Your Questions

Q

Having read all the Sharpe Novels, right up to Escape and seen all of the TV shows on DVD and sounding like your typical fan (sorry but I can't help it, I'm just a big fan of your work), I have to say I'm a bit puzzled by one of the TV shows. In Sharpe's Justice, there a few major differences to the Sharpe story, mainly his mother dying, his brother and Sharpe finding out these details. I was just wondering if you helped to write this part of the Sharpe legend and if you didn't what your thoughts on it were? Thanks Keith Lutener

Submitted February 3, 2005

A

I had nothing whatever to do with it, nor was my opinion sought, and I sort of ignore it - or at least, for the purposes of writing Sharpe, I ignore it. I like the programmes, so no complaints, but I don't feel bound by any of the facts they used.

Q

I have just read "A Crowning Mercy" and now purchased "Fallen Angels". I gather they have both been recently re-released, here in Australia at least. I noticed they were originally published in 1983. They are both under your name and Susannah Kells - I am interested to know how you came to write these 2. Or was it Mrs Cornwell? A Crowning Mercy was very enjoyable and I am expecting Fallen Angels to be the same, however the brief story on the back of the book states that Campion is Toby's sister - in Crowning Mercy they got married?? I am an avid reader of your novels and love Sharp. Regards, Kevin

Submitted February 3, 2005

A

A Crowning Mercy takes place in 1643 - Fallen Angels in 1792 - and continues the chronicle of the Lazender family. The books were written years ago, the result of a small wager among friends.

Q

Mr Cornwell, thank you for your excellent books such as your Warlord Chronicles, which in my opinion are some of the greatest and most moving pieces of literature ever. Just a few questions: I like the way you placed little or unknown characters from the Arthurian legend into your trilogy such as Druidan and Sebile. My question is, what made you decide that the 'mad' and 'strange' characters such as them in Merlin's domain? In the formation of a shield wall, do the men in the ranks behind the first line have their shield in a 'ready' position in case the wall breaks or do they have them slung over their backs? In the british army, when did the ranks we have today and during the earlier wars come into practise? Thanks again for the books, Pete

Submitted February 1, 2005

A

Probably because that's the best place for them! Merlin is mysterious, after all, and I suspect he would have attracted like-minded people.

My own suspicion is the second rank use their shields to protect the heads of the men in front, while those behind will have their shields in the 'ready' position - so that they can replace the casulties from the forward ranks. You would have found recognisable ranks by the early eighteenth century. Obviously they existed before - Shakespeare has corporals and captains - but the rank system was codified in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.

Q

Dear Bernard I live a few miles from the ridgeway and some of the sites mentioned in the Last Kingdom (last week popped into Englefield) and at some point in the spring will visit them. Have you visited this area or the ridge way? If you did, does this inspire you? Looking forward to The White Horse. regards, Kevin

Submitted February 1, 2005

A

Many, many times, and I walked part of the Ridgeway again when I was researching the book. Such visits are always useful - it's almost impossible to write about a place if you haven't been there, and making the trip throws up all sorts of ideas (which counts as inspiration). I've just finished the follow-up to The Last Kingdom and discovered that the likeliest place for the battle of Ethandun is almost entirely unchanged since 878 - and that's terrific! There aren't many places you can visit and think that a character from eleven hundred years before would recognise it - but they do exist.

Q

I have just finished reading the Warlord Chronicles for the second time. I have an interest in early Britain military tactics, ie the use of the Roman shield war. Where did you research the battles, both the place and outcome? Thank You. Jay Cheetham

Submitted February 1, 2005

A

There's no real place to research them, because sadly we know very little about them - even where they were fought! I offered as much information as I could in the novels' Historical Notes, and can't add a great deal, except to say that in the various books which deal with the Arthurian legends you'll get different answers to where and how the battles were fought. Gildas, the historian who wrote very shortly after Mount Badon (the most important battle) tells us the Saxons were defeated (which later Saxon sources confirm), but he doesn't say where it was, or what happened - he does say it was a siege, but not who was besieging whom, so it's all sadly vague. Camlann, the battle that ends the trilogy, is even more mysterious. The source for it having taken place at all is very, very late, and therefore suspect, and the candidates for its site range across the whole of Britain! In the end, as a novelist, you have to make an intelligent decision and hope it makes some sense!

