Your Questions

Dear Sir

Thanks for confirming that so far Price and Weller are still alive.  Although I understand that can change :-) I have a question regarding screen adaptations of your works.  I know you cannot give examples but have there ever been times when you've either been baffled by the screen adaptation or even thought?

"I understand poetic license but that has strayed too far away from my story".

I can give you a couple of examples one that absolutely baffles me (although i still watch it when I'm doing a Sharpe-a-thon.  Sharpe's Gold the screen adaptation totally baffles me.

And the other one that i felt unnecessary (even if they want Sharpe being a ladies' man) was killing off Lucille, when we all know that she ultimately outlives Sharpe and they have 2 children together.

Speaking of that.  The impression I get from how the store of their son's description of his mother still missing his father, that Sharpe lives to a pretty decent age for the period of time based in.  70s or even mid 80s?

Thanks for giving us one last Sharpe.  And I cannot wait until this is no longer second nature to say..........Stay safe

Lee

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

I have been reading your books since I was in high school some 21 years ago. My favorite series is the warlord chronicles followed by the Saxon stories which I have reread so many times I’ve lost count. So it’s fair to say that your works alone have inspired me in my attempt to write a novel, thus leading to the problem I now face. So I decided to ask you, my source of inspiration, for your advice on the subject. I have started a book set in the early medieval period but I keep getting mired in my attempts to be as accurate as possible. I know that historical fiction is just that, fiction, and some wiggle room is to be expected; however, in trying to keep everything as accurate as possible I find I get overwhelmed with information and detail. Be it describing how a place appears, technology available at that time, known relationships, etc. What advice would you proffer to help with this research overload? Should I sacrifice detail for expediency and ease? Should I trudge on with research that an unknown but probably high percentage of readers (being optimistic there) wouldn’t notice or even care about? Any sage advice would be warmly received.

 

Yours truly,

Chad H.

I have loved many many of your books.  Will there be any further tales of the great Lord Uhtred or is he out to pasture?

Roeney E Brooks

 

Is the war lord book the last in the series of the last kingdom?  I've read a lot of your books and really enjoy them

Simon Cromwell

I live in a converted 13th century cistercian chapel, modified in the Victorian and Edwardian era to a house dedicated to the house of Wessex and the first Saxon King of England Aethelstan. The property is called Abbots Oak and is about a mile north of the summit of Bardon Hill in Leicestershire. I noticed with interest recently the location of Aethelstans battle ground in the Wirral, an area connected to the Edwardian owner of this property, Lady Miriam Bertha Joyce and her husband Sir Matthew Ingle Joyce.. Is the symbolic dedication of this house and and it's Saxon decoration a coincidence or another link to Aethelstan.

The link to this King was first brought to my attention by American visitors who also had a signet ring with the same symbol, Wyvern flanked by two crowned lions, as we do above the main entrance crow stepped gables. It could have been an Edwardian folly but the symbols repeat in our main room on the mantle above the fireplace.

Antony Kurr

Dear Mr. Cornwell,

We have written to you several times about how much we are enjoying the Last Kingdom series.  Having recently found out we are related through my mum to the Uí Néills, my son noticed the name when Finan said he and the woman he ran off with were chased by Uí Néills.  We discussed Brunanburh and he then wondered whether you would consider a series with the "other half" to the Brunanburh story, namely from Constantin's side?

That he was Aethelstan's opponent and there was no decisive victory implies his allies Anlaf, Owain of the Strathclydians and the Welsh kings had put up a fair opposition in their will of the Celts - and Gaels - to drive the Saxons away.

I suspect I know the answer, and we would love to have known your take on it.  That Constantin had sought exile with his cousin to his aunt's court, and "King Finan" was the Uí Néill's either ally or enemy, might be an intriguing back story (the whole of Uí Nèill story at this time is intriguing, at least to us). I can never work out why Constantin never did get help from the Uí Néill at Brunanburh considering his family links, maybe he thought the allies he had were enough?  (My son's 11 and I read him an edited version - they're his in all your glory when he's older).

