Your Questions

Q

Dear Bernard In regards to the Sharpe series and future works although its trickey with the time line in regards to Sharpe's Regiment happening at the same time, could there ever be a chance of Sharpe being at the battles of Roncvalles/Maya and the twin fights at Souaren??? A survivor of those fights did remark post war that although Waterloo gets all the attention the struggles in the pyrennes were just as brutal.

And one thing I am always curious about is why depsite losing before at Courunna/Oporto and ALbuera and only caring about himself to the detriment of everyother french commander and campaign in Spain (not that he cared whether they won or lost) did Napoleon keeping using Soult as his main commander in the south than to say Davout.

I know its a what if but who do you think would have won between the Iron Marshall and the Iron Duke and did they ever meet???

And finally Sharpe has pretty much fought all the French commanders in Spain except one Suchet any chance he could be sent on one of the east coast expidetions against him ??? Anyway I wish you merry Christmas and a happy new year Geraint btw a good website worth visiting is www.napoleon-series.org on the Napoleonic wars (including war of 1812) and one of the decent discussion forums out there on the subjects if your interested.
Geraint

A

The answer is yes. I deliberately left those gaps so I'd have something interesting to do in my declining years.

I don't know is the answer. I could find out, but not right now because Christmas is coming and I'm way behind on wrapping presents and a million other things. I can only assume that Napoloeon had faith in Soult? Sorry to be so unhelpful.

Haven't a clue! Says he cheerfully. My money would be on Wellington, but I would say that, wouldn't I?

It's possible - I'm always looking for an opportunity, and perhaps one will come up before I finally let Sharpe hang up the sword.


Q

Hi, I am wondering in which book Sharpe first joined the British Army. My mum needs to know please. Thank you very much in ,Emma

A

Tell your mum that it isn't in any of the books. It happened offstage, so to speak, long before the events in Sharpe's Tiger. Sorry about that.


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.


Q

dear Sir, i know that iv asked aboput this before, and i apreaseat your answer (why the French collumn couldnt break the British line but the Jakobites could) but im not a partuiculaly fit bloke, but i can run 100 yrds on a matter of seconds. A British volly fired at 75 yards, then the second at 50, a charge would have been able to reach their enimy easlily before a third volly. platoon fire couldnt have realy worked as on paper a platoon was 50 men, giving a 25-man front. a collumn had a front of about 100 men. I don't get how they could not reach the British lines, even if they had supporting battalions. thankyou for taking the time for this rather long winded question (sorry) Chris G

A

Jacobites weren't fighting the same redcoats. French are encumbered with knapsacks, heavy weapons, boots, and the need to keep good order. Start running and you break the ranks, and the cavalry will be all over you and you're dead. Honest, you can twist it how you like, but what happened, happened!