Your Questions

I am your biggest fan! I picked up your book's only 6 months ago and already I have read Stonehenge, The Grail quests,one of the arthur books and the Last Kingdom. And I was just curious if you would ever write a book on the ancient tribes of Germany. You know before the Romans but after Stonehenge. They interest me greatly. Your biggest fan, Karsten Hansen

There is some debate concerning the origin of the British obscene gesture, the "V-Sign," and whether it is related to threats or reality of severing the fingers of archers at around the time of the battle of Agincourt. Most sober observers claim that reports of the day do not mention this practice and Desmond Morris finds the earliest mention of dis-digitising archers 80 years later than the battle. Apparently you mention the practice of cutting off archers's fingers in your book Harlequin. Please may I ask if that part of the book fiction or based on historical research? Thanks Tim

Whilst on holiday I borrowed and read a Sharpe novel which ended with him being taken prisoner by the French(?) in Portugal after trying to fool them with Portugese soldiers dressed as Redcoats. Unfortunately I cannot recall the title and I cannot find any continuation. Am I totaly mistaken in my memory or can you tell me which (if any) title picks up the story? Thanks. B. D. Chilvers

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I have just finished reading 'The Last Kingdom', which I thoroughly enjoyed (particularly since I'm most interested in both Norse and Anglo Saxon history). My question, really, is one of stylistics - I noticed that, periodically throughout the book, you appear to fall into a form of sentence construction which seems rather different to much of your other writing. It felt, at times, that you might have been deliberately flavouring the various episodes of Uhtred's progress with a taste of the predominant writing style of the nationality he felt himself to be at any given time - your construction (and, to an extent, language) is often reminiscent of the Norse literature (particularly the sagas) when he is under Danish influence, and then again of the Anglo-Saxon (particularly the poetic form) when he feels more strongly English. I wondered if this was a conscious decision? Stephen Mossop

Hi Mr. Cornwell, many thanks for the amazing Sharpe series and for suffering your fans' questions. Couple quick questions: who was the other actor originally cast as Sharpe (you mentioned in answer to a question about Sharpe's Gold)? And I'm curious why Sharpe never goes to North America -- he might have fought some interesting frontier battles with the Yankees and got home in time for Waterloo?! -Peter

Dear Mr Cornwell I have now read all the Sharpe series, The Warlord Trilogy, The Thomas of Hookton Trilogy, Stonehenge, Gallows Thief etc. etc..and have thoroughly enjoyed every one. Have you ever thought of writing about modern historical events like WWII or Vietnam or something in living memory? Regards David Fletcher, Tetbury, Glos.

Mr Cornwell, I have been a fan of your books for a fairly long time and have read nearly all of them, from Sharpe to the Last Kingdom. I must salute you for the breadth of your talent and imagination. If I may, I have some questions to ask you: (1) Do you know exactly when the ext Uhtred Uhtredsson book comes out in the U.K? (2) What do you think would happen if that infamous cad Flashman were to meet Richard Sharpe?(I can guess, but I think Richard would have been a little too old to decapitate Harry for his. . .exploits with his daughter or female relatives) and (3) Have you ever read any novels by a gentleman called Wilbur Smith? My regards and lasting literary loyalty, Euan Donald.

Hi Mr Cornwell, Firstly Please forgive the grammar, I'd like to say how much I am enjoying the books about Sharpe. I haven't got through all of them yet! But I plan to read everything at least twice. It's a saga I can imagine clearly in my mind's eye, unlike any other series I have read in the past, it tally's exquisitely along the path I have tracked down in the Regiments history. During my Colour service in the army, I was in the regiment that owes a great deal to one of it's fore father regiments, namely the 95th Rifles, which became The Prince Consort's Own Rifle Brigade, later the Title Prince Consorts own was dropped to become the Rifle brigade, . They lost this title in 1966, to their last name change the 3rd battalion Royal Green Jackets, which was disbanded in 1992, why I left the service. . During by basic training we covered the regiment's history, to make us fell proud of who went before us. So I got intrigued & wanted to look into the regiment's history, when I wasn't working. I came across a book quit recently of yours Sharpe's Christmas, once I found that there was a vast collection dedicated to Sharpe I had to start getting them to read. I was simply amazed how most of the information about Sharpe's daily routine hasn't changed that much really. The regiment still used bugle calls for pretty much everything on daily basics. Muster parade, breakfast, dinner lunch etc, until it was disbanded. It seems to me that there is on your part, a lot of in depth research into all your books. I'd like to ask, if I may some questions, What made you pick the 95th rifles? Was it because they stood out more then any other of the British Army regiments around that period? For adapting camouflage into their clothing, wearing uniforms better suited to the terrain around them. Because they were all to begin with Chosen Men? Would you ever put to print a story line based round Sharpe covering the battle of Copenhagen in 1802? That date was probably one of the most important battle honours given to the regiment up until the end of 19th Century! Which sets them aside from other regiments supposedly higher in the order of the line? They were awarded the Navel Crown & were awarded rights to wear the navel gold leaf, on their uniforms. I don't know if you haven already covered this time frame? Based on my uncertainty, would you ever place Col. Sharpe who would be too old so maybe his son, & his Chosen Men in the Crimean War 1854-1855? Having a kinda then & now thing? Comparing what his father did to what he & his fellow Rifleman did the day before, or even having the retired Col coming to his son's rescue? The only reason I ask is because, from what I have read so far you are probably one of the best writers who could bring to light this amazing period in the regiments history Here's Hoping, Darren Phillips

I`m currently doing a history course,and I was wondering, because it`s driving both me and my tutor mad, why were americans referred to as jonathons during the napoleonic wars? Matthew Collings

Dear Mr. Cornwell, Most likely someone has asked you this but. I was wondering if you were thinking of making a Crusaders book series? your fan David Dorsey