Dear Mr Cornwell. I just wanted to respond to you, and to Susan, whose email was posted on your site on the 11th August 2011 about recommendations for novels set at the time of the departure of the Romans from Britain. One of my favourite historical novelists (who wrote almost exclusively about Roman Britain) is Rosemary Sutcliff, and although she is nominally a children’s author, her books have enough depth and subtlety to appeal to any adult reader. The two novels that deal with this period are ‘Dawn Wind’ which is about Owen, a Romano-British boy, and the arrival of the Saxons; and ‘The Lantern Bearers’ which won the Carnegie Medal. This begins with Aquila, a Romano-British soldier, who deserts when his regiment are recalled to Rome and ends with the training of the future King Arthur. The latter is the third in a trilogy which begins with ‘The Eagle of the Ninth’ but all the novels can be read as stand-alone stories. I hope you read and enjoy them – a whole host of pleasure awaits if you’ve never read any Rosemary Sutcliff! Thank you for the new Sharpes, am now filling in the gaps since I last read the series. Regards, Lucy

One recent fan’s question referred to authors who treated the Roman Occupation. Rosemary Sutcliff wrote a number of excellent novels about the period. Have you read her Arthur story; Sword at Sunset? Still one of my all time faves. I’ve been a fan of your work for decades. Thank you!

Mark Nelson