Anyway, thank you again and we look forward to September for the new Sharpe.

Lucy and Rory

PS he still wants to be an author

 

Thank you for your recommendation about Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet. I would have been unlikely to have read it otherwise. It was good to bump into Richard Shakespeare again a few times in the tale, as well! With so much unknown about those lives, despite their fame, it's certainly a fertile field for speculation. Are you tempted to revisit it? Looking forward to meeting Sharpe once more in the autumn and wherever you go after that.

Tony Mills

Dear Mr Cornwell,

I am currently reading through the Saxon Stories/ The Last Kingdom Series and am on Warriors Of The Storm. As many others have probably said before, thank you for writing such intriguing and fantastic stories dropped on the backdrop of our history.

However, my question referrers to Sigtryggr's fortress in Ireland and in Loch Cuan. I am from Northern Ireland and live quite close to Strangford Lough, frequently kayaking there however I cannot pinpoint where Sigtryggr's fortress is on that western bank of the Lough. My guess would be Sketrick Castle at Whiterock but I know this is a 12th Century Castle and the banks aren't steep from a sea approach.

The only other place I can think of would be Castle Hill, Ardkeen, but this is on the Eastern banks of the Lough.

So, I was just curious did you base Sigtryggr's fortress on an actual location or was this purely fictional, but based on the type of island, islet and rock formations that are typical found in and around the banks of Strangford Lough.

Look forward to hearing your response and I thank you greatly for your time.

Regards

Matthew

Hello,

As a lifelong Arthur fanatic, I have devoured anything and everything even vaguely Arthurian since I can remember. The Warlord Chronicles stands above them all by far. (Though Jack Whyte's series was pretty great). Have there been any updates on the possible Epix adaptation? I am sure COVID slowed things down considerably, but I am still carrying a torch of hope!

Lyndsay Ryor

Dear sir,

Thanks for making a middle-aged man's dream of one last Sharpe, come true. The hardback and audio versions of it are already pre-ordered.  Next year the traditional 2 paperback versions will also follow.  Hey you always need a spare for taking out of the house.

I know you can't possibly do "spoilers" but knowing when it's set has created a whole new train of thoughts for me.  I'm now praying that Charlie Weller and Harry Price survive the end of the book (assuming they take part) and therefore the end of the series.  I always assumed they had, but I never in my wildest dreams dared to hope there'd be a book between Waterloo and Devil.

Regarding Sharpe's earlier adventures.  You manipulated circumstances that allowed Sharpe to find out what really happened to Astrid.  As you've advised it's highly unlikely that you're ever going back in time again with Sharpe, how tempted were you to enabling Sharpe to know the truth about McCandless?

As a reminder I once told you I could never read the books before the Rifles as they did not have Harper in them.  I since overlook that and found them all to be amazing.  I am now finding myself hurrying up the Jack Ryan senior novels as I feel I must re-read all the Sharpe's up to and including Waterloo in time for September 30th.  Sincerely, thank you.  I at least know that I am going to be entertained for the foreseeable and because of some advice you once gave, it now includes all 5 prequels.

I still can't help but notice the description of how Sharpe rescues Wellington being so similar to how he comes to Moon's rescue some years later.  The reason I notice it and love it so much is how Moon scorned the story when Wellington's brother told it.  Pure genius on your part.  Even if it was unintentional genius.  As you once said, you only manipulate the characters, their own personalities dictate their actions.  It felt like destiny that Sharpe would not only prove Moon wrong, but in doing so, earn his respect.  Is that even possible in a novel?

Take care sir, stay safe and thanks once again.

Lee

Hi,

After a conversation with my brother the other day, as we both love the Sharpe books, we were wondering have you ever considered sending Sharpe to America during the War of 1812?

 

Phoebe - an 18 year old American girl