Bulletin Board

Dear Mr Cornwell

I have just read again, for perhaps the 30th time in the last 20 years , the warlord chronicles  I will never fail to be moved by the image of Arthur riding to the rescue of poor, young, doomed Derfel with shield blazing like the sun.

Anyway, this  is just a brief note to say thank you for the endless hours of escapism your books lend me, from the wild coasts Chili to the baked iberian peninsula and beyond. Most particularly, and selfishly on my part, I now help farmers and landowners to look after the sites that you have brought so vividly to life. I always thought I had an imagination that could recreate the majesty and horror of these places  but it is wildly surpassed by your wonderfully researched and beautifully described imagining of their history.

It's all great, and Sharpe is the most wonderful viewing and reading  but most of all, and back to the warlord chronicles. . In my opinion your finest work, in the finest tradition of storytelling, like a forgotten book of the mabinogeon. A trilogy that still holds me spellbound with childlike wonder.

Thank you

Dan Bashford

Hello Mr Cornwell,

I've been in contact with you before; you may remember that I am the American in New Zealand who was writing a nonfiction book on leadership. You were a great help to assist me to get underway and back my vision. Greatly appreciated.

But that is not the point of this message. Earlier this year, I did a bicycle trip around the US for several months. At the end of each day I was too tired to do anything except set up camp, eat, and sleep. I wanted to challenge my mind a bit more and about 4 weeks from the end of my riding, I found a used bookshop selling (lightweight) copies of Sharpe's Tiger and Rifles. From that point on, I was able to read a chapter or so each evening -- instead of falling asleep after a paragraph of any other written source.

Returning to NZ, I decided to re-read the entire series again (3rd time). I'm up to Sharpe's Prey now. And I am enjoying them as much as ever. That's not my reason to write though. As an ex-military academy grad, long-time infantry and special operations officer (active and reserves), I continue to marvel at how simply you KNOW leadership. Whether you throw out a one line exchange between an NCO and Ensign Sharpe, how Wellington inspires officers with his plan and troops by his example, or describing men in battle accomplishing the impossible, you instinctively nail the minutiae of interactions that make these things happen.

I don't know (or care) how you do it. But book after book, chapter after chapter, and page after page, I am just in awe.

And that is not even to add in the fact that the stories are just plain marvelous as well.

Enough said.

Again, thanks. And I look forward after getting up through Sharpe's Waterloo and reading Sharpe's Assassin for the first time.

Cheers, Dave Evans

 

Sorry, will add a PS. Back in NZ, I finally chose to watch the ITV Sharpe series for the first time. Despite it being TV/ limited budget/ size and some extra changes from the screenwriters, Bean and O'Malley along with virtually all the other cast members, capture the spirit and atmosphere of the man, his times, and that hard to quantify term, leadership. Very well done!

 

Thoroughly enjoyed the Sharpe series.  Thank you.

Andrew Jackson Douglas

Hello Mr. Cornwell,

 

My name is Nick Burnett, I live in San Diego, CA.  Growing up I was a terrible student and I strongly disliked reading. I had/have dyslexia and it made reading and school in general a complete disaster. When I was about 16 my Dad bought a book for me, It was The Last Kingdom... It was the first book I ever loved and truly felt that I connected with. I read it cover to cover within a week, an unheard of feat when it came to myself and books/reading. I am now a high school history teacher and I am working on my first novel. I just wanted to send you a heartfelt Thank you! Your books truly changed my life path and showed me that I could enjoy books and reading as long as the story was worth a damn! And also inspired me to write my own!

 

So Mr. Cornwell, Thank you!

 

Sincerely,

Nick Burnett

I simply love "Sharp's Assassin." Since you have not written anything about Sharp since "Sharpe's Devil" (I read two biographies on Thomas Cochran and his autobiography prompted by your novel). I was wonderfully surprised when I came across this novel. I have read all 22. I do hope you have more adventures for Sharpe and Harper. They are like old friends. I also got a copy of "Year of the Sword" and the marvelously researched "Waterloo Companion." Thank you for the history and entertainment.

Best Regards,

Michael Smith

 

Dear Bernard

with the recent anniversary of the Battle of Lundys Lane. I thought this  video done might be of interest for you and others to watch.

Iv long thought given that he missed Waterloo and was in Canada at the time that Frederickson should get to this battle. I hope you consider a spin off on Frederickson and what happened to him after Sharpes Revenge .

https://www.facebook.com/groups/435744801619187/permalink/557028726157460/?sfnsn=scwspmo&ref=share

 

Regards

Geraint

 

Hello sir! I’m wrapping up my long (and very enjoyable) journey through the Sharpe series and wanted to advise you of a minor issue in “Sharpe’s Devil”. On page 69 of the Kindle edition you have Blair saying “No, Colonel, that dog won’t hunt.” I believe that is an American colloquialism that only came into use during the 1840s. Perhaps its older British antecedent, “That cock won’t fight”, should be deployed here instead?

 

For reference: https://www.wordorigins.org/big-list-entries/that-dog-wont-hunt

 

Greatly admire your work!

 

All the best,

 

Erik Huber

Seattle, WA, USA

Just finished the Last Kingdom series.  I spent the better part of two years with Uhtred, he will be missed.  Thank you for the journey, great stories....  Fate is inexorable.....

Guy Tinnirello

Hello Mr. Cornwell,

 

I have written to you before and have sent my copies to you be signed in the past, even inviting you to my high school graduation nearly 20 years ago (you replied and sent a signed paperback of Heretic which meant the world). I am writing to you today to simply say thank you for your books because they quite literally changed my life.

 

The first of your books I picked up was Rebel in 1999 when I was in the sixth grade. At the time I was what you may call a die hard southern Civil War advocate, so much so that my entire life revolved around the subject. I continued the Starbuck books through my 7th grade year and after The Bloody Ground, I decided to try Sharpe. It is for that, that I am truly grateful to you. Through Sharpe my horizons broadened and my eyes were opened to the world of history outside of simply the American Civil War.

 

Since I have read nearly all of your works ( minus the thrillers, maybe on day eh?). I recently returned to Starbuck since I had not read them in over 20 years and they are still fantastic! It would be wonderful to see Starbuck back in action, although with the current atmosphere in the US, I wonder if one can still even write novels from a Confederate POV anymore?

 

Regardless, the entire reason for this long-winded message is a friend asked me recently "what got you into being an ancient coin dealer?" (I should mention that I am a dealer in Ancient Roman coins)... They were a bit taken aback when I simply said "Bernard Cornwell". I left it at that with my friend, who is still confused by my answer. While I know you do not write anything about Rome, aside from mentions in the Arthur books, I know that if I had not picked up Rebel back in the winter of 1999 and moved from there to Sharpe, I would not be where I am today.

 

So I thank you from the depths of my soul for simply being you and unknowingly changing the trajectory of my life with your written word.

 

Kindest regards and best wishes,

Richard Mock

 

Just saw that a new Sharpe novel is being published in January. What wonderful news!

Paul Einstein