Your Questions

Dear Mr. Cornwell:

I’ve read the entire Sharpe series three times over; it has provided to me countless hours of entertainment during the evenings, and for that I thank you. And you know something? Richard Sharpe actually became a friend (sad) and taught me a lot of good lessons.

Real quick. I just finished The Winter King. Is there any region of England that still remains uniquely Briton to this day? or perhaps is more characteristic of the original Briton culture when compared to other regions of England? Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Normans.. that’s a lot for a culture to endure.

Robert Rogers

I just want to start off by thanking you for writing your amazing series about Uhtred. They are by far my favorite books!

Just curious if you have any plans to release a box set of all 13 books in the future, because I would love to purchase that. I have been purchasing and reading all of your books on my Kindle, but it would be great to own a physical copy of the full series.

Once again, thank you! I look forward to reading more of your work in the future.

Bobby

Dearest Mr.Cornwell,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you! Your response is not something I seek. I only wanted to thank you. Your stories are truly a worthy diversion. I use to love reading but I'm to damn busy, so therefore I haven't read anything other than your titles. I have however listened to many, including The Last Kingdom series in its entirety. I love your wonderful characters and Uhtred's story is an exciting adventure. It has distracted several me into burning supper or letting a cow, meant to be kept penned, slip by.... I don't watch much tv and I despise social media. I tried Facebook and I have to confess it does have some good points but all too often left me feeling like my favorite Uncle Kyle. He's a truly grumpy and often outright unfriendly old hermit. I love him, he's one of my favorite people even if he is angry with me at the moment. I had a sick cow dying and he came over to look at her. He made an angry comment about how the man I had bought her from had ripped me off. His anger was caused by the belief the cow was so old she was missing half her teeth. Well I hadn't noticed that so I went out to look again. Her gums were almost white and pulled back from her teeth but the teeth themselves looked as strong as any I had seen and I had this sinking feeling that my uncle, a man who has lived his entire life in the proximity to cattle, did not know that cows have no top front teeth..... I commented that scrap of knowledge a bit carefully and he vehemently denied my knowledge, although I detected a bit of doubt for a second. He was so determined for just a fraction of a second I doubted myself. But I remembered all the baby calves I've bottle feed and the pet milk cows I've fed left over cake and pasta to and knew I was right and he was wrong. My husband gave him a ride home and Chet said the minute they were headed down the driveway, Uncle was on his phone looking it up and made the comment he owed me an apology. I have not heard that apology. We could have made peace but he got in a feud with a man I'm friendly to. On hearing his rant, I refused to join the feud and when he got mad, I lost my temper and told him I had already bee to junior high and didn't feel any need to join his hissy junior high girl fight. He has not forgiven me..... Oh well, it's funny I guess.

Even my husband has grudgingly found himself engrossed.... I'm still waiting for him to listen about the mouse and the battle cry in her honor. He'll enjoy that.

I have one book left of the Arthur trilogy, I'm so delighted that Jonathan Keeble is the narrator for my audible account. He did 3 of the first 4 Kingdom books and that he didn't do the entire Kingdom series is the only complaint I have. I also started the Sharpe series and was very excited but there are so many missing I've decided to wait.... Hint, hint, nudge, nudge......

Anyway, all I wanted was to give you thanks and well wishes. You're a gentleman and a scholar.

Once again, Merry Christmas and may your 2021 be happy, healthy and successful in any of your endeavors!

Thank you,

Lindsey Wehr

 

Sorry for pestering you again. I'm sure you've much better things to be doing but, I realized I was wrong. I have a huge complaint. Why couldn't you make Pyrlig immortal. Couldn't you make him appear in every novel. I love Steapa and Finnan and Clapper and etc etc etc but none are as loved by me as Pyrlig. I mean even if you put his face in a cloud Monty Python style, following Uhtred about as his conscience or some corny thing.... I resent the disappearance of Pyrlig.

Lindsey Wehr

 

Reading The Warlord I was more than a bit surprised to read the words” malochio it ha colpito” . I remember from many years ago my grandmother performing the oil and water ritual of the malochio for a neighbor. My grandmother, a Sicilian like all of the family, had her dark side, like all of the family. Witchy stuff.

Never thought I might read those words in a book about about Uhtred of Bebbansburg. Another coincidence is that my name is  Benedict, or Benedetto to my grandmother.  I love all your books, and thanks for many happy hours of vicarious adventure.

Ben Mazzullo

Dear Sir.

First thank you for your wonderful tales. I have only the last book each from Sharpe and The Last Kingdom series to go. I'm loving every page.

My question is with a new Sharpe book on the way, will it be set after 1821, or will it go back in time?

Kind regards

Todd

You have been blessed with two of your book series coming onto the television both of which were and are very enjoyable. It is said that some books are impossible to turn into scripts and therefore turn into film. Do you write your novels in such a way that they are easy to adapt to the silver screen?

I'm somewhat of a western fan, you can't buy them in the shops anymore, but one of them Louis L'Amour has had dozens of his books filmed over the years.

The funny thing is, one of them which i consider to be one of his best (Flint) has never been committed to celluloid which is a bit of a mystery.

Do you find time to read other peoples novels or do you have to commit yourself to research alone to write your novels?

Thank you for your time

John B

I'm a huge fan of your work.

I was reading Harlequin and I noticed a comment made "Tom Foolery" and found that comment to be fascinating as I researched  Gen. Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson of the Confederate Army and discovered his other nickname was 'Tom Foolery' given to him by his students, and not in an affectionate manner, due to his teaching methods. It was to my understanding 'Tom Foolery' originated with Stonewall Jackson. When did 'Tom Foolery' begin and originate? Thank you for your precious time.

Andre Bond-D'Aubigny

Mr. Cornwell -

I am truly loving these books so first of all Thank You! I have a couple of questions about the first book in the Saxon Series.

The use of contractions - if my research is correct they started in the 17th century.

The term 'Christmas' was first used in the 11th century.

These are a bit nitpicky but I found that they detract me from being part of the story.

Thank you for listening and again thank you so much for this series!

Charlene

Dear Bernard

Very much enjoyed the Uhtred books. Have you ever seen the Bedford (UK) War Memorial on the Embankment by the river Ouse?

https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/19782/War-Memorial-Bedford.htm.

Unusually the memorial statue is of a Saxon lady in a cloak. The sculptor was I have heard depicting a warrior queen from the dark ages. It seems to me a depiction of your 'Lady of the Mercians' commemorating her conquest of Bedford from the Danes. so she was not forgotten even 100 years ago

David Craigen

Hello Bernard,

You've said you have no plans for the English Civil War at present, but I'm sure you've thought about how you would approach it, so if/when you do write it, do you think your main character would be on the Parliament or Royalist side? Or would you look at a Starbuck-type scenario with the character coming from one side but fighting on the other?

Look forward to Sharpe and whatever comes after that.

Chris