Your Questions

Hello Bernard,

My name is Alessandro and i'm writing from Florence Italy so forgive my English,I just wanted to thank you for the work you have done, I'm a huge fan of your work with the Warrior Chronicles, it is such a great story and it's not like any other books I've read, you might read some other fans saying this, but I really mean it.

I started to read your books after I finished the Martins ones (game of thrones) and you dethroned him within the third book of the series, I mean Martins is a good writer (maybe a little too clever) but you my friend!.... straight to the point! no bullshit just great books about warriors! keep up the good work!

I don't know if I may start reading sharpe's cause it's a shame that many of sharpe's books are not available in italian, do you have any news for the whole series to be published in italian?

Otherwise I'll just have to stick with the original version.

 

And then, do the Warrior Chronicles end with your last book this Oct?

Thanks man!

 

May Odin and Bragi guide your pen!

Dear Bernard

Battle of Castalla 1813

 

I have read speculation, that  in that battle against Suchet, the British commander Murray ordered a reatreat and the British force under his command, simply ignored him and won the battle on there own. As somone well versed in the Peninsular War, I wondered if you knew if that was true or not, as it seems a wonderful story if true.

 

Also in the past you have said you were regretful you did not get Sharpe to Austerlitz but I wondered if you were ever tempted to get Sharpe to the battle of Auerstadt and meet Davout. He has met the Iron Duke so why not the Iron Marshal.

 

Finaly, although you will probably say no, I will ask anyway, please please could you consider a spin off tale for Fredrickson in the War of 1812. No character is more deserving (or capable) of a spin off, and in Sharpes Waterloo it does say he was serving in Canada. It would be great to know what happened to him after he fell out with Sharpe and what happened to him. While you can write about the War of 1812 without using Sharpe either.

 

Yours sincerely

Geraint

P.S I don't know if you have read it or not but if not , Roy Muirs book on Wellington, The path to victory is a splendid read and worth a look.

 

Dear Mr Cornwell,

 

Just a quick question that I hope you can either confirm or deny. I was looking at future TV series on Sky.com, and noticed The Last Kingdom, which I noticed when reading the blurb is the same story as the first book in your excellent series (cannot wait for the latest installment).

 

Is this actually based on your Warrior chronicles? If it is so, I hope you have had plenty of imput in it, it has the potential to be an outstanding book to TV adaptation.

 

Best Regards

 

Neil

Mr. Cornwell,

about Sharpe's father, could it be VICAR SYN, more known as Doctor Syn, the smuggler/pirate/parson from Russell Thorndike novels? The "Take you out, put me in" maybe refers to smuggling, as some other have pointed; Vicar was the name of a horse (the great-grandchildren of Secretariat). It also refers to your quote of the Smuggler's Song "'Baccy for the parson", and around this time, Doctor Syn was in London. I couldn't figure out the "happy person" part. Am I closer to the truth? If not, any more clues?

Ronnie Junior

 

Hi Bernard.

First off many thanks for you books! As a student of history I love the way you interweave your characters with real events and am greatly looking forward to your "non-fiction" account on Waterloo in September.

I know that you are a great researcher so forgive me for picking you up on a reference that you make in "Harlequin" and I'm happy if by return you correct me....

In the book you refer to one of Thomas' companions in the Archers as being the "son of a draper" ... A few years ago I thought I'd research my surname, though I assumed it was a typical Anglo-Saxon name that simply referred to a trade, as in "Smith". What I found out was far more interesting in that the name "Draper" originated from three brothers called "Drapeaux" who arrived from the Low Countries (Flemish) in the 16th Century and started the first Cotton Mills around the Huddersfield area. They later Anglicised their name to "Draper". The use of the name as a "purveyor of cloth" was actually generic from their name change. So I guess the question is, did the word "draper" actually exist in the English language prior to the 16th Century?

Regards,

Jim

 

Dear Bernard,

Have you noticed the latest fashion of writing novels in the present tense ? The past tense works perfectly (as demonstrated by your fantastic works over the years) .

Do you have any opinion on this ?  Personally I am unable to finish a book written in the immediacy of the present .

Thanks once again for all the pleasure over the years

Neil Brownlee

Hi,

I keep reading on face book fan page that the  Arthur books are being filmed at some point for tv? Is this true? It's exciting to know,

Regards

Mike Wilding

 

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

This is second time I'm writing to you, first time was 2 years ago. You probably do not remember me ("biggest" fan from Serbia).  Back then I tried to solve (unsuccessfully) riddle about Sharpe's father. "Take you out, put me in and a horse appears in this happy person." ( Btw, I still like my theory about Sir John More).  Since then I spent many days browsing the internet in the search for an answer. I found some of your old interviews where You said that it would be ironic/paradoxical that Sharpe's father is French (since he spent most of his life fighting them). Also You mentioned that "Sharpe thinks that he is English". For me that was irrefutable proof that his father is a French (I was sooo wrong). I spent many days browsing wikipedia for "famous French people of 18th century" , trying to switch any "u" or "ou" in the name with "me" or "i" and then google  that new (nonsensical) word to see if gives a name of some famous horse.  Needless to say - not much success there.  For some time I gave up my search, then I read about "The Smugglers Song" at your site, and noticed that twice (at least) You said "close/not entirely wrong"  to the  readers who suggested that Sharpe's father is/was smuggler.  After that I googled "Famous British smugglers" and first link I got was the list of 9 names, in which one name stands out - ROGER RIDOUT (North Dorset smuggler who earned legendary status for his tricks). At that moment I realized that "Take you out" doesn't mean "Take out YOU" , but "you (should) take OUT" , and "put me in" isn't "put ME in" , but " IN - put me". So we get ROGER RIDIN (ridin' as short for riding a horse), and  about happy person , who is more happy than "Jolly Roger"?

I also heard that one who solves the riddle can ask anything from Bernard Cornwell, so, I would like to became a King of Mercia (I heard a rumor that there is an Empty Throne there) or in case if that is unavailable - a signed book by Bernard Cornwell .

 

Best Regards, Miro Kordić

Hi,

 

I wonder if you plan to publish a French version (Canadian) last 4 volumes of Saxon Stories.

 

I read with passion the first 4 volumes and I look forward for some years translating the latest tomes...

 

I apologize if my English is not appropriate.

 

Thank you for your attention.

 

Julie

Hello Bernard,

 

With The Empty Throne release date getting closer, when will we get a taster of the new book?

 

In answer to another correspondent I got the feeling the Elizabethan book might not now be the next one you write. Have you settled on what will be next?

 

Regards

 

Chris