Your Questions

Dear Bernard, I have read all of your books, and credit you with my newly-found appreciation of historical fiction. I have one question and one comment. Question: Is there a site where one can find a listing of contemporarily-written historical fiction? Particularly around the Napoleonic Wars ( a favorite haunt for yourself as well as Forester and O'Brian). Comment: In "Sharpes Eagle" Harper is introduced as a comrade of Sharpe's for three years, when they seemed to meet in their famous brawl in the winter of '09 in "Rifles". Is there some yet-unearthed history between the two, or is it a misprint? Regards Rick

Dear Bernard, I have just finished reading Sharpe's Trafalgar, and have moved onto Sharpe's Rifles, which if I'm not mistaken, is the next book time-wise in the series. It has come to my attention that in the first 140 pages or so, there is no mention of Lady Grace, whom Sharpe was what I thought, destined to be with forever after Trafalgar. What ever becomes of Lady Grace?
Pim P.

May seem as a silly question and I could be totally off, seeing as I haven't researched everything you've done in your life (forgive me =P ). But (knock on wood) if there ever comes a time you decide to stop writing, or postpone, or none of the above, have you ever considered teaching? I can only imagine the lectures and class atmosphere, since I've never personally met you. But the thought of attending, and debating intrigues me (as I'm sure it would others). If it has crossed your mind, and you had the choice, where would you go? Thanks for taking time to answer. Matt

Dear Mr. Cornwell, Were you by any chance in South Essex just before Xmas? I was travelling in to work from Chelmsford (on Thu 21 Dec I think)and someone who got on at Ingatestone or Shenfield saw my copy of Sharpe's Fury and struck up a conversation. He asked if I liked the Sharpe series and if I'd ever visited any of the battle sites. I replied that I was indeed a fan, and had read all of them except Trafalgar, but had only read the Arthur trilogy of your other books. The only time I nearly went on a battlefield tour was when I was on safari in South Africa with my daughter Yas (then 12). By the time we reached Natal she was getting a tad lazy or over-safaried. On the way back to Jo'burg we drove into the Drakensbergs to Giant's Castle, but because we'd just missed a tour and it was a 45min walk, she declined visiting the World Heritage Site San rock paintings. Maybe zulu war killing grounds wouldn't have been top of her things to do list anyway. We did visit the fort at Eshowe where John Dunn was the only ever white zulu chief. Not sure whether this was 100% true, as the same was claimed at the of Portugese trader Albisini at the Albisini Ruins in Kruger Park. I told my new companion that I enjoyed the History Channel's Sharpe's War and I'm sure I've seen a few other documentaries where Sharpe or yourself have been mentioned in dispatches. I'm not sure I'd be able to make the past come alive just from being in a field and would probably need a professional guide. He said a good map was essential anyway as they are often difficult to locate with a couple of centuries' changes. The Napoleonic war was definitely his period and he mentioned someone who did tours in Spain & Portugal. I asked whether it was anyone you mention in some of your Historical Notes or even the Sharpe's war series. He did look a lot like yourself, although perhaps not so elegantly trimmed as the jacket photo in Sharpe's Fury and not wearing glasses. He got off at Liverpool St with a folding bike. I just thought...South Essex...(maybe)? Best Wishes and Happy New Year anyway, Nigel Lawton

Hi Bernard, My friend Adam and I are visiting 200th anniversary penninsular battlefields from 2008 - 2015 - do you have any advice for trips such as these? Regards and all the best for 2007. Dave Cook.

Dear Mr. Cornwell, Firstly I would like to say I am a huge fan of your Saxon series and am currently half-way through the last Grail Quest book. I would love to know when the next Saxon book is going to be released? Or are you still writing it? I bought and read The Lords of The North within a week of its release and am finding it difficult to find a book that comes close to how good the whole series have been! To that end have you ever considered writing any novels on Roman Britain or the first world war? Any way I cant wait for the next book and hope that if it is still a work in progress that your pen be swift! Phil Dashwood.

Just wondering what your favorite character is (from any books you have read)? Which character of yours do you love to write the most, and which of your characters do you relate to the most? Once again thank you for your time and thank you for Captain Sharpe. David D.

Hello Mr. Cornwell, I would like to thank you for helping me to recaputre my love of reading. I read a great deal while I was growing up, but for some reason I stopped with I was a teenager. Maybe my college years, which were filled with too many book reports and research papers helped push me away from serious reading. The first time that I picked up one of your Sharpe novels, I was apprehensive but, Sharpe's Tiger taught me to love reading again. Since then I have read a couple of hundred novels and at least 40 of them are yours. Thank you again for that. I was wondering though, if and when we would see Sharpe and Harper again?
Reginald Fells

Mr. Cornwell, I have just finished "Sharpe's Fury." Not to put a rush on you but when will Sharpe and Harper have a new adventure?

John Eaton

If you would.......a question revisited five years on. I am currently re-reading the Starbuck novels (for the fourth time); any chance of any more?
Nicholas Power

Have you written a book where Sharpe meets Jane again after she has betrayed him - I am wondering what happened to her. Gwenda Gillespie