Bulletin Board

Dear Bernard,

When I was a child I remember asking my parents to translate some nouns, such as "thessole" (sp?) meaning chimney, that my Lancastrian grandmother used in her speech.  When I enquired further I was told that many of the unusual words in her dialect were derived from Scandanvian languages that had come with the Vikings during the time of Alfred The Great when the Vikings invaded the North.

As you have stated we ( I can only speak for the modern English in the UK) tend to dwell on our history from 1066. As a schoolboy I was also taught of the Roman invasion and led to believe that that period between the Romans and Normans was a chaotic abyss of no importance. This seemed contrary to the evident survival of my grandmother's language that has lived for more than a millennium.

Probably I am like a number of your readers; I tend to read for relaxation and joy and, although I find history fascinating, I never make or find time to study. I have now read your Saxon series and having just turned the last pages of Death of Kings I find myself profoundly edified. I find it hard to understand why I am moved, but I am. Somehow I feel a greater affinity with my roots. My maternal ancestors (photographs and spoken references), my children, and I, have physical characteristics typical of Danes/ Scandanavians; in different parts of western Europe I have been asked if I am Danish. There is no written evidence (admittedly that only goes back two centuries) to suggest any links, but our appearances and my grandmother's tongue lean that way. Tenuous supposition?  Undoubtedly. "Men believe what they want to believe" - but we all know that some gut feelings appear to be inexplicably correct. I love the way your books are so very human.

Your books have given the Danish invasion a sense of scale and range that have  enhanced my sense of my nationality. (I'm not sure that I had really thought about that before, history was presented so dryly at school). They have also entertained me hugely and provoked my imagination and diverse thoughts. I can't wait to read about when Uhtred fights again and to discover Edward's fate. Thank you for doing the research for us and writing such beautiful books.

Sorry to have indulged myself in a short exploration of how the books have made me feel, I have no idea whether such responses are of interest to you.

Good luck.

Adrian  (Fielding)

Mr. Cornwell,

I just wanted to say thank you for your stories.  I was the type of reader in high school who didn't read.  I never read any of the assigned stories, I cheated with spark notes.  I was never into it at all.  However, for one assignment we had to pick any book we wanted and write a paper on it.  I casually picked up the Winter King.  I planned to read some pages here and there and then make up a paper knowing my teacher would never know the difference.  However, the complete opposite happened.  That book became the first book I ever read, cover to cover.  I then followed it up with the 2 sequels.  I then read them again.  Shortly after I soon forgot about reading, being too busy with college, sports, work, etc.  During summer breaks when I had time, I knocked out the Grail quests, again twice.  Then I got lazy again, until my fiance bought me a kindle last year.  Since then, I have read all of the Richard Sharpe stories (amazing), and I have just begun the Saxon stories.  I just wanted to say thank you for your incredible talent.

Bob Humann

Hi Bernard:

A friend of mine introduced me to your books a couple months ago. I've read the first five of the Saxon Tales and just got the latest. Love them. I'm looking forward to reading some of your others.

Take care
Tim

Dear Mr. Cornwell,
I have been a fan of your books for years now (Saxon tales, Sharpe, Stonehenge, Arthur and the Grail Quest), and I am very happy to find your website through FB. Being so far away (Uruguay), it's great to have this chance to contact you and find more about your books and your writing (and keep in touch with recent news too! ). Thanks to FB, I learned about Death of Kings, so it's really great to be so up-to-date like this! I have just received my lovely hardcover edition, so I'm really happy returning to Saxon Tales once again!  About the website, I wanted to tell you that I really appreciate the Reading Club section, too. I've read quite a few of the titles recommended here, but also discovered some new ones which I hope to enjoy, after Death of Kings, of course.

Sincerely,

Viviana

Where the Hell did you buy your time machine? You must have one, how else could you describe the past in such detail. Reading your books seems like you have lent me your time machine for a while. Thank you for some enjoyable hours in history.
Live long and happy.
Jim, ( Budding author.)

Hello Mr. Cornwell.

My name is Alex and I'm 30 years old and I live in Salvador, Brazil. It's incredible how my teenage years would be greater if I had known you, or your books back then. Unfortunately, I only read your first book (The winter king) in 2008. Well, it was a very good experience to find my brother-in-law's box of books in my parent´s house, because I met Derfel Cadarn! Well,  you are my favorite writer and your style is unique. You really transport us to the shield wall!  I was surprised when I knew that we can send our books to get signed by you!  I didn't think this could happen in present time! This act shows the respect that you have on us.  Make a long story short: Please, continue to write your books and amuse us with these amazing stories and characters!

From a big fan of your work.

Alex Almeida

I love your books. I have never been a big reader. I really started to read in 6th grade when I read the Warrior Cat Books. When I had no money to buy them I stopped reading for a few years until this year my brother handed me Sharpe's Tiger. I finally had something to look towards when I finished my school work. I probally should not have read them as much as I did in class but I did any ways. I would knock out 2-3 books in a week. Soon I was handed the Winter King and Boy I was in love and that's how I picture my King Arthur now! When I finished the Warlord Chronicles I was so full of emotion I cried! I went on to read more about Sharpe and then I read Agincourt and your description of the battles were beautiful and much more interesting than any other description I could have read. Any how I love your books and I recomend them to every one I know.

~Brian

I AM A GREAT FAN OF THE SAXON SAGA AND AWAIT EACH BOOK WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT. YOU HAVE PROVIDED UHTRED WITH A FACE AND TREMENDOUS SUBSTANCE, BUT FOR ME, THE ACTOR, RICHARD ARMITAGE, HAS PROVIDED HIM WITH A VOICE, IN HIS SUPERB RENDITION OF "LORDS OF THE NORTH".I HAVE HEARD NO OTHER RECORDING TO TOUCH IT.  UHTRED HAS BECOME A TRUE FRIEND BUT I HOPE IT IS A LONG TIME  BEFORE HE RECAPTURES BEBBANBURG SO THAT FRIENDSHIP CAN ENDURE.

BRENDA DUTHIE

I am Dr.Barry Foster.  At the college where I teach an introductory psychology class, I am known as Dr. B.  I simply wish to thank you for your great body of work.  I love teaching and working with my students, but I need a respite, a retreat,and an economical and convenient resort--your books provide all these and more.  I appreciate your discipline, perseverance, dedication, sacrifice, and, if your writing is an accurate reflector of your person, I appreciate your values.  Sharpe's Christmas was particularly appealing to me and, not to psychologize, I think revelatory of you in a way that most of your other books are not allowed to be. But I digress.  So, thank you  again, and if you are ever going to be in the Houston area, I would like to know. Well, the old owl is hooting outside my window so I think I will take my aging bones to bed.

Dr. B.

Hello again. Are you aware that Robert Low has tipped his hat to you in the first book of his new Scottish series - The Lion Wakes? The English survivors are gathering themselves after the battle of Stirling Bridge and come across an English knight who is described as "one of Lord Ughtred of Scarborough's men... part of the retinue from Bamburgh". Thought that was a nice touch.

Chris.