Your Questions

Q

Hi again Mr. Cornwell. I know you don't know for certain, but it seems likely to me that you won't write anymore of the Starbuck Chronicles until you are finished writing Uhtred's saga. Is this probably the case? Alan Kempner

Submitted February 27, 2012

A

I think that's very likely, yes, but not set in stone

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I am listening to Death of Kings and am loathe to reach the end for I know there will be no more of Uhtred's adventures for a while. Since I am listening, I am not sure of spelling, so forgive any errors I make, please. What I am confused about is that in the other Saxon books he is Uhtred of Bebenburg, but in this book he is Uhtred of another place...skips my poor 65 year old brain at the moment. Why is that?

Can you recommend a good history of that period in England's history before it was England? Are any of the fortresses mentioned in the books still standing? Ruins? Thank you so much! By the way, I live on the Cape as well. Are you going to be doing any book signings in any of the cape cod book stores? Vicki

Submitted February 27, 2012

A

I'm not sure why they made that change in the audiobook???

I suppose the classic history of Anglo-Saxon England is the one by F.M Stenton, but that might be a little dated. I like James Campbell's book (from Penguin), 'The Anglo-Saxons', and Justin Pollard's 'Life of Alfred' is well worth reading (and use the bibliography to find more). Many of the fortresses are still standing, though they'd be unrecognisable to a Saxon warrior - Bebbanburg (now Bamburgh) was overwhelmingly built from earth and timber, but in the post-Saxon period it was transformed into a stone castle, and that's more or less true of any of the forts. You can still see the Saxon earth walls at Wareham in Dorset which, other than Offa's Dyke, are the only Saxon fortifications still standing. I'm told there is a stretch of unexcavated Viking wall at Shoeburyness in Essex, but I can't confirm that. Of course most of the forts vanished over the centuries, but those that remain were all rebuilt in stone and that's what we see today.

No Cape Cod book store signings planned, sorry!

Q

Hallo Mr Cornwell, When "The death of Kings" available in Italy? All the best Giuseppe Pirajno (Palermo - ITALY)

Submitted February 24, 2012

A

I've recently learned from my agent that Sharpe's Escape will be the next book published in Italian translation. I haven't heard any plans for Death of Kings in Italy yet.

Q

Hallo Mr Cornwell, When "The death of Kings" available in Italy? All the best Giuseppe Pirajno (Palermo - ITALY)

Submitted February 24, 2012

A

I've recently learned from my agent that Sharpe's Escape will be the next book published in Italian translation. I haven't heard any plans for Death of Kings in Italy yet.

Q

Hallo Mr Cornwell, When "The death of Kings" available in Italy? All the best Giuseppe Pirajno (Palermo - ITALY)

Submitted February 24, 2012

A

I've recently learned from my agent that Sharpe's Escape will be the next book published in Italian translation. I haven't heard any plans for Death of Kings in Italy yet.

Q

Hi! Has there ever been any talk of turning the Saxon series books into a tv mini- series like the Sharpe books? If so would you ever consider recommending Sean Bean again to play any of the characters in them? Also....have you ever heard anything about them filming a "final" episode of Sharpe where Sharpe goes to find Antonia? I had heard some rumors but nothing concrete. This would be just a perfect ending to such a glorious, beloved series. Thanks so much for your time! June Willsey Phoenix, Arizona

Submitted February 17, 2012

A

No tv plans for Uhtred. And I haven't heard anything about a 'final' episode????

Q

Hello Bernard I am a huge fan of the Sharpe Series and was wondering if there are any more in the pipeline. I have read them all several times over and would look forward to another one (at least) to add to the collection. All the best Malcolm Ferguson

When or will there be a next Sharpe book.

Josef Hendriks

Submitted February 17, 2012

A

There will be more Sharpe - but not this year, or next...

Q

Dear Bernard Cornwell,Thank you for your history lessons mixed with such great characters.I've read almost all the books several times.My favorite single book is Gallows Thief. Do you plan to bring back Rider Sandman again? Second question,what do you think of C.S. Forester novels?

David L. Battaglia

Submitted February 17, 2012

A

I have given some thought to a follow up to Gallows Thief, but I'm not sure it will ever get written?

I have quite a fondness for C. S. Forester. I read Hornblower when I was a kid - ten? Eleven? Long time ago, anyway! and the inspiration for the Sharpe series came from that series.

Q

Hi Bernard, just a quickie to let you know that I've become an obsessive reader thanks to your books.I first saw the Sharpe series on tv while living in new zealand in the 90's,ironically peter jackson rented the same house (fully furnished) to sean bean when he filmed lord of the rings in wellington, so Sharpie got to sleep in my bed!unfortunately we had sold it by then and were not permitted to pop in for a visit!. anyhow I've just read the gallows thief(it would make a great film) and would really like to find out more about 'the flash language' it's much better than cockney rhyming slang. I wonder why it died out as it is harder to translate for private conversations,there is nothing on the net about it.So much for my short message eh? kind regards John Hurt.

Submitted February 17, 2012

A

One of our best sources of 'Flash' comes from a convict sent to Australia - James Vaux - who published a dictionary of the Flash language - if you Google him (James Hardy Vaux) you'll find lots, or try Australian Word Map which has an article about him. I'm pretty certain there must be more on the web. It is a fascinating dialect and so obscure that some magistrate's courts had interpreters! I hope Sharpe slept well in your bed!

Q