Your Questions

Dear Mr. Cornwell I was originally introduced to your books in my school library where I fell in love with The Grail Quest. I recently finished the last book of The Saxon Tales and wanted to ask how you chose your covers. Its just that I found no correlation in the book that went back to the cover with two armies on the different sides of the bridge shooting arrows at one another. Also I would love to thank you for writing such amazing books with vivid accounts that leave the reader wanting more.

Something that has really peaked my interest from The Saxon Tales though was your accounts of the pagan religion and some of the very detailed scenes in which people such as Ragner the Elder sacrificed animal after animal, I was wishing to know how you researched them and how much can be based on truth in those past religions.

You also put in the historic section that in one way you are related to one such individual like Uhtred and I was wondering if you could explain, sorry so many questions, I look forward to asking more questions though as I read you other books thank you. Brandon Smith

Sir, I found Sharpe's Gold in the USO in Balad, Iraq. The book was outstanding and I plan on reading the whole Sharpe's series. On the hometown America system of grading; I give Sharpe's Gold 5 out of 5 Hot Dogs. I also plan to read at the very least your Saxon Stories and Grail. They sound very appealing and if they're even half what Sharpe's Gold was than I'll undoubtedly be pleased. Do you plan on writing a similar series of books set during any other periods such as the Spanish Reconquista, 30 Years War, or Great Northern War? It seems from what I've read on your site you strictly tell stories of Britain's history (excepting the Starbuck Chronicles); but I was just wondering about the other subjects I mentioned. I'm a fan of those historical events. Will you add to the Grail Quest Series and potentially even follow it up with a series about the War of the Roses? Or perhaps just commence a series set during the War of the Roses?

Finally, who or what inspired you to write these books? I'd be interested to know what authors you might have read who had even the slightest influence on your development as a writer. Thank you very much. Mark Seabolt

Dear Mr Cornwell I'm hooked on the Alfred books and can't wait for the next.(the ship chase was awesome) I like Sharpe but every time you mention he's a cockney Sean comes to mind & it takes a minute to immerse myself again. The reason I write is after The sad loss of David Gemmell I turned to your work to fill the void. Others tell me your writing styles are very different, but Heroic fiction is Heroic fiction. David said that only the most cowardly is capable of the bravest deed. Thomas of Hookton, (my user name on everything from ebay to amazon)Sharpe et el are heroes all which makes them so is their mortality and flaws without being Harry Flashman about it. Now I'm coming to the end of your back catalogue, who do I go to next? I'm thinking Conn Igguldon (a Gemmell fan)but would you recommend anyone with a similar writing style and flawed hero's? Keep up the good work Kind regards Mark Tilbury

Hi Mr Cornwell. We corresponded many years ago on the subject of Cirencester and research for your Arthur Trilogy. Mt question is unrelated. At the moment I am reading the third part of the Alexander Trilogy by Valerio Massimo Manfredi, my next read will be Agincourt, followed by Conn Iggulden's Bones of the Hills. I am having two Books bought me for Xmas, the third part of a Crusades Trilogy by Robyn Young and the latest by Valerio Massimo Manfredi. Have you read any of the works of these authors and if so what is your opinions? Regards David Fletcher

Dear Mr. Cornwell, i just read "Azincourt" and being an old 15.th. cent. reenactor (had been swordmaster and sword trainer of the company of Saint George) i wonder if you met friends such as Gerry Embleton, the Perry twins or others. Some of your characters in that very good book are familiar to me and a lot of our practical research results which are documented in the book "The daily life of the late medieval soldier" are well transferred in "Azincourt". I´ll start now to purchase all your other books. Azincourt was my intro, All the best and kind regards, Hartmut Writh

Hello Mr Cornwell, I just wanted to write to you with my thanks for the entertainment I've had from your books. It's probably a sin to say I've never read Sharpe, but the Harlequin/Vagabond/Heretic series was my first introduction to your stories and since then I'm happily hooked. I'm currently reading The Last Kingdom and look forward to reading the rest of Alfred the Great's tale. Like the archer books, I love your knack of combining an engaging, easily digestible history with characters I can really care about. I recently learnt my family name came across with the Norman invasion of Britain, I had no idea how complex the cultures of England and Europe were at that time. It certainly goes to show that little changes and people are still motivated by the same things throughout history. Perhaps you might consider yourself a modern skald? If you haven't already have written a book about it, have you considered writing about the Wars of the Roses? It's a personal favourite of mine (I love a good harness of armour). I promise not to sue you if you do. Ha ha. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, keep up the great work! David

Hello Sir! I enjoyed the pictures that you have up of the sites Sharpe visited in India. Do you have any other pictures of Sharpe battlefields, etc, or from any of your books for that matter, that you might put online? With best regards, Rollin

I finished Sword Song awhile ago, and I'm deeply looking forward to the next installment. I was very happy to see the involvement of Æthelflæd, and I was wondering if you were going to continue her story and historical campaign through Northumbria?

On a side note, was King Æthelstan ever involved with the folks in Danelaw? Jon Glassman

Dear Mr Cornwell Just came from Mr Iggulden's forum.it transpires that he and Mr Scarrow compete against each other in a computer game, Rome Total War. I was wondering if you would like to step up to the crease and take a few swings. It could be a historical novelist's fans dream. We will never know if Napoleon would beat Alexander on a level playing field, but this???
Mark Tilbury

I was wondering if there ever has been an idea of making a role playing game with the Sharpe character? We now live in a digital age where a lot of people play video games and for me I started reading Sharpe after seeing the tv series. And I think like some moved on to starbuck. Arthur's books, grail quest and Saxon stories maybe addicted to your books :) so the question would be will there ever be a video game with Sharpe in it?
Thank you, Brendan Ringenoldus, Alkmaar (as in very close to battle of bergen ,1799), the netherlands