Mr. Cornwell: I’ve read dozens of your books and just finished THE FORT. It was wonderful and as usual, I dropped everything to finish the last 100 pages. Almost grabbed a shovel to join in on the fortifications. What I liked the most about THE FORT were the human elements, especially your depiction of both sides, from McLean to Revere, and especially the Fletchers, both James and Bethany, reminding us that many Americans just wanted to be left alone. Also, I really enjoyed your depiction of Moore, and his progression from young officer to veteran, ready to redeem himself. Reminded me of THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE. On page 318-325, the conversation of Wadsworth and McLean was funny and very human, and extremely visual. Having lived in New England, I immediately identified with the location,weather, and water. As for the campaign, I thought ‘where was Benedict Arnold when we needed him? He really would have ended it in one long day.I also thought Revere reminded me of a lot of Kenneth Roberts heroes (he wrote RABBLE IN ARMS, NORTHWEST PASSAGE, etc.), and while I love his books, he tends to make his Americans all tough guys and cranky heroes, and the British kind of stereotype…until you read OLIVER WISWELL, when he shows the war from the loyalist side). In your chapters, I notice you end with a lot of recaps….’And Capt. John Welch was …The rebels were coming…Because the rebels were coming…’ I thought at first this seemed redundant, but it almost sounds like the refrain of a ballad, giving the story a mythic quality, like you did in the Arthur series… ‘Fate is inexorable…’ It was a nice touch. I’m re-reading my two volume set of the War of 1812 by Pierre Berton, a wonderful history of the war. Berton used a lot of first-hand sources, and he really makes it read like a novel at times, capturing the human tragedy and struggles of Americans, British and Canadians in a way you don’t often see. I just love his passages. I’m not suggestion you take on the War of 1812…you’ve got your hands full!…but if you get a break, I hope you could read Berton. I love his history. I’d like to make a dramatization of it, but even with the bicentenniel coming up, I don’t know if there’s a market. Again, thanks for THE FORT.

Steven Clark