Your Questions

Q

Hello again, Have now just finished Richard Sharpe's Indian adventures. They were made even more vivid by the photographs of the battle sites you have posted on the website. Fantastic! Do you have any pictures of the battle sites from the Peninsular Campaigns? Or are the sites now changed beyond all recognition? Many thanks again for the great books. Neil

Hi Bernard, Forgot to ask another important question! You mention somewhere on the website that the actor who originally was going to play Sharpe in the TV series was injured and so had to be replaced by Sean Bean. I was wondering who the original actor was? Anyone we'd know? Regards, Neil

Submitted September 10, 2004

A

It's really for reasons of space why we don't put pictures of the peninsular sites on the website - and there are so many of them. Most of the battlefields haven't changed, and they're very picturesque, but there are plenty of published sources where you can find such pictures - whereas pics of the Indian sites are hard to come by. Jac Weller's Wellington in the Peninsula has good pictures, as does the indispensable Wellington's Peninsular War by Julian Paget - and there's Fields of Fire, by Ian Fletcher.

Paul McGann.

Q

Hi I was just wondering which Sharpe book comes after Eagle as I would like to read them in chronological order but am slightly confused as in the front of the books it says Escape comes next, but on the website it says Gold comes next so I would be grateful if you could sort this confusion out. Cheers, Toby

Submitted September 10, 2004

A

Sorry for your confusion! Click onto the Sharpe books page of this website where you will find all the Sharpe books listed in chronological order ('Sharpe's Gold' does come after 'Sharpe's Eagle' - 'Sharpe's Escape' follows 'Sharpe's Gold'). I hope you'll enjoy the books!

Q

DEAR MR. CORNWELL, I WAS INTRODUCED TO THE SHARPE SERIES BY MY BROTHER A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND HAVE BEEN A HUGE FAN EVER SINCE. QUITE HONESTLY I WASN'T VERY INTERESTED AT FIRST UNTIL MY BROTHER INDICATED THAT SHARPE REMINDED HIM OF ME. NOT SURE WHY! ANYWAY, MY QUESTION IS THIS: I FIND MANY CHARACTERS IN YOUR NOVELS VERY INTERESTING, ESPECIALLY THE NONFICTION VARIETY. I FIND SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY ONE OF THE MORE FASCINATING PEOPLE I HAVE EVER READ ABOUT AND FIND MYSELF ADMIRING THIS MAN VERY MUCH. CAN YOU RECOMMEND A BOOK THAT TELLS MORE ABOUT WELLESLEY? HIS MEMOIRS? ALSO, I REALIZE THAT RICHARD SHARPE IS A FICTIONAL CHARACTER, BUT IS THERE ANYONE WHO PARALLELS THIS CHARACTER AND HIS ADVENTURES EVEN IN THE SLIGHTEST? IF SO, I WOULD LIKE TO READ ABOUT THIS NONFICTION PERSON AS WELL. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL BOOKS. LOVE ALL YOUR CHARACTERS AND THE WONDERFUL DESCRIPTIONS OF THEM AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACHOTHER. ESPECIALLY SHARPE AND HARPER. WHAT AN AWESOME PAIR AND SO BELIEVABLE. SINCERELY, RYAN HIGGINBOTHAM

About two months ago, I came across an intro offer on Sharpe's Eagle. I took it up, and enjoyed it immensely. I have been mulling over checking out your books for some time, but no longer reading fiction, I passed them by. Since that first book, I have read six more. My question is about Wellington, was he much like your portrait of him, in style, demeanor, and tone? I am referring to his personal character, not just his military skill. Moreover, were you to go into Barnes and Noble, or Borders, and looking for a biography on Wellington, there are not many to select from. But were you to check out Bonaparte, there are many selections, and most of them are recent publications. To what do you account for the discrepancy? Kind of odd, so much on Bonaparte, little of Wellington? What is the best bio to explore his full career, including India? I would love to know. Thanks, and keep up the excellent work. I hope you are hard at it, someone so talented has no business doing anything but WRITING! Dan McCuen, Esquire

Submitted September 10, 2004

A

I'd like to think the portrait is pretty accurate, but I would, wouldn't I? I think it probably makes sense that Napoleon takes up so much more shelf-space - after all Napoleon had a much greater effect on history than Wellington. I always recommend three biographies, conveniently all three are called Wellington, so that's easy. Elizabeth Longford's is terrific, hugely readable, but fairly old now. Recently Christopher Hibbert, who is always readable, published a one volume life, and then there's the incomparable Richard Holmes, though his biography concentrates much more on the military years and gives short shrift to the Duke's political career. All three are good though!

Q

Hi Bernard I am rereading Excalibur and am loving it. When Cerdic's spearmen row away they sing a song that repeats the word "hwaet" - for your mom, for your girl, etc. What does it mean? Thanks, James

Submitted September 10, 2004

A

The word is really an exclamation drawing attention to what follows, a sort of 'pay attention now' word - "Lo' 'Behold'. It's the first word of the great poem Beowulf. It could also mean 'sharp', 'brisk' and brave'. A sort of all purpose word, but my guess is that Cerdic's speramen were using it as a vulgarity.

