Bulletin Board

I thought it about time I wrote and expressed my thanks for the many, many hours of enjoyment your books have provided. 2 years ago a friend gave me Harlequin to read, and I have now just about read your entire collection having completed The Bloody Ground this morning. I have tried to where possible to read each series in its entirety before moving on to the next. I was under the impression that the Starbuck series was complete and was dumbstruck by the ending. I do hope you find time/motivation to produce another episode. Before reading Starbuck I was worried that I may find the Starbuck character and situations too similar to Sharpe but I am pleased to say this was not the case. Please keep up the fantastic work, I am really looking forward to book 4 of the Alfred series. Thanks again Martin Croucher

I have recently been to India(twice)doing so made me appreciate the detail and quality of Sharpe's Indian era.I took on the second trip "Fortress" which reading it on a 8 hour train trip to the Hindu temples at Hampi, brought the book to Life being able to look at the land it was featured in .Many thanks for your wonderful descriptive writing .Michael Parks.

Dear Bernard, I just discovered this site and decided to drop you a line. I either own or have read almost all of your books and enjoyed them greatly. I also eagerly await the next Sharpe, saxon or sailing story. I realise that I am quibbling, but the Starbuck novels were my least favorite. You often lapsed into British idiom which bounced me from "living" the story ino "reading" it. Specifically, references to the "verge" of roads and a "battalion" appearing instead of "regiment". I did get a kick out of your having Starbuck given a savage revolver for his use. they are great collectibles, but if I had owned one in 1861 (and owned other pistols), I would have given it away too. Also, although I know the Napoleonic British infantry did it, I can very rarely fire my Brown Bess replica at three rounds per minute, and never for more than a minute. Thanks for all the past and future hours of reading, Jack Bogan

Dear Mr Cornwell, I've never written to a author before, but I want to tell you how much I enjoyed listening (yes listening to) The Winter King, and Enemy of God. I listened to them as I don't find I have the time to read, and I was totally engrossed. I am about to start the final book Excalibur, and then planing to start on The Grail Quest series. Thank you again for bringing our nation and history to life. Roy Julian

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I simply want to say that I just finished reading (a bookseller's ARC) of Uhtred the defrocked nobleman of Bamburgh Castle -- in your novel entitled The Last Kingdom. I was enthralled by your descriptive writing and the way in which a young man can find friends among his captors. It was quite exciting and the next book of yours that I read will have been purchased, rather than given to me by a book store proprietor during a booksigning event. As you can see by my surname, I have some familial interest in England and most especially Eoferwic, since most of my ancestors hail from Yorkshire. Enjoyable historical storytelling. Regards, Charles J. (CJ) Westwick

Dear Mr Cornwell My name is Tom Clarke and I am an ex-British Army sapper officer . I thoroughly enjoy your books - especially your attention to historical detail and the plausibility of the action sequences in particular. Being a long-standing fan of MacDonald Fraser's 'Flashman' papers, I do appreciate this. I also happen to be a born-again Christian and believe that I have detected a slight anti-christian bias in your books! The comment I would make is that you are probably accurate in your depiction of the hypocrisy of prominent so-called christians and churches. However, I would wish to add that many christians and churches are thoroughly good influences in the societies in which they live. It occurs to me that your brief depiction of Galahad in the 'Arthur Chronicles' was a fairer thumbnail sketch of the christian my friends and I would aspire to be - a faithful, relevant man of integrity who is not afraid to get his hands dirty with his 'unbelieving' comrades. I am no rabid evangelical, just a man who has known the Lord all his working life and found that He has not forced me to become either a nerd or a hypocrite. I don't know where you are on your spiritual journey, but I trust you are in a good place. Please keep writing these readable, well researched novels and please remember that not all christians are trying to smite your 'hero' characters! Thank you for taking the time to read this and I am more than willing to discuss these points further, if you wish. Yours Sincerely, Tom Clarke

I have read and enjoyed almost all your books. Sometimes, as I read, I run into what I call "speed bumps". These are always evidence that the author did't do his research. One of the most frequent is when an author is writing about firearms. I have read REBEL and COPPERHEAD. Please be advised that: percussion caps are placed on nipples, not on cones, a revolver was always kept loaded with powder,bullet and caps, rifle cartridges were designed with a cone shaped paper charge to allow the whole item, paper, powder and minie bullet to be rammed down the barrel without using your teeth to open the powder. Without these cartridges, a powder flask throwing 60 grains of black powder, was used to pour powder down the barrel, after which, a non-wadded mimie ball was rammed down the barrel. These are minor points, but are speed bumps to me. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series to see how Starbuck makes out.
Lon Harper

Hi again, Mr. Cornwell. In a February 22nd posting, Alec Davis asked your opinion on what post-Roman armies could have beaten the Roman legions. In my opinion, if the Romans had come up against a force of English longbowmen from the 100 Years War, they would have been slaughtered. The longbow shafts would have gone through their shields and armor like it were tissue paper, and the Roman cohorts would not have been able to maintain formation under such devastating volleys. Once they broke and ran, a charge of mounted knights of the 100 Years War period, both men and horses clad in full plate armor, would have finished them off. Alan Kempner

Dear Mr Cornwell sir, may I thank you for changing the way I read books. I used to read all the Tom Clancy novels, CIA, spying and all that macho stuff (by the way I am ex army). I stumbled across Harlequin a few years ago, and have not been able to put your books down ever since. The Grail Quest books had me gripped from page one to the last page of Heretic. Then I got hold of the Arthur books and again I was gripped. Then came my friend Uhtred, what an epic, I could not put them down, but please tell me when the next installment is published in the uk,and I will camp out side my local bookshop to get the first one on the shelves. I now read anything that you endorse ie-Conn Iggulden,and Pip Vaughen Hughes and so on. So thank you again sir for turning a light on in my very thick head and making me read, rather than sit watching football and moaning at bad refs. yours gratefully, Gary Winders aged 37&1/2

Hello again Mr Cornwell Not sure if they show Time Team the Channel 4 archaeology programme over there but recently they did a dig at Shorncliffe redoubt which may be of interest to you. http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/2007_shorne.html.