Your Questions

Just finished Heretic. Great book. Good and fast paced storytelling and a wonderful ending to the trilogy. Missed Jeanette a bit, but Genevieve replaced her well as a female character. I was afraid that Robbie might die because he made a few wrong decisions and I was happy to read that he survived the battles and the plague. I was sorry for Jake. Liked Jake ever since that 'he looked like something out of a nightmare' comment in Harlequin. But he had a good death, and died fighting. As always, the battle scenes were awesome. What I liked especially about the last battle was that there were not as much people involved as a large scale battle and thus one could follow most of the individuals' fighting moves throughout it. Guy deserved what he got. There was that good detailed description of his armour before he went to battle. What I also liked throughout the books was that if there's some armour part or weapon that the reader may not be familiar with, you give a clear description of what it is. (' a piece of armour that protects the neck and the Coredor's falchion in Heretic) Wouldn't more than one trebuchet have been more effective then a single gun? I know that the gun's projectiles were more effective, but trebuchets could have been triggered more frequently, that's why I thought about this while reading. I hope there will be more books about Thomas in the future and look forward to reading The Last Kingdom. Thanks for your work. Andreas Azzopardi

Dear Bernard first off like others I am disappointed that England lost 2-1 though sadly not suprised (what do they expect when they sit back and just defend 1 nil lead for 45 mins). Anyway I was wondering after reading Havoc what happened to the rather brave Major Dulong??? Also wondered if you had John Le Couteurs journal Merry hearts make Light days of his time fighting during the Napoleonic wars and whether if you might be persuaded to get Sharpe to Canada and the battle of Lundy's Lane. P.S Here's hoping we do better against the Swiss. Geraint

I notice that for some time your stories make slight references to Freemasonry. I just wonderd if you picked up any good sources of masonic activity on your travels? The french masonic prisoners of war or the MILLITARY LODGES IN THE STATES and Spain etc. I am a freemason in the Uk (strong man Lodge no 45 ) I also wondered if you ever came across Thomas Topham ( 1702 -1749) the Islington Strong man on your travels. I am a masonic journalist and correspondant in the Uk formerly a director of the London Press club moved from Islington to Essex of all places. Many thanks for the joy of your books, Kind regards Bernard Williamson

Hello, I have just been looking at the cover art of my Sharpe books. Most have the artwork of the eighties (artist name absent (awol?)), which I personally think is the best cover-art the Sharpe series ever had. I have a print of Sharpe's Gold on the wall, signed by the artist, Gino D'Achille. The rest are post-photographic covers. I was wondering what your favourite cover-art is? Any chance of showing all the cover-art, of say, Sharpe's Eagle, plus any foreign language covers? One last thing, do you know of any continental authors writing a similar series on the Napoleonic wars from the viewpoint of the Austrians, Dutch , Russian or Germans? If so, any English translations available? Thanks, Adrian.

Mr Cornwell, I recently gave up reading a book called Credo by Melvyn Bragg but found it slow and I was wondering if you have read it? Also if you have, would you consider returning to the dark ages and write another book (or series) but focusing more on the religion and the way Christianity was introduced into Britain. Thanks, Lewis.

Dear Mr Cornwell, I have a question about language in your books. Obviously, your stories are placed in different eras and different countires; what sources do you use to get get an accurare rendering of contemporary speech? Is it a major concern? Thanks a lot. Matt

Just sending a quick message to ask what ever happened to Colonel Evans after Ball's bluff, because I don't know where else to look besides here. Also (and this is just the perfectionist in me), someone sent in a message about Sean Bean playing Ullyses in a film ('Troy', I presume). If it was about that film, then he played Oddysius, not Ullyses.... Gearoid Joyce

OK. This is the big one. In your opinion, overall who was the best leader, tactitian, and bigger genius; Arthur Wellesley or Horatio Nelson? I say Wellington, but my best friend says Nelson, we have agreed it's best to put aside our differences and let you decide, whatever you say, we'll agree with. Thankyou, James Trethowan

Bernard, we've got Sharpe's Escape and The Last Kingdom is on it's way - what's next, and when will it be ready? Chris. PS - I guess rugby is off the conversation list for a while? CP

Mr Cornwell, firstly may I give thanks for the endless hours of enjoyment you have given to me over the years, starting with Sharpe's Eagle back in 1991 I think, or thereabouts and then subsequently the rest before and after that book in chronological order, they are amazingly detailed and very well researched. I know this was your forte for the BBC but you actually transport me back to that time with your ability to set the scene, as a result you have given me a real sense that that these people even exsisted, not Sharpe I mean but the men on the battlefield. You see I had this quaint little view of these uneducated unsophisticated little people from history books before but now they have been firmly placed into my mind as real tangible people. My question really is how do you go about researching the everyday lives of these men, I don't mean details of battles because this can be gotten from historical writings etc , no I mean the men and the way you seem to understand them enough to make your characters seem real. You are truly an artist in in the purest form and I applaude you sir. Tony Willetts Southampton UK