Your Questions

Q

Hi To start with Last Kingdom is great. How long does it take you to research your books? As the detail in Last Kingdom and the Arthur books is great. I know it is your job to make us feel like we are there, the detail really makes it for me. David Seale

Submitted October 22, 2004

A

The amount of research depends on the book. I don't spend too much time researching Sharpe these days, partly because I've spent forty odd years reading and researching the period, so much of it is now second nature. On a new book, in a new period, there might be three or four months concentrated research first, but I'll have spent two or three years reading about the period before that - and I usually keep on researching as I'm writing - as I'm doing now with the second book about Alfred the Great.

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell. I recently finished the Grail Quest, and realized that you probably have to do a lot of your research in languages other than your own - Old English, Celtic, Spanish, Portugese, French, etc. What languages are you able to work in? Do you often have to resort to the services of a translator? Alan Kempner

Submitted October 22, 2004

A

I resort to translations! I can struggle through French and Latin, can make a stab at Spanish, and am fairly at home in Old English - otherwise I depend on translations.

Q

I'm a huge fan of your books, especially the novels set during the middle ages or before. Have you any plans to write a story set in the time of the Crusades? I really think your imagination and wonderful story telling would do that period justice in a novel. Kind regards - A Davison

Submitted October 21, 2004

A

I don't have plans for it, but perhaps that may change?

Q

Hi Bernard, like so many before me I would like to thank you for the Warlord series - fantastic, books I have read and re-read, I find the theme an inspiration. Something has occured to me before now - has anyone ever considered producing a film trilogy of the series? I would imagine something not dissimilar to the opening scenes of Gladiator, or some of the Braveheart scenes, done without the Hollywood glamour of, say, Lord of the Rings or the pretty dreadful 'Arthur'. My personal opinion is that as long as we don't see any shining suits of armour or lances and stick to the hard, uncompromising and raw theme I'm sure many of us have envisaged, a wonderful series could be produced. Any thoughts? Paul Martin

Dear Bernard, I am an actor and playwright but first and foremost a massive fan of your work. I would like to know whether anyone has approached you asking for rights to attempt screenplays of your Arthurian trilogy. If you haven't, I wondered what your feelings on that proposal might be. I personally think that the trilogy is the most exciting and intensely absorbing rendering of the arthurian legend I have ever read and would love to see it commited to film. I hope you are well, Tristan Beint

Submitted October 21, 2004

A

I'd love to see it happen, but suspect the films would be too expensive to make.

Q

Dear Bernard, Firstly may I say how much I'm looking forward to read The Last Kingdom (shame on me I haven't got it yet. But it's on order , Honest!). Will this be a trilogy or a series? Secondly, I have noticed how many people ask if the Warlord Trilogy will be made into films, but for the more popular story for our American cousins wouldn't the Starbuck Chronicles make a more lucrative series? Plus it would give you a few years to write more installments for Nate and co? If Clive Owen doesn't get the roll of the next Bond perhaps he could take the roll of Starbuck? Have a word with Hollywood for a Franchise, lol. I'm sure whatever of your books they decide to do ( and they should) it would be a great success. Anyway, please do not stop writing, and look forward to your next book, whatever it might be, Hint. Fondest Regards Lee

Submitted October 21, 2004

A

I hope a series! The second book, tentatively called The Shadow QueenL is almost finished, and it will certainly be more than a trilogy.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I have written to you on previous occasions and I would like complement you on the speed and wholesomeness of your return. Anyway. I would like to ask you this, in "Sharpes Tiger", Major - General Baird and General Harris are very good characters and I would like to ask how they got on. I also have an idea for your next Sharpe book, how about "Sharpes Victory"? I have read all of your Indian Sharpe books and I think that they are some of the best you have written. Is your Sergeant Hakeswill character Based on your Sergeant Scammell (Or the other way around). Are there any clubs in which you could study and learn about the musket or rifle for children.(I'm 14 you see)

James H.

