Your Questions

Q

Hello!! Just finished Trafalgar - BRAVO!!! My favorite Sharpe so far!! Being a huge fan of Hornblower and Aubrey/Maturin, I feel that your Trafalgar is every bit as good a sea story as anything by Forester or O'Brian. I was wondering, in planning the storyline for Trafalgar, did you consider having Sharpe onboard the Victory during the battle? If so, what changed your mind? Best Regards, Tom

Submitted January 13, 2004

A

I never did consider having him on the Victory, because then I'd have been restricted to tellling only what happened to that ship (which, God knows, was exciting enough), and I wanted a bit more freedom - so invented a ship.

Q

Sir: Am enthralled with GALLOWS THIEF. Am wondering if this will become a "series"? Am an avid bibliophile with my own two story library. Only appreciate hardboud books, therefore, will HarperCollins Publishers continue to produce hardbound copies of the Sharpe series in the future? Thank you in advance for answering me & most especially thank you for your wonderful books. You've got a gift. Regards, FA Krull, MD

Submitted January 13, 2004

A

There may be a follow-up to Gallows Thief, but I'm not making any promises. As far as I know, HarperCollins will continue to publish hardbound copies of any new Sharpe books - books already in print are published in paperback after the first year of publication.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, First of all, allow me to wish you a very happy (and productive!) new year. You've made my 2003 enjoyable due to my discovery of your books and your terrific web site, and I'm looking forward to more great reads! I took a little detour from Sharpe to read Redcoat. Enjoyed it very much. It's very different from the Sharpe books in that it focuses more on relationships than battle. Sharpe's Revenge does, too, and I think so far that's my favorite Sharpe book. I'm still loving the Image gallery; I wonder when you'll add to it?? Also, in some of your books you've mentioned other texts from which you've gleaned information, and I was wondering if you could put a bibliography of sorts on the website for those of us who want to read more about the history of India, for instance, but don't know where to begin. It seems that whenever I write to you I ask you for something! I hope you don't find me too annoying! Thanks so much for your time. Carol Okano

Submitted January 13, 2004

A

I'm glad to know you like the pictures - maybe there'll be more, but I don't know when. Do take a look at the 'Suggestions for Further Reading' pages on the website for more detailed information about some of the resources I've used.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I've just started reading your "Sharpe" series and am finding them most enjoyable and informative. Since I never studied any history at school, I've found it extremely enjoyable ever since and the Napoleonic Wars occupied me as a reader and occasional wargamer in my twenties. I enjoy your mixture of education and entertainment. After so many books, details may escape you, but is rifleman Matthew Dodds (Sharpe's Havoc) the same who did so well when separated from his company in C.S.Forester's novel? I hope so, it would be a pretty compliment to Hornblower's creator. Thanks again for your work. John Clark, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Submitted January 7, 2004

A

Yes - well-spotted!

Q

read all your non-Sharpe books - now on #9 in Sharpe series - reading in chronological order which raised this question: the first books published dealt with the penisular campaign but in those books there were references to Sharpe's adventures in India and Denmark - had you planned to go back in time with now published stories and planted those details or was this just background material that later developed into those earlier stories? Rob Rose

Submitted January 7, 2004

A

It was the latter - it was background material that was later reworked (and sometimes changed when it didn't work, alas).

Q

Mr. Cornwell, I purchased Sharpe's Eagle when it was first published in 1981. I have since collected, and loved, every one of your historical novels as soon as they were available. However, whenever I look at my "Cornwell" shelves I am annoyed by the paperpack edition of Sharpe's Tigers. I think it is one of the best of the Sharpe's novels, but it apparently was never released in a hardbound edition in the US. So it sits among my First Editions looking like a poor relative. Why did this happen? Or am I wrong and a hardbound edition escaped my notice? Gregg Singer

Submitted January 7, 2004

A

You're annoyed? So am I, but HarperCollins US never issued a hardback edition - why? you would have to ask them. Your best bet, I fear, is to get a UK hardback edition in the second hand market - they're not expensive and it will look a lot better than a paperback.

Q

Just got back off my holidays, where I read Vagabond and The Gallows Thief back to back. They are both up to your usual high standards. Only you and David Gemmel seem to be able to acually make my heart race when I read one of your action scenes. I think the Gallows Thief would make a great Sunday night TV period crime drama which could give Poirot, Cadfeal and even Sherlock a run for thier money. Have you plans to write further adventures for the Gallows Thief? Wayne Jones

Submitted January 7, 2004

A

It's possible, but no promises as to when!

Q

Hello I was hoping you could clear something up for me - in Sharpe's Enemy Sharpe was asked if he ever returned to the place in London where he grew up and was mistreated and Sharpe said he never did, but at the start of Sharpe's Prey I'm pretty sure he goes back to Wapping and takes revenge or I'm I just getting mixed up ? Please keep on writing the Sharpe books. Thanks Chris Horgan

Submitted January 6, 2004

A

You're not getting mixed up, I am. Or, more likely, Sharpe is. He just lied about it in Sharpe's Enemy (can't trust him an inch).

Q

What a superb series of books, the Sharpe series is!! The question in my mind is, will there be a book or books on Sharpes' joining the Rifles? I am a Serving soldier and taken part in some battlefield tours and I have used a couple of Sharpe books as guides, quite useful they was!! Give me, and every other fan, more Sharpe!! Steve Jackson

Submitted January 6, 2004

A

There will be more Sharpe - the next one is due out in April (Sharpe's Escape). No plans right now for a book on Sharpe joining the Rifles.

Q

Since I was 6, I've admired the Arthur´s stories - maybe because of a cartoon I used to see, my first touch with this era...:) I´m almost 30 and a friend of mine gave me this year the most wonderful gift I ever had: Warlord Trilogy. No words, it´s just FANTASTIC! I live in Brazil and I´m looking for your books as a crazy...:P The way you write is precise. However, for my surprise - and destroyed all my childhood dreams..:D - you describe Lancelot as a "bad guy". Just another way to describe him or did you find any historical thing that shows him like this? Another character that how you described surprised me was Guinevere. Almost all books and films I saw about King Arthur she is an "angel, sweet and fragile", but as she appears in your book she is almost shown as a "warrior", with her 4 dogs, powerful soul, with red hair not blonde as gold. Not saying that these "new" Guinevere and Lancelot are not good, but just curious about your "decision" to write them like this. Congrats for your books, the way you write is really really wonderful! Sorry to take your time. Thx. Ahnis Fraga

Submitted January 6, 2004

A

I don't think it's possible to write books keeping characters the same as they are in every other book - in other words, if I'd just written the Arthur legend the way it is usually written, why bother? And I suppose if you have Guinevere being unfaithful to Arthur with Lancelot, then that tells us something about their characters, does it not? And it hardly suggest a sweet, fragile angel!