Just finished the Last Kingdom and enjoyed it imensely-looking forward to more of this series. Have read EVERY book you have written and one of my most prized possessions is a signed copy my daughter was able to get when you were in Halifax. Fortunately a few years ago I was able to get a Sharpe’s Companion in England-haven’t seen it in Canada. It would be a bit dated now since Sharpe has moved on but would be appreciated by your fans in North America. Maybe it’s your peculiar British heritage or personal bias, but as a clergy I find you’re are pretty rough on Christians and the Christian church. Much of what you write is true but somewhat heavy on the critical side. The church through the ages especially in the British Isles had a lot to contribute to what was going on. The Celtic church especially was virile and robust and even today has a very good stiffening effect on a church that could tend to get a little too effete. The structure of the church and even the buildings were often a bulwark against a pretty brutal world for ordinary people and certainly it was a repository of knowledge and source of education in dark times. As a human institution (despite it’s religious centring) it committed all the sins one would expect from something controlled by people. Popular culture today likes to paint the Christian Faith and the Church as the villain that was the source of all kinds mayhem and evil. As the song says” It ain’t necessarily so”. There were good, courageous and helpful contributions throughout its history and there are people in the church who are neither venal nor hopelessly pious who have and will continue to try to live faith that hopes to bring out the true humanity in people. Paganism or any religion is only at its best when it by -passes the selfcentredness indemic in us all and works to bringout the best in people. Sorry only meant to show appreciation and a thank you for your work. A. Storey