Your Questions

Q

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

Submitted April 7, 2009

A

We know nothing whatsoever about the Uhtred family in the 9th century - other than that they held onto their lands in Northumbria . . we do have a few documents signed and sealed, but really we know very little, so my Uhtred is entirely a product of my imagination, and I can honestly say that the relationship is meaningless to me as I'm writing him. The family fell out with Cnut and lost its titles - but anyway, I was born on the wrong side of the blanket so wouldn't have a right to any title anyway!

Q

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

Submitted April 7, 2009

A

Plans are not firm yet, but keep an eye on the Diary page of this website as all appearances do get posted there.

Q

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

Submitted April 7, 2009

A

I have a number of his books - and admire him greatly. I think he's a far better writer than I am, so I don't suppose he'd be pleased with the comparison, but thank you anyway!

Q

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

Submitted April 7, 2009

A

I suspect because it gives him a moral dilemma he wouldn't face if he were a southerner fighting for the Union (though I won't deny he would have felt some tensions that way around). And, I suspect, because I find the south much more interesting; we now know with an absolute assurance that the cause for which they fought and died was wrong, but they didn't know that, and it makes them interesting. There's a fascinating book called The Children of Pride, a collection of letters written by a Georgia slave-owning family, and it's quite impossible to think that these people, with their 'wrong' ideas, were anything but god-fearing, virtuous and morally good people. That makes them interesting,at least to me, so I sent Nate south to join them!

Most Confederates faded away without facing imprisonment, and I'm sure Nate will wriggle out of the embers intact. The reason for the gap, though, was that Sharpe came back into my life . . . and unfortunately I haven't managed to lose him and recapture Nate. But I will.

No TV plans at the moment.

I picked the name Starbuck long before the coffee appeared - because it's a terrifically romantic surname, and because, of course, the Starbucks were an old Nantucket family. I got really pissed off when an American reviewer sniffily said it was a very 'unAmerican' name - and wondered if he had ever read Moby Dick?

Q

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

Submitted April 7, 2009

A

You mean in the Napoleonic period? I don't know. Certainly the navy went on using them, but I suspect they were extremely cumbersome to carry and very uncertain in their effect (and probably as dangerous to the thrower as to the enemy). I should know more, but sorry - it's a blind spot.

Q

I HAVE JUST SEEN ON AMAZON A TITLE THE BURNING LAND FOR PUBLISHING ON THE 1ST OCTOBER.IS THIS THE 5TH SAXON?
JIM EVES

do you have any more books of the saxons (Alfred and Uhtred) in the pipeline ? if so when may we expect them in print ? thank you; Alan Tearle

Hi! I'm Brazilian and I love your books. I read The Arthur Books, The Grail Quest and I finished The Saxon Stories in this week and I would like to ask when the history will be continued because Uhtred have to attach Bebbanburg. Sorry my English. Health and peace. Marcos Carvalho

Hi, I serve in the British army so dont often get time to read, and then i find it hard to keep interested in books in the first place, there's always some kind of sport on the telly to watch etc. However, i gave your books a shot many years ago after watching the sharp series on telly which i loved. The books were also entertaining, i found that i could not put them down. I then moved on to the saxon series which i find fascinating and the character Uhtred is as amazing as my hero Sharpe. So I've read all 4 books and my question is,,,, WHEN is the next one coming out? i NEED it NOW :D. Stuart

I've enjoyed the Saxon stories so far. Is there a fifth near production? Best wishes Pete

Hi Bernard, I'm Fernando, from Brazil. initially, Sorry if I write something wrong. I want to know when the next book of the "Saxon Stories" will be published, because is a exciting story and I can hardly wait to read the continuation. Thanks for your attention. Fernando Di Marco

Thank you very much for the very good moments and trips I did reading your books here in Brazil. So, I´d like to know if The Saxon Stories will have a 5th book and continue? Congratulations.

