Your Questions

Dear Mr.Cornwell

I extremely enjoy reading your novels on English history.

I'm sure you have been asked this many times but have you ever thought about writing about the Norman Conquest.?

Thankyou

Chris Marszalek

I love the way you deal with history. i was wondering if you would tackle what happened to the Knights Templar in England and the few who fled France. It's very strange to me that there are very few artifacts around. The ones in England and Scotland had to have time to prepare for what was to come. It would make a great story to find a link to them.

David McDermott

Greetings, Mr. Cornwell!

I enjoyed only your "The Last Kingdom" series so far and I'd like to ask why you didn't mention Osferth in the last 2 books? He appeared in "War of the wolf" for the last time and then he wasn't even mentioned during Aethelstan's struggle for the throne and the final battle of Brunanburh though he is Aethelstan's uncle,Uhtred's good friend and the hell of an amazing character. I loved him and I admire you.

Thank you!

Augustin

Hi Mr. Cornwell:

I enjoyed your books REDCOAT and THE FORT.

Due to medical reasons I had to switch from muzzleloading to bowhunting. Mr. Cornwell, I learned so much about archery from your GRAILQUEST series, 1356 and AGINCOURT.

In the ARCHER'S TALE you mention a ballad about Robin Hood.  In the CROOKED STICK by Soar he mentions Robin Hood a lot although those manuscripts were written in the 1500's.

Could you please write a novel about Robin Hood?

Are you an archer yourself?

Thank you for your time.

Mark C. Pilles

Dear Bernard

First of all let me say if you've not read it, can I recommend Alexander Mikaberidze fantastic biography of Kutuzov A Life in War and Peace. If there is one new Napoleonic Wars book you should read its that one. Kutuzov is a truly fascinating contradictory character and he was much more than just as he was portrayed by Tolstoy or Soviet era propaganda.

2nd I know you've said in the past your not terribly excited by the Crimean War but I did wonder if you'd ever thought of a 1 off book on the Battle of Inkerman which is considered the soldiers battle of the British Army?  Generalship such as it was in that fight was minimal, it was down simply to individual British Soldiers and Units.

Regards

Geraint

Good morning Sir,

Thank you for writing such fantastic series. One of our bookcases is entirely devoted to them be it with Sharpe, Uhtred Ragnarson, Nathaniel Starbuck or your Arthurian novels.

I am just finishing the 4th volume of the Starbuck  chronicles that “ended” in September 1862 at Antietam, published in 1996, with the hopeful message in your “history notes”  that Starbuck would march again.

However, even searching high and low, I can not find him. With regrets.

You are probably tired of being asked these questions but I would really appreciate it if you could confirm that you have laid Starbuck to rest forever, the remaining 3 years of that American conflict being too repetitive for another good plot ? And yet….

I have, thanks to you Sir, actually delved into that period of American history with relish, visiting, with google maps and Wikipedia, the various locations and people described in detail in your tales.

I hope the present ghastly “ woke “ movement that is stupid enough to want to rewrite history and unseat statues is not the main reason for your silence.

Being French and Cartesian-minded, I wish people would come to their senses and stop their idiotic useless “crusades” that only belittles them.

Funnily enough Le Figaro, a French national newspaper, this weekend published or allowed me to read an article about young French “observers” of noble stock who joined McLellan army and were utterly bored for not allowed to join the fray, amongst them the 24 year old comte de Paris.

Wishing you a very happy New Year, and hoping that indeed Starbuck may march again, I remain, yours faithfully.

Elisabeth Ashworth

 

Greetings, Mr. Cornwell.

First, I hear you had some health issues. Hope you feel better by now.

I have the annoying habit of underestimating certain time periods. I guess I created a certain resistance towards them out of pure arrogance and the consequence is the complete disregard of the books that take place on those timeframes. I should say that my favorites are ancient (not a time specifically but you get the point) and medieval. So my knee jerk reaction is to not even check them out.

I do that frequently and very seldom I change my mind and pick the poor books up. I confess I´ve done this to some of your books.

I was absolutely and immediately captivated by the Grail Quest and Uhtred series. But Sharpe, Warlord and Gallows Thief were completely ignored, until very recently in the case of the last two (I did a 180 on Sharpe a long time ago). I breezed through Warlord and enjoyed Gallows Thief very much - I know you don´t have any more books planned on this but you´ll have a supporter if you change your mind.

The reason for all this rambling is that I wanted to congratulate and commend you on your abilities. It´s astonishing how well you can do research and create a story about so different periods of time.

 

You´ve said before that your favorite time period is the Napoleonic Wars and of course you focus on English history. Do you like any other time periods? Any other cultures? Enough to write about them?

 

Thanks for all the reading hours you provided and please, please keep writing.

Tiago

 

Hi Mr.Cornwell,

I've read every book you've written and you are still my favorite author, I was saddened to read on a previous comment that you will not be continuing the Starbuck chronicles, I understand how, at the time, Mr. Sharpe kind of took over but would you ever consider bringing Starbuck back? I know I'm not alone in thinking about this but also realise that you can't just knock out a book without the research which make your books the best.

Kevin Steer

sir,

Whatever happened to the French women that Sharpe was with after Jane Gibbons stole his money.  I was wondering because in the next film, he was embroiled with someone new.   thank you very much.

Scott Burkey

Dear Bernard

I saw this Wiki Article of the Hanover Expedition that Wellington was a part of that many might not be aware off and I thought you might find of interest to read.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanover_Expedition

Also I always wondered if you'd be tempted on a Spin off with Frederickson to Battles that Sharpe missed like the Siege of San Sebastian, War of 1812 etc. He even talks to Sharpe about that Siege in (ironically) Sharpe's Siege after all and Sharpe can't get to it as he was doing Sharpe's Regiment

Regards

Geraint