Your Questions

Q

Mr. Cornwell, A few years back I stumbled across your book, The Archer's Tale in a local library. I am not sure why I chose to read it, but I am incredibly glad I did. Ever since I read that book, you have become my favorite author to date. I now own the Grail Quest, the King Arthur set, and now the Saxon Stories. You are the only author to produce a book, (The Archer's Tale), that I enjoyed reading twice. I just want to thank you for the great stories mixed with historical facts. I also enjoyed "Stonehenge", in that it gave me a perspective I would have never thought of on my own. I am currently serving as a 1LT in the Army and find your Sharpe series quite inspiring although I do prefer your stories of archers and blades. I just wanted to ask one quick question. I am currently reading the Saxon Stories and I recognize a few names from the Arthur Books. I was wondering if there was any relation. Thanks again for the wonderful books and please keep writing. Sincerely Austin T. Starken 1LT, IN

A

Not really, except I was probably using the same sources to find names for the Saxon characters. And some of the British (Welsh) names might be familiar because they are named after the famous characters of the Arthurian cycle - but no, no relationship is intended.


Q

Dear Mr Cornwall I am currently looking at historical accounts of Sheffield - particularly the Norfolk Street Riots, 4th August 1795. After reading about the story of how the Volunteers 'dispersed' the crowd it struck a chord with me and sounded similar to part of Sharpe's Justice from the series. Was Norfolk Street a source of data that would have been used to underpin this story? Many thanks Shona Blackwell

A

Honestly don't know because I had nothing to do with the writing of 'Sharpe's Justice' - that was entirely devised by the script-writer and I was out of that loop!


Q

Dear Mr.Bernard Cornwell, As I worte in my earlier comment about the next Sharpe books, could you give me a hint of what is to come and what it will be called? P.S About the Yew Bow, is it all right if I use yew from Britain as I do not have access to timber from the mediterranean or from oregon? Charlie

Dear Bernard, While looking forward to your next Viking novel I wondered if you knew what you would be writing about after that ???

And in regards to the Sharpe series, will Sharpe ever be involved the Tarragona campaign and Murray's subsequent court martial, he seems a rather wretched general, how did he gain command??? And after having Sharpe at Barossa have you thought of getting Sharpe to Grahams final action at Bergen Opp Zoom?????

Finally although slightly left of field but due to the fact you write about archers and they were involved, ever any chance of writing about the battles of Falkirk and Bannockburn??? Yours sincerely Tony

P.S Two really good books on the Napoleonic wars out if you have not already read them but Glorious Field of Grief by Micheal Oliver and Richard Partridge on the battle of Albuera and Adam Zaymoski's new book Rites of Peace the fall of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna are both worth a read or two if you are interested.

A

The Yew bow - I guess you can! Not really sure how good it will be - I'm told the grain isn't fine enough! But I'm sure it will work, though not with as much power as a bow made from finely-grained timber.

Too early to say what I'll be writing next.

Sharpe? I'm honestly not sure is the only answer I can give you. Sharpe is having a rest this year, and maybe next as well, and I'm not really thinking about him, and won't until I re-immerse myself in the history. Murray was wretched! But so were many many others! (Think of Erskine, wow!). Partly this was owing to the extraordinary methods of promotion, partly to political favouritism, and partly sheer idiocy. The amazing thing to me is not that there were so many bad generals, but that the wretched system actually produced a Wellington.

Probably not. I think an author has to have a real fascination for the events he writes about, and the various brawls between England and Scotland have never really gripped me, so I suspect I shall let someone else write those tales.

Thank you! I know the first, and I thought Adam Zamoyski's book on 1812 was quite brilliant, so I've already ordered his boook on the Congress of Vienna.


Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, Like most who visit your site I have enjoyed reading many of your novels. The Sharpe series are my favourite, but I also enjoyed Redcoat, as I have an avid interest in the American Rev war.I wrote as part of a thesis a study of Banastre Tarleton a much maligned but extraordinary cavalry commander on the British side. I am surprised no-one has written a novel about the guy as he led quite some life! My question is, and forgive me if I've missed something, as I have not read quite all the Sharpe novels, but did he fight in the war of 1812 against the USA? I believe elements of the 95th did, and if he hasn't turned up there yet I feel it would make a great story and a change of scenery. Have you, or would you consider it? The Americans may not like it though, if I remember correctly the enemy in the film Master and Commander was changed from the Americans to the French to placate the American audience.. This is a shame but the brits always seem to get a raw deal in many historical films....The Patriot springs to mind, the bad guy in that was based on Tarleton and was a total injustice to his character. Anyway kind regards, and I look forward to your views on Sharpe in America?
N. Pearce

A

For reasons described in Sharpe's Siege, Sharpe never will fight in the USA, so I'm sorry about that! You're quite right about Banestre Tarleton (the Green Dragoon) who is an interesting character. I was pleased to see him make an appearance (as a villain, naturally) in 'Amazing Grace', the film about William Wilberforce, and thought the makers missed a trick by not making it plain to US audiences just who he was.


Q

Dear Bernard, Having read most of your books(I'm currently halfway through "Redcoat")and being a Welshman,I was wondering.Will you be attending any of the Rugby World Cup matches in September?I write this having just watched my team the Ospreys,lose in a cracking Anlo-Welsh cup final to Leicester Tigers.Anyway keep up the good work. Nick Grant.

A

I doubt it. I'd like to, but it's the best time of the year on Cape Cod and the sailing season is far from over, and to give up sailing and sunshine to watch the Europeans being hammered by the All Blacks? No, I'll stay here.


