Your Questions

Hi

I'm a huge fan of your books and was rereading vagabond and was wondering if the deaths of Father Hobbe and Eleanor were planned or if they were another example of the characters writing themselves like you suggested with Sharpe and Lucile plus love the cross over with Lassan in Starbuck. I know it was a long lime ago sorry many thanks a huge fan.

Daniel Reeves

In Sharpe's Revenge - How come the ship's captain who he shot in the bum was not accused of stealing the emperor's gold as he left the fort first and not under fire?

James Henderson

Hello,

 

A historian  whose books, I liked a lot was the late Sir Martin Gilbert who died in February 2016. Gilbert is best known as Churchill’s official biographer. Gilbert enjoyed the rare honour of having access to Churchill's private papers since the early 1960's. This gave Gilbert a clear advantage over other writers.

 

Presumably as both an established and best selling author, you get access to private papers, unpublished memoirs/diaries which you can use when you are researching your books?

 

Regards and thanks,

 

Adrian.

Hello Mr. Cornwell,

Firstly, as so many have undoubtlessly done, I would like to sing high praise for your novels as they are without a doubt, the finest pieces of historical fiction I have read to date. Secondly, I would like to apologise for the lengthy title which fails to convey the actual subject of this message.

 

I (or how I consider myself) am a newly starting author with little more than a just started word document and high hopes. Due to this inexperience, I have a few questions for a writer of your calibre. Fear not, these are not about ideas or other such content that defies your guidelines but merely questions that are pertinent to me.

 

I would consider my novel to be set in an alternative world in which I am writing a relevant timeline and history for, what does a well read historical researcher like yourself find to be a failing in other worlds of similar fashions? (Tropes or cliches that would never have happened in actual history)

 

As a second question, I ask. As you create history of your own and meld it with actual history (e.g The Scot invasion in 917 or moving Ubba's death forward a year), what do you try to avoid doing in order to make characters and situations realistic despite their falsehoods?

 

The third and perhaps most important question is not to do with creation or the task of writing the book but rather do agents or publishers consider age when reading manuscripts? As I am at an age in between 14-18, this question lies heavily on my mind and I apologise if you have no experience with the matter and I have wasted your time.

 

Once again, thank you for your gifts to the literary world and I wish you well,

 

Barnard

It would be very helpful if you could provide books' maps online (at this site). Names and places are quite difficult for an American reader. The front maps in books, especially electronic versions, are not useful: way too miniscule

Gregory Gendron

Hi Mr. Cornwell.

I finished Flame Bearer and I love how Uhtred recover his ancient family hold.

I have a question: The vikings saga said that Ragnar had a lot of sons, Ivar, the boneless, Ubbe, Halfdan, who are mentioned in Saxon Stories, and two other sons, Bjorn Ironside and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye. Why do you choose don't mention them? By sagas, Sigurd was """First legendary king of modern Denmark""" and Bjorn """first legendary king of  modern Sweden""". Bjorn was mentioned to participated of Great Heathen Army who landed Nortumbria in 866. Do you preferred don't include him in story by literary issues?

 

Other thing, the real person who Uhtred was inspired was Uhtred, the bold? Because you're descendant of Uhtred who inspired the story, and I discovery that I'm descendant of Uhtred the bold by his grandson Gostaparic, by a family called Drummond, who was thane of Lennox (I think was that) in Scotland. If is that Uhtred, then we are distant relatives.

 

I'm your fan, love Saxon Stories and Sharpe books!

 

Thanks by attention Mr. Cornwell.

Lucas

Dear Mr Cornwell,

 

First let me say thank you; I will not labour the point but it goes without saying that I am a fan of your books. I'm glad to say that I have many more yet to read.

 

My reason for writing here is oddly enough to do with another authors work.  Have you read James Clavell? I have just finished reading Shogun and Gaijin. Both are, in my humble opinion, very will written, immersive and seem well researched. The period itself is fascinating and one that I knew little about. Unfortunately they also left me somewhat frustrated. It happened about 800 pages in; the realisation that neither was going to turn into the story that I was hoping it would be. I understand that the focus for both books is about the journey, not the climax so to speak, but I couldn't help but wish that they had been written by you. So in a roundabout way I'm asking if you would kindly (and as a personal favour) spend the next few years of your life writing books set in the Edo period of Japan.

 

Yours sincerely,

Jesper

 

PS: Having read your guidelines to contacting you, I solemnly declare that I have no literary skill or any intention of ever writing a book. Also, my wife has pointed out to me how ridiculous my request is, as well as my poor attempt at humour.  I hope you will take it in the respectful spirit it was intended. Now please get on and write the book!

Hello sir

I loved Agincourt. I thought it one of your best novels, and Nick Hook one of your best characters. Are you going to continue Hook''s story?He is a young man

Jeffrey

Dear Bernard,

 

My son bought me the first book, The Last Kingdom, for Christmas, knowing I like historical based fiction. I have enjoyed the series so much I have just finished the tenth book!!

I love the way you craft the battle scenes, particularly the shield walls. There is such momentum and energy that you can feel them surging forward.

As a female reader I've also enjoyed the strong female characters but as a fan of Utred, I've worried about his virility..a great lover of women, he had failed to impregnate Hild, Iseult,  Ethelflaed, Sigunn or Eadith. I understand that perhaps babies can complicate the story and it raises Gisela in importance  because she is the mother of his children. However, historical accuracy means that advanced birth control didn't exist. Perhaps...in a later book, an extra child or two turns up???

I would also love to see his friend, the Welsh fighting priest reappear at some point.

Good luck with your next book.

 

Regards, Stacy Riley

Burnie, Tasmania

Australia

 

 

 

Dear Mr Cornwell.

I have been reading, and thoroughly enjoying your books, since nigh first recommended the early Sharpe books. From then on I have always avidly read anything else new by you. I do remember meeting you once at a small talk you did at Waterstones in Bristol in the late 80's/early 90's whilst the Arthur Books were the current theme. One of your books that reader don't seem to mention much, but is in fact a particular favourite of mine, is Redcoat. It was brilliant and totally non-put down-able! I have to confess at being rather disappointed to find that it didn't lead into a series of books - is there any likelihood of new sequels being written?

I am currently reading (devouring!) The Flame Bearer, so have avoided reading too many comments by readers who have already finished the book! I love the Last Kingdom series, but do struggle on one point - the prenounciation of all the Old Englaish names and phrases. I keep looing for a pronounciation guide in each new book as it comes out! Is there a guide that you can recopmmend?

 

Kind regards

 

Dayton