Your Questions

Q

Firstly I am a big fan of your books and it's very frustrating when, for example in the 'Pagan Lord' , Uhtred  almost reclaims Bebbanburg (sorry if its not spelt right ) and in the end he fails. As I have always enjoyed the idea of him actually reclaiming his birthright, kicking out his traitorous uncle, taking back the fortress, taking his men and kicking some more pompous priests A*s I am just wondering in your new book will Uhtred try and reclaim Bebbanburg again?....

P.S. would just like to apologize for any awful punctuation or spellings.I have am 15 and have no love for English and  am  not as good a writer as you.
Thanks and good luck with the new book.
Matt

Submitted January 8, 2014

A

Sorry you are frustrated....but I hope you'll keep reading!

Q

Dear Bernard,

I have been a Sharpe fan for many years and I thought that you might be interested in the following...
Due to my connections with Latin America (my wife is Venezuelan), I learnt recently that some of the decisive battles in Simon Bolivar's struggle for independence from Spain were won mainly because of the assistance of British volunteers (particularly riflemen) that had previously been fighting Napoleon. According to Wikipedia " ..The British Legions were an important part of Bolívar's army. They played a pivotal role in the Vargas Swamp Battle on July 25, 1819, and Bolivar credited them with the victory at the subsequent Battle of Boyacá on August 7, 1819..." .   These events are not well known in the UK and the British have recently been derided by Latin American states so I thought you might be interested in writing a novel that would show how some of Sharpe's contemporaries helped some of these countries achieve independence from Spain. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Thanks.
Kind regards
Rob Clarke.

Submitted January 8, 2014

A

I doubt I’ll write the novel, but thank you for the thought. I just finished a non-fiction book on Waterloo and spent a lot of time digging into the memoirs of Ned Costello, a rifleman who was at that battle and who, after the Napoleonic wars, joined the British Legion and fought through the campaigns in South America. It was fairly chaotic, according to his accounts, and yes, the stories would work as a novel, but I’m just not sure I’m going to have the time!

Q

Hello Mr Cornwell,

I've enjoyed your books immensely, but especially 'The Saxon Stories'. I realise that you're working on the next Uhtred adventure, but I have two questions; how many more books will make the chronicles complete, because the suspense is killing me, and is it ever going to be made into a film or series?

Kind regards

Stephen Branley

Submitted January 8, 2014

A

I'm not sure how many there will be in total, but I am working on the next one now.  No plans for a film or series that I know of!

Q

Hello mr. Cornwell.
I’m an italian fan and sorry for my english. I'm a huge fan of all your books, especially of the Saxons stories. Uhtred is one of my favorite literary characters. Have you ever thought to bring the Saxons stories for a movie trilogy? If so when the movie comes out and what will be the title? Thank you very much for your answer and your books.
Giovanni Scognamiglio

Submitted January 8, 2014

A

I am not a movie maker so it's really up to someone else to do it!

Q

Greetings!

Back in 2009, a teacher loaned his copies of your Arthur novels to me.  I was, on the whole, unfamiliar with the legend and the historical setting, but I trusted this person's recommendations.  I think I read all three books within that week.  I was absolutely entranced.  I read voraciously as a teenager, but rarely did particular novels captivate me in quite this way.

Work and college have both entered my life since then, and though I don't generally possess the best powers of recollection, vivid images and moments from these novels nevertheless stuck with me.  In some of life's little trials that I have faced since then, I have seen aspects of Nimue in myself, as well as elements of Derfel.  I've found that other people generally respond better to those characteristics which can be described as "Derfel-esque", though my closest friends tend to be those who appreciate the fierce, devoted, (apparently) occasionally incomprehensible traits which would most be associated with Nimue.  You need not answer if you prefer not to, but I wonder if you feel that qualities of these or any other characters are particularly strong in your own personality.

I'm taking the time to contact you now because I wanted to thank you for writing these astounding novels.  I finally purchased my own copies of them as small gifts to myself and have just completed re-reading The Winter King.  As I prepare to graduate and transition into a life of teaching, I know that whatever adventures await me will be flecked with little bits of these stories, like scattered sunlight on the forest floor.  I plan to read your other creations as well.

Thank you, you lovely person!

Best wishes in this new year and in all the years to follow,

Jennie

Submitted January 8, 2014

A

Thank you!

