Dear Bernard,

I’d rather you write your books than have me take your time up, so I’ll be as brief as I can. My favourite authors were Tolkien, Patrick O’Brien, PG Wodehouse, and James Herriot. I enjoyed Sharpe, but the Uhtred novels (as I shall call them) elevate you to that list. Beautifully constructed, great characters, often capricious and flawed and very human, against an ill-documented and fascinating historical backdrop. Also with my having a classically obsessed daughter taking Ancient and Modern History at Oxford, I can understand where Uhtred’s remarks about Rome come from. The consistency of quality across all the novels is outstanding and I can only think the family connection inspired you particularly. Thank you for writing what you have written. I have learned and I have enjoyed.

Yours,

Darren