Your Questions

Dear Mr Cornwell

I have hugely enjoyed reading your novels, particularly the Sharpe series, and while on holiday in South America, have read Sharpe’s Assassin – another brilliant read.

In Colombia, we were taken to the site of the Battle of Boyaca in 1819, which was decisive in the independence of Colombia and other countries in northern South America from Spain.

It appears that there was a ‘British Legion’ (consisting of British and Irish volunteers) fighting for the rebels at this battle and generally throughout the independence campaign.

So I wonder (though I’m sure you get plenty of ‘good suggestions’ for novels) whether you’d considered writing a novel – maybe a series – around the struggle for independence of Spain’s South American colonies?

It sort of fits with the ending of the Napoleonic Wars, though I’m not sure that Sharpe could be persuaded to leave his Normandy idyll! But given the involvement of Irish volunteers, maybe Patrick Harper could move centre-stage?

After all, Bernardo O’Higgins, of obvious Irish ancestry, is considered one of the founding ‘fathers’ of Chile.

Best wishes, and thanks for many hours of reading pleasure.

Richard Lawes

Dear Bernard

just curious but are you more likely to write about Najara or Verneuil as the next book on The Hundred Years War and would consider writing about the Siege of Orleans from the English Perspective  ?

Regards

Geraint

I have recently read Sharp's Devils with pleasure but am perplexed about one point. Puerto Crucero is an important place in the book but I find no Puerto on the maps of Chile.  I do find an inland Crucero. Is Puerto Crucero a stand in for what is now Puerto Montt?

Thanks.

jwl

Out of curiosity, why was "Sea Lord" retitled "Killer's Wake" here in the US. I enjoyed the book (and the title), and noted you referred to 'idiotic reasons' for the retitling.  What were they? (Another book already had a similar title?)

Donald Kieffer

Hello Mr. Cornwell!

I'll be visiting Badajoz in early May, and I'm very eager to retrace the steps of the battle, see the breach, and follow Sharpe's steps. However, I was curious about one thing. I realize there are things made up to advance plots in books, but I wanted to know if you had an exact, or close location to where the Moreno's house was in the city, where Teresa and Antonia were. It's fairly nearby the cathedral, and much has obviously changed in 211 years, but I'd love to narrow it down and potentially walk the streets they did.

(The Sharpe Companion, from what I can tell, shows it being the now city hall, but doesn't provide evidence- but I know that's an unofficial book and would rather have your knowledge.) Did you ever visit the city and walk the streets yourself to pin point the location? Or just more of less looked at a map and chose it for the plot?

I hope you're doing well, and all the best with Sharpe's Command!

- Kiran

I note that you could wish 'Sharpe's Devil' "unwritten." As this unsatisfactory book is set in 1820 and would appear to rule out a post-Waterloo military career for Sharpe, dismissing it from the canon (no pun..) would allow our hero to respond to Wellington's implied wish at the conclusion of 'Assassin' and return to the Colours - and perhaps achieve General Officer rank...

Incidentally (and pedantically) on re-reading 'Company' I find that you have mis-spelt Black Bob's surname: he is Craufurd, not Crauford.

Regards

David Lovibond

Dear Bernard

I was kind of curious but I wondered what would Sharpe have made of U.S General Andrew Jackson if he'd ever met him. Would they have hated each other, they seemed to have the same prickly personality and those never normally get on or would they have got on do you think ?

Regards

Geraint

Dear Mr Cornwell

I have hugely enjoyed reading your novels, particularly the Sharpe series, and while on holiday in South America, have read Sharpe’s Assassin – another brilliant read.

In Colombia, we were taken to the site of the Battle of Boyaca in 1819, which was decisive in the independence of Colombia and other countries in northern South America from Spain.

It appears that there was a ‘British Legion’ (consisting of British and Irish volunteers) fighting for the rebels at this battle and generally throughout the independence campaign.

So I wonder (though I’m sure you get plenty of ‘good suggestions’ for novels) whether you’d considered writing a novel – maybe a series – around the struggle for independence of Spain’s South American colonies?

It sort of fits with the ending of the Napoleonic Wars, though I’m not sure that Sharpe could be persuaded to leave his Normandy idyll! But given the involvement of Irish volunteers, maybe Patrick Harper could move centre-stage?

After all, Bernardo O’Higgins, of obvious Irish ancestry, is considered one of the founding ‘fathers’ of Chile.

Best wishes, and thanks for many hours of reading pleasure.

Richard Lawes

I grew up loving Sharpe, and have in later years enjoyed your other works covering earlier history (I'm a historian by qualification) but Stormchild has always been a book I go back to. Forgive my ignorance if it's common knowledge, but were you a sailing man? What prompted you to deviate from historical adventures?

Many thanks for supplying me with a lifetime of stories and adventures. Should you be visiting Exeter or Devon at any point, it would be an honour to buy you a drink.

Jonathan

Hello Mr. Cornwell,

I'd love to know if you had any go-to nonfiction books that you often referenced to make the medieval world "come alive" in your The Last Kingdom and Arthurian books. I've enjoyed reading poems and translated stories from that time and would love to learn more about the actual people, villages, and life. Are you able to point me in the right direction?

Also, do you ever make any more big charts of books you liked as mentioned in your Writing Advice post? Quite curious about what that all looks like!

Thank you,

David