Your Questions

Q

hi Bernard - greatly enjoyed all the books you have written and hope you never stop writing ! I was just wondering about the phrase you used in the Alfred series " fate is inexorable " what made you think of this phrase and why did you incorporate this phrase into this particular story ? and do you now how to write this phrase in viking/danish runes ? thanks a lot Michael p.s. looking forward to book number five in the Uhtred/Alfred series.

Submitted March 4, 2009

A

It comes from an Old English poem, The Wanderer, which is very beautiful and rather sad, and seems to pretty much sum up the fatalism of dark-age characters.

Q

Mr. Cornwell, I came upon your Sharpe series from a recommendation on George R.R. Martin's website and felt as if I stumbled on the end of a rainbow. Not only are each of the books worth their weight in gold, but there were sooooo many of them! Well now I am over half way through (just finished Sharpe's Escape) and I am already starting to feel depressed and melancholy as the end seems near. I feel as if I will soon say goodbye to a VERY good friend. Unless of course you plan for Sharpe and Harper to march again?? Joe

Submitted March 4, 2009

A

They will march again. . . .but not for another year or two as I have a few other projects to complete first.

Q

Hi Mr Cornwell, Fantastic books! I have just been reading your Saxon series and notice that in your notes you mention you are related to the Uhtred family from Bebbanburg. I have been looking into my family tree and wondered how on earth you managed to trace your heritage back that far?! Any tips would be most welcome! Thanks and keep up the good work! Murray Robinson

Submitted March 4, 2009

A

What I know was discovered by a member of my birth family (I only met them about five or six years ago). They were fortunate in being a prominent family . . . in Saxon times they were, first, kings of Bernicia (now lowland Scotland) then earls of Northumbria (thus the connection with Bebbanburg), and even after their fall (thanks to Cnut) they remained as county gentry in north Yorkshire . . . and the surname is distinctive enough to make them quite easy to trace through a tangle of records. I never checked the genealogy, but I have no reason to doubt it. Sorry I have no tips for you!

Q

Hi, seems your next Saxon adventure will have 1,500 pages since it takes so long! Can't wait! In the meantime I have bought and read almost all your other books except the Starbuck Chronicles. (They were all brilliant.) By the way, have you ever had personal trouble with the church before or due to the writing of your books. I always enjoy what seems to be a very critical and therefore fair opinion about Christianity. Keep up the terrific work. Best Regards from Dresden, Germany

Submitted March 4, 2009

A

I certainly had trouble with the church when I was growing up . . . though it was a small and insignificant branch of that amorphous organisation. I haven't had any trouble since. Sometimes a Christian will moan at me about the opinions expressed by characters in the books, but just as many seem to forgive me, and the vast majority (I assume) stay silent. In fact the opinions are fairly balanced - at least I think so!

Q

Hello! I guess you hear this a lot, but your books that I have read, the Saxon stories about Uhtred and king Alfred was REALLY good. I have just finished the Pale Horseman and want to continue with The Lords of the North. It is only one problem, I do not know when or if it even come out in Swedish. If anyone knows, I bet you do. If so is not, that the book will not come out in Swedish then I will take the challenge to read it in English ( with or without a lexicon next to me). Anyway, thanks for a great series of books. Keep up the good work!
Marcus Sandqvist

Submitted March 4, 2009

A

The Lords of the North will be published in Swedish translation in autumn of this year. Hope you enjoy it!

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell: I spent much of my life in France without ever going to Spain, even though there were family connections. I assumed the French and the Spanish were very similar till I went to live for 4 years in Spain in the 1990s. I was amazed to hear how much they disliked the French. After reading most of your Sharpe books and reading of the hatred then I wonder if the dislike today stems from that earlier hatred. Does your research tell you this?. Thank you for your writings. Sincerely, Frank Ledwidge

Submitted March 4, 2009

A

I'm not sure how far back the hostility goes, but they were certainly uneasy neighbours. Spain was mostly irrelevant until after the Reconquista, and after that the growing influence of Spain (fuelled by new world silver) made it a rival to France for continental domination. The hatred during the Napoleonic Wars, though, is in a class of its own - that was intense! I suspect that before those wars the Spanish probably harboured greater suspicion of the British, but the French invasion changed all that. I'm really not an expert on the long picture, but I have a feeling that Spain and France were rivals rather than enemies so long as they were both the dominant powers inside the Roman church, but that the French espousal of rationalism at the Revolution turned rivalry into fear and then hatred. After the Napoleonic Wars, of course, Spain turned inwards - and the next French invasion (part of Spain's civil wars) was not greeted with hatred at all, which suggests the mood of the Napoleonic Period was an exception.

