Your Questions

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

hi love the saxon saga, but wondered - who is your ancestor that Uhtred is based on, and does this mean that you should have a hereditary title? do you think the fact that Uhtred is based on one of your ancestors affects the way that you write about him and the saxon saga as a whole? thanks, Matthew Williams

Mr Cornwell Could you please tell me if you have any plans to do a talk/book signing tour of the UK.
Paul Boni

Mr. Cornwell, My deepest appreciation to your work and to the fact that you fell in love and decided to quit the UK and hence ending up as a writer!!! Love is a wonderful thing even for people you don´t know! Please thank you wife on my behalf!! Now seriously, I consider myself the biggest Spanish Cornwell fan (at least until I am proved wrong!). I have the luck of being able to read you in English, and not in a Spanish translation (which are good, but not the same thing... Sharpe talking to Teresa in real Spanish does not work too well!). I just wanted to know if you had come across Arturo Perez Reverte´s historical fiction work. He has written the Capitan Alatriste series, Trafalgar and some others. I think he is the "Spanish Bernard Cornwell" (though he writes fiction too) and was curious to know if you had heard about him or read him, and if so what did you think of his work. That is all, please excuse my humor and receive my deepest admiration. Juanma A grateful Spaniard

I am a huge fan of the Starbuck Chronicles. The premise is fascinating and I could not wait to see how you were going to extricate Nate from the losing side. All our other heroes have been destined by history to end up with the victors. Is there any chance the we may read of Starbuck marching again?

Marcus Andrews

Bernard, can I start by saying how much I enjoy everything I've read with your name on the cover (all the Sharpe, Starbuck, Arthur and Uhtred stories along with Agincourt). I have a couple of questions regarding the Starbuck series. Firstly, is there a reason why you chose to make Nate a Yankee fighting for the Confederacy rather than the other way round?

Leading on from that, despite all his best efforts Nate is on the losing side and must surely either die or be imprisoned at the end of the final book - had you considered this before starting to write "Rebel"? And is the sudden realisation of Nate's inevitable decline the reason for the gap since "The Bloody Ground" was published? Really cheeky questions I know, sorry! I know you'll come up with a masterful escape for Mr Starbuck in the final reel!

Speaking of which as far as you know are there plans for a Sharpe style t.v dramatisation? And did you name him after a coffee bar?! Many thanks for all the marvellous literature, long may it continue, Richard Foskett

Hello! i was just wondering why the British army stopped using grenades? i know that the Grenadiers (hence the name) were issued them, but after a while this practice ended. they just seem like a useful weapon, particularly in the storming of a breach. Thanks for your time, Chris G