Your Questions

Hi Bernard

Recently back in August I had discovered the Sharpe TV Series and I was very captivated by it and I also have a few of your Sharpe books. At the moment I reading two of them back to back Sharpe's Rifles and Sharpe's Havoc but while I was reading them I spotted something that has me slightly confused and that was that in Sharpe's Rifles on page 23 it said that Rifleman Cooper was killed by a sword stroke but then he seems to be alive and well in Sharpe's Havoc?

Hope to hear back from you.

From your fan in Scotland

Nicky

Hi, I am just wondering if you would have any considerations for King Offa. I just think that that would be an interesting topic to write about, but I don't know. Thanks for the great books.

Tom

Greetings Bernard!

I am finally getting around to reading the Starbuck Chronicles and enjoying them very much, so thank you for writing them.

What is intriguing me greatly is the relationship between McClellan and Pinkerton.

In the book I get the impression that Pinkerton is intentionally feeding McClellan's cautious nature with his reports. Is this something you believe or am I just over thinking it?

Kindest Regards,

Dennis Williams

Dear Mr. Cornwell:

I am plowing my way through the entire  Sharpe series and it took a bit to realize that while I am reading them in chronological order the books were not published in that order.  So I stopped asking myself why on earth Richard didn't just put a bullet into Hakeswill at any convenient point in the first three books (in chrono order according to Richard's life)  rather than 1. leave him to the Sultan Tippoo's tigers (they had already eaten) or 2.  have the elephant crush him (Hakeswill had a knife and poked the elephant with it).  But how did he get out of the snake pit? By the way, I'm glad he's dead (Obediah that is).  Did someone hear him screaming for help and they fished him out?  Were the snakes so terrified of a man so repugnant that even a cobra wouldn't go near him?  Did he therefore just tie all these terrified snakes together make a rope and climb out? Just curious.  Thanks for you your time.  Oh, and I am an archer so naturally I read The Grail Quest series as well and enjoyed it.

Katherine

My son has become very interested in this series (as well as GOT and Maurice Druen's Iron King books) and as we live in the north east (but not Northumbria) he fancies doing a tour of sites that are featured. Where would you recommend? Obviously Lindisfarne, but what other places in fantastic Northumbria would help him visualise the events?

Many thanks

Jane

Dear Sir!

Huge fan and have as most people browsing these pages, read most of your books. I realised the other day that your writing has had quite a bit of influence on my life being now an avid archer (english longbow of course) and tonight going to my first HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) longsword class. At the moment listening to Waterloo and enjoying it immensely. My three questions

 

1. Is there any book or any part of any book that you would have written differently if you had re-written it today? For example, my absolute favorite and the best books I have ever read, the Artur series has a start that to some people seem to be a bit overwhelming with a plethora of names and places introduced. A bit like the start of "The lord of the rings" with 70+ pages dedicated to the planning of a party. I heard a rumor online that you in some interview had stated that you would have done it differently today. What are your thoughts on this?
2. Have you decided what the next book after The flame bearer will be?
3. Have you ever decided "not" to write about an era or series of events due to them being already done too well by another author? Like Wars of the Roses by Iggulden or Robin Hood by Angus Donald?

 

And last but not least, like Cato the elder I have to add, like a madman, please consider more books about Thomas of Hookton or a sequel to Azincourt :-) Have a lovely day!

 

Best regards

Mattias

I am an avid reader of your books and have collected and read the books of the Warrior Chronicles many times .Can you please tell me what became of the character of Cedric as he seems to have disappeared after the final battle in Death of Kings.I did not find any mention of his death but he does not appear in subsequent books.

Many thanks for hours of reading pleasure

Michael Lewis

After reading the entire series, up to The Warriors of the Storm, in the last month (I promise I do have a life), do you have an idea of how many books you plan for the series? I am looking forward to The Flame Bearer, even with the 2 month wait.

Josh Beaver

Dear Mr. Cornwell:

I just finished your excellent book The Fort. I grew up in Searsport across Penobscot Bay from Castine and when I attended high school there in the mid 1960s no one talked about the Penobscot Expedition. I later figured out why: there were so many Tory sympathizers and collaborators that Maine was denied statehood for 30 years.

There was a prominent Tory named Capt. John Perkins who rode his horse all the way to Halifax and begged the British to set up shop in Castine. Yet he is buried in Castine and never faced a public hanging or even a good tar & feathering.

In your research did you find if there are any contemporary portraits of John Perkins? Any memoirs or autobiography? I've asked this of the Wilson Museum and the Castine Historical Society and no reply.

I went to the State Museum in Augusta in 1991 and tried again two months ago to see the Defence Exhibit. It is hidden away out of sight. Even today people in Maine don't want to talk about it.

Every state had its loyalists. South Carolina is a case in point. Many years ago I visited the town of Ninety-Six, SC 29696. There is a Revolutionary War fort earthwork there with a big mural that shows blue clad Patriots in a fierce musket and bayonet fight against local Tories. You cannot tell who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. Like Castine, lot of history but no visitor center and no NPS park rangers with Smokey Bear hats.

Your novel makes references to the Banks and Dyce families. I went to high school with several descendants of the Hatch family; my principal was a gentleman named Bob Perkins; my neighbor across the street was a Mr. & Mrs. Banks.

What have you discovered in your research? Did John Perkins ever have a deathbed confession expressing any remorse or contrition? Any pictures of him?

Thank you for your assistance.

Dave Taylor

 

I just finished Warriors of the Storm, having read all of your other books as well.

Great reads!

Your observations of Christianity are new. I recall Uhtred thinking of how the priests talk to the dead....something like that. Also, the "nailed god".

Where did these concepts come from?

David Slagle