Dear Mr Cornwell

All of your books have provided much entertainment for me and, I believe, education! I am writing a note to object just a little, but first want to say how much I admire your story-telling. I assume you research the available sources and view the standard works. I had no appreciation of the period in Britain prior to 1066 but now feel (I hope accurately) that, with your help and that of a couple of other fiction writers, I have a broad and satisfying picture of some of the era. Plenty of chaos remains in the years post 410 AD (CE).

I am sorry that you were made to endure many tedious hours in Sunday School – unfortunately some Sunday School instructors may be more well-intentioned than well-informed or may make inappropriate (in my opinion) use of the Bible. (I hope none of your instructors were like your obnoxious, deceitful so well-drawn Sergeant in the Sharpe volume.) My point is that, regardless of your early learning experience (“Warriors of the Storm”, 298) there are no children (lads?) said actually to be slaughtered in the (puzzling) account in 2 Kings 2:23-24, although it might be fairly implied. Nor does the account say the LORD sent them. These days it is not difficult to access the text in a plethora of versions. I know writers conjecture exactly what the she-bears episode means exactly, but surely there are so many more vital issues.

I do greatly appreciate your books and look forward to reading more. I usually (maybe always) resonate with the views your characters present on “churchism” (my term) though I am glad they do not too seriously heed the “old Gods”, for “religianity” has no more to offer. I am always interested in portrayals of the period and if only it were possible I would like to know more of the intellectual conflicts to which your Saxon characters were successors. I suppose that is an area for conjecture and imagination..

Yours very sincerely

Allen Hampton