Q

I thoroughly enjoyed The Warlord Chronicles and was fascinated with the character reinterpretations. I think the musical, "Camelot", got it partly right when Lancelot sings "C'est Moi!" My wife considers your Arthur books heresy since she prefers "The Mists of Avalon". The book, not the mini-series. She liked the emphasis on the female characters. I tried to tell her that you feature strong male characters but do not neglect the females. Like most people who are offended by a book, she won't read it. Any chance for Derfel having any more adventures? The period between the Battle at Mount Baddon and the return of Mordred was several years and it would make interesting reading. Not to beat a dead horse, BUT, I wrote to you several months ago regarding the relatively small armies in the Arthur Books. I suppose the collapse of the Roman economic structure and decline in agricultural production meant that they did not have the capacity to sustain large numbers of warriors in the field. You are right and I yield the point. As to Boadicea's army, I checked in my copy of Michael Wood's "In Search of the Dark Ages" and he states that her army substantialy outnumbered the Roman forces. I realize that Roman chroniclers such as Tacitus and Dio vastly overestimated the size of the force but the number of Roman Legionaries were usually accurately reported. According to Dr. Graham Wesbster, the backbone of Suetonious' force was the 14th Legion. He also had elements of the 20th. The Romans numbered around 7000 or 8000 legionaries and 4000 auxilaries and cavalry. That's about 11 or 12 thousand. If she outnumbered the Romans what is a good "guesstimate" as to the number? Did Celtic society/economy operate at a higher level before the Roman invasion? Not meaning to nitpik just interested. Guy E. Orr

Submitted September 9, 2004

A

Lord knows! IF the Romans numbered 11,000 to 12,000? And an uprising, which is very different from an organised army, could easily number more - though how long is it going to hold together without a logistical unit? I can imagine the Iceni rising up, and other tribes joining them, and an initial success because there are so many folk swarming towards London, but they fell apart quickly enough when the Romans counter-attacked. I have no idea of the numbers involved - but I would be surprised if a tribal uprising, however disorganised (which, perversely, would probably increase its numbers because they're not constrained by organisation) could muster more than 20,000. No plans for any more Warlord Chronicle books.

Q

Mr Cornwell, In the Sharpe books whenever Lawford or Sharpe talk about how long they have known each other they always say since 1799 when Sharpe was a sergeant but I'm sure Sharpe wasn't promoted until the end of Sharpe's Tiger after Lawford taught him how to read and write. Please could you help with these? One more comment, in Sharpe's company Lieutenant Price's first name is Harold yet later on it is Harry are they 2 different people? Thank you very much your fan, Chris Horgan

Submitted September 9, 2004

A

Sharpe learned to read and write in 1799. So that's OK! Harold and Harry? Why not? I believe Harry is used as a nickname for Harold.

Q

Dear Bernard, Just bought a copy of Sharpe's Christmas and was pleasantly suprised to find it was signed, thank you. I recently finished readng Dan Brown's Da Vinci code and having also read your Grail Quest I found myself comparing both books,. I feel the Grail seems more trouble than anything else, a big white elephant (I know they're only fiction) and what do you think of the opinion regarding Mary Magdelene as the Grail? Finally having done a lot of research into my family name I believe it relates to Cheshire poachers, abit like Dan Hagman (Stealth fox) a worthy character name I believe. Thanks for your time, Alex

Submitted September 7, 2004

A

The grail is unfindable, and so it represents the unattainable. My opinion of Mary Magdalene? You don't want to know.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I'm currently working on the first historical battle to feature in the Napoleonic novel I'm writing. I'm using several books to guide me along, including the relevant Osprey, which has good maps and diagrams but I'm finding it hard to get into, certainly a lot harder than the fictional battle/fight scenes that have gone before, because I have to bear in mind what actually happened and can't let my imagination run wild! I was wondering if you found historical or fictional battles easier to write and whether you have any advice on writing them? You don't mention it in your writing advice section, which incidentally encouraged me to keep going during a bad patch when I was just starting. I wondered also if you had read either of the new Edwin Thomas stories fearing Lieutenant Martin Jerrold of the Royal Navy? I have read The Blighted Cliffs and enjoyed it and finally found Chains of Albion today. The cameo appearance by Arthur Wellesley was one of my favourite scenes in The Blighted Cliffs. Someone asked what happened to Tom Garrad. He survived the destruction of Almeida in Sharpe's Gold. Sharpe believes that he dies in Sharpe's Battle, I think in an explosion, but never finds his body. Marie

Submitted September 7, 2004

A

Historical battles are probably easier, simply because much of the work (i.e. what happened) has been done for you. Advice? Read John Keegan's The Face of Battle and all will become clear! I've read the first Edwin Thomas and enjoyed it - but, shame on me, didn't know there was a second, which I will read asap.

Q

Mr Cornwell, I have just finished the Starbuck Chronicles and I was pleasantly suprised by them. Do you know when you will write another of them? I have started reading Redcoat and was wondering, how old were the lads when the wealthy parents sent them off to be Ensigns? Its just that Trumbull is 13 and I was wondering, did they ever have younger boys as Ensigns? Also, why is it that some of your most brutal villains are Sergeants (Hakeswill, Case and Scammell come to my mind)? Thanks for the hours of pleasurable reading and I can't wait until the Last Kingdom comes out, it sounds excellent. Lewis

Submitted September 7, 2004

A

Thirteen seems to have been about the youngest - though boys of eleven were midshipmen in the navy. The Sergeants? Haven't a clue! Maybe because sergeants have enough authority to make life unpleasant?

Q

I just re-read C.S. Foresters "Rifleman Dodd" and I was wondering just how much this book influenced you to write the Sharpe books and will Dodd return in other Sharpe books. I know he made it back to his company. (Captain Forthingham's Company). Jim Bundstein

I've read and enjoyed many of your books, especially the Sharpe series. A question: In "Sharpe's Escape", what happened to Corporal Matthew Dodd at Bussaco? On page 112, "Sharpe reckoned Dodd would rejoin later", but I must have missed his reappearance. Any clarification would be appreciated. My wife and I really enjoyed your visit a couple of years ago to the Vancouver library. I love historical fiction, so thanks for all the great writing! John

Submitted September 7, 2004

A

I think Dodd has probably vanished from Sharpe's life - but I'm glad you made the connection.