Your Questions

Hi, Have recently started reading your books, namely the Sharpe series. I have never really been into the period or setting that they are in but I have recently been working on a project based on a computer game called Medevil Totalwar (you may have heard of it if you play pc games) anyway we are making a Napoleonic Mod of the game and your Sharpe's series was mentioned a few times, so I went out and bought one of them (Sharpe's Trafalgar), and I was very surprised that it had me hooked pretty much from the first chapter. So since then I have been making my way through the series in order. I just wanted to say I as far as I'm concerned you're up there with my favourites David Gemmell and Steven Erikson. Anyway enough babbling I wanted to ask a question, it's just a little thing that has been bugging me for a few of the books, why sometimes do the likes of General Harris (Sharpe's Tiger) and The Colonol from Sharpe's Havoc ( I forget his name) sometimes talk out of character. ie All throughout the books they talk like the gentlemen they are supposed to be then all of a sudden they're using word like "ain't". Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I can't imagine these characters using such slang as this. Anyway just thought I would ask. Sorry for the long winded question. Keep the books coming. Simon Hand

Hello Mr Cornwell, Are there any plans to visit England (particularly Oxford) in the near future for any book readings or signings? I would love to have my Arthur books signed as they have given me so much delight after reading them again after a few years. PB

Hi Mr. Cornwell...Are you planning to do a US west coast tour promoting Sharpe's Escape? Dick

Please could you tell me if Bernard Cornwell is doing any book signing tours in the UK in 2004, and if yes the date and venues or the infomation to find these out. Thank you. Matt

This is just a short note to thank you for the many hours I have spent with your fanstatic books. What about a series on one of South African wars? John Buckland

Dear Mr Cornwell, I am just completing Excalibur after the first 2 novels. I was referred to them through my nephew and I must say that I am enthralled. I would say that your works are probably the best fiction I have ever read. I love the style and the way "it grabs ya!" The works are so "earthy" and believable. I did have some questions if they are not too much trouble. Is Briton = Welsh in the Arthur stories? That being the case "u" in Welsh is sort of like "i" so would Gundleus = "Gindleis" while Nimue = "Nimie" in pronunciation? Is your depiction of Lancelot (which was quite entertaining) based at all on the depiction in Le More d'Artur? or pure fantasy? Sagramoor = how? How was he supposed to be in Britain? Obviously you have relied on lots of historical and semi-historical works for inspiration, so how historically accurate would your novel be as compared to other works on Arthur or the Saxon invasions of Britain? I have recommended your Arthur series on a web forum that I frequent and I hope that other people get the chance to enjoy your works as much as I have. Now on to Stonehenge... PS, my nephew agreed that a very interesting variation of the Arthur series would be the same events from the Saxon invaders point of view. It's good to dream. Gregor Shepherd Melbourne Australia

Mr. Cornwell, your books, I feel, are terribly short, no offence for I lost hours of sleep cause of them, but most of them don't swell beyond 400 pages. My friends judges books by their thickness, over 550 pages are normal for them, and jeers at me for reading such short novels. So Mr.Cornwell, are you planning on writing a longer book? Alfonso

Dear Bernard Cornwell, I read your book "Stonehenge", I loved your book but have one question; in the book Derrewyn says " The stones killed them. The gods did come to the temple that night and killed the man who claimed he was a god and crushed the woman who thought she was a goddess." So did that mean that Lahanna and Slaol did unite just for a second, I think you should have had a solar or lunar eclipse going on when Lahanna ( the moon) and Slaol ( the sun) united for a second. If you are too busy to reply that is okay I would just like to know. Your Fan, Kat

Dear Bernard after reading JM Hitsmans excellent Incredible War of 1812 (Graves editing notes at the end are just as interesting to read) and slightly frustrated that you never got Sharpe to that conflict. Do you think you will ever do any future series or one off novels about what is rather a freshly unexplored area of the Napoleonic wars since Spain/India and the naval side have been rather well covered now. P.S you mentioned in Your Questions responses that you were writing about the Vikings, will it be set during King Alfred and will it be a series or stand alone??? Thanks and good luck with the new Sharpe book out. Tony

Dear Bernard I want to say that I think the character, Obadiah Hakeswill, is one of the most realistic, believable & enjoyable characters I have read about. I think it's the whole face-twitching thing. I am a bit hesitant to watch the Shapre TV series because I'm afraid he won't live up to my image. I'm currently reading Sharpes Gold & I am desperately hoping that Hakeswill will make a re-appearance in the latter Sharpe novels. Can you confirm this? (please say yes!) What was your inspiration for Hakeswill? Did you base him loosely on somebody you know? And that face twitch, were did you get that from? Thank you for taking the time to respond, it is appreciated more than you ever could imagine. Kindest regards Michael, Australia

A series on TV, many years ago that I enjoyed very much, was ' By The Sword Divided', fictional, but based on divided families during the English Civil War. A period of English history that I very much enjoy reading about. Have you ever had any thoughts of writing for TV, or books, a series to cover such an interesting period of English history? Dennis Lane

I was wondering at the end of Excalibur if Derfel was killed the night that Sansum made him guard the monastery against the sais? Kier