Your Questions

In my Harper paperback copies of The Lords of The North, Sword Song, and Death of Kings, Alfred's daughter is named Æthelflaed.  In The Burning Land she is named Æthelflæd; however, on page 378 both versions of her name appear.  Why is this?

Gabrielle Ann SINGLETON

Dear Mr Cornwell,

I have in my hand one of your novels for the first time. The Winter King. Uther has just passed so I have many hours of reading ahead of me. My mind is busy accommodating the shift in preconceived notions of the Arthurian legend  from movies and previous readings. I look forward to where your writing will take me, and I see it may not be a very comfortable journey Life itself though isnt always so comfortable either. I have always been fascinated by the old world and especially the upheaval and decimation of the pagan religions as formalized Christianity blanketed the world.  Traveling to your part of the world is something I'd like to do someday but if that day ever arrives I hope to be better steeped in your history, and yes if I viewed it through the eyes of a little old world magic And legend, I'd not be disappointed. I always seem to be looking for my next read fiction and nonfiction.  No book arrives before its time I've always heard so the time must be now for me.   When I find an author I always wonder,  What are you reading at the present time?

Good thoughts sent to you and yours.

Judy

In the first Uhtred book, he says meeting the girl Alfred slept with (called Merwenna) was very significant. Are we supposed to assume he got her pregnant? It's weird that he's only fathered 3 kids in all these years....

Cathy

In Burning Land, is the bee scene something you read about while doing research or is that completely your imagination? It's incredible! Probably hear it all the time, but my husband and I love your writing. Pure genius.

Teri McCarthy

Dear Bernard,

Firstly, a point of information. In all the chronological lists of the Sharpe series, Sharpe's Havoc is listed as after Sharpe's Eagle, which surely cannot be right. Havoc is Spring '09 and Eagle is July '09. Plus, Rifleman Pendleton was alive in Havoc and died at Talavera, ("only seventeen and so many pockets left to pick").

I also noticed a previous correspondent wondering why Sharpe never met any Polish Lancers. I noted your reply, but if you recall, Sharpe, or rather Major Kearsey, did meet Polish Lancers in Sharpe's Gold. Admittedly Sharpe didn't face them in the open field, but he certainly met them in the dead of night in the Spanish village.

The Flame Bearer, you will be pleased to note, was the top hard back seller in the UK as of a week ago, but what I find curious is that I have not seen one newspaper review of the book in the British papers. I wonder why that should be?

Keep up your wonderful work, Sir, and I look forwarded eagerly to your next offering. Much as I've loved Uhtred, I do hope it's a Sharpe.

Regards

John Hill

Would you consider interrupting the chronology of the Saxon stories in future novels, as per the Sharpe series?  While I am eager to see our hero reclaim his birthright at Bebbanburg, it would be refreshing to read about further adventures of younger Uhtred. Certainly there must be some gaps to fill in Saxon history that involve Uhtred and his impressive companions (Alfred, Pyrlig, Staepa....to name a few) during their prime.

Jeff

Hello,

When you started on the "Starbuck" novels, did you consciously tailor your writing for an American reading public??? i.e did you assume the  U.S Civil war setting would attract more American readers, so you had to change your research/writing style to hold them?  Or was that not on your mind?

Regards and thanks,

Adrian.

Hello Mr Cornwell,

I am an avid reader of all your books, having powered through most of your Last Kingdom series (3 to go), Grail quest series and Arthur Books, all of this in under a year, you do write incredible pages turners !

I was wondering, considering the success of the Last Kingdom TV series, are there plans/opportunities for a TV or film adaptation of the Arthurian book series ? I have been a great fan of Derfel's story, and I could only dream of seeing how it could be adapted to the little or big screen !

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to reading the rest of your books !

Alex

Mr Cornwell,

Sir,  What a captivating author you are.

Loved the Sharpe books

But Uhtred is awesome,  best character ever. Did a 700mile round trip to Bebbenberg just to feel a part of this tape Just finished the flame   bearer. Brilliant.  Need more books to tell his tale,  can we expect some and if so when?

Thanks for so many hours of pleasure.

Dane

Hello Bernard,

I just wanted to say a big thank you for your books. Until seeing the TV version of The Last Kingdom I had read very little fiction and certainly never any historical fiction. Well I wanted to find out more about Uhtred and have just finished the 9th book in the series and along the way have taken on board The grail quest and books on Arthur. A question just occurred to me out of the blue. I'm sending it to you with tongue in cheek - will you in a future book be revealing how Uhtred at a late age in his life found the energy, time, space, ink, parchment and facility to write so much about himself and stash the said writings away to be found so well preserved then published?!

 

Thanks again, very best wishes

Yano