Your Questions

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

I can't thank you enough for keeping me absolutely enthralled for so many years! My brother turned my husband and me on to the Arthur books in the early 2000s. We devoured every one of them and then started in on the Saxon Tales.

In Warriors of the Storm you talk about the Ui' Neills who were such vicious foes of Sygtryggr. Are these the ones connected to the guy who disconnected his hand and tossed it ashore to win the land? I have been told that that story is only a myth. Can you shed a little light on the subject for me please? Nancy O'Neal is a great-great-great grandmother of mine. The O'Neal family crest sports a bloody hand. Do you have any more information about that hand than I have read on Wikipedia?

Again, many thanks for your work! Keep it up!!!

Marlene Gray

Is there a sequel planned for Scoundrel? Enjoyed that book along with the Uhtred Series. Thank you for so many hours of reading pleasure

Tim Gunning

Gidday Bernard,

just wondering if you watch & like the tv series Vikings?

Cheers

Wayne.

When is Lord Uhtred going to be the King of Babbanburg?  I've read the first four books already, but he's still not there yet.

Love your style of writing as evidenced in Lord Uhtred.   You can consider me one of your loyal readers as well.  You, Wilbur Smith, Jeffrey Archer, and now Ben Kane are my favorite British authors as I learned so much from the historical based novels you and your colleagues written.   Hope you keep yourself healthy and have a long life on Cape Cod.  Thank you so much, Sir.

Web Peboontom

Hello Mr. Cornwell,

I always wonder how writers build their stories, when you start writing a book  do you already know how it will end?

And if could could get back in time to change something in your books, would you?

Cheers from Brazil, and please put Starbuck to march again

Claudio de Jesus

Hello Sir,

I'm  a big fan of The Last Kingdom.  My wife calls your books my crack cocaine as I am an addict,  currently in withdrawal waiting for book 10! So, over the course of reading the series and various shield wall encounters I wondered  whether a variation of Hannibal's Cannae tactics would work for Uhtred in one of his tight spots against a superior force given his fascination for the Romans and how such a mighty empire could fall? I am thinking that as the two walls meet if the middle block deliberately fell back to give the appearance of a break and creating a gap to draw the attackers into. Once drawn in the attackers could be surrounded on 3 flanks and decimated.  It would take some practice and coordination to execute and perhaps placement of the stronger fighters in the flanking areas instead of the front row and might only work once! Perhaps useful against the swine head when the enemy are expected to penetrate - let them over penetrate and flank them? Anyway one for Uhtred to keep up his sleeve and please for the sake of my wife, daughter and cat, keep cooking up the regular doses of Uhtred for me :-)

Thanks & best regards,

Al

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

thank you for endless hours of entertaining reading and education. Have read many of your works, Agincourt is still my favorite. Currently on the road with Richard Sharpe and am now considering  trek to Portugal and Spain to see these places for myself! One final thank you. I'm currently sticking my toe in the writing pool, taking on historical topics form a different tac (think St. Augustine FL, very fertile ground). You have solved the problem of trying to use a myriad of references. Your 'Historical Note' at the end of each book is perfect! Short, sweet, gives enough background to fill in the blanks without tying the reader to unending reference notes to each chapter. Would you mind if I borrowed that technique from you? Thank you again,

sincerely,

Duffy

Hello Mr. Cornwell,

The Warlord Chronicles have been some of my favourite books since I was given The Winter King as a Christmas gift in 1996. The characters, the settings, the story, the history blended with fantasy and legend are all so fantastic. I was wondering, while re-reading the series again, if you have any plans to turn them into a TV series?

Thank you for all your stories.

Sincerely,

Elisa V.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Hello Bernard,

As someone who has read all your books except Stonehedge and the nautical thrillers, I want to thank you for all these hours of joy you have given me. Please please please take a small break from Uhtred (who is amazing) to complete the Starbuck Chronicles. It's been 20 years now and I think he deserves a proper ending with another book (or better let's make them two!!)

I also have a question for you: Have you thought or researched about a book/series taking place during the campaigns of Marlborough (Ramilies,Blenheim. Malplaquet,Oudenarde) or during the French and Indian Wars? I think that these are rather neglected periods and you could work miracles with them (oh come on you are not that old to start a new series!!) Thank again for all the hours your books kept me company

Nick

 

Dear Mr Cornwell,

I have enjoyed your novels since I was  probably far too young to be reading them. Their influence is such that I have named my sons after two of your characters- Thomas and Nathaniel (I have a daughter, Esmeralda, but off the top of my head can't remember if you have a character named that!). I also enjoy your work in the sense that it helps me visualise life in the past, and almost 'get inside the head' of those who lived it, which is invaluable to my passion for history.

I know that artistic licence is something that needs to be taken when writing historical fiction, but I wonder if you have ever felt the need to revise or revisit earlier works in the light of new discoveries or theories?

Many thanks

Dave