Your Questions

Q

Hello Mr Cornwell,

I'm Antonello and I write from Italy. First of all I want to express all my sincere admiration for you because there are very few author, all over the world, that have the capability to abduct the reader from the reality and transport him in the plot of the novel like you do. I live in Italy but I love north european folk and history (from ancient time to XV century), consequently I really love "The Warlord Chronicles"; "The Grail Quest"; "The Saxon Stories"; "Agincourt" and "Stonehenge".. I really love the characters of Derfel Cadarn and Uhtred of Bebbanburg. I am a student of medicine but I love history and writing, so in the spare time I write and my desire is to write an historical novel. I want to ask you just three question: were is it possible to find sources about the history, the name to give to character and the exact battles's progress. How can I do to find the source to write a historical novel?
I look forward to hearing from you,
Yours sincerely,
Antonello Bianchi
P.S. Sorry for my english, I'm attempting to learn it as well as possible.

Submitted November 5, 2013

A

It’s rather a broad question!  The answer is equally broad . . . you read the history books!  And then you read more, and you hope that an idea, or some ideas, will spring from the reading.  Let’s suppose you’re writing about Italian history? There have to be excellent books to consult and if you choose a particular battle then you’ll find books about that battle, and you read them!  I know that’s a very obvious answer, but it is the true one! As for names, that’s entirely your choice.

Q

Hello, I've greatly enjoyed your Saxon series over several years. I particularly appreciate the level of detail and research which seems to go into these works. Reading the Pagan Lord, I noticed you refer several times to both Danes and Saxons using stirrups on their saddles. I thought I had read somewhere that stirrups were unknown at this time (at least in Britain), and one of the reasons that the early Saxons and Danes didn't use horses was their lack. I also seem to remember being taught that the Normans at Hastings introduced the concept to great effect. No idea if this is true or not, just wondering what your research had indicated, as I've no idea how to look that up! Already looking forward to the next Uhtred installment (I am dearly hoping Uhtred makes it all the way to Athelstan's victory at Brunanburgh).
Jon

Submitted November 5, 2013

A

The usual date offered for the introduction of stirrups into Western Europe is the 7th Century, AD, but we have evidence that they were used in Scandinavia a hundred years earlier. So yes, I'm quite sure Uhtred used stirrups!

Q

Have you ever thought about placing a more mature Nicholas Hook at Verneuil? What do you think of this specific character you created?
Thanks for your wonderful books!
João

Submitted November 5, 2013

A

I did visit Verneuil and that’s a battle which has always fascinated me; the second Agincourt, some folk call it, so it is a possibility!

Q

Your novel "Agincourt" (which I plan to order from Amazon) came up in a Google query I made about the phrase "shot the willow stick for Agincourt".  The phrase was in a tweet regarding archery, but when I attempted to look up longbows (which I knew were a featured weapon at Agincourt), I discovered that single wood longbows were mostly made out of yew, not willow.  Do you have any insight into the phrase in quotes and what it might mean?  My Google searches seem to return me to the original tweet, which isn't all that helpful.  I, by the way, truly enjoyed "The Winter King" and look forward to reading  "Agincourt".  Thanks for any information that will scratch this itch of curiosity.
Gail Upp

Submitted November 2, 2013

A

I’ve no idea!  You’re right, the bows were of yew, but maybe the phrase refers to the arrows? Except, as far as I know, willow wasn’t used for arrows. It was used to make shields. We’re getting nowhere . . . maybe someone will recognize the phrase and enlighten us both?

 

Q

Hi Bernard.

Thinking about the Peninsular War, in your opinion was Wellington a first rate general and his opponents second rate? Or were they equal - but Wellington had that extra bit of luck? If so, could battles such as Talavera and Salamanca been reversed way if 'luck' hadn't played its part? What made me think about this was Napoleon's fleet narrowly evading Nelson on its way to conquer Egypt; if Nelson had intercepted there and then, there might not have been a Napoleonic Era!

Robert Douglas

Submitted November 2, 2013

A

I don’t doubt that Wellington was a first rate general. Some of his opponents were too. Marmont was a superb general, and it was certainly a stroke of ill-luck that he was wounded so early during the battle of Salamanca, though I doubt he could have retrieved the battle after the initial mistake.  Soult was a considerable general, Napoleon reckoned him a first-rate tactician, but they were all up against a man who had virtually all the military talents. And you’re right, of course, that history would have changed if Nelson had encountered Napoleon’s fleet before the troops landed.

