Dear Mr. Cornwell. First off, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to do all of the research, and put in all the effort that you to, to create such vivid, and captivating stories. I would count myself as an avid reader, and I feel when I read a book now, you can tell how much thought goes into the author’s work. It is also so much fun, when reading other books from the same time period, how the information flows from book to book, and all seems to match up like a giant puzzle. You know the author did a lot of work. I will spare you my long explanations and reasons why I came to read your books, but it was nearly by accident. I needed something to read, saw “The Last Kingdom” and read each book afterwards in the series in about 4 weeks time. I couldn’t put them down. For me, I felt a very keen bond with Uhtred. His youth, his passions, and desires, his arrogance and cockiness. I moved to Hong Kong nearly two years ago, and I was about the same age as Uhtred when he took Alfred’s first oath, and it was funny to see him the same age as me, in some way doing the same things (obviously I am not in a shield-wall of the physical meanings). I am now 2yrs older, and many years wiser and calmer and relaxed, as Uhtred is at his current age. I thoroughly enjoy reading your books, and just picked up the entire “The Grail Quest” series of books. I also have to say that you must have a very large following over here in HK, cause the major book stores stock a very high amount and wide range of your writings. I am reading “The Whale Road” now, and in some ways it is a continuation after the reign of King Alfred the Great. Mr. Cornwell, I can only hope you will continue your writing with Uhtred, and the saxon stories. I am very anxious to find out what happens to the Saxons, the Danes, and Alfred, and Uhtred. Please also continue to write your “authors notes” in the back. They give great insight into your thinking, and YOUR writing. I history in school were taught with historical fiction. Thank you Mr. Cornwell, Josh