Your Questions

Q

Hi Bernard i was just wondering when the next Sharpe book will be? And what time period? As there seems to be a bit of a gap between prey and rifles. And a question I've wanted to ask you for years is if all your main characters had a free for all or battle royal who do you think would be the winner? My money is on Sharpe because none of the others have is skill or speed

Matt Nicholls

Submitted June 5, 2011

A

I can't tell you - because I don't know! When I decide to write the next Sharpe (soon, I hope), I'll research lots of alternatives and choose the one that strikes a spark!

No idea!

Q

It sounds as though Death of Kings will not be the final Saxon story. When will Uhtred finally regain his home and land?

Stuart Twitchell

Submitted June 5, 2011

A

If I knew, I'd tell you. I don't plan ahead. His life unreels as I write, but I do know those things will happen!

Q

Hello, Mr. Cornwell. My name is Patrick Hepditch, I'm 17 years old and live in a small fishing town located in New Brunswick, Canada. Throughout my entire life history has fascinated me, I would purchase almost any history novel I could. One day I was at my local book store called "Coles" and I stumbled upon your novel "Azincourt".I fell in love with novel, I read it in 48 hours, often taking it out in class to read it as my teachers continued with their lesson. That was almost two years ago, since then I've read the Sharpe series and have recently started reading "The Fort". Your writing style is incredible. Your ability to mix fact with fiction in order to create a novel that captures the readers attention is amazing. I am considering reading your Holy Grail line of books next, starting with Harlequin next. Have you ever considered writing on The First World War? I believe that you are just the type of author who could bring the First World War into the spotlight and produce a novel which captures the horrors of the war, much like you did with Azincourt. I know you're a busy man, so if you don't reply to this I will not be too offended. Thank you very much for your time, -Patrick Hepditch

Submitted May 31, 2011

A

Hi Patrick! No, no plans for a WWI book - I prefer to stick to the more ancient past.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, A longtime fan from Queens, New York. I'm doing an article on Myles Keogh, an Irish-American cavalry officer killed with Custer. I'm trying to start by making the point that, unlike today, war was then seen as something glorious and heroic. Nothing like the impersonal carnage of the 20th century. Is that fair to say? With admiration, Patrick McNamara

Submitted May 31, 2011

A

I'd remember what Robert E. Lee said - it's a good thing war is so awful or we'd like it too much - that's a paraphrase because I'm too lazy to look up the actual words. War has always (and still does) fascinated men . . . and there's been a great deal of research into its appeal. In short it's the supreme gamble, and men are risk takers (much more than women, who are far too sensible). So you could come out covered in glory (and still can) or you can come out dead. It's true that for most (but not all) of history there was a glorious visual component - the flags, bands and uniforms - and that imbued war with a glamour we've lost, but as all good soldiers knew, those glorious uniforms would probably end up covered in mud, blood and shit. Yes, young men going to war think they're embarking on the supreme adventure, and they do see success in battle as glorious - but its appeal lies in the knowledge that it can also lead to an early and horrible death. I don't think we've changed . . . and certainly the idea of war as glorious was probably more prevalent in the mid 19th century (Custer was an addict), but it hasn't died. I think it's fair what you say!

Q

I have recently listened to Sharpe's Tiger. It was riveting. I am wondering about the punishment of 2000 lashes. It sounded like a death sentence and I am wondering if that was actually done. A firing squad would be more humane. Also, I am a little skeptical of how well he was after that lashing. Perhaps I missed some of the time line since I was listening rather than reading. Thank you for your consideration.

Mary Good

Submitted May 31, 2011

A

A firing squad would be much more humane . . . . I think such extreme sentences were rare, usually it was in the 100 to 200 range, and eye witnesses spoke of the blood running down to fill the victim's shoes, and the sight of ribs being flayed bare . . . yuk. A surgeon was standing by to stop the punishment if it looked like killing the man, and my sense of it is that the punishment frequently was stopped before it finished. But still - yuk.

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, After reading through the questions and comments from other fans on the site hearing that someone like your books is nothing new, but I guess it's always nice to hear something good. So the grail quest series was brilliant! I couldn't put them down, I was up till 4 a.m. for week with them. Thank you. I have some questions about other topics I wondered if you have thought about writing. What about William Marshal? Joan of Arc? I know there are some other novels about her, but I think your take would be interesting. If she isn't your cup of tea, how about Bertrand du Guesclin? A knight among knights, his life was amazing and would make a fascinating read. And lastly how about my favorite character of all time, Robin Hood? Ever thought about adding your own arrow to his quiver and telling a story of the merry outlaws of sherwood forest? I look forward to hearing back from you. Best wishes for you and your family and I thank you for letting me take some of your time. Daniel Eastman

Submitted May 31, 2011

A

One of the above is probably in the works . . . . I am fascinated by Jeanne d'Arc as well (Juliet Barker's Conquest is fascinating on her). So yep, maybe?

Q

My sister has The Last Kingdom and The Pale Horseman books on CD, and I borrowed them for a long road trip. I'm almost done with Last Kingdom. It is riveting. I am a writer, and I am very interested in the Vikings. I have story ideas I want to pursue, but I want them to be historically accurate. What would you suggest as the best resource for factual information on the Vikings and their wars with England? Any advice is heartily welcome. Thank you.

Nathan Pollock

Submitted May 31, 2011

A

That's a hard one to answer in a short space . . . . essentially you have to read everything! Well, okay, not quite everything . . . . but you read widely and each book should lead onto others. There are so many decent books on the period, but what period do we mean? The Viking assaults on Britain stretch from the 9th to the 11th Century, I'd suggest you start with a general survey and use the bibliography to point you to other sources, and maybe the best recent one is The Hammer and the Cross by Robert Ferguson - and good luck!

Q

Good evening, Mr. Cornwell. Firstly I'd like to say that I'm a big fan of your books (I'm reading the "Grail Quest") and you are responsible for my interest in reading books. I'm almost finishing The Vagabond, and I think that next week I'll be starting The Heretic. But there's something I really would like to know and can't stop to think about that: do you intend to make a trilogy of movies ??? I think it would be awesome, because I just can imagine the battles in my mind, and in a movie it would be great to discover how would be Thomas, Jeanette and the others and to see the perfection of the battles and the places of the history as seen in the books. So, I think this is it. Congratulations for your great job, Mr. Cornwell!!

John Banks

Submitted May 31, 2011

A

No plans for a film (or films) of the Grail Quest series, but thanks!

Q

Lord,(as I should surely address you, as a Oughtred descendant)I am nearly through your Saxon books - I see happily there is still one to come. I do not have, and would not presume to present,any ideas for your novels. But I am so struck by the historical details you recount in your notes,and displayed in the stories, that I would like to be able to read your factual History of the Birth of England - delivered in the same vibrant prose. Alfred's Phoenix-like rise from a defeated gaggle of men in the marshes is so redolent of Dunkirk I'm amazed Churchill didn't allude to it! I'm 83, so don't be long... Thank you for long hours of quiet enjoyment. Yours Mike

Submitted May 31, 2011

A

Well, thank you. I need to finish the fictional version first! Maybe one day I'll write a non-fiction book, but the trouble with that is that you Have to Get it Right. Oh dear.

Q