Your Questions

Hi! I just can't say how much i love your books! I live in Brazil, and buy the books in portuguese (not that i can't read in english, it's just to avoid having half of the books in english and the other half in portuguese). If possible, I'd want to know if you plan writing books about other countries, or will they will all be about UK? I'll finish here, or I'll write so much you won't be able to read it! So, since i live in Rio, I'm looking very much after seeing you at the Bienal do Livro(the first day is my birthday! I hope i can get your autograph there!)! Guilherme Santos

Mr.Cornwell, I've been a fan of your work for a long time. Imagine my surprise when I heard that you'll be coming to Rio de Janeiro (my hometown) in September for the "Bienal do Livro". Unfortunately I haven't been able to find confirmation about it. Is it true? Thank you in advance for your answer!
Anna Raquel

Hello, I'm from Brazil. The press of our country will notice that Bernard Cornwell will go to Rio de Janeiro in September of 2009 to participate in the Bienal Internacional in Rio de Janeiro. All of us fans of the author would like a confirmation. This news is true? Abraço Webmaster's Bernard Cornwell Brazil http://bernardcornwellbr.vilabol.uol.com.br/.. Moacir Hastenteufel Führ

Mr. Cornwell, I read about you coming to Brazil at Rio de Janeiro. I live near to Porto Alege/Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil, and I'm begging you to come to Porto Alegre. I can't travel to Rio de Janeiro to see you, but my life won't be the same knowing that you came and I couldn't see you. Please come to Porto Alegre! Rui Eron

Dear Bernard, I knew that week that you come to Brazil in September, that is so wonderful! The Bienal of the Book is an interesting event, that it gathers people of all of the ages, religions and social classes, people that appreciate a good book, without doubts yours are in this category. I hope you like and also that reserves a time for their fans that will be there holding "THE Winter King" for an autograph (with certainty I will be among them) That that is to 1st of a lot of trips to Brazil. Until September, Ana

Dear Sir Just a few questions, How far away is the next Sharpe, and Which 2 books is it going to be set between? How far wrong am i in thinking, one of the sub plots from from the events that follow Sharpe's Revenge is that "what goes around comes around" and also even though Jane has stolen Sharpe's money, it's in fact him that has the real happiness? He ends up with a real home, love and family. On the subject of money, at the end of Sharpe's Devil you give both he and Harper, a chest of money........is it also fair to assume that also financially Sharpe did not die a poor man?

Lee

Mr Cornwell The first time I was introduced to Sharpe was when I was 11. It was the television series "Sharpe's Rifles" with my father. It began a 10 year obsession with historical fiction and of course history. I will keep this brief as I'm sure you have better things to do like perhaps go sailing. I was wondering if you have planned in the near future a novel between between Fortress and Trafalgar as there is a two year gap that has sent me puzzled for a few years now. Also before Sharpe's Prey as there is another 2 years. Kind Regards Sam Kelly Galway, Ireland

Bernard, I've recently discovered your books and have become an avid fan, starting with Agincourt and then quickly going through the Grail series. My current dilemma is what to read next. Knowing that I thoroughly enjoyed the above mentioned books and time period, would you recommend the Saxon or Arthur books as my next read? I understand that your personal favorites are the Arthur books, and I'm leaning toward those. Best Regards, John

Do you know when Sharpe's Peril will be available on DVD in the U.S.?

Ann Stout

Hello, Do you know when the next book in The Saxon Stories will be release in paperback in the UK? I have tried looking in this website but no mention is made, I have also looked on Play.com to see any mention, it only shows Azincourt.

Shaun Haywood

Mr. Cornwell. Thank you for your previous response, it truly helped!, however to see yourself in the situation in which your character sees himself can be a tad difficult at times; you really must close your mind out to everything else in your life it seems!! I wanted to ask another question about writing style when it comes to characters voice. I hope that my question does not go against the legal disclaimer that was mentioned (I would be honored if anything that I wrote appeared in any part of any book you write!) but basically I wrote a line where a French recruiting officer asked people in the crowd if anyone would join the French army, and then he asked a particular random in the crowd if he would join up. Mainly because I knew that they had conscription, but Im sure that they would also love younger recruits (illegal but just the same, happy to have them). The recruiting officer asks you there boy, will you join? and the boy says Might so sir. And then looks to his feet. My question comes here. That line ( the response.. the might so sir) came out just easily as I was typing at my computer, it simply felt like it was a way that a question of that sort would have been answered, but both teacher and student underlined it and wrote question marks around it when peer reviews were issued. When I read the line it seemed like it flowed very well. I have read most of the Sharpes books but have listened to all of them, either way they to flow very well. Is there any way you write differently when it comes to the reading/writing dilemma? I believed they were one in the same until this.. Anyway thank you very much Mr. Cornwell, Vince Kurtz

