Bulletin Board

Firstly I wanted to thank you for coming to Vancouver, Canada...it was a pleasure to meet you at last. I also wanted to comment that I find one major difference between your Richard Sharpe and Horatio Hornblower (whom I've also read and thoroughly enjoyed) and that is that Sharpe has grown and matured as a person throughout the books. He started off unsure of himself, ill at ease in command with his men, but he has grown up and become self confident and 'a man' and I find that much more appealing and realistic than someone who seems to stop maturing at about age 20. He still has his moments of self doubt, of course, but he hides them well, and doesn't wallow in self analysis...and I thank you for that. I think that's why I like him so much. There is hope for us all if he can make it. Sterling Mair

I think I've read all your books (at least those under your name!) and have loved them all. Many thanks for all the enjoyment over the years - ongoing I may add since I have all the Sharpes and re-read them regularly. Having just finished "Escape", I loved the little passage where Corporal Dodd got isolated by the French retreat - which I guess is your nod to CS Forrester's "Death to The French"? I read CSF as a kid and always wondered how Dodd got isolated.... I hadn't reckoned on Slingsby! Brilliant stuff! Please could I add my vote for a follow-up to Gallows Thief, some serious possibilities there. Many thanks for all the wonderful reads Rgds Dave

Hi This the first time I have visited your web page, I am not worthy to utter your name o storytelling god. The Sharpe books are fantastic - you bring history to life for me. I have read and re-read the books many times. My family, all fans, have just hunted down Sharpe's rifle and Harper's 7 shooter at the Royal Armouries, you should do a promotion there, would really set the scene. Please, please keep Sharpe and Harper marching. Richard

Dear Mr. Cornwell (very formal). You don't have to reply to me, I just wanted to write a line to you. You've been my favourite author for years. I started with Wildtrack and read all the thrillers in fast succession and have re-read them over and over again. Your heroes, especially the irrepressible Captain 'I've arrived by this door now' Sandman, are good friends! I sincerely hope you write another sailing novel. How about a sequel? The seagoing adventures are fantastic. Your enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject is very impressive and, as with all your books, makes compulsive reading. It was my birthday on the 23rd April. As I was returning from the school run it made my day to catch you on Desert Island Disks. It was good to hear your voice and to listen to the interesting snippets you chose to tell. Many thanks for hours of pleasure. Sue Marks

I have read most of your books and am about to begin book 4 of the Starbuck series. While I look forward to each new Sharpe offering, I would love to see Starbuck and Truslow march again!
Finley Harckham

A friendly physics lesson: I recently read and enjoyed the Grail Quest series, and I'm sure you receive plenty of mail with historical nitpicks. Here's a scientific one. At the end of Heretic, whin Guy is charging Thomas, he is stopped by an arrow. The quality of an object which determines how well it can change another's velocity in a collision is its momentum. A 0.4kg arrow travelling at 50m/s has a momentum of 20 kg m/s. A 100 kg man in plate running at 5 m/s has a momentum of 500 kg m/s. If the arrow sticks to him, then he'd still be moving at 4.8 m/s after the collision. You can also think about it in terms of conservation of momentum: any 'kick' that Guy received would also be received by Thomas in the opposite direction when he launched the arrow. If Thomas is not thrown back when he launches the arrow, Guy won't be thrown when he receives it. The same applies to gunfire. This doesn't mean that arrows couldn't do a great deal of damage to armor and flesh - that's a result of the arrow's kinetic energy. Most of the energy a strong archer uses pulling the bowstring back is used to destroy the arrow and the target on impact. Chuck Bean, Physics teacher

Hello Bernard, having just heard your Desert Island Discs, and just finished reading Sharpe's Escape I thought I would say how much I enjoyed both. The recent Harlequin trilogy I thought outstanding, better even than the Arthurian novels - not sure how you keep both quantity and quality up ! We had the same Yachtmaster Instructor in Stan and I sailed with him last 3 years ago -he's still in robust form ! Every good wish for your future success, with kind regards, Cliff Dixon

All your books are brill, I have read the Sharpe ones and Battleflag. How about some Starbuck movies. Christopher Gath

Mr Cornwell.... Prelim text read and acknowledged I read an article in the Halifax Herald about your recent book signing and regret I missed you. I love the Sharpe series and have either read the books or watched the series on TV. It actually wasn't the signing that instigated this note, but the short bio that was included. My famly came from Essex - grandfather Harry, born in Roxwell, went to india with Essex Regt, eventiually to Canada after Boer War. He enlisted in WWI at 45. I was born in 1946 in Manitiba and also grew up on C S Forrester which is likely why I now live in Nova Scotia. I hope there are many more Sharpe books to come. I think it is the straighforward concepts of honour and decency combined with a rugged individualism that make Sharpe a great hero. And the books I think focus on that and not on a complex web of intrigue such as is seen in mystery novels. There is intrigue but it is more like real life played on a chess board shaped like Europe. Anyway, thanks for all the wonderful reads and I am looking forward to this latest book. By the way, will Richard ever come out of retirement again?? Eventually I would like to see closure on his life. I recall another series of books - these written by Len Deighton - where the story of his hero Richard Sampson just stopped. I still miss not seeing the end even after about 15 years. Rick Harrington

Hello again Mr Cornwell I was looking through your reading club and noticed a few By Richard Holmes. Have you seen his War Walks books. I recently got two volumes there may be more, I'm not sure, and found them excellent. Covers battles from Agincourt to the 20th century, including Waterloo and accompanies his TV series. Two other books I didn't see in the club both by Mark Adkin are The Sharpe Companion, The early years and The Waterloo Companion. All these books should make good reading for anyone interested in military history or your stories in general. regards Nigel. P.S. Think the picture of you with the cannon Mark used should go in your image gallery. Great pose.