Your Questions

Good morning/afternoon/evening whichever best fits,

 

I wanted to reach out to you for two reasons. At first, I was unsure of doing this but after a bit of hemming and hawing I decided to actually commit and email you. a letter would be preferred with the personal touch but it is what it is. Firstly I wanted to say thank you. I had been in a drought for a while regarding books which was depressing. I feel like there are alot of books out there I would like to read but never had time to do it. I found a book on tape app and the first book I decided to listen to was the Archer's Tale or Harlequin. I was pulled in.

 

it was amazing to be sucked back into a book again, I couldn't stop listening! I had to read the next one! and the next one! blazed through all the books in the series (including 1356) and absolutely loved it!  Then I moved on to the Winter King! had to return that one and then wait three months to finish it! the rest in the series are also on a massive waitlist which can't end soon enough. Your book on Waterloo was also fascinating! there was so much detail I've decided after digesting it all I'm going to have to listen to it again! I've hopefully sold my history buff friends into reading/listening to your books. So again I want to say thank you for reigniting that love of reading I thought lost for awhile. Now that the thanks is over I did want to ask just a few questions.

 

1. In the Grail Quest series they make frequent mention of the Devil's Harp being the term for the English longbow. I've tried to find some historical mention of this since it makes alot of sense in my mind for it to be something they were historically called. If not then I must say I am impressed you came up with that as it is a brilliant term!

 

2. Did you have any regrets over Robbie's death?

 

3. Would there be any authors you may recommend? Or alternatively what authors have inspired you?

 

I apologize if this is long and winded. Thank you for your time and thanks for the wonderful worlds you've created!

 

Joshua Robinson

My fiancee and I are in love with The Warlord Chronicles. I study Welsh (and have gotten her to learn some, too), and I am very much into the Welsh stories of Arthur and what Britain used to be like, before the Anglo-Saxons. I'm fascinated by your choices for Druidic magic, shamanism, and superstition. Can you recommend any source material that you enjoy? I'm also very curious as to the exact type of goose feather that Arthur likes to stick in his helmet. I have a Celtic helmet and would love to put a goose feather in it! Are we talking white goose feathers, like his cape? Or maybe something more like a Greylag goose feather? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Dylan L

Dear Bernard

I saw this book comparing the Battle of Five Forks and comparing it to Waterloo, calling it the Confederacy's. I wondered if you agreed with that statement ?

Also in your Starbuck books , the possibility of Sharpe's Grandson making an appearence was raised. I was curious what was his Name ?

Birge Western Sharpshooters under Grant and Sherman would've been the perfect unit for Sharpes Grandson to join and there Combat record was incredible And all though I guess it won't happen now but did you ever plan to have Starbuck fight the Iron Brigade ? It was a shame you missed out on him fighting those Black Hat fellas in Battleflag at Brawners Farm . I always wondered if you were gonna have him go up against them at Gettysburg  ?

Regards

Geraint

Hello,

This is a question I've had since I recently finished the Saxon Stories. In the last few books, Uhtred spends more and more time pondering his childhood. More specifically, he talks about advice his father gave him about war and strategy. It may have been me not reading close enough, but I cant tell which father he is talking about. Is it Uhtred or Ragnar? Both? I don't ever remember Uhtred talking about his birth father like he was an amazing leader, it always felt more like he was good but not great. Whereas Ragnar was portrayed as more of a warlord of legend. If you could clear this up I'd greatly appreciate it.

Ameen

Hi Bernard,

Hope you are well? I recently listened to sharpes assain during a work trip and found my love for him reignited after focusing on uhtred for a long period.

First of all i wanted to comment on how amazing your research is and if you knew that the historical community holds you research in high regard? I was actually allowed to reference your historical epilogue for sharpe's honour as a source in one of my history assignments at University.

Secondly did sharpe ever tell jane the real cause of her brothers death? I know they wouldn't whilst he was in love but did he ever let it slip subtly at some point during there estrangement?

Jim

Is anyone interested in doing a Netflix show with Sharpe as the main character similar to The Last Kingdom?

 

Enjoyed the BBC original series with Sean Bean but it would be great to have the entire series done again

 

Thanks

Alan

Dear Sir Bernard Cornwell,

my name is Andreea and I'm from Italy. I am currently working on a thesis about the first three books of the Saxon Stories. It's a study from a historical and especially a philological point of view. I found the choice of words coming from Old English very interesting, and what I was wondering was whether or not there have been in your writing process some sources written in Old English that you have read. And how, if that ever happened, did you manage to invent new words that appear to be Old English?

I really hope you answer to this because I'm eager to know more. I also need to tell you how much I love your writing, as well as your stories!

P.S. I hope my English is not too bad, being my third language.

Andreea Mihaela Toma

hello there, Bernard

 

I'm very pleased that yesterday i thought of a BRILLIANT question to ask you!!!

Lets do a bit of Time Travelling and imagine that YOU are a young gentlemen of the Napoleonic Period and you want to "do your bit". What branch of Service would you choose?

Royal Navy? Marines? Artillery? Engineers? Rifles? Redcoat? Cavalry? or maybe a spot with the old EIC? or maybe (Horror of Horrors!) the FRENCH Army? After all they did have the best uniforms!

And how far do you think your skills and luck would get you? Major Cornwell? Maybe even General? or would you be one of those poor Subalterns who ended up dead as dodos in their first battle? Would you in fact be one of those junior officers you yourself enjoy killing off?

i think i would would want to be a Sgt. Either Red or Green. Good Sgts are what made the whole thing work!

Sgt Copley reporting for duty, Sir!

And in an unrelated question, in Sharpe's command, which I'm assuming you've finished...will  we be seeing the return of the much-missed Commendante Teresa?

 

Kind regards as ever

Sgt Matthew Copley

Good morning sir,

I have enjoyed your Sharpe and Saxon series VERY much. I see many similarities between Uhtred and Sharpe. Their military prowess (and perpetual luck) is matchless in their own stories. Who do you suppose would be the superior warrior between the two? Let's suppose that both are in their prime and fully geared for battle. If Sharpe was to be transported from the skirmish line into Mercia as Uhtred is patrolling (but not already in danger), and they both decide that the other is a threat, what happens? Would one win, or would they expertly beat each other to a pulp, then ironically become close friends?

Thank you for all that you do!! Have a great day.

 

-Michael

Good morning, Mr. Cornwell!

I'd like to know, what happened to the Uhtred family in the next centuries (12-20) of history? How long did this family hold Bebbenburg/Bamburg?

Thank You.

András Kiss from Hungary.