Your Questions

hi Mr. Cornwell I am an avid fan, and I am reading Exacalibur. I couldn't help but wonder if Sharpe, or Thomas of Hookton are descended from Gwydre and Morwenna?

sorry for all of the questions, but I was wondering if Thomas of Hookton was immortal because he drank from the grail? If so, where would that place him between 1799 and 1821? Aneurin Canham Clyne

Hello, I've been searching your mail looking for any reference to Sharpe's involvement in a particular battle in the Napoleonic wars. It is plain from reading your correspondence that I am only one of many who get enormous pleasure from reading your books. But I guess that your success has reached the point where it is difficult for you to be aware of all that is happening in your organisation. Letter No. 17 in the "Not FAQ" section posted on 20/12/10 enquired about the Sharpe TV series on DVD and you replied that as far as you knew they were not. On 27/12/10 I was taken to the local flea market in Paphos - Cyprus where I found a boxed set of the complete series. The Publisher is Carlton Visual Entertainment Cat. No. 37115 03793. Web site www.carltonvisual.com.

I am searching your website to see if you have involved Sharpe in the battle of Belem which many Spanish regard as the turning point in the war against Napoleon. During the war the Spanish army dumped and abandoned French prisoners on the island of Cabrera off the coast of Mallorca where they largely starved to death. With every winter storm today sand is blown away from the shallow graves exposing their skeletons. A memorial was erected some years ago by French residents but has fallen into disrepair. Present members of the French Association wanted to effect repairs and my late wife who was French got involved in the project. She visited the Military Headquarters in Palma and while waiting to be interviewed was studying the wall decorations. Above the reception desk is a portrait that looked familiar and she realised that the same portrait was on the wall of her bedroom as a child. Who's that? she asked, and was told that he was the Military Governor of Mallorca in 1809. Enquiries among the older members of her family revealed that he was indeed her great great ... great grandfather who was regarded as a black sheep and not spoken of because he had been involved in a foiled plot to assassinate Napoleon and had had to flee to the Court in Spain. We were not able to discover more details of his activities before my wife died but she had discovered reference to him in the Spanish Military Museum in Minorca where they have a large scale mock-up of the battlefield at Belem. It seems that he joined Wellington's army and his knowledge of French military tactics (He was an officer in the French army) was central in the planning before the English/Spanish victory at Belem. It is obvious that you have done vary considerable research into the Napoleonic Wars and I wondered if you had any information on this particular battle. My regards, A.C. Revill

Bernard- I am now reading Sharpe's Devil, and admittedly I feel sad this is the last of the series. I know you have said you will write more, but can you prepare us about what to expect? Maybe a hint? Reason I ask is that you have probably covered the most significant battles of the Napoleonic wars so it's a bit hard for us to imagine what is coming next. Maybe more adventures in south America? Cheers, SN

High praise for your adventuresome history thrillers. I have found the Saxon series particularly enthralling and like how Uhtred and you have developed the story (with now, Uhtred having flashbacks about these war torn periods). I especially love the biology that comes into subtle play. It is just one of the many nice touches that make your stories appear authentic for the times. Uhtred has turned into quite a savvy tactician. The honeybee surprise was just truly ingenious. I can just see those mud/cowpie plastered hives hoisted upon the rival's fighting space. Yowie! My simple question is about Uhtred's quest for Bebbanburg: When do you pick up the threads again and give us the next edition? And how many more books do you anticipate in the Saxon series? I suspect more, as I've not yet read about Aethelfled's Aethelstan and that seems like such an important detail.

Janet Shellman Sherman

I just finished Burning Land .Is there another book coming that will continue the story of Uhtred?I have read the Arthur Stories and the Saxon Stories and I am hooked .I need more Thanks Gary

I don't know how often you've been asked this, but is Lord Pumphrey going to get his just desserts for what he did to Astrid? If you ever do stop writing the Sharpe stories (all of which are excellent, save for "Prey" which I found lacked sparkle) can you please first make sure he does, great character though he is.

Guy Blythman

Mr. Cornwell, I have read all your books and can honestly say I've enjoyed them all quite a lot. However, "The Fort" really depressed me (while reading it) as an American. Even though I'm a big military history buff, I was not familiar with the ill-fated expedition. I think for obvious reasons, it's not emphasized in our tales of the Revolution. I must say the Historical Note at the end did cheer me up a little - not sure why. And of course you kindly had some of the characters discussing that all of the best soldiers have gone to the Continental Army. My question regarding "The Fort" is that you wrote it in the third person, whereas many of your more recent novels have been written in the first person. How do you decide which style to use? Thanks.

Bill Brockman

Are you planning to do a book tour anytime soon, and if so, will you be coming to Tennessee

Jerry King

Hello Bernard! I'm a big fan of your work, and want to know when or if you will come back to Brazil... Best regards, Gabriel Linhares

Hello Mr Cornwell, I am a huge fan of your work, if fact just lately I have become an addict, having just got a Kindle I find it so easy just to pick up a book and read at any time, having finished all of the Sharpe series in 4months (I have turned the television on only for the news and question time....), I have now read the first two books in the Alfred series, the first was a paperback bought for me(£4.50) and the second Pale Horseman a kindle edition (£4.49) I now come to buy the third book in kindle format I notice the price is more than the paperback(Paper£4.44,Kindle£4.49), whilst I value the story at more than this price and will buy it anyway, I am interested in your opinion(from the other side of the debate - Writer instead of reader) of the merits of pricing the paperback lower than the electronic version, I know sending electronic mail around the world has its own carbon footprint and costs but I cant believe these are greater than the cost of printing, packaging, delivering and all of the unseen costs to the planet of the paper version, as well as this when I buy an electronic book I cannot then sell it or pass it on to anyone outside my immediate family thereby reducing its perceived value in my opinion, this to me will discourage people from buying electronic versions, some people will always prefer paper but I think e-books are the way and to have access to such a library from anywhere in the world can only encourage more readers which is in all our interests I believe. Sorry to bother you with this, dont let it stop you writing or researching. Best wishes for the year ahead. Jeff Cavanagh

Dear Bernard, I just wondered if you had ever considered writing about the Anglo Zulu War of the 1870's? Isandlwana, Rorke's Drift, Ulundi, Red Coats, Boers and hordes of Zulus, there must surely be enough there for a hero in the Sharpe mould to find himself in the thick of one of your thrilling trilogies? Kind Regards Justin