Q

Hi Bernard I have a comment and a question. Firstly, I have always personally felt that your portrayals of early religious figures and religion is one of the most accurate and honest that I've ever read. I never thought of it as anti-christian, just realistic. That being said, I wonder if you've ever had a publisher/editor tone down (or attempt to) any of the ways in which you've dealt with organized religion, or if you ever have to deal with angry or combative religious people? Thanks Mike Seckla

A

No publisher has ever tried! I've had the odd 'disappointed' letter from Christian readers, and that's ok. Don't think I've ever been attacked by one in a letter!


Q

Hi, I love reading your books, you are a true bard when it comes to story telling, and maybe singing too but I wouldn't know. I heard a rumour sometime ago that your Arthur series were to be made in to a film, is that true? If so hurray, we might get an Arthurian film worth watching for a change!!! Are there plans for any of your other books to be made in to films or TV shows? Also, I get a sense from reading your books, of the eternal hero, like a blood line running through your stories. Do you see all your main characters as springing from the same family tree all be it generations apart? Thanks for all your efforts both in writing and research, I'm really looking forward to the next Saxon installment. Gary

A

No film plans at the moment.

You mean they're all alike? I suppose I write about men who are thrust into war and then discover that they're rather good at it. In that sense they are alike. I'm also interested, very, in the morality of war. It is the one activity during which the state lifts its strict rules about behaviour and men, I think, react differently to that freedom. But I suppose my subject usually is men and war, and I'm not nearly clever enough to write a series like Flashman which is about a coward in battle!


Q

Hello, I've just started reading the Sharpe series again and at the moment I'm reading Sharpe's Enemy. At the end of Chapter Five Colonel Dubreton informs Sharpe that he was at the Royal Academy of Equitation in Angers, France, with none other than Sir Arthur Wellesley. Unless I am mistaken, this would mean that Dubreton was an officer in the French army before the Revolution? I'm intrigued by the idea that Dubreton become part of the French officer class through privilege in the days of the Monarchy, yet after the Revolution he attained the rank of Colonel through his merit... if I am correct in thinking that is what happened. It's also interesting how a man like Nicholas Soult, a private in Old France's army, could become a Marshal whilst officers of the old regime could still prosper under a meritocracy. I was reminded of Napoleon Bonaparte, and how he was an Artillery Officer in the pre-revolutionary Royalist army (and a member of the Corsican minor nobility, I think I read somewhere). I then wondered how common it was for the officers of Old France's army to serve (as officers) in the army of New France, considering many of them might have fled the country for practical reasons like saving their necks or ideological reasons such as monarchism, religious convictions etc. etc. Furthermore, would the Republican army have been as welcoming a place as the Napoleonic army for an officer of the old Royalist army? Thank you kindly, Matt.

A

I think it all depends! NOT a helpful answer, I know. Yes, many officers of the old royalist army survived, after many vicissitudes, into the Napoleonic army which was, anyway, very different in its attitude to rank, privilege etc to the revolutionary armies. I'm not a real expert here, but my impression, from wide reading, is that many officers lost their positions during the revolutionary period, but the pressures of war persuaded even the revolutionaries that they needed experienced men and Napoleon, certainly, welcomed talent wherever he found it. Essentially Napoleon ends the revolution, re-introducing an aristocracy and privilege, and so long as a man was good (or better, lucky) he didn't care if he had started his military career as a privileged officer of the ancien regime or as a grognard in the ranks. And many Frenchmen who did flee the country to save their necks during the revolution, went back when Napoleon came to power.


Q

Wow, I can't believe I'm actually writing to my favorite author... I know you do read many emails from your fans just like this one, and may even be bored by them, but to us is really a big deal. I have a lot of questions, but they have really escaped my mind right now (what is not uncommon at all). I'll try to ask you a few that I do remember: First, are you planning on writing a book about the Renaissance(is that how you spell it? I need to learn French...)? Or maybe a book about the High Middle ages(Crusades and that stuff)? Second: Do you know about any other author of historical fiction that is at least half as good as you are??? Because I couldn't find one. I need something to read while you write the sequels of your books. Third: I'm from Brazil(that's my excuse for the bad english), quite a new country, famous for it's woman and for it's soccer players, but still, I've really enjoyed your books and older history(not contemporary). I'm not alone in this, as your book has become a huge bestseller here everywhere I go. Were you surprised by this? I mean, you were probably expecting your books to sell most in english speaking countries and in the rest of Europe, but not in a portuguese-speaking country where only a very, very small amount of the population has actually read a book in their whole lives. Did you notice this as well??? Do you have any idea of why? Well, this message is way bigger than I thought it would be. I don't want to be annoying(even though that's pretty hard when you are a fan). I just want to say you changed my life and now I love history to the point that now I study it on my own when I have free time. Thank you for that and thank you for your books. Carlos Rodeiro

A

Brazil? I have no idea why! But I'm delighted. Maybe it's because I have a Brazilian sister-in-law? Everyone should be lucky enough to have a Brazilian sister-in-law!

I am not planning a book on the Renaissance or the Crusades. Thanks for your message!


Q

Dear Bernard, Am I mistaken in assuming that the title of your novel The Pale Horseman is a play on the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse? Death is often referred to as the Pale horseman, and rides upon a Pale horse. If yes, does this mean that Uhtred embodies death in the Saxon stories which would in a way fit his character or am I very much mistaken? Kind Rgds. Phil

A

You are very much NOT mistaken! It was a reference to the fourth horseman, though I guess it was the Dane, not Uhtred, who was that horseman, and I never really wanted to draw the parallel too far. I think we were desperately casting round for a title and that one kind of stuck!