Your Questions

Your writing has been very inspiring to me and I am always impressed at the level of historical detail. I'll also admit to being envious of your linguistic wizardry - the way you seem to know exactly the right flow of archaisms and anachronisms without the language jarring the reader out of their immersion. I am currently laying the foundations for my own historical novel and I was wondering what your research process typically consists of.

Also, will we see more female warrior characters like Brida and Skade in future installments of the Saxon Tales?

Rachel S.

Dear Mr Cornwell,

Thank you for creating so many of my favourite novels of the year...each year!

 

1. I ask this question in a philosophical way, not a morbid way, as I wish you a very long and healthy life! If you could only write one more novel in your lifetime, what would be it ? If you could write two, what would the second novel be ?

 

2. In a variation on the common "When will the next Sharpe book be?" question - do you have any unreleased Sharpe stories, or short stories? I bought Sharpe's Christmas/Ransom/Skirmish many years ago and wonder if these will be released again, with an unreleased story or two, collected together as a Sharpe's Short Stories novel?

 

Many thanks for so much literary pleasure sir !

Ernie

Your novel sharp eagle happened to be the first complete book I read.  I learn to be late (24)  The personal achievement of that well! I'm sure you understand.

I understand that you're getting up there in age, as am I.

Though a bit younger. Lol.  I do thoroughly  enjoy your books in which I own all.

My question to you is; will there be 11th book?

I am sure you are extremely busy and it is not necessary to answer me though I do hope you read this.

Thank you for the entertainment.

My family is also from England though still yet to return.

Joseph. M. Skiba

 

Hi Bernard,

I am totally addicted to the Last Kingdom Series and read Flame Bearer over three nights. I love your historical  notes and the descriptions of your books... I might as well be watching a movie...I can visualise every page. Will there be a follow up to The Flame Bearer?

Best Regards

Russ Cooper

dear Bernard,

in lords of the north hrothweard was killed by the danes; so what rel lation is hrothwearth in flame brearer to the deceased? sorry I missed part of you talk on classic fm - did you have time to research mick crumpling @ doctors.org? I still think you are writing an English history! regards,

john woodward

Hi Bernard,

I have very much enjoyed reading, as they have been published, the entire Last Kingdom series. The work of researching each book must have been immense. The fun then to launch Uhtred into the gaps in knowledge has created a brilliant series. So I am very much a fan.

My question is p27 of The Flame Bearer Uhtred is reminiscing about a childhood trip to Lindisfarne and recollects being shown a valuable book written in Latin. Surely this would have been a celtic Christian manuscript and written in contemporary English. I saw a year or two ago a book from the Lindsfarne gospels, which to my surprise was written in English. I was told that pre romaninised celtic Christian church operated in English. It was only after the diet of Whitby 900 ish if my memory serves me right, that the celtic church gave way to Rome and Latinised. Northumbria at this stage would have been influenced by celtic and not Roman Christianity.

I'm I right or getting confused. I await your answer with some curiosity and will continue to be intrigued and entertained by Uhtred's progress towards retaking Babbenbergh. Thanks for hours of intriguing reading.

Regards

Phil Hanson,

Hi Mr. Cornwell.

I finished Flame Bearer and I'm very happy with the end, by Uhtred. One question that can look irrelevant, but, Uhtred said that give Durham to Sihtric, he became earl of Durham?

Other thing, will be some mention to any bastard son of Ragnar the younger? It's said that he and Brida hadn't sons, but he has a lot of bastards. And Uhtred's bastard? Would you have plans to mention them in a future book?

Thanks!!

Tony Smith

Dear Mr Cornwell

First off I just wanted to say I am a huge fan.  Sharpe,  Starbuck, Uhtred and Arthur feel like old friends I can pick back up time after time.

I was just re-reading Harlequin and noticed a continuity error that it throws up in 1356. At the beginning of the book you describe how Thomas makes his bow in wonderful detail and also how he makes his arrows.  In 1356, the scarcity of arrows is a constant plot point and you reference how all the archers know how to make a bow but not the arrows.

Just wondering if you had noticed?

Kind regards,

Charlie Baxter

Hi Mr. Cornwell.

In your October 19th reply to Piotr Chmielarz's question on why Sharpe hadn't faced any Polish Lancers in the Peninsula, you replied that they were at Albuera and Sharpe wasn't, which was why he hadn't encountered them.  PLEASE tell me that you haven't abandoned the idea of having Sharpe at Albuera, the toughest fight of the Peninsula.  If there is one battle of his that still needs to be told, it is that one, don't you agree?

Alan Kempner

Hello, Bernard,

Met you at Canterbury last week, had pic taken with you and my son before the 'show', which was most entertaining! I've been looking at a phenomenal book called British Monarchs by Mike Ashley. He gives all the family trees of the English royal houses, and according to Chart 32, an Earl Uhtred of Northumbria was married to Elgiva, daughter of Ethelred the Unready - they had a daughter called Edith, but no mention of sons. Is it possible that somehow, through this union, (if the chart is accurate), that you are directly descended from Alfred the Great? Of course, you may already be aware of this 'connection'!

Regards,

Mick

Thank you for the many hours of enjoyment your books have provided.

How long to you take to recharge between novels?

Do you have novels that are started but are currently in limbo due to an idea for a different series that is now your main focus?

Thanks

Norman Benjamin