Your Questions

Q

Hi Bernard, I am just writing to tell you how much I love your books! Especially the Saxon Stories but I loved Derfel in the Arthur Books too!!! I am on a mission now to read your Starbucks Chronicles and Sharpe Books. But I can't wait for the next Saxon Storie to come out! Please hurry... :) Well, you've got me hooked! I just think that it is a shame that your books have not been translated into German. I am german and live in Australia. I so wish my Dad could get hooked too but his english is not good enough to understand a novel. Is there no demand on the german market? Have you got any influence with things like this? Anyhow, you don't have to answer my mail. I understand you are a very busy person and I prefer you writing the next Saxon Book than answering my mail. I only wanted to tell you how I love your books and your style! Have a great Christmas and a busy new year :) Regards, Koko

A

But my books have been translated to German! The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman and The Lords of the North have all been translated by the German publisher Rowohlt. You may wish to contact the publisher directly to inquire about availability. The Arthur books were translated by Goldmann and the sailing novels by Paul List. The Grail Quest series and Gallows Thief was translated by Ullstein. I hope you'll be successful in tracking them down.


Q

Dear Bernard hope you are well. Will you be writing any more Grail Quest books in the future? Just finished the new Sharpe book, excellent as always. kind regards Mark Payne

A

No plans for more Grail Quest books.


Q

Do you have an ETA on the fourth installment of Uhtred's tale? Thank you. C. Bright

Dear Bernard, I have read the grail quest and the Saxon stories.... I would like to know if there will be more books to follow the Lords of the North? Kind Regards Andrew Kew Big Fan...

A

Yes, there will be more. The next book in the series should be available in October 2007.


Q

Hi Mr. Cornwell, I'm a huge fan of your work -- mainly all the medieval series. But I actually started with you way back when with your sailing adventure/thrillers (what happened with those, are they ever going to be reprinted and be readily available?).

First off I wanted to know how long you intend to make the "Alfred the Great" series, just out of curiosity. Next I wanted to ask for advice on a question I'm sure you get a lot. I'm currently working on a novel set in Britain in the fifth century. Once I have it ready, would you recommend I look for an agent or are there some specific publishers that prefer medieval historical fiction and I would be better off going straight to them? Any feedback would be much appreciated. Keep up the great work and are there any other medieval books in the pipeline? Thank you. Alex Telander

A

A few of the sailing thrillers Scoundrel, Sealord, Stormchild have been reprinted recently and are available (see the links to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com on this website).

Don't know how long - seven, eight books?

Look for an agent first. You may want to take a look at the writing advice I have posted to this website. To find it, go to the FAQ page, scroll down to the 10th posting and click on the link for 'writing advice'. And good luck!


Q

Mr. Cornwell, Thank you so much for all you have written. I have had the opportunity to read all of your historical fiction books. I have just finished "Excalibur." You left us hanging. What happens to Cerdic and Lancelot? John Eaton

A

Lancelot's dead! He dies in Excalibur - maybe you skipped a page by mistake. Cerdic? Don't know. I suppose I didn't consider him an important enough character to tie up his end.


Q

Dear Bernard I was curious in regards to the Sharpe novels you of course talk about the 95th as being seen as the best in Peninsular on the British side but I wondered who you considered the best units on the French side (31st Leger maybe??)???

And in regards to Lossow in Sharpe's Sword he sort of disappears near the end of the book and is never heard of again, did he die???

Also while you have stated that Sharpe made a promise not fight Americans in the war of 1812 to Killick to help him escape.Could you not get around that by getting Sharpe to Canada where if the Americans invaded they would be fighting him and not visa-versa it would be really great to see Sharpe in that conflict if only once.

btw I can recommend Fix Bayonnets by Donald Graves on the life of Thomas Pearson who fought at Albuera for Christmas reading he and Sharpe would probably have got on like a house on fire. Merry Xmas Tony

A

No idea!! And I always reckon that the 88th were among the best. It's an argument no one can win, of course. As for the French? Really, no idea.

More books to come! Maybe he will reappear!!

No. A promise is a promise, and he can't weasel out of it or round it! Anyway, Sharpe is always at his best when he's fighting the French!!

Thank you! It is on Santa's list!


Q

Hello, Do you know why, in the Sharpe films, some of the calvary horses have their tails dyed red? Is there a historical reason for it? Cheers, Mina

A

Nope, not that I know of!! Never noticed it! Most British horses had docked tails.


Q

Dear Sir, having read your Grail Quest Series,Gallows Thief,Stonehenge,Warlord Chronicles including The Last Kingdom,The Pale Horseman and The Lords of the North,any idea when the next book in the series will be available.Once I start reading them I can't put them down, Keep up the good work. Regards Colin Burrell.

Dear Mr. Cornwell. I first started reading the Sharpe series when I was about twelve years old and now, almost ten years on, am still a great fan of your work. Your Arthurian Trilogy has to be among my favourite series of novels if not the favourite series. I have recently been reading the Saxon Stories and was wondering when the next in the series might be ready. I realise you must be a very busy man and maybe this question has been asked before on the bulletin board somewhere however I would much appreciate it if you could shed some light on the subject as I can't wait to read Uhtred's next adventure. Your's Sincerely Rich Neve Devon, England

A

The next book of the Saxon Tales should be available in October 2007.


Q

HI JUST STARTED READING YOUR SHARPE NOVELS (UP TO GOLD) BUT HAVE SEEN ALL DVD SHARPES THEREFORE I HAVE 2 QUESTIONS 1. WILL SHARPE EVER MAKE GENERAL 2. WHEN WILL SIMMERSON GET HIS JUST REWARD OF A 1 REALLY GOOD FLOGGING AS I AM SURE YOU THINK THERE IS NO ONE MORE DESERVING THEN HE. Andrew Gamble

A

Don't think Sharpe will ever be a general, and as for Simmerson? Well, there are more books to come, so perhaps in one of those?


Q

Hi Bernard. I recently got my book signed by you up Merry Hill in Dudley. Thank you for taking the time to meet your fans. It's very much appreciated. I would like to ask you if you could offer me any ideas on how to go about studying the Napoleonic era and the time Sharpe is set in? This is because I would very much like to persue a career in being an historian and I wondered if you have any ideas or if you could point me in the right direction. Thank you.
Keiran

A

Hmm. You read!! And there are thousands of books - so I'll suggest just two, both published recently. War of Wars by Robert Harvey is the best single volume account of the whole of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (i.e. the wars against France). It's a terrific book, and the bibliography will suggest further reading. Then you need social background, so I'd suggest A Mad, Bad and Dangerous People, by Boyd Hilton, which deals with British society from 1783 until 1846. The end date is a bit farther on than you might like, but it's still a great read and a very useful book.