Your Questions

Q

Dear Mr Cornwall

I have thoroughly enjoyed the sharpe series, particularly his time in India. I was wondering if you had ever been tempted into writing a story or series about the Company's waning days in India?

Kind regards

Chris Batt

Submitted July 17, 2014

A

I haven’t, sorry! I’m really only interested in Wellington’s campaigns there because they affect Sharpe, the rest is for someone else to write!

 

Q

I absolutely loved the saxon storys. the day I got the book I was very happy but 2 weeks later I was pissed off because I had to wait a whole year for the next book.

 

my question is: will The Empty Throne be the last one of the saxon stories or should I expect similar reactions?

 

Daniel Ripa

Submitted July 17, 2014

A

The Empty Throne is not the end of the series.

Q

I really enjoy reading your books. My wife is from Yorkshire and the pictures I have seen and the way she describes the countryside I feel like I am riding my horse along with Arthur and Derfel. My question is how did Derfel end up in a monestary working under Sansum ?

Ed Matthaei

Submitted July 17, 2014

A

I think it’s explained in Excalibur? So far as I remember he’s fulfilling an oath.

Q

Dear Bernard,

Like many I'm absolutely delighted to hear that Carnival will be translating The Last Kingdom in to a TV Series for the BBC.  Probably like may of your fans I've been watching Game of Thrones (and Vikings) and telling my friends "I wish someone would take those same production values and make a series of The Warrior Chronicles, it would make for such an epic story arc telling of Uhtred and Alfred... but I suppose it will never happen!"  So glad to be proved wrong.  However I have a two part question.

 

The press release says "set in the year 872" but the story starts before and goes after that time.  I'm intrigued as to how they will break the book up in to episodes.  What will the focus on.  How quickly will they cover Uhtred's early life?

 

So, why don't you want to have any involvement in the adaptation?  And why don't Carnival want your input to help satisfy the books fans that they will keep to the spirit of the book?  George R. R. Martin is invloved with Game of Thrones.  Diana Gabaldon is involved with Outlander.  This fan certainly believes the series would be better with you involved.

 

By the way, it's a close thing between the Arthur series and Uhtred's story for your best writing and story telling, but the sweep of the Saxon stories edges it in my opinion.  Can't wait till the pre-order hits my Kindle to read the next chapter.

Regards,

David Terrar

St. Albans

Submitted July 17, 2014

A

These are questions I can’t answer! I take the view that the TV producers know their business (and I don’t know their business) so I let them get on with it and don’t ask questions.  I worked in television long enough to know that I know nothing about producing TV drama, and any input from me is liable to be either a distraction or an obstacle. If they have questions then they can ask me and I’ll answer, but otherwise I leave well alone.

 

Q

Congratulations on having Carnival Films decide to create a series based on Uhtred.

 

However, doesn't this create a problem in that you have not yet finished Uhtred's story?

 

Does this mean that you will have to write faster or that you will finish it earlier than expected resulting in less of these outstanding books being published?

Dan McGarry

Submitted July 17, 2014

A

It really isn’t a problem. So far as I know the first series just deals with the first book? So there’s time for me to finish (I hope!)

 

Q

Dear Bernard,

 

I'm so excited BBC will make "The Last Kingdom" into a TV series and hope it will outshine History Channel's "Vikings". I also hope your Hundred Year's war stories will make it onto TV. After finishing "Azincourt", I'm left wondering what Hook's bow poundage is. At one point he strung the bow while on horseback using his stirrups ... no small feat if the bow is over 100 pounds. What is his bow's poundage, and how long is his bow (considering the rule-of-thumb of a man's height plus one fist)? I'm interested because I have just finished my first (long)bow with cow-horn nocks, which is hard to string even at 50 pounds (though I admit it gets easier with practice).

 

All the best,

René, The Netherlands

Submitted July 17, 2014

A

The draw weight is said to be around 125 lbs, even higher – some reckon (working from the Mary Rose bows) that it could have been as high as 140 lbs. But these guys were extraordinarily strong, so much so that their bone structure adapted – archers’ graves have been found and archaeologists discovered massively increased bone size and destiny to anchor the upper body muscles. If you owned a bow with a draw weight of over 100 lbs and practiced with it every day for ten years you could do it too!

 

Q

Your book Pagan Lord will you translate go raibh mile maith agat?  and are scots and Irish far apart? they are both celtic so does this mean they are not germanic as is english?

thanks

John

Submitted July 17, 2014

A

That’s Irish for an elaborate thank you. I don’t know how far apart Scots and Irish are, I suspect they’re fairly close, but I speak neither. The couple to whom the book is dedicated are very dear friends and Tom is an Irishman, so I asked him for the translation. Knowing Tom it probably translates as ‘go boil your head’, but maybe not.

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell

You have two new books out in September and October this year. Could you please tell me if you are going to come to England for any book signings. I am an avid fan and love all your books my particular favourite is the Sharpe novels. Thanks for all the lovely hours of reading which you have given me over the past 20 years.

Paul Boni

Submitted July 17, 2014

A

I will be in the UK for a book tour near the end of October.  As soon as we receive the itinerary we will post it to the homepage of this website.

Q

Mr. Cornwell,

I am currently working my way through the Warlord Trilogy and have noticed that you use corn as one of the crops grown in Britain during that time period. Now, I do not want you to think of me as being one of those types who whine about every small detail, and I appreciate how well you are able to maintain accuracy in your stories. What I am wondering is there another crop that was referred to as corn before the introduction of modern corn from the Americas? My curiosity is due to the fact that you see corn referenced quite a bit in many historical fictions and even in the Holy Bible.

 

Thanks for you time and as long as you'll write 'em I'll read 'em,

Wesley B.

from the Beautiful and Great Ogeechee River Basin, Bulloch County, Georgia (God's Country)

;)

Submitted July 17, 2014

A

The word 'corn' refers to any cereal crop - wheat, rye, barley, etc  Corn is a good old English work, and I know some Americans are confused by it, but it's a common word that only has a specific meaning in the US. I'm sure that when the Bible says there was 'corn in Egypt' it did not mean maize!

Q

Thoroughly enjoying the story of Uhtred it's a very close second to the warlord chronicles. Can you give me a clue as to what piece of British history might be in the pipeline for a future story

David Edgell

Submitted July 15, 2014

A

I’m thinking of a story or two set towards the end of Elizabeth I’s reign – we’ll see!