Bulletin Board

Sir,

I understand that you are a busy man, however, I wanted to thank you for your work. I am a veteran, and I have found much enjoyment in your work. There are days when things get confusing, and my brain becomes muddled. (Dramatic? A bit :) ) When I came home I happened to stumble across your book "Lords of the North". I did not know it was a TV series-not that it would have mattered!, and I became thoroughly engaged. I finished book 10 just this morning. Thanks does not seem quite enough, but that is what I have to offer. You have a gift, sir, and I am proud to be able to enjoy that gift.

Looking forward to exploring your other novels. Again, thank you,

 

Very Respectfully,

Hannah

Hello Sir.

I am not writing to ask any of those unfriendly things! I wanted to tell you that back when my sons were younger and played lengthy double header baseball games at Veterans Field, I would take a walk into Chatham center and mill about the shops; this is how I encountered The Last Kingdom, a perfect summer read. I've been back to the Yellow Umbrella for each subsequent title, hooked not just on the characters and narrative, but also the wry humor in the telling. So naturally I am watching the BBC first season and looking forward to the next. I do miss Fate is Inexorable, and the name of the sword, Serpent Breath, apparently some literary license taken in production. I am enjoying comparison of the screen portrayal of your Saxon series to my personal images conjured by reading the books. As with any art, music, the canvas, the written word, there is the intent and expression of the artist, and there is the perception and interpretation made by the audience. Both are gifts. Thank your for yours, to me.

Lezli Rowell

I have read and enjoyed your book "Fallen Angels" but was a bit taken a back to find a simple error of observation of the new moon. It is a fact that the new moon rises in the East (everything does) but it does so just after the sun so we cannot see it. We can only see it in the early evening, setting in the West, just after the sun has set as otherwise the sun is too bright. So a Sickle moon cannot shine in the night as when it becomes visible it is setting. The only other sickle moon is the old moon and that rises (in the EAST) just before dawn so is not visible very long.

 

Now on page 301 you have "A sickle moon of brilliant clarity was rising in the North" and "Campion was looking at the stars" - so it was night; so this sickle moon is rising in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Further on page 313 you have written "it was a clear night, the strs bright ...the sickle moon rising" so the same mistake again.

 

Forgive me burdening you with this but it is a bee in my bonnet. It is surprising how many authors check all sorts of facts, but seem not to worry about little astronomical details!

Barry Landy

Dear Bernard,

 

I write these few lines just to thank you for the happy hours you gave me with your novels, I own almost all.

I could cite entire passages by heart but probably the same Italian edition titles that I read could tell you very little. Of course, read your historical fiction is above all a cultural enrichment, as well as a mere pastime. The same commitment I put in my novels that I publish occasionally, just for passion, and always keeping your masterpieces like my guiding star.

Unfortunately, in Italy your novels translated arrive "with the dropper", a real shame.

Perhaps it is time to learn to read in English...

 

Thanks for your novels and your historical erudition.

Sincerely.

 

Andrea Castagna

You mentioned there would be more of Uhtred, thank goodness; but I'm greedy--more of Sharpe?  Does Sweet William EVER  find family and happiness--perhaps he did, but I can't remember.  I thought as Sweet William was so angry at Sharpe having won the French woman--her choice, that Sweet William needed to find happiness, TOO.  He's intelligent--a keen mind; courageous, gifted in languages, and I know you wrote he looked horrible by removing his glass eye, etc., when he fought; however; I found a lot of good in Sweet William. Being a soldier ALL one's life does not have a happy ending.  HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR, and may all those you especially love have a wonderful 2017, too!!  AND good writing for us readers!

Elfreth

Dear Mr Cornwell,

I just wanted to thank you for the pleasure your books have given me over the years.

I have enjoyed them all starting with Sharpe.

I am in my seventies now and I am reading of Uhtreds latest endeavours, before returning to my bookcase to begin reading the series again.

My three fictional heroes are Sharpe, Uhtred and Lee Childs Jack Reacher. I'm not sure what that says about me. Although my wife of 51 years Margaret says I am one of the good guys. She is of course biased.

I think I am thrive on the action I have been a Rugby player and a triathlete.

Now I write, mostly biographies I thrive on the people who have shared my life.

You of course will not have heard of me or my books.

As old as Uhtred is getting I hope he will still have more to shareof his adventures and win back and have a long life in Bebbanburg, I haven't reached the end of "The Flame Bearer" yet, so I live in hope.

Thank you once again for the great stories.

Kind regards,

Dave Lodge

Dear Mr. Cornwell

 

Please allow me to convey my most sincere gratitude to you for creating the dynamic character, Uhtred. Perhaps it was a mere coincidence but you have created a character that speaks deeper to me than you may have intended. His identity crisis as a Saxon and a Dane resonated very strongly with me.

 

I am a Chinese born Canadian. My family and I immigrated to Canada when I was 11 years old. While I do not have life-and-death decisions to make like Uhtred, his internal identity crisis was something I went through myself. Uhtred's struggles inspired me to confront my own identify crisis on whether I am a Chinese or a Canadian. The identity question is something I have, thus far, pushed to the back of my mind for the fear of the result. Your story about Uhtred has helped me confront my own demons.

 

I look forward to reading your next book.

 

Yours truly,

Thomas Chau

I've read them ALL, truly.  I regret that Harper and Sharpe retired, but if I can do it I can hardly deny them the pleasure.  Now that Uhtred has secured Bebbanburg I anticipate a novel in which he and Finnan work up a tennis doubles team and beat the tar out of a Wessex duo and go on to the European championships in Calais or somewhere.  Or maybe a series of vignettes about Uhtred in retirement.  One might involve some young man coming to ask Uhted's daughter to the prom and having to spend some idle time chit-chatting with her father as he sharpens Serpent's Breath and worries over incipient prostate issues.  Whatever it is, I'll look forward to it, buy it when it comes out, and read it the way you sip a really good wine.  Thank you.

Tom Donahue

Discovered your wonderful characters last summer and have read all the Saxon stories and am almost through Sharpe and have several others behind my reading belt as well. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, so thank you so much for many, many hours of enjoyable reading. It has led me to research many of the topics you write about  I really enjoyed reading your "about" section and how you started writing to stay in the US after meeting your wife. Keep on writing.

Rich Peterson

Sir,

I've just completed reading The Flame Bearer and felt compelled to contact you. Having now read all 10 books over the last 9 months since I was made redundant (not asking for sympathy) I have to thank you in so many ways. Your books (I've read quite a few of your others) have re-awakened a long dormant interest in the history of this island I live on and other areas abroad. You pretty much single handedly have carried me through my early retirement and have made a middle aged man very happy. It seems Lord Uthred will appear again in a novel and I hope so. The pictures you paint with your words are in-describable and are indelibly placed in my minds eye. I'm now going to re-read them all. Once again THANK YOU

Neil Scoltock