*AZINCOURT SPOILER ALERT* On page 211 of Azincourt, you have Nick Hook hearing the words of Crispinian & Crispin commanding Hook to murder Robert Perrill. How can you justify two martyred saints demanding a murder? Murder is vilified in the the Ten Commandments, so how could voices from heaven demand a breaking of those rules? Personally, (though I'm no storyteller like yourself) this action creates a crater or a speed bump in your story of Hook, and would be better served if Hook released Robert P. and the Perrill brothers became grudging allies of Hook, thus not intruding on the spiritual cannon of Christian thought, it would also ingratiate former enemies into the narrative. I'm only on page 213, so what do I know of the story, though that's the first stumbling block in your book that has interrupted its poetic genius. I can live with that. =) Josh R.

May I first,express my complete awe and thanks for your wonderful books. I've almost read them all and apart from the thorough entertainment of them, I believe I now have a much better appreciation for many earlier year's history. I note that you have never re-read your Sharpe's Gold. Twice in the book you make reference to Sharpe wanting to take revenge against Sergeant Hakeswell and his officer of the time, yet Sharpe had already thrown him into the snake pit and "murdered" the officer in India earlier on in his career.
Nick Wise

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I've just started to read an another historical series featuring another British soldier and was wondering if you had read any of these books and had an opinion on the character. The author is Garry Kilworth and his fictorial soldier is Jack Crossman. It seems to me that your Sharpe books may have had a influence upon this series as Crossman seem to be the opposite of Sharpe in that he is high-born who join the ranks, while Sharpe was low-born trying to advance thru the British military ranks of the time.. Crossman starts in the Crimea War period and is now getting into the period of India 1857. Would this now preclude you ever writing about the mid-to late 19th century?

Also are you familiar with the naval series of Richard Bolitho by Alexander Kent (Douglas Freeman)? I just re-read Sharpe's Devil and in it Cochrane uses a deception of having a larger British warship chase a smaller ship with a British crew secretly on board into a defended harbour. I remember reading this same scenario in one of Bothito books.
Finally, do you correspond with any other historical writers? Thank you. Jeff Juri

Mr. Cornwell, I recently finished the Warlord series and have quite a few things to say: First of all, this book was amazing. I have long enjoyed the myths about Arthur and his many legends, and your series, by far, is the best narrative of tales of King Arthur. Secondly, not only are the characters rich in development, but you feel so very connected to all of the main ones, Arthur and Derfel of course, Nimue, Issa, Ceinwyn, Sagramor, Guinevere and Cuneglas, just to name a few of my favorites, although I could probably list them all. The collective group of characters helps to invigorate the novel, installing a certain perception that enables the reader to truly involve themselves in their world. Lastly, even though we all know how the story ends, the way this particular tale of Arthur was told, I was still in suspense with every page, wondering what would come next, what new and completely overwhelming development would be revealed. Every sub plot and side story took on magical adventures, yet never straying from the tale and giving that whole world new life. I was completely saddened when I finished the books, hoping for more and wishing that this story could continue and go on. But alas it could not, though; I truly believe this is a story that can be told on another medium. I am an aspiring film producer, and though I have no real credentials other than the love of film and having a few amateur videos made with fellow aspiring film makers, I want to see this particular series on the silver screen. I have no doubt that this has not already been pitched to you, with these books, this series being so great, I am sure that people have ran to you pleading for this to be made into feature films. So with that, I ask if this has been pitched to be made into a film trilogy. And if not, why? Alex Rovinsky

HI Bernard, I would just like to say that I am an avid reader of your books, l love the warlord chronicles, was just wandering if anyone had approached you about making them into a tv seris? I could really see it being a great drama series. James Shoebridge