Your Questions

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

In 2004, I read the Sharpe novels, non-stop and then watched the series.  Sean Bean is the perfect Sharpe.  I just read all the Anglo-Saxon novels.  In the AM, I read serious stuff--going uphill with the N. Ethics, working on Greek--a little--and French, a lot.  I will be there April 1 and want to know what the  toads are saying.  In the PM, I love reading your novels.  They are an incentive to read the historical background.  In 2004, I read Oman, Brett-James & Paget. (I should fess up.

I love visiting France. I have a daughter & 3 grandchildren there.)  Should add, just read Asser's LIfe of Alfred.  Christianity and other religions?  It's triumph is a puzzle to me. I am a Catholic but still wonder about the domination of Christianity in the West.  I am positive part of the answer is political.  Most of the time, most of us are sheep.  Anyway, along with the pleasure of reading your novels, I am going to reread Christianity & Classical Culture, Charles Cochrane, published 1939--has the ominous feeling of disaster about to happen.  It is not doctrinal at all and wonderful prose.

A request:  could you write something about the Hellenistic period?  A current obsession.

I can't believe I am writing to you.  Not the telephone, but email is the Ghengis Khan of modern life.

All the best to you sir.  Thank you for many wonderful hours of reading.

sincerely,

Ron Breaden

PS  I was born in England of an Irish mother.  No wonder I like Sharpe & Harper!

 

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

I'm a devout fan of yours (43 books and counting) that has often been guided by the time periods you write about as I navigate through my History Degree. I'm studying Anglo-Saxons at the moment and was wondering what you think is a very significant/tide-turning battle that you have incorporated into the Last Kingdom Series.

Wyrd bið ful āræd

Maximus

Dear Bernard,

I read that you have recently got into Am Dram and performing.

Do you have any favourite playwrights?

Would you fancy writing a play?

I'm currently reading the The Enemy of God and loving it. Thanks for your books.

Best,

David.

Dear Sir

We cannot overstate our regard for your work.

In re-reading, as is my wont, the Saxon Chronicles, I noticed name Pedredan, which I gather may be a variation of Perrydon. At any rate, since you have written the Starbuck series (the which perhaps you will complete someday?) you may be aware that in the South, two rivers featured famously in the Revolution. The Dan, across which Greene and Morgan escaped the pursuing Cornwallis, and the PeeDee, in the swamps of which Francis Marion sheltered, on Snow's Island, never to be discovered by his pursuers. PeeDee/Dan/ PerryDon Pedredan. Coincidence? No way.

with the greatest respect and thanks for the pleasures you have given and continue to give

Andrew & Denise Isaac ( a small town on the north Coast of Cornwall)

Bernard

Saw in an earlier post a suggestion that your next Sharpe book should be set during the 1812 war in the United States and your response that Sharpe is best fighting the French in Europe.

It might be my imagination, but didn't our hero make a promise not to fight in America? Also if my history is correct the Duke of Wellington refused to consider fighting there as well

Best wishes

Steven

Dear Bernard,

I have just completed the Last Kingdom series and have enjoyed them a great deal.  I have been used to reading literature based on the Plantagenet period, as I always found the most interesting.  However, you have opened my eyes to our heritage in these great isles, which is sadly not mentioned, covered or remembered as much.

So thank you again for opening my eyes to this part of our history.

My question to you is, would an army led by your Uhtred, with Finan at his side, defeat William the Bastard of Normandy in 1066.

Out of curiosity, was his descendants there that fateful day?

What would his reaction to his country being finally conquered for good by descendants of Norse raiders.

Anthony Baldock

I am currently enjoying "Warriors of the Storm", as I have the approximately 50 other books that you have written. However, the first book that I started with many years ago was in the Sharpe series. Will we hear from this fine soldier in the future or like me does Richard Sharpe now spend more time in the rocking chair..

Roger Sullivan

 

I've listened to Sharpe time and time again, would really like more!  I would be greatly obliged.

Scott Bonifield

 

Hi, I would like to ask you again if you have any plans to fill in the gaps in Sharpe's life? I am referring to how Sharpe fell in love with the 'Rifle', when and how did this love affair come about? also knowing how he was not accepted in 'The Mess', I know he came from a line regiment into the Rifles but what I don't know is how he fared in the mess with the other officers, plus how he came to be sent to the Peninsular war. even a short story would be good in filling in these gaps, it would compliment Sharpe's Christmas and Sharpe's Skirmish.

Kenneth Blackman

Dear Mr Cornwell

I wondered if your forum readers are aware that it is now possible to rent part of Hougoumont Farm, courtesy of the Landmark Trust who have refurbished the gardener's cottage in period style as part of "Project Hougoumont". I had the absolute privilege of  staying there last week on my first visit to the Waterloo battlefield. I can't tell you how deeply moving it was to be there.

I eventually arrived at Waterloo as a direct result of having started reading your "Sharpe" books four years ago when my husband and I bought a house situated on the site of the Barrosa battlefield. A search of the internet revealed "Sharpe's Fury" as the top reference for more information, and I went on from there. So thank you most sincerely for opening up to me a wonderful and moving period of British and European history which I had previously just skimmed over.

In terms of how much I enjoy your books - just let me say that no matter how many times I read "Sharpe's Siege" (my favourite) I'm still not sure that those Riflemen and Marines really are going make it on to that escape ship at the end ...

Forgive me is this has already been discussed on the forum, but now that the Waterloo battlefield museums have been upgraded and Project Hougoumont has been completed, it is an outstanding experience and I cannot  recommend it highly enough. The multi-media presentations at both Butte du Lion and Hougoumont are simply amazing. However visitors should be prepared for something of a bias towards Napoleon and the French - the official guide at Butte du Lion included gems such as (quote) "This shows the Battle of Trafalgar where the Spanish fleet was destroyed", and "This shows the Prince Regent of Great Britain. The British were present at Waterloo". Bless.

Kindest regards, and thanks again.

Christine

Dear Mr Cornwell,

I read this in one of your recent interviews...."I’m sort of writing up Athelstan in more recent books. I’m not sure whether I will change to his voice, whether I’ll use Uhtred sans voice, whether I’ll keep Uhtred’s voice."

I greatly enjoyed reading the opening of "Warriors of the Storm" , in which we get an insight to young Uhtred's point of view. I have become quite a fan of young Uhtred - he's different from his father, but a brave warrior nevertheless.

Have you ever considered continuing the story from his perspective? Thanks, looking forward to reading more of your stories.

Andreas

Hi Bernard,

By chance I happened to read your first book of the Last Kingdom Series around eighteen months ago and since then I have been obsessed in accompanying Uhtred on all of his journeys up until Warriors of The Storm. In all of these novels Uhtred recaps his life from middle to old age where you hint he has returned to his child roots in Bebbanburg. Are you writing a follow up novel where Uhtred reclaims his heritage, and if so when do you expect it to be released? I, like many other of your readers are waiting with baited breath for Uhtred's next step in reclaiming his heritage.

An unashamed Uhtred admirer.

Yours Sincerely

Ron Harwood

 

Another great book.  Sadly, hard to put down, thus finished it too quick.  Any target date for another book about our friend Lord Uhtred?

Ken Stafford

 

Great book again, really love authored, type of guy for the time. Hope not long to wait for the next one?

Brian Armer