Bulletin Board

WOW!!! I have read the Saxon Stories, the Grail Quest, The Arthur Books, Azincourt, and am working my way through the Sharpe series now, and I cannot get enough!! You are by far my favourite author! Your books dominate my book selves. My warmest regards to you and your family!
Nigel Rasmussen

Dear Mr Cornwell, Due to the rather recently published Arthur-books(in Germany) I stumbled upon your work and became quite obsessive about it. I simply just had to tell you how much I loved every single book you ever wrote(read all of them in the last 4 months). This might be the most pointless comment you've ever received, but I just had to get it out. Greetings, Carsten Menz

Dear Bernard Cornwell I just wanted to say a very very big thank you for unknowingly saving me from total despair in the middle of my oxford entrance exam today. The essay question, worth 40% of the marks, had to be based on one event in history, and to assess whether or not the environment had an effect on the outcome. I honestly sat there for around 15 minutes completely clueless as to what to write about when it suddenly struck me that just last week my dad had suggested I read your book "Azincourt". Subsequently, my essay was written about the events at Agincourt, as I found the historical content in your book fascinating and extremely reliable. The fact that I took most of that content in from the novel in order to write a 3 page essay (which was my maximum limit, I would have happily written more!) also made me realise just how much I had enjoyed reading that novel. As a result it is probably highly likely that I will be reading some of your other books in the near future, again my dad has given me a long list in his determination to get me interested in medieval and early periods of history and I think your novels might succeed! So thank you very much again for inspiring my exam essay, I really just wanted to acknowledge that without reading that novel I probably wouldn't have written a very good essay! Gemma

Dear Mr Cornwell I have just finished reading "The Pale Horseman" and "The Last Kingdom" before that. I shall shortly start on the next in the series but wanted to write to express my gratitude for such excellent novels. The historical background of these books particularly resonates as I live in Hampshire and know the area you describe very well. I was born in a small village in the Blackmore Vale in Somerset and for years, as a small boy, I could see Alfred's Tower from my bedroom window - built on the site where Alfred raised his standard when he came out of hiding. I know the Somerset levels and can just imagine the final battle in "The Pale Horseman". Somehow all these characters come to life in your books. I have some Saxon blood in me as my last name derives from Wulfgar or Wulfar which I understand means "Wolf's Spear" so I was interested to see Wulfhere's fate - but much water has gone under the bridge since then! There are many Woolgars in Seaford, West Sussex. Anyway I just wanted to express my appreciation. Yours John Woolgar

FYI http://www.nytimes.com:80/2009/10/25/world/europe/25agincourt.html?th&emc=th3. RE: Agincourt. Mike Curtis

Sharpe's Eagle has a section about tap or spit loading a Brown Bess. We wondered about the efficacy of the practise and tested it. You can view the test at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pvc86ggLUY4. Sharpe is great, and Uhtred is wonderful. Regards, David Sadler

Like everyone else I just fell in love with your stories and characters and wanted to share them. When my nephew in the Air Force was deployed to Korea last year I mailed him the Sharpe series, in order, one per month. Not only did he adore them, he then shared with his buddies. He re-upped and may be heading to the middle east after the new year, so will start him on another of the series. With Veteran's Day coming up, someone else might want to use this idea and make the day of other soldiers away from home. All the very best. Chris Hassan

Hi, I have recently read one of your books for the first time.....it was Azincourt! What a read!! I really enjoyed it. I could not put that book down. Now I'm hooked and I have started reading The Last Kingdom. Again, just want to keep reading! The story telling is superb, thanks!! Neal.

As a British woman who is back in England, but lived in the South of the US for 24 years, I hunger for Historical novels of any kind, and now of the South. Even though the battle scenes are gory, your writing sucks me into the book. I have just finished the Bloody Ground (book 4) and am left hanging for news of Starbuck. If you're collecting votes as to when to pick up this series, you have my vote for asap. Thank you so much for this fabulous work. With kind regards, Tina

Hi Bernard, I am currently reading your "Starbuck Chronicles". They are so good. I am nearly on the final book and they have got me so interested in the American Civil War even though I am English. I want to jump on a plane to Richmond. I have even seen all of the Ken Burns series on the History Channel-excellent programme. Anyway I dearly hope that you can get round to writing some more in the series one day. Thanks for the great books :-) Kind regards Andy