Bulletin Board

Hi again, Mr. Cornwell. In a February 12th posting, Nicholas (no last name given) asked about historical fiction of China. I can recommend two classics, both written several centuries ago. The first is "Three Kingdoms." It is a massive novel, about 2,500 pages, dealing with the fall of the Han Dynasty in the 3rd Century AD, and the unification of the three kingdoms of Shu, Lu, and Wei into what became the single kingdom of China. It is full of epic battles and sieges centering around the three main heroes, Guan Yu, Chang Fei, and Lieu Bei. The second novel is "Outlaws of the Marsh" about 2,000 pages. It deals with a band of heroes in the 9th century AD, who, to escape the oppression of the Soong Dynasty, take refuge in an inpregnable swampland, sort of a Chinese Robin Hood. After a lot of fierce fighting, they are eventually pardoned and defend China from a formidable invader, and in this war they are almost all killed. Both works are available in four paperback sets in a slip cover, put out by Foreign Language Press, and are available from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. Alan Kempner

I just finished reading The Lords of the North, and I trudged into the last pages feeling a kind of sadness that was somehow tinged with confusion. Sadness because I was coming to the end of what I thought was the third and final entry in the Saxon series. Confusion because I couldn't see how the story could end with Bebbanburg still in the hands of the usurper. But then mirabile dictu, I see that I was wrong, more is to come. Gawd, I'm already champing at the bit for the next one. (And hey, feel free to stretch it out out over two or three books. I don't mind!) Live long Bernard. PS Don't feel compelled to write back. I just wanted to say it. Ian MacNeill

Dear Author, thank You for Your Books! Only one of them, The Winter King, has been translated to my language, finnish, but I order them via internet and read them in english paperbacks. Useful and very amusing, interesting and lovely! I like historical novels very much and English history is so full of wonderful stories. I wonder if I am the only Finnish to know something about the Saxons and so on. I also like your language very much, because you do not only tell stories about war and adventure, but describe the beautiful English views and places so well. After all that I must do just what You wished us readers not to do. I have You an idea of a new series of books and I promise, I will NEVER sue you for using the idea. All I wish is to be able to read those stories.... I wish You will tell us the wonderful story of Eleanor of Aquitaine. She is my all time favourite! And if You don´t want to settle you in the skins of a woman, you can always invent a loyal servant for him to tell her story. The wife of two kings, mother of several kings and queens, a prisoner of her own husband (do not forget The Fair Rosamond...),a great lady... I need not say more. Tempting, isn´t it! So, this is an idea for your free usage! Thank You! Yours Truly, Päivi Loukamo Finland

Dear Mr. Cornwell: I just finished "Lords of the North" and I've several thoughts of what may happen in your future books in the series, but I wanted to share just one with you: Uhtred will be looking forward to cuckolding his cousin (killing Uncle Aelfric and his children is a given). Don't know how I am going to occupy myself until October! Beth Harrison

Good day. I just completed reading Lords of the North and although I've never written an author before, I wanted to say thanks for writing. I've read almost all your works (can't bring myself to read the Starbuck chronicles - I live near Gettysburg and I've long ago had my fill of US Civil War fiction. Anyway; excellent work. I really appreciate the character development of Uhtred who, like all your main characters, has wonderful flaws. Thank you for this greatly entertaining and thoroughly well developed body of work. Looking forward to more. Dave Durbin

I recently wrote a list of the top 100 things I would like to achieve before my time expires. One of those things was to write a letter to my favorite author. I have never written a fan letter before, and all I really wanted to say is Thank You... Your books have given my endless pleasure, for which I am truly grateful. I truly believe that you have brought more happiness to more people than you will ever really know. Kindest regards, Warren Francis

I've just finished reading the four Starbuck chronicles. I've read Sharpe, the Warlord chronicles etc and personally I think that Starbuck represents your best stuff. But I can't believe you've left it there! I realise that you have a lot on the go but if you don't get back to Nate Starbuck soon you'll have one very disappointed reader. Good luck with all future projects. Michael Bradley

Noticed the Discussion about the Battle of New Orleans. Do you know If Sweet William was there? Or how about Rider? I know Sharpie wasn't. Concur about Parkenham -- fool. I also read somewhere that he was killed in the battle, put in a cask of wine and shipped back to England -- and somewhere enroute the Navy drank the WINE!! As an author, you gotta love that!! As always, Scott

Hi again, Mr. Cornwell. Whenever the subject of Obediah Hakeswill comes up, you express regret at having killed him off so early. Well, I say WHY NOT bring Hakeswill back for one last fling? This is how you could do it: You probably have at least one post-Enemy Sharpe novel yet to write, and that would be the siege of San Sebastian, between Honor and Regiment (I know this gets into consistency problems, but you can fix that later). As a subplot to this, Hakeswill claws his way out of his coffin after they buried him. Sharpe's bullet didn't kill him, but rather traversed around the inside of Obediah's skull and exited in the rear. Since there was a bullet hole in his head and a lot of blood, Sharpe thought he was dead. Hakeswill is brain-damaged, but very much alive. He really is the unkillable man! He would have lost the power of speech and most of his higher thinking functions, but would remember Sharpe and his desire to see him dead. He disguises his face under a broad-brimmed hat and joins the army as a camp follower, doing any odd jobs he can. All the time that Sharpe is adventuring around the siege, Hakeswill is lurking in the background, waiting for his chance to stick a knife in Sharpe. I know that this is far-fetched, but your loyal fans will forgive you for bringing him back once more. Alan Kempner P.S. When Sharpe kills him THIS time, he'll probably dismember him, cremate the body parts, and then scatter the ashes at sea!

Sir, At the University of Texas I was able to take a series of classes on the History of Warfare from Dr. John Lamphear. At one point I asked him if he knew of any works of fiction based on military history and to my dismay he told me he didn't know of any. Purists, eh? A friend of my professor told me of Fraser's work about Harry Flashman and I'm sure you know how wonderful that series is and I know we all wait feverishly for Sir Harry to fight in the American Civil War. It wasn't long afterwards that I saw Sharpe on the History Channel. I enjoyed them. I also read your civil war novels. At the time I considered them an amusing sideline to the Flashman series. However, I then came across Derfel Cadarn and his story of Arthur. I've bought about a dozen sets for friends and just finished reading the trilogy for the fourth time. I cannot gush enough about how much I love your take on Arthur. You put so much life into it that I am convinced that it is the original and only telling of the legend. I feel that it is a stroke of great fortune that I recently picked up the Saxon tales and lo and behold "Lords of the North" just came out right as I finished the second book!! I then consumed "Lords of the North" in one day, and went back and re-read all three again. I hope that you've found a nice groove with the Saxon Stories and that you plan to keep the story going. I know it's a lot to ask, but I certainly hope the wait is not too long for the next one, and the next. While I love the Arthur books, I am spellbound by Uhtred of Bebbanburg. You've given Alfred the Great a chance to leap from the pages with life and color, and I think he deserves his chance to be firmly listed as one of the great captains of history. We owe you a debt of gratitude for bringing him to us. You weave your stories so well that I feel as though I'm part of the saga being sung by bards. I was once a soldier, long ago. Your writing has given me a very solid vision of Valhalla to yearn for. I don't want clouds and harps, I want to fight amongst my brother warriors, die gloriously, and then drink and fornicate the night away and start all over again in the morning for eternity. Your writing gave that to me and I am forever grateful. I wish you a long life and a bottomless inkwell so you can bring other great men for us to read about. Respectfully, -James Peacock