Your Questions

Q

Have you considered writing about this war that was fought in S E New England in 1675?  It may have been the most important Indian War fought in North America.  There are also many historic figures and existing historic locations.This is simply an idea about a war, in general, and not any specific book idea.
Bob

Submitted March 3, 2013

A

I’ve thought of it, and it is a good idea, but will I write it? I don’t know. Not soon, that’s for sure, but maybe one day?

Q

Simple question for you - which book or series was the most fun for you to write and why?  love your work.
Patrick Clark

Submitted March 3, 2013

A

They’ve mostly been enjoyable to write, and still are! But probably the three that gave the most pleasure were the three about Arthur.  For some reason they came easily and wrote themselves very quickly. That sounds odd, that they ‘wrote themselves’, but that’s how it seems sometimes!

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell
I am another huge fan, all of your books sit on my book case well worn out through constant reading.
I was thinking about your riddle for Sharpe's father, but that got me thinking.
Derfel Cadarn, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, Thomas of Hookton and Richard Sharpe. In your fictional universe, is it at all possible they all came from the same blood line? It would tie in very well if they are all related as ancestors and descendants, a continuous line of fierce and magnificent warriors protecting England for all time.
Tom Lawrence

Submitted March 3, 2013

A

I think it’s most unlikely!  A nice idea, but a bit of a stretch?

Q

Having read, at last count, forty of your works, and am looking forward to more. I wonder if anyone has written a good accurate novel about the taking of Constantinople by the Turks? I believe that it was you that recommended one Conn Iggulden to your readers for his Emperor series. Thank you for that. I also read his work on the Mongols. Whew!!!. I find it fascinating how the Mongols and the English, with superior archery descimated their foes. Hmmm... With equal generals and equal forces I wonder who would hold the advantage on the field of battle. Any thoughts?
Ed Lancaster

Submitted March 3, 2013

A

I suspect the compound bow was a better weapon than the longbow, but fortunately we’ll never know the answer to your hypothetical match-up! What is certain is that five hundred archers would have decisively trounced four times their number of Napoleonic era infantry, which merely shows how difficult it was to master the bow . . . Wellington suggested raising a corps of longbowmen, but was told that there were not nearly enough men in Britain who had the necessary skills.

 

Q

Recently I had a very severe injury which has left me incapacitated and able to do little except read.  My father in law gave me a collection of your novels and they allowed me to escape in to a wonderful world without pain.  When you are developing your characters do you base them on real individuals from the present or history and then expand their actions from there?
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely,
Richard

Submitted March 3, 2013

A

I hope you are feeling much better now!

The characters from ‘real’ history are drawn as closely as I can on whatever we know of them. Sometimes, as with the Duke of Wellington, that’s a lot, and sometimes, as with the Black prince, it’s almost nothing, but whichever it is I try not to stretch too far from the available evidence. The rest/ They’re all fictional, drawn from neither the living nor the dead, but my own imagination.

Q

Mr Cornwell
I have to this date the complete Sharpe series to include the videos starring Sean Bean.  In addition to that I have the original water color done by Tom Freeman for the cover of "Sharpe's Devil". It is my pride and joy of my Freeman collection, I have 24 of his prints and I am a personal friend of Tom's. In addition I have the complete Grail Seires and Saxon Tales Series to date along with "Agincourt" and now "1356". Needless to say I love your books.

The purpose of my email is to give you a suggestion for the the Sharpe Series.  After reviewing your works, I think to really complete the work is to write one or two books of Richard Sharpe's life from his birth or childhood, to his joining the army through his first campaigns (Flanders), to his sailing for India with his regiment to which your book Sharpe's Tiger begins. I know you have touched on his early life (pre army) in some of your books but the one thing has never been explained is why he joined the army.  I believe he joined to save his life if he was a footpad (thief or pick pocket).  Anyway sir it is a suggestion.  I know you have other works in the mill and a new Sharpe bok may not be in the future.  However, if you do plan to write another Sharpe book, I hope you consider my suggestion.  I am looking forward to hearing from you and to your next Saxon Tale.

Sincerely

Jim Goodwin

Submitted March 2, 2013

A

I'm not inclined to take Sharpe back in time again....but never say never. Perhaps a short story one day?

Q

Hi Bernard

have you thought of a title for the next book in Uhtred's series?
Jim Lyons

 

Hey Bernard

I know you plan to release the next book in the Saxon series sometime around September this year in the U.K. So therefore you must have ideas about what you are going to call it, any way you could share with us?

-Callam Staines

Submitted March 2, 2013

A

I think it will be The Pagan Lord.

Q

I am having trouble following Sharpe's story line. i.e. book #4 was written in 2000, #6 was written in 1988. I'd love to read the whole series in order.
Thank you
Gary

P.S. I thoroughly enjoyed the TV series, is there anywhere I could get a copy of the series?

Submitted March 2, 2013

A

You will find the correct chronological order for reading the  Sharpe books here:
http://www.bernardcornwell.net/books-by-bernard-cornwell/

The Sharpe films are available on both Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com as well as Netflix.

Q

I'm sure I'm not the first to ask this but do you have any thoughts, plans, or desires to write about any other great battles in English medieval history? St. Albans, Bosworth, Shrewsbury or, and here's my real hope, Towton?

Kind regards

Simon

Submitted March 2, 2013

A

Towton is a battle that has always intrigued me . . . . who knows? One day, perhaps.

Q

Hi there,
Firstly I would just like to mention how much I enjoy reading your novels and that I hope to enjoy them for many years to come.
I am especially a huge fan of the warlord chronicles, and this is why I have contacted you.
With the huge success of novels and comics being turned into film and TV series, I was wondering if you have considered following the same direction with arguable your best series (my personal favorite) the Warlord Chronicles. I do not know if you have seen Game of Thrones the TV series; but I truly believe with the right script, directer and money, your warlord chronicles could easily be as popular as Game of Thrones. Especially with the graphic and dark nature of today's TV it would suit your books perfectly.
You probably get asked this all the time but I look forward to your reply.
Kind regards
Matthew

Years ago I read Rosemary Sutcliffe's Sword at Sunset, which I thought was a wonderful retelling, without all the later, medieval accretions. However your trilogy surpasses her work and is the definitely the best version I've read - I particularly like the way you've kept to the period, included events that might or might not be magical and conveyed the confusion of the post-colonial breakdown of society.  Will there be a film version one day? (it fully deserves a series).
with best wishes
Paul

Submitted March 2, 2013

A

Thank you!  There are no plans for film or tv at the moment, but I appreciate your comments!