Q

Mr. Cornwell, I would just like to say thank you for your books, they acted as a happy distraction during my time serving in the United States Navy away from home. I recently have left the service choosing to focus on my family (4 of my 8 years were spent overseas - great for travel, hard on a wife). Your books have inspired me to consider writing a story on my family's heritage as I am a distant relative to Polish royalty and no one seems to write historical fiction on Poland. Do you have any suggestions on research tools you have used, or good historical references for European warfare and living conditions in the 1300's? I know you keep busy but if you have any suggestions, I would greatly value your opinion. P.S. Don't worry even though I am out the Navy I still love to read your books, I can't wait for the next Saxon Story. A loyal fan, Jeff Olek Rochester NY

Submitted March 4, 2009

A

Truly not . . . if I specialise in anything it's British history. I'm sure Polish society was different in many ways, and the circumstances of Poland would make the nature of warfare distinctly different from an island nation, so I fear I can't help except to assure you that the information you want will certainly be out there! I'd start by combing the bibliographies on Polish history and military history in Wikipedia - I'm certain you'll find useful things very fast. Good luck!

Q

Bernard, As so often heard, "God is in the details," and your details bring us to a living moment in a time and space long forgotten. We are about your characters who have taken breath and are one of us. Is there a sequel to Sword Song? The end seemed so in in the air. Thank you. Charlotte Adams

My middle daughter and I have throughly enjoyed the Saxon books. Do you have an idea of when the next of the series will be published? Stan Faries

when is the next 'saxon stories' book coming out?? by the way if your ever in Maryland I'm part of a Viking re-enactment group that has 2 Longships and we would love to have you on board. www.longshipco.org.. Adrian Kraus

I trust you will publish a conclusion to the Saxon Stories? I've read the the first four and look forward to reading the final book. Regards, Stuart Twitchell

Hi, I live in Brazil and I really like your books. I'd like to know if you have a prevision to release the book 5 of Saxon stories?
Milena

Mr. Cornwell, I am sorry if I have not looked hard enough, but I can not seem to find out if you are currently working on another book for The Saxon Series or if there is a date to when one might be expected. I really have enjoyed your books and hope to read more in the near future. Thank you for your time.
Matthew Hudson

I very much enjoy your books, particularly the Warlord Trilogy. It helps to explain to me as an Englishman, why the Welsh hate us so much! I am looking forward to the next Saxon book and wondered when this will happen?
Ray Gore

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I am writing to inquire if you will be writing anymore books in The Saxon Stories? I am a fan from the US and just recently started reading your books. I have completed the Saxon series and now started the Arthur series. Really enjoy your books and look forward to many more. Thank you. Best regards, Raymond Rajan

Hello Mr. Cornwell. In the last weeks I have read all four books in "The Saxon Stories" series, and I really liked the stories about Uhtred. When will the next book arrive? Best regards Bjorn Ljones

I am thoroughly enjoying your Alfred series about Uhtred. Will there be more books to further expand Uhtred's adventurers?
Chip Jackson

Bernard when is the next Saxon book due out and please do not kill off Steppa

Paul Marriott

Hello Bernard, I was wondering whether there were any plans in the making to continue the Uhtred story at all? I have recently read all 4 books and am champing at the bit to see what happens next. Many thanks, Paul.

Submitted March 3, 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.

Q

Just finished "Agincourt". As with all your books, it was pleasure and a thrill to read. Great fun! I have a brief comment/question/aside: it seems to me the French did not change tactics between Agincourt and Napoleon. The use of the battles seemed to me eerily similar to the use of the columns during the Napoleonic Wars. 3 shots a minute or 12 flights a minute, the result was the same: a great many dead Frenchman. Is the any validity to that comparison? Anyway, God bless the Brits! I would hate to be speaking French. Cheers!

Mark Bigham

Submitted March 3, 2009

A

They weren't quite that foolish! Truly, by Agincourt, the French had learned to avoid set battles because of the damage they knew archers could do. That they fought Agincourt at all was probably because 1) they were in such overwhelming numbers that they felt the odds were on their side, and 2) because the young royal dukes who were (messily) in command overrode the advice of the French Marshal and Constable. As for the column -it worked superbly well against just about every French enemy; but failed against the superior musketry of the British army. They learned to adapt to that too, by deploying into line at the last moment (as at Waterloo), though the adaptation never had time to be refined into a workable solution.

Q