Dear Mr Cornwell, I’m writing to offer thanks for Sharpe. I’m a writer (and publisher) but I stick to non-fiction (basically space flight stuff mostly). I discovered Sharpe quite by accident on Canadian television. After enjoying the last 20 minutes of one of the movies I decided this was worth further investigation. I went out and bought the movies and sat through the entire lot in a very short time frame. Of course all this did is leave me wanting more so I promptly went in search of the books. I don’t care for shopping on the Internet much so I went to the gift shop at the old fort from the war of 1812 in Niagara Falls Ontario (which is just down the road from where I live.) Thankfully they had the presence of mind to carry the series so I bought the lot. (21 if I’m correct.) I’ve just finished the last one having pretty much read them in straight chronological order over a period of about seven weeks. I now feel compelled to say “Bravo!” What wonderful characters (Sharpe and Harper). I learned an enormous amount about the Napoleonic wars which were woefully under-represented at my school (which was in England.) I’m a historian but I stick to issues relating to astronomy and space exploration so your books and the attendant historical footnotes have filled a huge void in my knowledge of that era. I want you to know that I read for a living. (I’m also an editor and have to plough my way through dozens of manuscripts every year.) Needless to say the last thing I want to do when I come home at night is read. You, however, have changed all that. I haven’t read so much text (unrelated to my job) in such a short time in probably thirty years. (I once read Lord Of The Rings from cover to cover six times in one year at school!) Anyway, you certainly don’t need me to tell you this but the stories hang together very well, even though they were not written in the order I read them i.e. chronologically. I detected no inconsistencies and the only grievance I have is Sharpe’s promise to never fight in America as I was looking forward to a sojourn with General Brock! Anyway, best regards and keep up the great work. Rob