Your Questions

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

There was no battle at Agincourt and I would be surprised if Shakespeare indicates one.

The English longbowmen won the day but the battle because of their reputation for hitting a distance laterally but not a direction. The French decided for the one and only time in history to advance in columns instead of ranks and the integrity of the columns was maintained by the French nobility on horseback. You have to imagine what inevitably ensued whilst the English looked on. They all crushed each other to death in mounds ( N.B. not walls) of dead and all the English did was massacre them with knives.. What happened was a miracle not a battle.

Enviably to many, Shakespeare set the standard for history in consulting an eyewitness account whereas everyone else merely fabricated a stereotype.

James Lambert

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

I note one of your answers advises that the 8 TV series is based on "Last Kingdom" & "the Pale Horsemen" - I have read all of your historical novels with the exception of a majority of "Sharpe" stories, (although have seen several of TV episodes starring Sean Bean) and have been enthralled with all so far. I noted from the interview on this site that you were not involved with production of these films and my question is about the Last Kingdom - and chronology of events - ie in my memory I believe when Uhthred was taken hostage or captive he was made a slave galley oarsman and met "Finan" whom you let become the hero's lifelong 2 I/C, however so far Finan has made no appearance although Brida is heavily involved at moment as is Alfred who was not king of anything at time the King was Aethelred? I hope the TV Production Team have not cruelly lost him as I think his character is (Finan) integral to Uhthred's story whether fictional or otherwise (believe they were both very young at the time they first met). Regrettably your books are so absorbing that I usually finish them in a "day" or two so I'm always sitting expectantly on the edge of my seat waiting a year for the next one, therefore I may have the order of matters out of sync. But then that's what they say in the entertainment spheres always leave your Readers wanting more.............. and believe me we do ..... want much, much more - thanks very much for teaching me so much about the country of my birth Englaland and its origins please continue with the education.

Yours Sincerely,

Ken White (the bottom point of Mercia - Northants)

Dear Mr Cornwell,

Love your books, read 'em all - just finished Uhtred's latest adventure.

Is Sharpe's father Dirk Hatteraick from guy Mannering???

My other guess would be Isaac Gullivar but think he was born too late.

Stu

 

Following your recreation of the Arthurian legend/myth and the excellent Agincourt, would you ever consider a remake/take on the legend of Robin Hood? I ask because following Hollywood's big budget versions of the tale I would love to see a Robin Hood closer to reality. Down dirty in the mud in a tortured Nottingham like Derfel of Dumnoia or Thomas Hook.

David Flak

I have just finished reading The Warriors of the Storm for the second time ( first to find out what happens, second to relish) what a wonderful story teller you are! I loved it.

Recently I heard a radio 4 program about early poetry and came across a poem called The Ruin by an unknown Anglo Saxon comparing the Roman ruins in a town with his own architecture and I thought of Utred's many musings on the subject. Have you ever come across this poem?

I am looking forward to the TV series, hope it doesn't disapoint.

Thanks for all your hard work

Alice

Hello, Mr. Cornwell.

I wanted to thank you for your writing, especially The Last Kingdom series. I've always been interested in that period of history, and I actually have an ancestor who came from Denmark to England in that period.

My question is something that's been bugging me for some time, as I just finished rereading the Warlord Chronicles: Who is, and what happened to, Arthur's final sibling. It's mentioned in the first book that Uther had 4 children by Arthur's mother. Arthur and Morgan ended up in Dumnonia. Anna was married to the King of Broceliande. Who was the fourth child? And what became of them?

Garrett

Hello again.

I do think it's great that an author responds as well as you do and with great patience. I have written to you in the past about my admiration for your Sharpe and the Warlord Chronicles but, (and if you'd excuse the pun) I'd like to change tack.

As it was Trafalgar day yesterday I was just thinking ...I did enjoy your sailing thrillers, I found them once in my dad's bookcase. Have you ever had a slight itch to attempt one again? Probably to the consternation of your publishers no-doubt. I know you enjoy sailing, and your knowledge and enthusiasm showed in that great escapade Sharpe's Trafalgar too.

All the Best

Toby

I had just downloaded The Last Kingdom to my e-reader when I saw that a BBC series has been made of it.  I decided to record the series and read the book first - which I thoroughly enjoyed.  But with 8x60 minute parts I wonder if the BBC series covers more than just the first book and if so how many -  I would prefer to read them first before watching the series.

Thank You

Judith Mann

Dear Mr Cornwell

I will try my best to not make this sound like a long winded sermon but your books have changed my life. I first hard of you on the title sequence for Sharpe as a boy, I have dyslexia pretty bad and I hadn't read my first full book independently until I was 13 or 14.

The first book I ever read was The Winter King my old man (who is also dyslexic) was reading it and mentioned it was about King Arthur, back then Tales of King Arthur and his Knights, Robin Hood 100 year war were my optiates I couldn't get enough. One day when he set the book aside I picked it up and started to decipher the blurb, then I opened the book and read the opeing page, then I was hooked it took me a month to fumble my way through it. It took me another 4 months to read the other 2 in the trilogy.

I am now 25 and I have read everyone one of your books up to date including Warriors of the Storm. The Saxon Chronicles are by far my favourite even overtaking my love for Sharpe. Being born and Bred in the North East of England I feel I can relate to Uhtred and Bamburgh is one of my most favourite places in the World.

Which brings me onto my question. The final book finished with Uhtred stating he had business in the North, which I asume means the next book in the series will be based Northumbria. Previously when you have wrote about Northumbria you have only written about the major towns and cities such as Durham, York, Leeds, Chester-lee-Street. You have also made reference to hexham I believe.

I was wondering if in the next novel you would be writing about the landscape of Northumbria in more detail for example there is a small village approximately 10 miles west of Hexham on the river Tyne called Ovingham which comes from the Anglo-Saxon for Offa's Hamlet I believe. Also Escomb Church in County Durham is said to be the most complete Anglo-Saxon church in Britain.

I don't mean to be critical of your work but in the North we are very passionate about our heritage and it would be nice to have some of the littler places mentioned like you have done previously about Wessex and Mercia.

Many Thank

Kurtis Beck

Hello Mr Cornwell,

I've enjoyed all books I've read and have been impressed with the last kingdom series so far. However, I was thrown by the continued referral by the Danes and northumbrians to the land as England. Considering at this point of the story, England doesn't exist, was this for simplification of the story or accidental and missed?

Secondly, after the very good Waterloo, are you interested in writing any more non fiction or sticking now to the story series of books?

And lastly, having written about Napoleonic era, American revolutionary era, Saxons and King Arthur, The Crusades seem (as yet) untouched....I'm curious if you have purposely stayed clear of this period - if so why?

Many thanks