Mr. Cornwell: I would like to thank you for your many books, of which I have now read all but five. I am a forty-seven year old Canadian military officer and helicopter pilot who until two years ago had not picked up a work of fiction since I was essentially a teenager. I always felt that there was so much to learn about the world that to read fiction was an impediment to making the best use of my time. The need for professional reading had a lot to do with the evolution of my attitude. Like you, I am a keen fan of George MacDonald Fraser (the only fiction I read over a thirty year period), but the infrequency of his offerings made such forays into fiction very infrequent. In June of 2004 while attending the funeral of the uncle of a friend I reunited with a fellow with whom I had worked in the Guard at Fort Henry (Kingston)some 25 years ago (recreating the British infantry of the line circa 1867). He put me onto your work, a delightful blend of fact and fiction, and since that time I have come to read and own all of the Sharpe series, the Grail Quest, the Warlord Chronicles, The Starbuck Chronicles, Gallows Thief, Stonehenge and Redcoat (and even Mark Adkins’ book). But by far my favourites have become the Saxon Stories – to the extent that I had to order Lords of the North from Amazon.uk due to the delay in getting it on the shelves locally. I enjoy them so much that I recommended The Last Kingdom to one of my French Canadian squadron commanders who struggles with english, but who has become consumed with the story of Uhtred (He read The Pale Horseman in his second language in a single day). Truly a testament to your ability to tell a rousing story! I must say that I too am quite relieved to learn at the end of each book’s historical note that the story of Uhtred will continue. The only feedback I would offer you is a personal desire to see film director Peter Jackson do justice to your story of Arthur, and my re-stated thanks for allowing me the pleasure of rediscovering reading for pleasure and relaxation. May you live to be 100, with a book or two released every year! Cheers! Mike Dabros