Bulletin Board

Sir you have done it again, your new book, the Last Kingdom, was grabbed off the shelve at W.H.Smiths in Beverley, East Yorkshire, shortly theirafter a fight ensued, between my darling wife and myself as to who would read it first, after much discussion, I won (not very gentlemanly, but you'll see why), so when the rest of the shopping was unpacked, fire on and ClassicFM on the TV, A nice cup of tea, and off I went, transported to the age of Alfred & the Norse, 15 cups of tea, 3 loo breaks, (food consumed with head in book) I turned the last page, 8 hours later. A fantastic read, we just love your work, now my wife has to put up with my Grumpy old man image until your next book, sorry if I seem to go on, but dare not ask you to hurry the next book, that would mean a drop in quaility, and that we would hate to happen, but if you need someone to proof the next book, I would do it for free, (beg, beg) My wife say a 42yr old should not beg but who cares , carpa diem (sorry if my latins a bit rusty) regards Neil Graham

Your remarkably well researched books have one serious blind spot. There are a number of errors concerning the British peerage, specially in Gallows Thief. It is not impossible for an earl not to have a subsidiary title by which his eldest son would be known in courtesy. In fact there is to my knowledge no earldom it has ever been conferred without one but they did create Edward the eighth Duke of Windsor without any subsidiary titles said could happen. In such a case however the son would not use the courtesy title of Lord Given-name Surname he would be the Hon. Also the heir to a dukedom uses the most senior of his father's junior titles, probably marquessate but would not use any subsidiary titles in courtesy. I am a postgraduate research student in modern history, my thesis deals with early New South Wales (especially in the 'gentility' carried by a commission) and found your Sharpe books excellent, especially Sharpe's Trafalgar which I will cite in my thesis. best wishes. Eric Strasser

I re-read Sharpe's Christmas on the train to work this morning (thinking, en passant, how well both stories would translate to film) when I started thinking about Brigadier Gerard and his viewpoint of the same campaigns. I tried to imagine Sharpe and Gerard in the same room but I fear there would not have been the same mutual respect as there is between Sharpe and Gudin! Gerard was a fine, brave and honourable soldier (and a romantic) but a bit too cocksure and too liable to misinterpret the actions and motives of the rosbifs. Then I started thinking about the crossover between you and Forester with Rifleman Dodd as nexus. I read "Death to the French" after seeing the comment in your web page and despite the fact that I kept wanting to know what Dodd would do next, I found the book far and away the worst Forester I have read. It was full of inappropriate comments paralleling Napoleonic France and militaristic Germany. I haven't checked but I must see if it was written in the dark days of the Blitz or maybe even earlier! (there were anti-German references from WW1 e.g. the use of poison gas at Ypres). Very distracting and not good for the flow of the adventure narrative. Kate

Further to my comments on "Death to the French" I find it was first published in 1932, so it was between the World Wars although Forester may have been seeing a resurgence of militarism in the years immediately prior to the taking of power by the Nazi Party in 1933. Kate

Hello, Mr. Cornwell: I am from Spain, my English is not very good, but I only wanted to say that I have read lots of your books (translated to Spanish, I am afraid), and I enjoyed them very much, but specially the Warlord Trilogy. I really love those books. Well, that´s all. Thank you very much for your books, they´re wonderful. Lots of kisses from Spain. Maria Serra

Just finished The Last Kingdom, another piece of writing perfection as always, a great new book for a great new saga Cornwell style. I am a big time visitor to Northumbria myself (I live in kSunderland) and have visited most of your book myself, you explain it as much as I love it myself. If you ever need any help this end of the country for anything you drop me a line. Looking foward to the next chapter. David Phelan (26, Sunderland, tine+wiire) thanx again for the hours of escape!!!!!!!

Hello Mr Cornwell I am writing to thank you for your research, imagination and all your other efforts that have gone into your historical novels. They are exciting and informative. You are a great inspiration to aspiring historical novelists like myself. regards Peter Edwards Perth, Western Australia

When I rediscovered your work a few weeks ago I purchased "A Crowing
Mercy". Well, I just finished reading it. It kept my interest until the
last page. You tell a good story.

I am going to start reading the Sharpe stories again.

Jeff

Thank you for all the entertainment. I really appreciate all the hours of enjoyment. Thanks JS

I just finally wanted to write after many years of reading the Sharpe novels to tell you how much I love reading them. There are so many so-so stories out there but I pick up every Sharpe novel knowing I am going to have a great read -- and learn something, to boot. I've read a fair amount of military history but now you've got me interested in going back to read more about the Peninsular wars and even to read about India. Thank you very much for an enormous amount of pleasure. And I'm glad to see you live in Massachusetts, too. Sincerely, Paul Dobosh

Mr. Cornwell, may I say how refreshing it is to discover that you actually enjoy communicating with your readers! Some authors (I'll name no names) seem to regard us as nothing but inconveniences and pirates! I am a tremendous fan of the Sharpe series (having a lifelong addiction to the Napoleonic period) and just wish I could afford to buy the books when they come out rather than having to wait on the second hand market. Thank you for your creation of something so solidly readable and believable. Steve Smy