Your Questions

Q

Hello Bernard. I just though I'd drop you a line. I've read all your Sharpe books and it seems that the tv shows, but most especially the recent two, Sharpe's Challenge and Sharpe's Peril, have just loosely based themselves on the books. Also, the Uhtred series is fantastic. I have the four books and am eagerly awaiting more. I am from Northumbria, and I am proud to be from there. So when I discovered the Saxon series I wasted no time in tracking them down. I read them with pride and amazement. What titles did you research for the Saxon series? And when will there be more? Thank you for reading, Ali

A

The two essential primary sources are The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Bishop Asser's Life of Alfred, but for more accessible titles you may wish to take a look at the 'Suggestions for Further Reading' page for the Saxon stories (you'll find a link on the Saxon stories book page of this website).

There will be more to Uhtred's story...I am working on the next book of the series now and hope to have it ready for publication in the UK in 2009 (most likely 2010 in the US).


Q

Dear Mr. Cornwell My name is Gian, I am 25 years old, Swiss/Portuguese and have read all your Arthur Books, Grail Quest books, Saxon Stories (well I an almost done with Sword Song) and will read Azincourt next. First of all, I would like to tell you, how you made me give up the TV in exchange for reading books, you Sir, totally changed my life and I could not be more happy. The way you write, makes me think I am part of the book. Your books already made me laugh but by that I mean burst out in laughs, mad, happy and sad and strangely enough, I feel like I am part in your books. Your books also caused me to start archery, that I have now been doing for a few months and I ordered a custom made Longbow from Pip Bickerstaffe there in the UK and am getting great at it. I always liked history, never liked to read, until I started reading your books and where you mix fiction with real history and that is amazing, it entertains, it teaches and your brief historical notes basically enlighten me what to keep in my memory in terms of what happened for real. However, I am becoming a little sad now, because Sword Song is almost finished and I love to read about those time periods, Dark to Middle Ages, but as soon as gunpowder comes too much into view, I am not as motivated. A shield wall clashing against another shield wall is just something that can never be compared with using muskets and rifles but I will most probably read your remaining books regarding to that anyway. I would also ask you kindly, not to give up writing books in general and I hope you will write more books about those interesting times and at last have one more question and if you could be so kind and whenever you have time answer it, it would mean a lot to me, well, it is regarding Lancelot. In your book basically, Lancelot was a coward. When I looked up info on the internet on Lancelot, many things turn up. One of the things is that he was seeking the holy grail, or that he had another name known Galahad and so on and he was always betrayed as a hero, but who, to your understanding was that character really ? A last question as well, what other books or authors do you recommend that write historical/fictional books just as you ? And at last, I would like you to know that you are my favorite author, because you basically made my life brighter in a way, that every minute I spent so far reading your books was more than worth it and that I will always remember your work as my favorite, as a kick in the butt to make me read many more amazing books out there and leave the TV aside unless it is to watch the news or some documentary. Thank you very much for your time, your work and please, do never stop writing and if bards still do exist, then I shall find them and pay them so they can make songs of how great your works are until the world ends in chaos hehe. Kind Regards Gian Philipp

A

Wow - thanks for your message Gian. Lancelot? Lancelot was a very late addition to the stories . . . and I never much liked him, so decided to make him a villain. The stories are endlessly changeable (and have changed hugely over the years), but making him a despicable coward was entirely a whim on my part!

Please take a look at the Reading Club pages of this website for some great recommendations! You'll find the link at the top of this page.


Q

Mr. Cornwell - I am a huge fan of your books. I was just wondering how much longer must we wait for the Saxon Stories series to continue?? It think it is some of your most compelling work... Aside from everything else you write! ;-) BCJ

Dear Bernard, I've just finished reading Sword Song. You indicate that you may be writing more on Uhtred. Will you have another book soon? Thanks, Pete

When will you publish the next book in the Uhtred, Saxon, series? I've really enjoyed that series! Kathy

I've read Sword Song and I'm wondering when the next Saxon tales will be released.? Charles Rosendahl

Azincourt smuggled by mother in law from the UK is an enjoyable read, and I love the characters Hook and Melisande. My son wants to know when the next book in the Saxon Series will be published? Telfryn John

When will we get more Uhtred? I'm too hooked for words. thanks a million. Sanders Green

thanks for being the one author that i can buy and enjoy no matter the title. I've read and own some of sharpes books, starbuck chronicles, stone henge, the grail quest and the saxon stories. the saxon stories(uhtred) in particular are my favourites, but I still haven't seen a new one??? you have released one every year or there abouts but I haven't seen one for 2008.... I'm, hanging out for it, is there a new one on the way soon??? in the mean time I'll just read them all again :-)
Daniel Severs

My Lord, (if not yet, I hope soon) It seems an appropriate salutation for a writer I have enjoyed so much and admire. Briefly - When will the Saxon Stories continue and will there be a continuation of the Grail Quest series? Thank you.
Michael T. Kelley

A

I do not plan to add to the Grail Quest series, but I am working on the next book of the Saxon series now and hope to have it ready for publication in the UK in 2009 (most likely 2010 in the US).