Yours James

Submitted October 21, 2004

A

So far as I know Harris and Baird got on fine. Harris was a good guy, Baird could be tricky and, of course, he developed a hatred of Sir Arthur Wellesley in India that took a long time to dissipate. I'd love to use the title 'Sharpe's Victory', but it was used by Carlton TV for their book about the making of the TV series and, if I used it again, I suspect it would cause endless confusion - so it's best avoided. I think Scammell was based on Hakeswill, if anything! Clubs for muskets? Or Rifles? It depends where you live, but somewhere near you there will be a group of re-enactors, and they could help. If you're in Britain try to find a magazine called Skirmish which will have lots of details, or you could look up Black Powder in Google and follow links until you find a club in your area that specialises in black powder shooting. The Sharpe Appreciation Society may know something about it too, because I know they have black-powder shooting expeditions, so an e-mail to them could well throw up an answer? (www.southessex.co.uk). Good luck!

Q

Mr Cornwell, Congratulations on the fantastic book that is The Last Kingdom. I took it on holiday with me and finished it on the third day. Although not as good as your excellent Warlord Chronicles, The Last Kingdom, in my opinion, is one of your best yet and I can't wait for the next one. Just one question regarding the characters. You say that Uhtred is not a real character but that the characters with the ash are real. Does this mean that Uhtred's uncle AElfric was real but wasn't the uncle to Uhtred or was he a fictional character too? Cheers for the hours of pleasurable reading, Lewis.

Submitted October 21, 2004

A

Aelfric is fictional. Uhtred was real enough (and an ancestor of mine), but we know nothing about him, so he's really fictional too.

Q

I just finished "The Last Kingdom" today...well done! I hope there will be more of Uhtred's exploits to come! What are you working on next (if you don't mind the asking)? It seems that you have had book releases around October and June each year. Will your next book be available in June? Mark

I am a big fan of your books, infact I own them all. I have nearly finished your latest book (The Last Kingdom), I think it is briliant. When do you plan to release the next in the series? I will will keep buying if you keep publishing. Cheer for many happy hours of reading. Regards Jonathan Whitfield

Submitted October 21, 2004

A

I'm glad to know you enjoyed The Last Kingdom. I am working on the next book of the series now - tentatively titled The Shadow Queen. It won't be available by next June; I anticipate its publication in October 2005.

Q

The Sharpe books are thrilling. Thank you for many happy hours. Any plans for future Sharpe books? Many thanks! Iain Harvey

I heard a rumor recently that you are planning to have Sharpe spend his next adventure in Halifax and that there will be a return of Obadiah Hakeswill (despite his apparent 'execution'). Is there any truth to these? David

Hello Mr. Cornwell! I fear I am not the only one who asked you the following question: Is there another Sharpe-Book after "Sharpe's Escape"? And if, when could I buy it? :-) I'm a great fan of your books from Germany. They are my reason to learn the english language. Indeed! Stefan Theile

Dear Mr Cornwell, I have been a great fan of the Sharpe books for many years now and seeing that you've written 20 Novels on his Adventures now will you being stopping or will we being seeing more of Richard Sharpe on the shelves after Sharpe's Escape? Neil Stevens

Submitted October 19, 2004

A

No truth at all to Sharpe being in Halifax! I'm sure he'd love to go there (nice place), but a severe lack of French enemies. As for Hakeswill? No! But perhaps he had a twin brother? There will be more Sharpe books - but probably not for a year or two.

Q

What do you think the outcome would have been if Wellington had been in charge of the British forces in America during the War of 1812? Jonathan Mullins

Submitted October 19, 2004

A

Much the same (though he would never have fought New Orleans). He was offered the job (in 1814), but turned it down - he was always opposed to the war and said he would accept the North American command only if he was positively ordered to take it, and only if he was left free to negotiate a peace with the Americans! He was, incidentally, a great admirer of George Washington and kept a portrait of Washington in his country house. His belief, as I understand it, was that the USA was simply too big for the small forces the British had committed - what did it matter if you burned Washington DC? It achieved nothing except give the White House its name, and the Americans simply retreated into the vast hinterland and the British didn't have nearly enough men to follow them (because it would have meant garrisoning every town on the way to protect the supply lines). He was much too sensible to fight in so vast a country.