Your Questions

Q

To Mr Cornwell, I have recently started reading the Sharpe series and think they are fantastic. I have one question for you. In Sharpe's Prey you use the word 'efficacious'. What does this word mean? I've looked it up in the dictionary but it still doesn't make any sense in the context you use. Wendy Zimmerman

Submitted July 19, 2004

A

I suspect you're referring to 'the efficacious word', which would, indeed, provide the desired effect, as my dictionary defines efficacious. The phrase is also a tribute to the greatly underrated David Jones who uses it in his splendid book In Parenthesis.

Q

I have just finished Sharpe's Escape and I'm curious to what happens to Sarah and Joanna, is it I have missed something or are you going to write a book between Battle and Escape? Damien

Submitted July 19, 2004

A

We may find out what happens to them in the next book . . . .

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I am sure that this question has crossed your mind and I am sure that it must give you some trouble; the destiny of Shapre and Harper. Will Sharpe and Harper reach pensionable age, or will they die a glorious death? I very much enjoy reading their stories and cannot help but wonder when, where and how it will end. One final question... Can you clarify for me something that caused me confusion when I recently re-watched Sharpe's Waterloo. At the battle of Waterloo the gallant sergent of the Guards company re-closed the doors at Le Haye Saint, but surely this incident occurred at Hoogemont? Can you shed any light on this? Many thanks, Len

Submitted July 19, 2004

A

It did occur at Hougoumont, but I guess the film-makers were telescoping things to make it easier for themselves. Sharpe and Harper? I hope they both die in their beds!

Q

I am almost finished with "Excaliber". I have been reading the Arther stories for a week or so now and I cant say I have ever read a better story. I am addicted to the characters. I know when it is through I will miss them very much. (dont worry, I realize that they are not real.) However, here I am again to anoy you with questions. Much like Derfel anoys Merlin with his, "foolish questions". 1. What is mead exactly? Is it still made? I realize its an alcoholic drink, but what is it made from? 2. It seams as though people didnt have last names back then. Is that the case? If so when did they start using last names? 3. In a way you make it sound as if the Britons were a people scratching around in the dirt before the romans arrived and introduced them to many things they may never have even dreamed of. (and I don't mean to be insulting.) Is this the case? If so what do you think were the major contributions that came from the Roman ocupation? Again thanks for the stories. If you keep writing, I'll keep reading. Don Sawyer

Submitted July 16, 2004

A

Mead is fermented honey - you can still buy it. When did surnames arrive? I'm not entirely sure, but someone will give us an answer. In the dark ages, so far as I can tell, a second name was either acknowledging paternity (John's son - Johnson) or a nickname (Derfel Cadarn). How primitive were the native Britons? Certainly not on a par with the Romans, but they had good farms, substantial (but not stone-built) houses, no writing, so no literature or written laws, and so the Romans would have deemed them primitive, much as the first European settlers in North America regarded the indigenous population. The Roman contribution? It raised civilisation's sights, bequeathed roads and literacy, and introduced us to wine. Thank you!

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell: Welcome back after what I am sure was a supremely deserved vacation. I want your opinion on a couple of things: Why, during the whole of the Napoleonic Wars, did the French never learn from their mistakes? After the columns were beaten by the lines a dozen or so times, you would think they would figure out that new tactics were called for. But from Rolica right through to Waterloo, they just came on "in the same old way." Secondly, WERE there any tactics that would have worked against Wellington? Lastly, I really admired Major Dulong in Havoc, and I hope you'll think of a way for him and Sharpe to meet up again in a future adventure. Sincerely, Alan Kempner

Submitted July 16, 2004

A

The French did learn, but not quite well enough. They understood that their tactic of launching a column against the British line would not work, but they were stuck with the column anyway (easy to train conscript troops) so tried two variations. One was to hugely increase the number of skirmishers, which worked very well (but not quite well enough) at Waterloo, and secondly to deploy the column into a thickish line when it came within musket range - and this didn't work well at all. Napoleon always insisted that columns could only beat well-trained lines if artillery had already beaten up the lines, but Wellington's tactics of drawing up his men on a reverse slope took away that French advantage. So French tactics were not static, but just not flexible enough to solve the problem! I agree with you about Dulong . . . I'll try!

Q

I was thinking about the end of Sharpe's Company where Sharpe's wondering if he's marrying Teresa so Antonia will be legitimate but she must be approx 10 months old then. I thought legitimacy at the time only counted if the parents married before a child was born, even if it was conceived before the wedding, but not if they married after its birth. Am I right? M

Submitted July 16, 2004

A

You probably are right, but marriage was by no means the rule-governed institution it is today, and outside the privileged classes most marriages were neither registered nor blessed by the church. Antonia wouldn't, strictly, be legitimate, but not many people would have known the difference, so I think Sharpe's supposition is justified.

Q

Dear Bernard. If you could spend just one night in a pub with any one of your characters who would it be? For what it is worth I would be quite tempted by Obadiah (although I bet he would not get a round in). John

Submitted July 16, 2004

A

One night? the Marquesa, probably. An evening? Sharpe.

Q

At the end of your Sharpe books you repeat the title. Do you come up with the title first or the ending? Robin Trenbath

Submitted July 16, 2004

A

Usually the ending - not always. Titles are getting ever harder - Sharpe's Storm? Sharpe's Fury? Sharpe's Fight? Sharpe's ???

Q

I picked up a recent reprint of Sharpe's Eagle in a shop recently and saw your foreword explaining it was your first book and you had not re-read it since. Have you plucked up the courage yet? It's a good read. CP

Submitted July 16, 2004

A

Still haven't re-read it - but thanks!

Q

Hi Enjoyed reading your books and the films so much, I have started to collect your UK first edition hardback books. Started with the cheaper ones but hope to own them all in time. I would be interested to know what the size of the print runs for the first editions in the UK was. Is this information available. Thanks Nigel

Submitted July 16, 2004

A

I don't believe the information is available, but I do know that the first four books had fairly small print runs - 3,000 - 5,000 books. Sharpe's Sword was only around 3,000. After that it shot up.