Q

I am embarrassed to say that I had never read any of your books, or indeed ever heard of you before three days ago when I read Crackdown. The book hit me on many levels and I would like to know your own sailing experience as your very accurate descriptions of nautical sights and sounds brought back sailing memories twenty years past. I will endeavor to start on your Sharpe series when I finish your other "sailing thrillers". Thank you for your courtesy and your writing. Scott Ryan

A

I grew up on the Essex coast. I kept a boat just outside Starcross Harbour (couldn't get her inside because the mast wouldn't go under the railway bridge). Now I do most of my sailing in a Cornish Crabber, Mark 2 out in Nantucket Sound. There is a picture of my sailboat on the Thillers book page of this website.


Q

Dear Bernard, I have read all your books and enjoyed them all.It must give you a lot of satisfaction to bring enjoyment to so many people.I have two questions,1. Do you have any plans to visit Australia.if so when 2. Why are the covers different on the American and British versions of your books. best regards Greg Barns Geelong,Australia.

A

Sorry, no plans for a visit to Australia anytime in the near future.

There's a difference of taste between US and UK publishers over covers, and I can only assume that each knows its own market and designs accordingly! But I do know they invest long hours in trying to get it right!


Q

I was interested to know whether you have based the character Richard Sharpe on an existing person from History or whether everything about him is fictional? Hope you can get back to me, thank you for your time.
Stephen Cordery

A

Sharpe is wholly from my imagination!


Q

Mr. Cornwell, pardon if this looks like a repeated question....I know some of us here have asked about an unabridged recording of Uhtred's latest adventures and whether it would be Tom Sellwood doing the reading... Well, there is an unabridged recording out there, but it is not by Tom Sellwood and I don't think it is available in CD form. (At least I have not found it ANYWHERE for sale) RUMOR has it that Tom Sellwood will indeed come back to read Sword Song for us, as he has the other three books. Is this true? I know you are somewhat detached from that end of the publishing, but maybe you could put the question out there when you have some time? (By the way, if you have not heard Mr. Sellwood put Uhtred's words to life, you have GREATLY missed out. I am positive you would be thrilled!) He has done an astounding job with the first three books. Just amazing. Thanks for your patience.

A

It does not appear that Tom Sellwood will be doing a reading of Sword Song. My agent tells me that Paul Blake has done a reading of the book, available this December on cassette and next December (2009) on CD, published by HarperCollins in the UK. I believe these are abridged readings. Chivers will publish an unabridged reading on CD in January 2009. There is an abridged CD recording read by Jamie Glover available in the US.


Q

Uhtred tells us that the Danes love their stories to be embellished and exaggerated...are we to assume, in his love of the Danes, that Uhtred too might be exaggerating to us as he tells the story of his life?

James J

A

That made me smile . . . I tame his natural tendency to exaggerate, okay?


Q

I would like to know if your book Azincourt has ,or is going to be translated into French? While I am in contact with you, have any of your books been tranlated into French? I am a fan. I look forward to hearing from you Bill Henderson

A

Yes, actually quite a few of my books have been published in French translation - including a few Sharpe books! Most of them can be found on Amazon.fr. The Arthur books, the Saxon stories, the Grail Quest series and Gallows Thief are all books you can find in French translation. Azincourt is not available yet, but I do think it will be at some point in the future.


Q

Hi Bernard, I'm currently scratching together a historical novel. It's fun but hard work. Would it be possible for you to recommend where I could get details of field artillery, how it was set up and fired etc for the period of the late seventeenth century. I'm reading Trafalgar at the moment. Your maritime details for the Calliope etc are very impressive. What source did you use for that research? Regards Willie

A

I used so many books for research . . . everything I could lay my hands on! And, of course, visited HMS Victory a couple of times. I found N.A.M Rodger's book The Wooden World particularly useful. Late 17th Century artillery? Way out of my range, I'm afraid . . . and I honestly don't have a clue . . . maybe a good book on equipment of the English Civil War?