Your Questions

Hello Mr Cornwell; I would like to take this opportunity to commend the books you have written and published, especially the series of Saxon books and the Grail Quest. I find your research very good and as an academic myself I often wonder how you actually remain so accurate throughout. I have recently re-read the Uthred saga and actually found myself looking for any inaccuracies. I only found one slight one in which you describe Uthred preparing for battle and slipping his arm through the straps of his war shield and holding his Seax with a shield hand. However was it not the case that shield design of the day constituted a central grip behind the boss? if this was the case then holding the handle of the short-sword (wasp sting) would have been problematical to say the least and very unlikely in a battle of that time. I am being picky I know so please forgive me as I do immensely enjoy your work and they offer an absolute release for for me from the turgid and dry text I work with on a daily basis.

I really found your work (Azincourt) quite faultless in its research and as my hobby is Archery I connected with the hero immediately. In the UK at the moment there are whispering s of a BBC production on the book is there any substance? Anyway thanks for the works as they certainly take the keener edge off my days

David Farley

Good Sir, Been looking for someone called a knifeman--an expert with the knife. But wait...specializing in the gutting of horses in battle. Was there such a soldier? Could you point me in the right direction? Many, many thanks for the great reading. Respectfully, Daniel D. Junkin

I have just listened to two of your books, Winter King and Enemy of God, and I absolutely love them. The reading done by Mr. Dane only adds to the greatness. Thank you both. But I believe I heard it said in one of the books that the farmers of the time were growing corn. That seemed like a pretty easy historical inaccuracy; was that just to see if we were paying attention?
Scott Scattergood

Dear Mr Corwell, I love your books, especially Sharpe and the Grail Quest series! Agincourt was by far the most brilliant and unique read I've ever encountered, however. Without trying to break your rules, have you ever considered writing about my namesake, Guy Fawkes (5 November being my birthday!) or even something along the Tudor / Stuarts era? Between Saul David (only bought as had your recommendation on the sleeve), George Macdonald-Fraser and yourself, you have, over the last 5 years, transformed a non-reader into an avid bookworm! Looking forward to the Fort... Guy, Surrey, England PS - A Guy Fawkes Novel would really be appreciated! Quintessentially British (and would be good to have a book that could teach the Americans some important English History!).

Hi Mr Cornwell, When you research a new book and visit the sites of famous battles do you take any photographs of the battle site? If so do you have anybody that could update the Image Gallery on the web site? The existing images (for Tiger, Triumph and Fortress) have been there for a few years now without any new additions. Your depictions of famous battle scenes are terrific and it is always interesting to view the area concerned as it is now. This came to mind after reading Azincourt as I think I read somewhere that the battlefield area is still reasonably well preserved.I am aware that a number of historic sites are now under a road or a factory but for those that are not, and are included in your books, it would be great to have some pictures to view as additional background material. Looking forward to The Fort! Many Thanks Tony

Hi Bernard, I hope I'm not interrupting your writing of Saxon 6 too much. I am currently rewriting a novel for the 3rd, 4th, 5th and in parts, 7th or 8th time. It reminds me of trying to iron a shirt. I struggle manfully and think it's fine, only to find new creases every time I stop to inspect it. My question, does the shirt have to be absolutely immaculate before an agent/publisher casts an eye over it or is the subsequent editing process expected to take care of any to creases that remain? Kind Regards Willie

Dear Mr. Cornwell, My son, age 10, has read the entire Arthur stories, the Saxon Stories, The Grail Quest Series, and is nearly done with the Sharpe Books. He began with Agincourt after he saw it in an airport book store. I have tried my best to keep up with him. I recently finished a book by an author named Lee Burkins who wrote Soldier's Heart. It is a memoir about his struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder stemming from his experiences in the Vietnam War. Having both your series and his book in my head, I began to wonder: Has PTSD existed throughout the ages with a similar intensity? It began to occur to me that perhaps PTSD occurs more when there is a greater difference between a life of war, and when the soldier returns to a life that is distant from war in every way. What I mean to say is that perhaps in Uhtred's time, war was a natural, normal, expected part of life, and war was never very far away from one's existence, so there was less of a disconnect between the two. As history has progressed, it seems as though "civilized, normal life" has become more and more distant from the acts of war and immediate aggression. People don't carry swords or guns in everyday life, and expect justice and peace to be enforced in a structured, civil manner by the police. So the act of going to war is tremendously jarring, and the return perhaps more so. Has there ever been mention in any historical source of warriors who were crippled in this way? With your immense background on warfare and life throughout history, would you please comment on this? Thanks. Sincerely, Jim Hinsman

Do you ever get to Texas on a book tour? Or consider the Tx Book Fair in October in Austin? Stay well and keep sharing your works.
David Bourland

Hi I've seen mention of a talk in LOndon on 18th Oct and was wondering if there are any other UK appearances planned as the diary stops in May. Many thanks Steve

I have thoroughly enjoyed all your saxon stories and the adventures of Uhtred and earnestly request that you feature my home town of Derby in any later books as although I love the place dearly it is a very boring town and reading about its exciting history would be a joy. I pass a large church called St Werburghs most days and am reminded of Aethelflaed in many places hereabouts as well as all the viking gates still named. A large thankyou for great entertainment and providing me with the sight of my teenage daughter avidly reading and enjoying books that contain more references to her surname than she has otherwise hitherto seen. Best regards. Steve Alderman.