Wagner Peral

Submitted April 7, 2009

A

The fifth book of the Saxon stories - likely to be called The Burning Land (yes, I see it is on Amazon.co.uk now) - will be published in the UK in October of this year (January 2010 for the US).

Q

Hello Mr. Cornwell, I just finished Sharpe's Fury and had a couple things I was hoping you could clear up. I was wondering why Sharpe let Lord Pumphrey go so easily after finding out about Astrid? I was expecting Sharpe to unleash his fury on Pumphrey and it didn't happen.

Secondly, I'm trying to figure out how the French dominated all of Europe and then got destroyed every time they faced the British. In this battle the British were out numbered 2 to 1 and the French had the better ground. But once again the British won. Up to this point I was under the impression that this was because of Wellesley's leadership, but Wellesley was not at the battle of Barossa. Don't get me wrong you do a great job painting the picture of how it happens. The British are better trained, more ferocious and the two deep line poured more firepower into the 9 deep French columns. What I can't figure out what made the French unbeatable against everyone else. Why didn't they adapt out of their columns? What was the benefit of their formation? Thank you, Joe

Submitted April 7, 2009

A

Because I might need Pumphrey again . . . . that's why!

Because British musketry was famously superior to other nations (Britain actually practiced live-firing, most countries didn't), because Britain alone adopted the two deep line (thus extending their flanks and the ability to enfilade French columns), because very often the French successes were against conscript armies that didn't have the same discipline and training as British professionals, and because the British (on the whole) were fortunate in their commanders. The French used the column because it worked (usually), and because it had great psychological effect against nervous enemies, because theirs was a conscript army and the column was the easiest way to move a mass of half-trained soldiery forward. They did develop tactics to nullify the advantage of the British line, specifically by deploying into line themselves at the last moment, but it never worked because the British musketry stopped the movement dead.

Q

Dear Bernard After reading your comments about the Puritans winning that war it got me thinking and you could go back to the Peloponnesian war between Sparta and Athens for that sought of thing.Maybe because its a warrior style religion kill or be killed no compromise while being very simple to embrace or understand. But its fair to say the more often lose the peace even if they win the wars. But is there any chance of you writing even just a 1-off story about the arch Anti-puritan Tarleton he seems a tailor made character for you. On another note will the next Sharpe book the long awaited Albuera book a certain Colonel Dulong was at that fight any chance he and Sharpe will have a go again??? Finally You have mentioned 1-off books ever thought Or more) on the war of 1812 (The Puritans didn't win that one) or Wolfe and Montcalm on the plains of Abraham. Yours sincerely Geraint

Submitted April 1, 2009

A

I doubt I'll write about the Greeks! We all write about what interests us and somehow that spark has never started a fire. Banestre Tarleton? Yes, I do like him - a wondrous rogue, so that's always a possibility.

I honestly don't know what the next Sharpe book will be - it's something I'll discover when I start researching him again - maybe Albuhera?? Wolfe? Another possibility!

Q

Dear Bernard, Only two years after your Stonehenge was published, archaeologists discovered 'Amesbury archer's' burial near the site, which was dated around the time Stonehenge was completed. Remarkably, like Camaban, the individual had severe foot deformity and some golden jewelry on him that resembled Sarmennyn's lozenges. What was your thought when you first learned about this striking similarities between archaeological discovery and your book? Would your book's plot be different had you known about the 'archer'? Thanks Konstantin

Submitted April 1, 2009

A

I doubt the book would have been much different! I did read (I think) every single archaeological report that was publicly available . . . and was amused by the excitement last year when the press was reporting new revelations about the Stonehenge complex which, as far as I could see, had been known about for years, though admittedly much of the Durrington Walls material was buried in dry academic reports. The lozenges were found a long time ago - but it was interesting to see them crop up again at Amesbury.

Q

Is Nicholas Hook of Agincourt a one-of or will there be a series? I loved the story, much more succinct than Grail Quest, maybe because is it true history. If so, will Nick face Joan of Arc?

Mark Wallig

Submitted April 1, 2009

A

At the moment it's a one-off - so no plans for Joan!