Bulletin Board

Q

Dear Bernard and Fellow HF Fans,

First I'd like to wish you all a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year for 2018! Now moving on to the issue of 'moral values' as mentioned in a reply regarding the Confederate Flag - although there were variations to denote CSA territories and troops such as the First National Flag, the Naval Jack, and Southern Cross. I also know that the 'General Lee' Dodge Charger in The Dukes of Hazzard TV series had one emblazoned on the roof, but looking it up on Wikipedia there is no mention of controversy nor complaint whatsoever over its use. I must confess that, although the flag (and variations) were associated with a government that continued to support slavery, I'm not sure whether it was, or continues to be, officially prohibited. Correct me if I'm wrong, but General Robert E Lee released his own slaves, yet loyally went to war as a fully committed and competent general confident of achieving some kind of victory, as if making a statement that he was fighting for the cause of separatism rather than preserve slavery. In the face of such honourable intentions, should the flag at least be remembered for both good and bad deeds? I don't know, but I'm sure there are those with a more fervent and definite answer to that question. Speaking as somebody born in 1970's UK, slavery itself didn't directly affect me. However, while there are many good souls in the former Southern States, such prejudice against individuals shocks me to the core.

 

However, Bernard's remark regarding how our descendants a hundred or so years from now would deem our 'life values', perhaps to get some idea of the future we should turn to science fiction. I remember Star Trek's Captain Picard discussing something with a time-travelling person from the past, explained that monetary wealth had eventually made way for personal progress, educational achievements, work merit, and duty to the Federation - which in turn benefitted from these common individual goals. It was in Deus Ex I discovered a curious notion: a government is only as strong based on the values of its individuals, and suppression of such values will gradually weaken the state from inside out. I'm not sure if the financial system fell into disuse, although I can't recall whether Star Trek ever mentioned financial credit. Perhaps featured alien civilizations still used currency in some form or another?  I would say that corporate society (as depicted in Robocop and Rollerball) would likely do away with credit, instead rewarding or punishing its 'citizens' through a measure of rations, entertainment, billeting, and so on. Not quite so forgiving as a prosperous and constitutional Federation. However, pondering past moral compasses all depends on a current political climate. Let's hope, for future generations, it's a good and fair one.

Robert Douglas

Submitted January 1, 2018

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

 

I do not know if you use to receive many comments from overseas, but I would just like to let you know that you have many fans in Brazil, and I am myself a huge one. I have been reading your books since the current publisher started to release them here, in the early 2000s.

 

I have to say that, although I really like the works from Tolkien, Lewis and Martin, for example, your books have something that are very appealing to me, maybe it's the whole point of being actual story being told by the perspective of fictional characters. Actually, I believe nowadays I should know more about English history than Brazilian, as I have studied a lot after reading the books. Having some friends that live in UK, I have visited them in Reading, and was thrilled to be in the same places that I have known from the books.

 

So, as you can see, this is not an actual question, but just a humble message from South America, to praise you for your great books. Looking forward for the eleventh book of Uthred, and glad to know that you are already working on it, as mentioned on a previous reply.

 

Best regards, and thanks for all the great moments spent with all the amazing characters you created!

 

Fábio

Submitted January 1, 2018

Q

Mr. Cornwell,

Thank you for writing the Starbuck Chronicles. I think in our current age of irrational fear of a long-dead government and its battle flag, Starbuck would never have been published. I especially appreciated your portrayal of the archetypically Scots-Irish Truslow. As a classically educated millennial I thank you for portraying the South and that horrific war in a balanced and realistic manner. I used Starbuck to educate my New York-born wife on the world my ancestors inhabited.

Andrew in SC

Submitted December 20, 2017

A

I suppose the problem with the battle-flag is that it isn’t dead and still represents something unpleasant. Which is not to say that it’s original meaning was sinister, but it’s surely been transmuted into a symbol of  prejudice. That said, I was fascinated by the South, mainly because of a book published years ago, in my far-off youth, by the Yale University Press . . . It was called Children of Pride and was a vast compendium of letters written by and between a slave-owning family before, during and after the Civil War. What was so fascinating about the letters was that they revealed the writers to be people of deep Christian conviction and high moral standards. The head of the family, the Reverend Charles Colcock Jones, was in almost every way admirable, a man of conscience and high probity. He also kept hundreds of slaves. There’s a disconnect there; we are sure he was mistaken, misguided, plain wrong, but he was convinced of his rectitude, and he was a man who cared deeply about behaving in a Christian way. So to understand the South we have to understand men like Charles Jones. It’s easy to condemn them, and they were wrong, and the scars they caused have yet to heal, but most were not evil. Just (and this is very patronizing) unenlightened. It makes me wonder what convictions we hold today which, in a hundred years time, will cause folk to wonder how on earth we could have been so wrong.