Q

I would like to say thank you for The Last Kingdom. I would never usually read fiction as I much prefer books on chinese martial arts or computing manuals, but I started reading your book over a friend's shoulder on a plane journey, grabbed the book and couldn't put it down. So, thank you for restoring my faith in fiction. Do you know yet when the next book is planned for release? Regards. Liane

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I have just finished reading The Last Kingdom and enjoyed it very much and I now eagerly await the next book in the series. Could you please tell me when it will be hitting bookshops in Australia. Kind regards, Peer.

I've just finished reading The Last Kingdom. It was wonderful. Have you any idea of when the second in the series might be available? Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Anne Landon

hello, I really liked "the Last Kingdom" as I do all your books, I was just wondering when the next book is coming out? Are we going to see anymore of King Arthur? Ryan Henson

Submitted January 26, 2005

A

The second book will be published in the UK in October of this year (I believe that means it will be in Australia at that time as well). Not sure yet when it will be published in the US, but I'll let you know as soon as we find out. No plans to add to the Arthur books.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell. Please talk a little bit about the process by which you come to formulate a new Sharpe novel. In particular, what comes first, the plot or the historical setting? Do you say "I want to have Sharpe go up against an elite French anti-partisan unit, what Peninsular battle or siege will facilitate that?" Or do you say "I want Sharpe at the battle of Albuera, what sort of plot can I get him into in and around that battle?" Alan Kempner

Submitted January 26, 2005

A

A bit of both! Not a very helpful answer, I fear. Probably the usual thing is to find the passage of history first - so for the next Sharpe book I researched the battle of Barossa, not because I thought Sharpe would be involved (I didn't think he would), but because my wife and I were invited to a wedding not far from the battlefield and I decided to have a look at the place and, of course, got so caught up in the battle's story that I decided Sharpe really must go there. But that only gives a very skeletal framework to the tale - the hard work is discovering why he was released from Wellington's army for a few weeks, what in God's name he was doing near Cadiz, and who is trying to kill him. None of that is worked out yet, but it will be!

Q

Mr Cornwell, I recently read Gallows Thief and was quite impress. After reading most of your other books based on war I picked it up and decided I would give it a chance and I must say, it was amazing. It was up there with some of your better Sharpe. I heard a little while ago that you might write a second story about Sandman and I was wondering if this was true? I was also wondering if you have ever considered writing about the Duke of Marlborough or a series based around him, sort of like how Sharpe follows Wellington's military career. Thanks for your time and your great books. Josh Brown

Submitted January 26, 2005

A

There is a possibility of a follow up to Gallows Thief. The Duke of Marlborough? I have thought about it - often - but I'm so caught up in other books that it's probably a long way off - if it ever happens!

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, My husband and I are great admirers of your Sharpe series and I have recently recommended them to my sister and brother-in-law who are now "hooked" on Sharpe. We recently saw the video "Sharpe's Battle." As an American I am not familiar with all the English regional accents. Does Sean Bean, in Sharpe's Battle, speak with the authentic London accent from the area that Richard Sharpe was supposed to have come from originally? And is the sword he carries the heavy cavalry sword of the novels? Thanks for hours of enjoyment. Looking forward to the next book! Roberta Parker

Submitted January 26, 2005

A

Sean speaks in good Yorkshire - a far cry from a London accent, but it never worries me - in the books I say that Sharpe spent the latter part of his childhood in Yorkshire, and children have an extraordinary facility for picking up accents, so it fits. And yes, the sword is an example of the Heavy Cavalry sword, though Sharpe's own sword would have had the backblade ground down to make a symmetrical point. The original model (which Sean carries) had a backblade straight to the tip and it was found that it tended to glance off enemy ribs, so troops going into battle were allowed to grind the backblade down.

Q

Hello, I've been a long time fan, and have recently discovered your Hellequin series, Stonehenge, and The Last Kingdom. I love the way you're able to delve into the rich history of Europe and the UK and spin a fascinating story. I don't typically find "military stories" or "war stories" to be that interesting, but for some reason, the skill with which you weave these tales has me hooked. Do you plan to write more about the history of the UK? With The Last Kingdom, you delve into the 900's CE - will there be books that explore the history prior to the 900's? Cheers, Paul

Submitted January 26, 2005

A

Probably lots more - beginning with the follow up to The Last Kingdom (with more to come). Anything prior to that? I'm not sure.