Nimue would certainly be exciting, but do be careful. I always deny that any of my characters are based on real people, but that’s sort of an evasion. Nimue was . . . . oh, never mind. It was wonderful while it lasted, but someone else had the problem of marrying her. Good luck to him.

Q

Hi Bernard

After enjoying you books for so long and being so numerous. I can't help wondering if you are a Cricket fan? Yes Ryder Sandman in the Gallows Thief is obvious to me but have you at times used the names of prominent English Cricketers for characters?
Just wondering as I love the game.
Regards and many thanks.
Stuart Keating

Australia

Submitted January 8, 2014

A

I do love the game, but it’s now a long-range love affair. It’s easy to find good rugby on US television channels, and the Premier League is all over the telly here, but cricket? I haven’t seen a game in forever.

Q

Hi Bernard .

I am and have been a huge fan of your work for a long time. I hope you don't mind answering a few questions. (1) With regards to your writing style do you  have a personal preference between writing in the first person or the third person and is there a particular assessment you make choosing first or third person before you begin writing a new series of books? (Your prose is so awesome and brutal in the first person) (2) Back in the day when you were writing two books a year and alternating between Sharpe and another novel set in another period of history, did it take any effort or change of writing style to transition and capture the particular period you were writing of or was it seamless? (3) Do you have any plans to come to New Zealand in the foreseeable future? Thanks Bernard
Dean Newman

Submitted January 8, 2014

A

It's swings and roundabouts. You do lose something by writing in the first person- not just the suspense of whether the main character will survive (which he or she usually does even in third person narratives), but also the alternative points of view that can increase suspense - i.e. you can watch an ambush being laid, then watch your hero walking into it. On the other hand there's an immediacy to the first person which can increase excitement and pace. I don't think one is any better than the other - and though most of my books are third person I enjoy doing the first.

 

I’m not sure it was seamless – it took a couple of weeks to acclimatize to a new period, but I don’t remember any particular difficulties. When you’re writing a book it dominates your thoughts, but as soon as it’s finished it vanishes like mist.

 

I've been to New Zealand and I certainly hope to return some day!

Q

The Pagan Lord - Well, you did it again -kept me up to the wee hours to finish yet another great read.  Many scores settled. New story lines put in place.  Can't wait until the next one but don't forget about Sharpe!  For the Waterloo bicentennial maybe?
John Smolenski

Submitted January 8, 2014

A

I won't forget about Sharpe - promise!  But the book for the Waterloo Bicentennial has been written (my first and maybe only non-fiction!).

Q

Hi Bernard,
I just finished The Pagan Lord and am looking forward to another tale with Uhtred. He is my favorite character of any story I have ever read.
I have also become very intrigued in the time period, whereas I knew almost nothing about the 9th and 10th centuries prior to reading your books. I was just curious, does your interest spread to collecting period pieces from the times of which you write about? I actually just purchased an arm ring as I could not bare to be without one!
I would love to know what you have come across over the years and if anything really struck you as particularly interesting.
Thanks and best of luck in finishing the next Saxon story!
Justin (Boston, MA)

Submitted January 8, 2014

A

I rarely do collect such things. I do have a good example of a 1796 Pattern Heavy Cavalry Sword that hangs in our living room – that’s the same sword that Sharpe carried, but I promised my wife I wouldn’t fill the house with ‘stuff’ related to the novels and so far I’ve kept that promise! There’s a replica Baker Rifle in the room where I work, and I do have a few Saxons scraps – a coin, an arrow-head – but really nothing very much. The best piece I have is a glorious and gorgeous sword-hilt decoration from the early Saxon period; it was discovered in an archaeological dig in Wiltshire and is exquisitely made from pure gold, and that we mounted in a case and Judy wears it as a necklace.  But the arm-ring sounds good, well done!

Q

Hello Bernard,

I've only just seen 'The Pagan Lord' in the shop today. I didn't know that it was in print., I've been waiting a long time to find out how Uhtred is getting along. Do you know when I'll be able to get it in paperback here in the UK, to go with all my others on the shelf.  I  love this series although no-one could ever compare to Richard Sharpe, my all time favourite book character
Sue

Submitted January 3, 2014

A

The paperback of The Pagan Lord will be released in the UK on 22 May 2014.