Q

Dear Bernard,

I saw that you mentioned in the Q and A section earlier this month that you would know later this month if your next book would be a follow up to the Pagan Lord. Have you decided yet? I'm really hoping I don't have to wait two years for book 8!

I have been devouring books all my life (I'm 38) and pleased to say you're my favorite
author. Once I've read the Starbuck Chronicles I will have read all your works.

Kind regards,

Matt Walcot from Sydney

Submitted November 2, 2013

A

I think it will be, yes, but I’m still finishing Waterloo, and I probably won’t make a decision till that’s done.

Q

We are both Essex men. I served as a N.S. soldier in the 1st Bn The Essex Regt: Your Sharpe books seem to follow closely in that regiments history. Have you based them on that regiment ? Thanks for hours of pleasure you have given me regarding them.
Mike Moore

Submitted November 2, 2013

A

Not really . . . but I suppose that any battalion, even a fictional one, will closely parallel a number of real regiments that fought through the Peninsular War, so any similarity is genuinely coincidental!

Q

Mr. Cornwell (Or May I Call You Bernard?)

Thank you for the vacation/Saxon-site visit recommendations. We were already thinking seriously about a visit up north and your suggestions finalized our plans...although we were probably headed up there regardless. You see, we recently concluded several years of family history research only to discover that my lovely Scots-Irish-Danish wife is a direct descendant of Robert the Bruce! We'll be sure to send you a postcard from Bamburgh Castle! While we're there however, do you think we'll have to stay mum about her ancestry?

Thanks Again,

Michael Hanselman
Sterling, VA

Submitted November 2, 2013

A

Oh, I think those ghosts have been laid to rest!  So mention it!

Q

Mr. Cornwell,

I just wanted to write and sing my praises for your work.  I just finished The Winter King, and am so blown away and in love with your characters and take on the Arthur story my head is spinning.  I can’t wait to go grab Enemy of God and Excalibur next.  I’m obviously not alone in my Arthur obsessions, but what you did with Ceinwyn and Guinevere was probably the most amazing love story I ever read, and holy crap, I thought the end of my last relationship had a high body count, but I've got nothing on these folks!

I’m also an English man living in the US – in 2004 I moved to Rhode Island to get married to my American fiancee, (also a novelist) and we’re just about to celebrate our 9th anniversary!  Best thing I ever did by far, it has been a great adventure - I love Cape Cod too – have you ever visited Providence RI?  It’s probably an hour South of the Cape, and a very fun city with great restaurants.

I also absolutely LOVE Merlin, and was so tickled by your version of Lancelot I was laughing my head off with some of Derfel’s assertions about the ‘brave hero’ – especially his tendency to hang back in battle, rip his own cloak and sometimes even bloody his own face up so he’d be perceived as the true savior of the day!!!
My biggest thrill though was probably Nimue, and how you developed her character, from her first intro wearing the death mask to scare Gundleus away from Merlin’s sleeping chamber at Ynys Wydryn, all the way through her three trials to the Isle of the Dead and back.

Incidentally, the index of place names at the beginning and the modern-day equivalents really held my interest too – particularly Lundy Island.  My wife is a Lundy whose family originates there, so one day we definitely plan on visiting.  Have you ever been to the Isle of Lundy?  I have not – I’m a northerner from South Yorkshire, but do get homesick sometimes; this book definitely gave me a pang of homesickness.
Anyway, I do hope you get this note – your work is mind-blowing, and I can’t stop thinking about these people.  There is no better pleasure than reading, so thank you for giving me such joy.

If you ever plan on hitting Providence for a night out, please let me buy you dinner.

Best Regards,

Chris Cox

Submitted November 2, 2013

A

Thank you!

I have not, and I wish I had!  I’ve sailed past Lundy, does that count?  And one of my closest friends marooned himself there indefinitely to give up smoking . . .

Q

Hi Mr Cornwell,

I'm loving the Pagan Lord. I'm sorry to ask this but its bugging me. Is Uhtred talking about the battle of Brunanburh when he says 7 kings will die? I cannot think what else it could be. It's all very exciting

Kind Regards

Ian from Devon

Submitted November 2, 2013

A

He doesn’t know it, of course, but yes he is!