Your Questions

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell! Please could you tell if there's a monument of the White Horse now? ("Pale Horseman" near Ethandun and if it was historical event that a white horse helped to win the battle? I didn't understood about it exactly in the Historical Note). Anna

Submitted February 23, 2009

A

One of the famous White Horses is cut into the hillside where the battle of Ethandun was fought, but almost certainly it has nothing to do with the battle - it was cut into the chalk much later. You can find more at http://www.wiltshirewhitehorses.org.uk/westbury.html.

Q

hi my name's Josh Sedgwick I'm 17 and from Bishop Auckland county Durham and I have just finished reading the Uhtred's stories and I loved them. I was just wondering when the 5th will be coming out as with them being centered around the region and Sedgwick being a Saxon name; I enjoyed them. I was just wondering when you dated back your family did you come across any by the name Sedgwick or some sort of variation of the name? Any way, cheers ,hope to hear from you soon. Joshua Sedgwick

Submitted February 23, 2009

A

What I know was discovered by a member of my birth family, not by me (I only met them about six or seven years ago); although I imagine the name Sedgwick could be found. The next book of the Saxon stories should be available in October of this year in the UK; most likely January 2010 in the US.

Q

I am researching my family history and my gg grandfather James Knight showed his occupation at "Private Soldier" at the baptism of my g g g aunt on 22/2/1815. He came from north Hampshire. Does this mean he was a "private" as it is known today, or does this refer to a private army?
Geoffrey Knight

Submitted February 23, 2009

A

I'm sure it means he was a private in the army!

Q

Mr. Cornwell, I am newly introduced to your books having read only six thus far. All have been excellent reads and I look forward to readying others. My question concerns Uhtred's take on Christianity. My question is in two parts: first, is Uhtred the "pulpit" you use to express your own views about Christianity (it seems to me that he, in fact, is), and secondly, do you see modern christianity closer to the mark of what it should be then its version in the Dark Ages such as in Uhtred's time?

Scott Meigs

Submitted February 23, 2009

A

Uhtred is the pulpit for expressing his own views, which are probably much more extreme than mine. I'm really not sure about the second answer; I suspect that Christ, if he were to come back (yeah, I know he's overdue) would be utterly astonished by the religion that bears his name and has, probably, almost no connection with his own ambitions which, as far as I can determine, were to reform Judaism.

Q

To Mr Bernard Cornwell, I enjoy reading your Sharpe novels, I would like to ask you - will you be writing any more novels about Mr Richard Sharpe?
John Richardson

Submitted February 23, 2009

A

Yes I will.

Q

My husband and son love your books! Do you have another book coming out in the Saxon series? They are hoping so. Jennifer RaVell

A friend suggested your Arthur Books. They were fantastic. I have since read The Saxon Stories, Stonehenge, The Grail Quest, and Agincourt. I enjoy your writing immensely. Will there be more Saxon Stories. I have to know if Uhtred returns to the North. Brian Heintzelman

Dear Author Cornwell First of all CONGRATULATIONS for your books they are simply Fantastic. I have read the series: Arthur Books and The Saxon Stories In your series The Saxon Stories you mentioned in the final of the last volume that this series will continue. Do you have a forecast, when this continuation will come? Thanks in advance. Roberto

Dear Mr. Cornwell.. Is there more of the Saxon stories in the pipeline??... I do hope so as these are some of the best historic novels I've read... My best regards... Del

Hi Mr. Cornwell! My name is Matheus and I'm from Brazil. I am a huge fan of yours and my favorite series is "The Saxon Stories". It's so realistic that when I'm reading I'm able to view Uhtred in front of me! I want to know when the next book is going to be available in stores?? I can barely wait for it... Thank you, bye bye from Brazil.

I was just wondering if you have any plans for another Saxon novel? The Saxon stories are my favorite out of all of your books. You really are a very GREAT author!! My other question was are there any plans of making any movies of the Saxon stories, like what happened with the Sharpe books? Thank you very much for your time! Very truly yours, Amber

Submitted February 21, 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 January 2010 publication in the US. No title for the next book yet! And no movie plans.

Q

I just finished Agincourt and enjoyed it tremendously. Looking forward to the next Uhtred book. I had a question about Agincourt. I had read in Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror that Edward the Duke of York apparently died of a heart attack and had no wound. I have been using the juxtaposition between this and Shakespeare's dramatic death scene in my world history classes as an example of a glamorization of history in general and the middle ages in particular for some years now. In your novel you have him dying in combat and don't refer to this in your appendix. Did Ms Tuchman have her information wrong or did you take poetic license? Dave Maher

Submitted February 19, 2009

A

No one knows for certain. It's possible it was a heart attack, and just as possible that he drowned in the mud. They didn't perform autopsies, so we just don't know! But it seems his body was unwounded, so it's likely to be one or the other.

Q

Are you going to continue the Starbuck series?
Rob Van Steamburg

Submitted February 19, 2009

A

Yes, I do plan to get back to Starbuck one day.

Q

Mr. Cornwell, I loved Agincourt, what a great book! I found your books by randomly selecting an audio version of the Archer's Tale in my library. Now I've read several and purchased some as well. Thanks for your great talent! I have one question to ask: why do you not use the f-word and/or bloody in Agincourt? Believe me when I say I do not mind that you don't... I'm not in love with graphic language, however, I do understand that soldiers use that kind of language, and appreciate you for writing real dialogue. But you don't use the f-word or bloody in Agincourt. Is that because, historically speaking, those words weren't in use at that time? Or is it just a personal choice? Thanks again for your books. I hope to see more medieval stories in the future! And until then, I have discovered Sharpe. -Jordan

Submitted February 19, 2009

A

I'm fairly sure the efficacious word was used all the time in 1415, but I took a decision not to use it in most of my books, only because it offends some people. It's inescapable in other books. I know I'm not being consistent, but there you go! I notice that Forester did the same and, like me, uses blasphemy to replace the f word, which I think ought to be far more offensive, but no one ever complains. 'Goddam' was probably the most common curse in 1415, which is why the French called the English the 'goddams'.

Q

Bernard, I am a writer and author who is also a tremendous fan of your Sharpe and Saxon series (I have yet to read the others) and I cannot believe that you wrote a blurb praising a book by Dewey Lambdin. As I am planning a saga based on a distant relative who was a privateer and Revolutionary War commodore, I thought to read Lambdin for background. I can't make it into his books. They say you can overlook writing problems if there's a good story. I can't get past the problematical writing to find the story. I wonder if you really read the book you blurbed for? Let me say again that I'm a huge fan of yours, and will eventually make it through all your books. Regards Charles T. Whippel aka Chuck Tyrell

Submitted February 19, 2009

A

Well, I guess we're not all going to agree on everything! But do give Dewey another chance!