Your Questions

Q

Dearest Mr. Cornwell, Love the history of your ancestors which are revealed in your books on Uhtred. Please, if you can recommend books that show the treatment of Jewish people through those turbulent times, I would highly value your opinions. If the English were removed from England for 2000 years, expelled and persecuted from every land, would they still have the same language, sing the same songs, or have the same religion? If King David was to return to Jerusalem today he would indeed have the same religion, speech, and song. This interests me to the plight of the Jews throughout the Catholic Period. Mahalo, Mike

Submitted March 11, 2009

A

I doubt that an English diaspora would have turned out similar to the Jewish experience, simply because there was nothing in English culture as distinctive as the Jewish religion. If, for instance, the Danes had conquered Saxon England and then decided to scatter the indigenous population to the continent, then the Saxons would have melted into the neighbouring Christian countries. It's all a stretch, isn't it? Maybe they already played cricket, which is every bit as distinctive as Judaism, and its Torah a lot more complicated (try explaining the LBW law)

Q

I live in Dallas and has just finished Agincourt. I have also read a number of your Sharp books. I wish you had observed in your postscript to Agincourt how utterly senseless the battle was. All that death and suffering just because the King of England thought he should be King of France as well.What was the national interest in invading France and fighting that battle?

Robert Rendell

Submitted March 11, 2009

A

Why should I judge Henry V by 21st Century standards? Of course it seems risible to us that he should have claimed the throne of France, but it was a claim taken very seriously at the time, and, in a society that believes in the nonsensical doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings, the claim cannot be dismissed as frivolous. Yes, in retrospect it's senseless, but so were most wars. I think it made more sense to fight over territory in France than to kill hundreds of thousands in the Thirty Years War over a squabble about the Real Presence

Q

Reading Agincourt - I don't know how Nick keeps focused after losing a finger and a brother and didn't understand the significance of Lanferelle's cutting off the 5th finger for Melisande - the guy blood pact. The end is obscure about her father Lanferelle also - he would have been a prisoner? As a woman too, how did they clean up the mess and get out of Calais? Where did you find the account of Soissons and is there a picture of the C2 saints in the cathedral? Rita Kralik MD

Submitted March 11, 2009

A

There are pictures of Crispin and Crispinian in Soissons Cathedral, which happily survived the various wars. The details of Soissons are in a number of books - maybe the most accessible, if brief, account is in Juliet Barker's Agincourt. Sorry you find the rest obscure.

Q

Thank you for your enlightening series of novels. I have read the Starbuck, Saxon and Holy Grail series. Please give us more! I have a couple of questions. At the end of Lords of the North Uhtred is riding a large black stallion. The horse disappears in Sword Song. What happened? Do you think you will complete anymore novels in the Starbuck series? Hopefully you are writing another sequel to the Saxon series. Thanks

Peter Mitchell

Submitted March 11, 2009

A

God knows. I can't remember. I imagine he kept it? He'd have owned several horses!

I am writing the next book of the Saxon stories now; and I do hope to get back to Starbuck before too long!

Q

Okay, I noticed someone asked you if you had ever considered Robin Hood... You said yes, I assume you decided against it, however I'm shocked. I am a Robin Hood fan, and one of my favorites was Monty Python and the search for the Holy Grail... Robin was a coward, and it gave so many alternate thoughts about characters... If I am correct that you will not be writing a book about Robin Hood may I ask, "Why not?"

Dustin Bean

Submitted March 11, 2009

A

Maybe I will . . . not yet though. And I'd need to do an immense amount of research in an attempt to discover what truth (if any) lies at the heart of his stories. It's a possibility . . . .

Q

Did you enjoy history at school? What school did you go to? cheers,

Mitchell Taylor

Submitted March 11, 2009

A

I loved it. I went to Monkton Combe School, close to Bath in England.

Q

Mr. Cornwell, As odd as it may sound, my brothers and I have a ranking system for books. I am proud to announce that the Sharpe books have recently joined some VERY, VERY elite company in our "top tier". We liken a book making it to our "top tier" to someone climbing Mr. Everest. We were wondering if you have a "book ranking system" either formal or informal that you use to place the "top tier" books you may read throughout life?

Conor

Submitted March 11, 2009

A

I suppose I do - though it isn't quite as formal as yours, and it's endlessly shifting, but there are certain books that do stay very special for me and are constantly re-read.

Q

Hi, just a quick note to say how much I have enjoyed reading the Saxon and Arthur books. I can't wait for the next installment of Uhtred's story, what I want to know is will there be anymore to Derfel's story (Arthur)? as I would like to know more of what happens to him in the time after Arthur's demise. thank you.
Peter Wilkinson

Submitted March 11, 2009

A

No, I do not plan to add more to the Arthur books.

