Your Questions

Dear Mr Cornwell,

 

I have truly enjoyed so many of your books. The Sharpe and Starbuck series were both favourites with my whole family. You recent tales of Uhtred have not disappointed! My dad bought me the most recent for Christmas, unfortunately this was my first encounter with the series, so I have now gone right back to the Last Kingdom to start again.

I did very much enjoyed Uhtred's encounter with Hywel Dda and I do hope he, or at least the Welsh make another appearance. While I was at Cardiff University I read the story of Gruffydd ap Cynan. I remember at the time thinking this would make a brilliant Cornwell series! I wonder, have you ever heard of Gruffydd? This is not a plea for you to start a new series based on Gruffydd (although if you do I will not complain) it was more to ask if you knew of him, and if not I think you'd enjoy reading about his life, Sigtrygg Silkbeard's and Magnus Barefoot's.

 

All the best,

 

Anthony

Dear Mr. Cornwell:

I'm just curious if you have watched any of the History Channel's series (now in the third season) of "Vikings"? It's like they have no advisors on history or anything to do with Vikings. (Don't you know anybody over there?) Let me mention just a couple laughs: the "Vikings" never wear helmets (or "helms" in the sagas), but the Saxons do! Now their wearing what looks like 16th century Spanish armor. Also one time they showed a Viking ship with the steering oar on the port side! What about "steer board" or "starboard" don't they understand? Finally, it looks like they've already settled Wessex in the time of Alfred's grandfather (Egbert)!!

Peter Hansen

Hi Bernard,

I was just reading your questions section of your web page, I'm an avid reader of it and have been since the last Starbuck book so long ago. You had stated that you didn't know what book you were going to write in a response from another reader about a WW 1. Well now might be a good time to call Nate back from his long sabbatical, Please.

Now my Uhtred question, I can't think right now of which book you wrote it in but, Uhtred was with Ragnar the younger and they were near or thinking about taking Dunham, but they had met some Scotsman and his son and Uhtred stated that had he known what kind of problems they would cause he would have killed him then. Do or will you have any plans of Uthred going north and running into them again?

 

I think that would be an interesting adventure for Uthred but would still love to hear that you plan to write about Nate next, I think I'd fall over if or when I read it.

 

Thanks a million for all you do.

Don

Dear Bernard,

one question that always puzzled me is why after the unification, the land was named after the Angles (thus England) and not after the Saxons, since Wessex was the leading force behind it. Shouldn´t it be called 'Saxonland' instead?

By the way, what do you think of the brazilian edtion of the Chronicles, where all the covers put side by side form a panel?

Thanks in advance from Brazil,

Luiz Amaral

Dear Mr Cornwell,

You mention (on page 44) of 'Waterloo' that William Prince of Orange was at Eton. I am helping Eton College compile a list of old Etonians who fought at Waterloo, there is talk of erecting a memorial to them. I wonder if you could tell me your source for the statement? All I can find is that he was educated 'in exile' and at Oxford. Any help in this would be much appreciated.

As an aside, on page 73 you refer to the Count D'Erlon as a Marshal of France a rank he did not achieve until 1843.

Yours is the clearest books on Waterloo I have read, I hope it is not your last factual history.

Yours sincerely,

David Broomfield

Hello Bernard

Just wonder if you are into REHs Conan stories,or anything of his? Love your Uhtred,Arthur & Redcoat books.

Cheers

Wayne.

Dear Mr Cornwell,

to understand Napoleon's [over] reliance on Nay - everybody, including (sorry!) yourself overlooked one aspect. What happened to Napoleon happened later to Stalin's generals, arrested before the WWII and then releised, when things went bad for russians: Meretskov and others - whey were internally never the same anymore (broken to some degree): after Elba , Napoleon could not be the same, and he owned to Nay (at least to some emotional degree) his ability to return to be the Emperor. These releised soviet generals and Napoleon in Waterloo had one thing in common - they subconsiously felt superiority of those who had been not arrested  - and Nay had this advantage over Napoleon. Your thoughts?

Zeev

Bernard

 

Did the Vikings colonise the Isle of Man? Will Uthred visit?

 

Best Wishes

 

Andy

I have enjoyed your book so very much. You bring history to life! Richard Sharp is my hero and Azincourt followed by 1356 were simply wonderful. I have read them several all times. I was wondering if a book about the Battle of Hastings is on your agenda?

Wayne Farrow

Mr. Cornwell

I was just wondering if you plan on finishing the Starbuck chronicles? I love all of your other books but would like to see what happens to Nathaniel Starbuck.

Andy Smith