Mr Cornwell. I have written to you before and greatly admire the way in which you respond to your fan’s questions. Maybe you’ve read a little about the sword recently found in Bamburgh? Very interesting.

Your Saxon books pose a dilemma to me! My family name, Doyle, is said to come from O Dubhgail, later Dubghall, from dark foreigner, apparently used to describe the darker haired Danes who settled in Ireland. (Maybe a name I’ll see in your books one day!) This draws me towards supporting the Danes in your books, but being English leads me to support the Saxons. Obviously you create wonderfully heroic, gentle, violent and despicable characters in each ‘faction’ but my question is, do you secretly have a favourite? Do you have a slight leaning to either Saxon or Dane? Thanks, your fan, C. Doyle