Dear Mr Cornwell, I first wrote to you some years ago when I started reading my first Sharpe book. I have now read all of them (except ‘Sharpe’s Fury’ which I’ve just bought and will start very soon!)and thanks to you I also began to read Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin series. However, I must say that, until I read ‘Sharpe’s Trafalgar,’ there were many things about those old ships that I did not understand. Thank you for having them so carefully explained to Sharpe the landlubber, so that the rest of us landlubbers could understand as well! To help my understanding of ship matters further, I purchased a book called ‘Jack Aubrey Commands’ by Brian Lavery, and was delighted to read in it that your book, ‘Sharpe’s Trafalgar’ is referred to as the best fictional account of a real sea battle in any book! In addition, I’d like to add my praise to the person who posted here a few days ago, commending you on the wonderful diagram of the ship layout in the inside cover of your book. Whenever I’m reading a Jack Aubrey story (I haven’t read them as fast as I’ve read the Sharpe stories) I now have a definite picture in my mind of where everything is, thanks to you and Sharpe. I’m really looking forward to immersing myself in Richard Sharpe’s latest adventure… Thanks, Sue