 

Q

I have an interest in the narrative of Arthur because of various connections to my game board Aquila, especially the story of Arthur playing a game of Gwyddbwyll on an island outside of Gloucester against Owein whilst a major battle is fought in the Mabinogion.  I wanted to know who all the characters were behind these stories, and thus I will write my own interpretations of the legend in a future book.

 

I would like to comment on those that link anyone connected to the ancient kingdoms of Powys and Gwent to Arthur.  My research suggests the family of Arthur are connected to Gwynedd and Lothian, with those in Gwent and Powys opposed to Gwynedd.  The line of Vortigern tends to be connected to Gwent and Powys. I am trying to disentangle the exact relationship of Ambrose to the Gloucester area so I can see clearly what is going on there.

 

Too many people get trapped into a paradigm that Arthur is the ony name of the man behind the legend, it is a title, and he has many names depending on the part of the world that is talking about him.

 

In the Romano-British political administration the individual looking after the military side of things is often second or separate to the one in charge of law and administration.  Arthur probably did not have any civilian role since he is never claimed to have been associated with law making, road building or infrastructure.  One has to be cautious claiming Arthur has any claim to kingship or as emperor, although I am aware some of his family has those roles.

 

Too many focus on small parts of a major jigsaw and fail to see the larger picture.

Alex Jones

Submitted December 20, 2017

A

I can only reiterate what I said a week or so ago to someone who claimed to know who the real Arthur was (actually he said there were two of them!) I don’t know and I don’t care. It’s possible that some future discovery, either archaeological or by some document that has been lost for centuries, will tell us exactly who the warrior who became known as Arthur was. That will be fascinating, but it will also drain all the romance and magic out of the tales that have accreted round what is, and should remain, a mythical figure. I believe there was such a man, despite the dearth of evidence, and I suspect, but cannot be sure, that he is the British leader who defeated the invading Saxons at the Battle of Mount Badon. I’m also fascinated by the early Celtic saints’ lives that depict him as a rapist, thief and murderer! But in the end I’m just happy that he’s lost all touch with reality and he is, and can be, almost anything we want him to be!

 

Q

Hi Bernard,

 

I figured that I should get around to thanking you for all the extraordinary books that you've written. They are special to me not only because they are wonderful stories, but because your books rekindled my love of reading. By my senior year in high school (last year) I had stopped reading books on in my spare time, even though for years I had been an avid reader. I think the problem was that I had read and reread all the books that I had, and I wasn't looking for any new books to read. However, for a project in my English class we were required to read several fictional novels for a topic of our choice. The topic that I chose was European military history, and it is because of this that I found the Sharpe novels. My life hasn't been the same since! I devoured all the Sharpe novels, and was very fortunate that my library possessed each one. In addition to the Sharpe books, I've read many of your other books, along with many nonfiction volumes about the Napoleonic Wars. In short, ever since I first read Sharpe, I've had my nose stuck in a book, and I look forward to all the books that I have my eye on. I apologize for the lengthy story, but I can't overstate the impact that your books have had on me, and I sincerely thank you for your work, which has reopened the world of literature to me!

 

Sincerely,

Elliot

Submitted December 19, 2017

Q

Mr. Cornwell,

I have read most of what you have written and am now on my 6th re-read of the Sharpe series (and am now on a quest to purchase them all hardback). That background on the military might and tactics of the English army acquired from the Sharpe series added to the enjoyment of my reading of Brian Kilmead's recent book on Andrew Jackson and the battle of New Orleans - which included the 95th rifles! Knowledge acquired from your books made that American victory all the more astounding.

Thanks for all your great books

Walter Crinnion

Submitted December 19, 2017

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell,

 

I am writing to congratulate you on your Last Kingdom Series of novels. They are a very enjoyable read, so much so that listening to audio books of your novels has turned my daily commute through rush hour traffic from a maddening experience into one that I actually look forward to! Uhtred has even inspired me to take up studying sword play to help me cope with my midlife crisis. Who needs counselling?! Thanks and please keep the novels coming.

Aaron Bashirian

Submitted December 15, 2017

Q

I have read of your series, the Starbbuck, the Sharpe and the Last Kingdom Series for which I am looking forward to the next two books.  You have ensured that your books are hard to put down and remain a wonderful colour of historical information entwined with your own imaginative thinking which carries the reader even further into the era which you are portraying.  I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of myself and my wife Leanne who has also read the Last Kingdom series (a late developer!!) for the wonderful gift of story telling that you are able to share with us.

Kind regards,

Gordon

Submitted December 15, 2017

Q

Hello mr. Cornwell,

 

I only would like to take a bit of your time to thank you here. I've just finished Sword Song and i felt i needed to thank you for yet again another great book. With 6 more to go i know i will be in a readers heaven. So: thank you!

 

Greetings from the Netherlands,

 

Stan Vlieg

Submitted December 15, 2017

Q

Dear Mr.Cornwell,

As an avid reader of all your books - thank you for Fools and Mortals - just brilliant.

What a film it would make, another ' Shakespeare in Love'?

With thanks,

Clayton McCann.

Submitted December 15, 2017