Your Questions

I much enjoy your Outhred series and  I enjoy as much the historical notes at the back.  They always inspire me to read and explore more into the period.  What might be an idea is to produce, or rather have produced for you a 'Companion' in the style of the Sharpe companion.  This would be an ideal project for a historian as I am sure you do not have time for such any digression which would delay the next Outhred book!

Alan Daglish

The Last Kingdom series:

Please, please, please tell me we can expect book 11 one day not too far away. I have all 10 previous books as audiobooks and just love them...I think I've gone through the entire series at least 5 times. I eagerly await book 11.

Thank you,

Kathryn

 

I have Spent the last 4 weeks listening via audible the entire last kingdom series and I have become hooked on them, I must have spent hours listening to them when I should have been doing other things. I have Just finished listening to the Flame Bearer. Simple question, now Uhtred has realised his dream will he become a settled man or will we hear from him again?

Tom Raworth

 

How many more books have you got planned for the last kingdom series?

James Geddes

 

When is the next book in the last Kingdom series anticipated?  I read the Flame Bearer in November and have enjoyed the series immensely.

Daniel L Kinnamon

 

Wanted to tell you how very much i have enjoyed your Grail Quest, Arthur and Last Kingdom Series of books!  I am a retired IBM statistician and own all these books.  Every few years i reread them from the beginning and enjoy savoring them once again, like a good bourbon:).  At the end of Flame Bearer you hinted that Uhtred may not be retired quite yet.  Like me i suspect he needs to keep mind and body exercised. I look forward to his next adventure!  When?

Gary Snyder

Hi Bernard,

 

As you are at pains to point out throughout Uhtred's saga, there has always been a very definite but exquisitely complex relationship between a lord and an oathgiver. That relationship is very much an exchange of responsibilities between the two parties, which breaches of duties towards the other party being grounds for the revocation of the binding agreement between them. One of the key elements was the expectation of the vassal to receive physical recognition of good service in the form of wealth, land and so on and again you quite rightly point this out more than once. My question is this; since we know that Uhtred was never entirely happy giving oaths to Alfred or Edward, (less so to Aethelflaed out of love), from memory of the stories, he seems to have been less than well rewarded for some fairly major acts of courage and success, or even not rewarded in any form, (I am thinking here after he was badly wounded at the end of The Pagan King and then his recovery at the start of the Empty throne - I assume because he was expected to die they didn't reward him at that point but surely afterwards?). I know there were times when Alfred had rewarded him with lands, but it does seem that for his deeds and loyalty he was treated less than generously and so, why did he not use those occasions to free himself from those unwanted oaths? I'm not trying to pick holes here, just interested  by Uhtred's decisions!

 

Best wishes

Andrew Parker

Hi Mr. Cornwell.

In Sharpe's Siege, Sharpe gives his parole to Cornelius Killick, promising not to make war on American forces.  What would he have done if the South Essex had been deployed to America?  Could he have refused to go?  Would he have had to give up his commission to keep his parole?

Alan Kempner

 

Surely you have written enough Saxon ,Viking and their ilk by now it's 21 years since the last Starbucks's chronicles book it must be time for another .

Anne Nash

 

Hello I'm a big fan of your work and followed your stories for many years through many different series but there is still one left unfinished. I'm sure you have been asked this many many times but will Starbuck fight again? I read what you have previously said about Sharpe becoming more popular and it making sense to write more Sharps and I can't fault that decision but it has been 20 years now is it not time for Starbuck to march one (or two) more time and finish his tale. I'm sure I'm not your only fan who feels this way. Thank you for taking the time to read this I know your a busy man.

Sincerely

Gareth.

(Ps. In saying this this I am also eagerly awaiting the next Uhtred book.)

I must be the only fan who's disappointed Sharpe didn't murder that stupid lawyer who robbed him of his inheritance after Lady Grace (?) died. Do you think Sharpe would ever do this?

Michael Cockcroft

Dear Bernard,

As with all your other petitioners I am a huge fan and count your Arthur series among my comfort books for when I have nothing better lined up to read. I much prefer your version of events  than other more traditional adaptations.

I am interested as to which other Authors and genres you read and enjoy and do you watch much TV? In particular did you see the most recent series of Game of Thrones and the 'battle of the bastards' which I think is one of the most visceral and thrilling TV battle scenes I've ever seen.

I hope you are well and I look forward to see your answer

Regards

Al

What are your favourite meals?

Eilton Ribeiro

Hello in your researches have you any idea of what distance the Baker rifle was accurate too.  I have seen 100 200 up to 600yards With Thomas Plunkett However there must be somewhere, tests that were conducted through the Rifles 40 years.

The Webmaster of the 95th says only about 100 yards

jack R Tattis

Have just read Grail quest books and 1356, and am now re-reading Azincourt. Obviously Thomas would have passed away by the time Azincourt was fought, but I saw a reference to him dying as the Lord of 199 acres, so obviously he prospered/ Is there any other mention of him after 1356 in any of your books, or do we just leave him there?

Carolyn Devine