Your Questions

Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell: I hope can get to this within a week or so as I need this question for school project, if not Id love to hear your thoughts regardless. I have to do a report on the Easter Rising of 1916. my thesis is that was a patriotic event that helped spur the events that led to the formation of the Free State and later the Republic but 1948-9ish. But need to present both sides strengthen my argument. I know many felt that it shattered the hope of the Home Rule act and many of those in Dublin thought it was a slap in the face because they had family in the English service. But what cannot find is any hard quotes or articles that present the negativity of the Rising. Can you suggest anything? (articles and websites would be of most help as I doubt Id have enough time to read, cite and share the information) If you dont know, do you someone who could help me? What are your thoughts on it? May I use them in my speech? (cited of course) Thank you for your time and effort. Adam Azzalino

PS: Have you ever read any of Morgan Llywelyn Irish Century Series?

A

I'm really no expert on the Easter Rising, but there are so many available books that you really should not have any problem in finding quotes. The simplest thing (always) is to follow the bibliography on Wikipedia, and that's what I'd suggest. Sorry to be so unhelpful, but I'm really not any kind of expert on 20th Century Irish history.

I haven't - but thank you for drawing them to my attention - more books for the 'to read' pile!


Q

Ok, first I will ask you a question, then I will tell you an awesome fact about one of the places in Sharpe's Prey that isn't in the book! 1. Are you coming to Greensboro, NC anytime soon? and if not, PLEASE!!!! 2. The youngest mayor in Denmark is in Koge, where Sharpe fought the General Whatshisname!!! Well, please come to Greensboro, NC!!! Nash Tetterton

A

I don't have any plans to visit Greensboro, but I promise to let you know if that changes. The youngest mayor, eh? Glad to have learned that!


Q

Really enjoy the "Starbuck" series. Have you written a sequel to "The Bloody Ground"? The last sentence in TBG ".....,but he was far from beaten. Starbuck will march again" indicates a followup book..but I've not been able to locate one. Could it have been hidden in another title? Am anxious to find/read it. BDH

A

You can stop searching - it hasn't been written yet!


Q

I'm a fan of Herman Melville's and I wonder if you have ever considered finishing his story of Billy Budd, sailor?

Robert Zastrow

A

No, I haven't, and I really have to confess I think it unlikely.


Q

Greetings Bernard! I hope to receive a response, but if you don't have time I understand. I am a HUGE fan. I absolutely love the Saxon tales, My favorite books that I have read. Your are also my favorite author, and Uhtred is my idol. I wish to live in the ancient times when war ships sailed and shield walls were formed. I have just finished "Sword Song" And I have to say you have a great writing capability! I read "Sword Song" in two days, I was hooked right away! I am no book worm in anyway, but I just devour your books because they are so interesting and descriptive. I love the way you explain with detail the battles that Uhtred faces. Once again I am a huge fan, and I am doing a book report on "Sword Song" for my English class. I am very young, 17. My name is Alexander, and I wanted to know what kind of music you listen to? I am a death metal fanatic and you MUST check out the band Amon Amarth. Amon Amarth comes from Sweden, all the lyrics derived from Norse mythology and include battles and mythological gods. They are brutal, and I have spent all the time reading your books listening to this band. I highly recommend "With Oden on Our Side", "Twilight of the Thunder God", "Fate of the Norns" and "Versus the World". Very good albums. It requires, like many things, an acquired taste. After a while you will be able to understand the vocals and learn to like the brutalness. The music is just as brutal as the vocals, and the lyrics are awesome! Like I said I hope you have the time to respond to this message and I hope you find the time to listen to Amon Amarth. Farewell Bernard. You have supplied me with many hours of entertainment, so thank you sir! -Alexander Holdaway

A

Well, thank you! I have some Heavy Metal in a CD kept in my (heavy metal) truck, but I confess I'm not a huge fan. It's a leap from Mozart's Requiem to Amon Amarth, but perhaps I should try? Maybe it'll be good for my soul. Thank you so much! If I listen to Aman Amarth, will you promise to listen to Mozart's Requiem?


Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I absolutely love your books. I am currently reading Agincourt, and was wondering if there will be a sequel to this book. Thank you for your time and for bringing me countless hours of entertainment.

Julio Garcia

Hi Bernard, love your work. Just finished Agincourt and was wondering if you planned a follow up book. I was wondering what became of Hooks father in law (cant spell his name so wont embarrass myself by trying). Was he real or a fictional character......and did he make it back to France. Also my favourite character (probably most peoples)Sir John, what became of him. Did he campaign in France again...and how did he eventually die, was it in battle? I look forward to your next book and if you could take the time to get back to me that would be great too. Regards Chris

A

Sir John apparently died of natural causes - in 1443. I'm fairly certain he did campaign again - he became exceedingly rich from the wars (he became Baron Fanhope, then Baron Milbroke) and built Ampthill Castle. His titles died with him because he left no legitimate heirs. Hook's father-in-law is fictitious . . . but I think we may meet him (and Hook) again.


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

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

Dear Sir, every once in a while I feel the need to re-read my entire Sharpe collection, am just in the middle of Sharpe's Fury. I have some questions relating to Lord Pumphrey, in Sharpe's Havoc it was mentioned that he had ordered the death of Sharpe's lover, but left it there....now in this book Sharpe find out the truth through another lover and is talked out of extracting total revenge by Pumphrey (although he's left shaken and a thwarted financially) - is this unfinished business and do you intend for it to re-surface? Or did Pumphrey really exist? In which case I realise you cannot extract too much revenge on Sharpe's behalf. I ask this cos my take on Sharpe is he's resourceful so he usually finds a way and to a certain extent he holds a grudge.....am I wrong?

Also I think you'll find my next point very strange indeed......When I read these wonderful books and Sharpe and Harper are speaking, in my head I'm hearing Sean Bean and Daragh O'Malley etc; strange especially when in your books I'd bet Sharpe is supposed to have a London accent.....I cant help it sorry..... I watched the films first and in turn bought every Sharpe book from Sharpe's Rifles onwards!!! Lee

A

I never quite know whether these things will resurface or not. Sharpe spares Pumphrey, but I can't help thinking they'll encounter each other again - - I never know what future books will hold, but I suspect I left Lord P alive for a purpose!

Not so strange - I still see Sharpe as I first described him - black haired, scarred, etc, but I now too hear Sean Bean's voice when I write him!


Q

hello Bernard, you say that Uhtred could live into his eighties ,will he make it to Brunanburgh?also,can you recommend any books,fiction or non fiction, dealing with the anglo-saxon diaspora after the battle of Hastings?many thanks,Anthony.

A

I'm batting zero - can't think of any! Sorry!


Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I am wondering, and painfully hoping, if you have any new Sharpe adventures planned for the near future. I am fully aware that you can only work with what is in the history books, and in fact, how difficult history writing can be. We aren't exactly at war with Napoleon now are we? But still, I hope that you can find at least a few pockets that you have yet to dip your hand into. I know you requested us not to give ideas, so I won't, but being of Polish descent myself, I couldn't help but notice that there is a shocking absence of The Duchy of Warsaw's role in Europe at the time, in the world of literature. ??? And one more thing, I got the Sharpe's complete TV series the Christmas before recent, and I couldn't help but notice how far off they were from the books. I'm sure that there were understandable reasons for this, and I was wondering what, if in fact there are any, they were? But still, aside from the books, they were excellent on their own.
Matthew

A

Then a Polish writer must fill that gap - or someone (unlike me) who speaks Polish and has a fascination with the history!

There will be more Sharpe books. The Sharpe films? I'm fine with them . . . I'm not saying I wouldn't rather have the screen-writers slavishly follow my books, but on the other hand they have constraints I don't have. It costs me nothing to produce an army, but they have to hire extras!