll writing books about Nájera battle (1367) and the battle of  Verneuil (1424) ?

Regards from Colombia SouthAmerica.
Dany

After reading most of the Sharpe books I came across the HERETIC book from the GRAIL QUEST series, . Myself and a colleague, both psychologists, have delved deeply into the myth and phenomenon of the story behind the double digit signal that many believe to stem from the period concerned in the series.  We have spent considerable time and effort reading the archival materials in both England and France and can find no materials concerning the purported origin that it came about during the war period between the two countries.  As such, we have nearly completed a document for presentation to a psychological association concerned with historically incorrect data, and for publication at a later date.  In the HERETIC book, mention is made on several separate occasions of this punishment (p. 17, p. 172, p. 331, p. 367 but I do not know if it is contained in others of the series.)  If you have any available first hand knowledge and information, from manuscripts,paintings, tapestries, etc., could you avail us with this knowledge.  If that is possible, we can withhold our presentation in order to conduct further research     and, if necessary, re-evaluate and rewrite our material.  Although we found no evidence supporting this behaviour, by the French, allusion is mentioned that sometimes a lord of a manor would perform this act to poachers killing his deer by the use of the bow and arrow.  However, that also may be a myth which needs to be destroyed as is the one concerning a recovered "lost" bird of prey being allowed to tear flesh from the breast of the falconer who allowed the bird to become lost.  I thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide.

David J. Cottrell.

Hello Bernard
I have been wracking my brains to remember a Sharpe book set in Yorkshire where Sharpe meets his brother. Am I going daft or was there such a book, I think I recollect reading it years ago
thanks
Jeff

Big Sharpe fan and about to embark on the early England series. Question: I seem to remember either in the Sharpe books or in the BBC series a description of the Light Troops quick march as an alternating walk/run of six steps each. I'm actually doing this as part of an exercise regime, but can't find any documentation of this as a real practice. Can you help?
Maureen Walsh

Hello Mr Cornwell,

I have long been aware of your books but due to history in my lower years at school I despised the subject and so did not read any historical fiction which therefore included your books. I remember watching Sharpe when I was younger and I couldn't stand it; my hate of history combined with the dusty scenery bored me so much that I henceforth vehemently proclaimed my dislike of the show. However my interest in WWII somehow persuaded me to take History for GCSE - which I am studying this year - despite my hate of the topic. However I began to enjoy History and soon discovered that History was not quite as boring as school had led me to believe and soon I found myself reading solely Historical Fiction. A friend who shares my love for both History and Historical Fiction recommended you to me as he had just completed the entire Sharpe series which he enthusiastically recommended. I was at first sceptical but I promised him I would consider it. After arriving home, I went upstairs and turned on the computer and after a quick search on YouTube I discovered Sharpe's Rifles. I loved it. I loved Shaun Bean. I couldn't get enough and so the next day, I went to HMV and bought them all. I will now take my time to apologise for my previous comments of Sharpe and I wish to retract them because he is in my opinion one of the greats and I find him a true admirable fellow. Indeed I would rank him among the likes of Bilbo Baggins (although I’m sure Sharpe wouldn't like that) and Hornblower. The former, although not a military man was my favourite book character but Sharpe is now rivalling him and the latter, although also one of my favourites, I believe is inferior to Sharpe and that is saying a lot (my apologies to C.S. Forester).

However moving on from that long-winded explanation I would like to ask how far back in History are you planning to write. Will we see anything of Rome or its Classical contemporaries? Also, have you ever considered writing about the World Wars?
Thank You for taking your time to read such a large quantity of writing for such a small question.
Adam Buckland

I really like Nimue especially in the first and second book. I think she was unfairly villianised. She was a victim of statutory rape from a young age and lost her eye and then was briefly with Derfel. As there are two sides to every story and this book is written from a male perspective I think her actions were a direct result of what happened to her. Do you think she really wanted to be with Derfel but was too proud to tell him and was her later craze for power a direct result of rejection and abuse?
Charlotte Wallace

I was looking at Peninsular War battles that Sharpe might have ended up at and stumbled across one that doesn't seem to come up very often: Sahagun, which marked the end of Sir John Moore's advance into Spain before the retreat to Corunna.I wondered if, should you ever go back to deal with Rolica and Vimeiro, you considered placing Sharpe there.It does seem unlikely he'd end up in a cavalry engagement but he made it to Garcia Hernandez...Thank you for the books,

Michael.

Dear Mr. Cornwell;
I enjoy your writings very much. Big fan of all the series, but especially the Winter King and Uhtred Books. I am very much taken with how you go to the trouble of showing how hard it was to procure quality (let along appetizing) foodstuffs pre-grocery store days.
It makes things seem even more realistic, if possible.
One question I have. Have you ever enjoyed the writings of Achmed Abdullah? Not easy to find, but worth the trouble.
Thanks for all the reading enjoyment!
Bill

I have a favor to ask more than a message really. I have read and re-read the Arthur books looking for a certain line and can't find it, I was wondering  if you could provide the  " everything ends in tears" quote for me.

Dan Anderson

Dear Mr Cornwell

I have read and re-read all your books and thoroughly enjoyed them. Looking forward to reading the Pagan Lord, only sorry that you are not doing a book signing tour in the UK this time around.

I have two questions if I may.

1. Are you planning to do a book signing tour in the UK next year sometime?

2. I know dedications in books are a personal choice for the author and you have mentioned in an earlier response that these have been usually friends or family. With this mind, however, could I propose that the dedication for your Waterloo is to the late and much missed Pete Postlethwaite?

regards

Steven