Your Questions

Q

I have just finished Sharpe's Fortress, and I am enjoying the series very much. Only one question, is there a difference between the American and the UK versions of the books, and if there are what is it? thanks, --Joe

Submitted March 25, 2005

A

No difference, except the Americanisation of the spelling of some words in the US publications.

Q

hello Mr. Cornwell! I have just finished The Last Kingdom and think that is some of your best work. I have read the the follow up will be released in October, so does that mean Jan. for us poor sods in America? And also, do you have any new books debuting before The White Rider? I appreciate your time! Until the next time, Richard Mock, Ga.

Mr Cornwell, Firstly I would like to thank you for your books. My question is regarding your up and coming books, normally you seem to release 2 books a year, one in the Spring and another later in the year. From your What's Coming page it only seems that there is one due this year, have I missed a release? One last point PLEASE let Starbuck finish his adventure. Thanks Darryl

Submitted March 25, 2005

A

The next book will now be called The Pale Horseman and I do believe it will be released in the US in January, 2006. No other books planned between now and then.

Q

Bernard, I read in today's papers that Sean Bean's home in London has been burgled with the loss of some personal items. Strangely the report also mentioned that Sean was about to reprise his Sharpe character on film. This rumour seems to be persisting as I saw a similar comment in one of the many TV journals a few weeks ago. Paper talk? Have been a Sharpe fan for many years and, now retired, am still spending some of the pension attempting to complete a collection of signed first editions - must have a goal of some sort! May your pen never run dry - keep them coming. Kind regards Pete

Hi Bernard, I like many others have enjoyed the Sharpe's series and know that you are planning on writing about his earlier period for the tv but will the actor still be Sean Bean since he will be a young man? I really like him and have watched for him in other parts that he has played. Also do you think there will be a tv series on the "Starbuck Chronicles". Looking forward to your reply and please keep up with your health as we look forward to many more books written by you. Doreen, Winnipeg, Canada

Berbard I have just read in todays paper that Sean Bean is to return to playing Sharpe again on ITV. Is this true? If so will the new TV films be set in india or will new stories be written for him? John Webb

Submitted March 25, 2005

A

Sorry to hear that about Sean! I haven't heard anything new regarding more films, but if I do I'll be happy to post it. No plans at the moment for a tv series based on the Starbuck chronicles.

Q

Hi Mr. Cornwell First I would like to forgive me for my horrible English (I am using a translation program and I do not know if he is trustworthy), my name is Ana and is Brazilian. Necessary you congratulate it, you are an excellent author, taste very of its books, mainly of the Trilogy of Arthur. He would like to know if you have plans to launch more headings in Brazil. We have only launched here the Trilogy of the Grail and the Trilogy of Arthur, I read more two books published its in Portugal ("Stormchild" and "Stonehenge"). Mr. Cornwell has many fans for here that as I, they would like to read the Sharpe series. Please it thinks about the subject and it publishes the Sharpe series here in Brazil. One I hug, Ana

Submitted March 25, 2005

A

Thank you very much for your kind message. My publisher in Brazil is Record - and I do believe they have plans to publish more of my books there, but I don't know if that includes any of the Sharpe books. I believe they have recently published 'Gallows Thief'.

Sorry I don't have any other information for you. Hopefully you will see more of my books in Brazil soon!

Q

I'm in the middle of my second reading of "The Last Kingdom." I'm not upset, just frustrated. Did Ragnar the Younger survive the storm, and is Thyra still alive, after being abused by Sven? How could you leave us hanging like that? I hope that these questions are resolved in the next book! Beth Harrison

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

For a chance to read an excerpt from the next book, The Pale Horseman, click on the link found on the 'What's Coming' page of this website.

Q

thanks for your answers... it's beautiful when an author has such a tight contact with his fans!!! I've read all the 5 Sharpe's books translated in Italy for Longanesi, (tiger, fortress, rifle, trafalgar, triumph) all the grail quest books and today I've bought the 5 books of the Arthur saga (in Italy are 5...). do you think that Longanesi will take in Italy the Starbucks chronicles sooner or later? maybe following the success of the movie "cold mountain" that is somehow related... so long and go on this way!!!!!!! Lorenzo Mantero

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

I don't know if the Starbuck Chronicles will ever be translated in Italy, but I do believe the Italian publisher will release The Last Kingdom in Italy at some point. They also have plans to translate Sharpe's Prey and Sharpe's Havoc.

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell, I've read most of your books, and just yesterday finished reading Crackdown. It is the first of your sailing thrillers that I've read, and I quite enjoyed it! Though I could not help but notice that each American character in the book was loud, opinionated and downright rude. Of course, as a rule that is all true, but it leads to me ask one question of you. Has your opinion of us Yanks changed in the 15 odd years since you've written the book? Thanks for your time! James Moore. Madison, Wi.

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

I don't agree with you - the Maggot is one of my favourite characters, maybe a bit loud, but why not? And Ellen's OK isn't she? And Jackson Chatterton more than OK. Lots of foul Brit characters in my books. And I've lived here more than 25 years and I really couldn't do that if I didn't like the folk I live among!

Q

Just finished The Last Kingdom- Great tale- thank you. I was born in Denmark and lived 9 months under German Occup'n till father pulled a trick on them and got us out to NYC. I have a dumb question, but wasn't it the Jutes (from Jutland) not the Danes? The Vaestra vikingar pillaged England, Scotland and Ireland (I always wear red on St Pat's Day), and the Oestra vikingar (the Svea) who travelled west and south through the land of the Rus into the Med. When I lived in Beirut 1961-3 I heard about mosaics of the "vikings" trading with the moslems, but they always had their right hands on their swords. Seems we Yanks had to learn that the hard way. I look forward to your next in the series. When did King Canute (knud) come into the picture. The Danes werre quite democratic, and probably no more violent than any other tribes of the period? Congrats, Erik

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

The Jutes, I think, came with the first wave of Saxon invaders and settled mainly in Kent. The Danes arrived much later. It's odd, isn't it, that we call them Jutes and not Danes, but I suspect the Danes, coming three hundred years later, didn't think of them as Danes either - and by then the Jutish settlers were speaking English and seem to have been assimilated into the other Saxon tribes. Is this a pre-history conundrum like the Schleswig-Holstein question?

Q

I enjoy all of your books, but it seems that the Last Kingdom was really well done. I hope there will be more forthcoming soon about this time period. Also, Do your writings reveal your personal feelings of religion. It seems that they all have a common thread of disallusion over formal relgion and a bent toward pagansim or secularism.
Glen Robinson

Submitted March 23, 2005

A

I'm not sure they all have - Rider Sandman (Gallows Thief) is a very conventional Anglican, while Swynyard, in the Starbuck Chronicles, is undoubtedly improved beyond recognition by becoming a Christian. Sharpe, I confess, is an unbeliever, while the books about Arthur and Alfred are set in times when Christianity was in competition with other religions, so some reflection of that is necessary, and I don't believe that Christianity had a monopoly of morality and paganism a monopoly on immorality.

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