Your Questions

Dear Mr. Cornwell, This is probably a silly question but it's bothered me for a while. I am a big fan, like many, of the Arthur books (I read the whole series every year - and give sets of them away often.) My question is, what on Earth is the "sign against evil"? Crossing your fingers? What could it be? Chalk it up to the fact that I am a stupid American but I would be pleased to know the answer. Thanks for this and thanks for the Warlord Chronicles. Best regards and ever your devoted reader, Babs

ps: Currently I am reading The Saxon Stories. Love them. Maybe not as much as the Warlord Chronicles, but love them. pps: Just started a NEW crop of fans for the Arthur books. Purchased and gave away a new set just today.

Dear Bernard After reading your interview with George Martin that Sharpe's a hero so has to win couldn't resist asking what about Burgos! Wellington took a major beating there surely Sharpe (as it says in Enemy) would too.

And about the next period you might be working on but are reluctant to say in case someone steals the idea. Could you at least give a clue by saying what period it would be in ? Having a guess with the anniversary of Flodden coming up could it be that??

Finally I read that there is still uncertainty over where the decisive battle of Brunanburh is based but they think it might be near Bromborough on the Wirral will you ever get Uhtred to the Northwest and the Siege of Chester and battles there as you seem to just have him hanging around East Anglia and for a guy who wants his castle back he seems reluctant to travel past the Watford Gap which does make his job rather more difficult. Yours sincerely Geraint

Hello Mr. Cornwell, I am a huge fan of your work (especially the Sharpe books) and tell as many people as will listen that they need to read your books! I just started reading Death of Kings and I have a question for you. I am somewhat obsessed with chronologies and with placing historical events in their proper times (as far as this can be done). I notice that the novel starts on Saint Alnoth's day and that you say it is the winter of AD 898. You further state that it is a Sunday. I found out that Saint Alnoth's day was either February 27th or November 25th. I then found a calendar online for the year 898 (yes, that's how obsessed I am) and discovered that neither February 27th or November 25th fell on a Sunday in 898. I do not mean to be petty or over critical, but I am just a little confused and wondered if I missed something somewhere. Thank you! Joseph Firoozmand

Having received a Kindle for Christmas the first books I wanted were The Warlord Chronicles, it does say on this site, with a link to Amazon that it is now available, however I suspect there has been some kind of problem because it isn't available anywhere. If its on it's way and just held up then fair enough. I really do want to read these books again and would love an answer, Many Thanks Karl Stearn

Dear sir CORNWELL, Have you got any news about the french version of "the burning land"? Is there always a problem with the schedule? Sincerely, Mathieu.

Hi, French readers of your books, we'd like to know when your last three book "Burning Land, the fort and death of king" will be translated in french. No answer from your french editor. Thanks. Arnaud Valeix

I write as an avid reader of your books having discovered Sharpe when ill in bed one year, many moons ago. I have them all and enjoy many of your other works too. I've just read The Fort and wanted to say two things, other than yet again I enjoyed the book. I went to junior school in Lexington, Mass, when young and Dad was teaching at Harvard. Mother had an antique shop in Charles St Boston and I was known as the Boston Strangler back in Scottish school. Paul Revere was obviously a revered (scuse the pun)figure, dashing through the night on his horse, and was the subject of one of my first history lessons, I could never understand how nobody had heard of him in Scotland! .. your epilogue of The Fort has been the first to debunk the myth, and I sort of thank you for this! Secondly, I seem to remember from those days that Lovell is a county town in Mass and I wonder if the place was named after the General? Thanks again for all your books, I love 'em! Never seen a TV version as Sharpe exists in my head and imagination is a key part of storytelling, when told well no need for imagery. Rhod McEwan

Hi Bernard, I have just finished reading Azincourt. wow, I didn't think it would be my cup of tea but you had me hooked from the start. after doing a bit of Internet research, I found articles saying the French had Archers. Did they have longbows, shortbows or just crossbow archers? I'd be fascinated to know what you think. Also do you know of any artifices that have been recovered from the battle? where might I see any such things. Thanks you for such a brilliant book..you have stirred something up inside me. I have to know more.

Phil Gregory

Dear Mr Cornwell I am one of your frequent readers and I enjoy reading your books so much especially The Sharpe Saga. I am Italian and I have managed to find some of your books which have been translated into Italian. I am really interested in reading the rest of your books about Sharpe. Do you know if there is a plan to translate the rest of your stories in other languages in the near future? I eagerly await your reply. Kind Regards Alessandro Pianelli.

I am currently rereading - for about the fourth time - the Arthur books, and Sharpe's Waterloo. (This sparked an interest in military history of the period). The story of the fattest man in the Prussian Army being entrusted with the news of the French invasion has long intrigued me, but yours is the only book I have read that mentions the episode. Does this man have a name, or where else can I find out more about the story?

Geoff Brown

Dear Mr. Cornwell I have a question regarding viking history, but first I want to tell you how much I enjoy your Saxon Stories. I have spent more than a few hours, rapped up in your marvellous writing. I started reading the books backwards and have just now started the first book about Uhtred, The Last Kingdom. In this book Uhtred tells us that the Danes had returned to Northumbria. That they had been there before he was born, and among other enterprises, raided the monastery at Lindisfarne. In my history lessons I was taught that the Vikings that raided Lindisfarne, was in fact Norwegian. Is this information incorrect? Have I fallen a victim of national pride and false facts, do you think? I studied history for a year, and a really old account of the Viking period (from 1936 I think), was the only book in the curriculum. I have rummaged my attic for the copy and have not yet found it, but I am sure it stated that the Viking raids was performed, both by Norwegians and Danes. I am reading the translated version of The Last Kingdom, the only copy I could get a hold of, but I hope the translator have been true to your English manuscript. No doubt, at least as to labels. Sadly, I am not yet sure if he is true to your extraordinary narrative voice, and I am looking forward to returning to your original writing for the last two books. If you have reading tips on Viking History that could balance my Norwegian accounts, it would be appreciated. Sigrid Kjelland Olsen