Q

Hi Bernard,I hope that you're keeping well.I've recently decided to re read The Warlord Chronicles and have rediscovered how good that they are.I personally think that they would make a cracking TV series in the mould of HBO's Rome.Your take on the Arthur story seems to be an adult,realistic vision,with political intrigue,great characters,vengeance,love and great action scenes.The thing though that has stuck me most in re reading the stories is that every time that I come across the character of Merlin in the tales,I always think of the actor Brian Cox.When Merlin talks,I hear his voice echoing out from the page,Merlin's dialogue seems to be written for his voice.I'm sure that when you wrote the stories you didn't have Brian in Mind specifically but do you as you are writing characters for your books,imagine an actor playing the role in your head and consequently adapt the character's speech cadence to the way you would imagine the actor would deliver the lines? or do you just write the dialogue as if it were you yourself that were saying the words?Thanks in advance if you find the time to answer. Anthony Hegarty

Submitted March 11, 2009

A

I didn't have Brian Cox in mind, but his voice suits the character very well! I don't think I imagine any particular actor when I write dialogue (except for Sharpe, when I definitely hear Sean Bean's voice), but I do hear the voices distinctly, and the characters tend to dictate how their dialogue should be written. Does that make sense?

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, I just wanted to ask if you are planning the next book to follow Sword Song? I am a huge fan of your writing. I have the Arthur Books, the Saxon Stories, Stonehenge, and the Grail Quest and have read and re-read them all many times. I have just finished reading the Saxon Stories for the third time and am desperate to know what happens when Uhtred returns to Lundene with Aethelflaed! It's very selfish of me but please please please don't ever hang up your pen!!
Meryl Davis

Mr. Cornwell I have really enjoyed your books especially the Saxon Stories they are to me very well portrayed and thought out. Especially how you are able to write in full details how the battle is working on and the formations they do. Stonehenge was also just an amazing book. My question would be how many books would be in the Saxon stories series or is it just going to end in the fifth. Also I strongly believe a movie over the Saxon Stories would be just phenomenal. And thanks for the great books you write
Luis

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I enjoy your work immensely, my father introduced me to your Sharp series years ago. As he is hard to buy a present for; your writing has over the years, provided me an opportunity to buy Christmas or birthday presents that we both can enjoy, as well as give us topics for discussion. At this point I think I own all of your works with the exception of the Star Buck chronicles, and the thrillers which I will assuredly get to. I do hope you will return to the Saxon Chronicles soon, not only does Uhtred have unfinished business, but it would be nice if he were properly rewarded for once. Still you know what is said about the gratitude of Kings&&& All the best Sean Gallagher, Hingham

Just wanted to drop a note and say that I love all of your work and have been reading your books since I was 12 yrs old (I am now 24!). I have read and loved all your books, from Stormchild through to the entire Sharp series. I have just finished Sword Song and Uhtred's tales are my ultimate favourite! Your books are such a delight to read, whatever subject and they only ever last me a couple of days as I can never put them down. I cannot wait for the next installment in Uhred's adventures - When is the next book planned for? Keep up the good work, I am not sure what I would do if you stopped writing! Kind regards, Julie Hannah

Hi Bernard, I have really enjoyed your Saxon Stories. I was wondering if you will write a fifth book to complete the journey back to Bebbanburg i.e. Uhtred taking ownership of the fort from his uncle, Thank you Gavin

Dear, Mr. Cornwell, I came across your Saxon books in a bookshop in Edinburgh and I had to buy the four of them. Once in my country, I read them within a month, and I have to say they left me with a bittersweet flavour in my mouth. My question is the following: when will we, the readers, know about Uhtred's life and adventures?. I presume you will keep on writing on him and his lifetime, but I am anxious to know more about his tale. Thank you very much for your attention. Greetings from Spain.
Isabel

hello Mr Cornwell, as one of my favorite authors when i start a series of your books i have to read them one after another,in have just finished sword song, could you please tell me if and when a fifth book in the saxon series will be released, thank you. Pat Perry

Hy, It would like to know when it goes to leave vol. 5 The Saxon Stories. I live in Brazil!
Diogo Pettres

Submitted March 11, 2009

A

I am working on the fifth book of the Saxon stories now. I hope to have it ready for publication in the UK in October of this year; most likely a January 2010 publication in the US. I don't know yet how many books will make up this series - six? seven? We'll have to wait and see!