Your Questions

Dear Bernard, Like nearly everyone that writes to you Ive got to say that your my favourite historical fiction writer. I read nearly all of your books though being of French ancestry I sometimes struggle with the Sharpe books. While I love Sharpe as a character the usual plot of defeating the French sometimes grates. Do you know of any French authors writing historical fiction from the French point of view? I'd love to read a historical fiction were the English are the villains and the French prevail. Thanks Michael

Mr. Cornwell, you may or may not choose to answer this question as you may find it irrelevant and silly, but my friend and I are having a disagreement over the sexuality of Galahad in the Arthur Series. As I mentioned to him that I am seriously crushing on Galahad, jealousy reared it's ugly head and he insisted that Galahad is gay (not that there is anything wrong with that)because Galahad did not take a wife nor was there any mention of him being with a woman. Please say it ain't so! Diane

I saw on the news today that a historian is certain he has found the site of the battle of Cynuit at Beaford in North Devon, what are your thoughts on his find? Richard Parkhouse

Dear Bernard, I have an idea in my head for a novel set during the South American Wars of Independence but not sure which books would be a good place to start for research. Could you recommend any that you may have used when writing Sharpe's Devil? And what do you know of Britain's position on it, particularly in the early years when Wellington was in Spain? Were Britain supportive of San Martin, Bolivar and O'Higgins or supporting Spain?
Rhys Wood

Dear Mr Cornwell Firstly I'd like to compliment you on your extremely readable and yet well-researched and detailed novels. I'm an ex-pat like yourself living in Florida. I am a fan of historical fiction amongst many other genres but I first met Sharpe on ITV and consequently I've bought and read every Sharpe novel, followed by The Grail Quest, some of the stand alones and now I'm onto the Arthur books and consequently the real purpose of this email. You use the term Edling for a Crown Prince, and as you can see my name is Edlington, and there is a village near my home town of Doncaster of the same name. I hoped you might inform me of the source of your usage as I've been unable to find a meaning for this apart from it has a Germanic origin. It seems Aerling is usually a term of Crown Prince in Old English. Please enlighten me as I'd love to know the root of my name. Thank you in advance, and thank you for the hours of entertainment you've provided me as I have often used your novels to guide me to interesting historical research. I confess George McDonald Fraser does/did (alas) too. Sincerely Steve Edlington

Mr. Cornwell, Greetings. In answer to someone's question you wrote: "I really don't want to write the Roman period . . . I love it! I want to read other writers' versions, not my own". I love it too (and wish you'd reconsider). Could you recommend some of the works of that period that you've enjoyed? I absolutely love the Arthur and Saxon books. Thank you. Art Shavatt

Dear Bernard, I'd love you to write more Sharpe books, they're just great.
Did you chose using Sean Bean as Sharpe? Great choice if you did chose. Thanks for your time. Jack

Hi, Mister Cornwell I have read nearly every you have read. I like the Sharpe stories and the Starbuck stories. In the book Rebel you introduce a character named Patrick Lassan. He is a french officer, but he tells Starbuck in Copperhead I think that his father was an officer in the British rifles. My question is, is Sharpe Patrick's father? I eagerly await the next book in the Starbuck chronicles.
Michael Curran

Greetings from cold Canada! First off, let me start by saying how much I enjoy your books. Over the last couple of years your books have given me something to do both when the rain is coming down as well as when the sun is shining! So I thank you for introducing me to worlds gone by and for making the imagination run wild. Just a quick question about your upcoming book "Azincourt" and its release date. If you could answer, it would be highly appreciated. I live in Canada and get 99% of my books through www.chapters.ca. On the website it says that Azincourt will be hitting stores in Canada around October 20th. Is this release date accurate?? I'm just wondering as the book will be released in the United States nearly up to 3 months later! Sincerely, Jamie

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I just finished The Sword Song. I know that Uhtred will be back. Can you tell me when? Tulio Cavalcanti de Albuquerque

I have read the Saxon stories with great interest and enjoyment surely "Sword Song" can not be the last in the series, can you please tell me whether or not there is more to come and if so when? This is a fantastic series and would hate "sword Song" to be the last. Many thanks in advance. Martin Pearson

Dear Bernard Cornwell, or whomever is reading this (as I know that a busy writer must not have time to screen through fan mail). I am from Brazil, so let me start by apologising for any mistakes in my writing. I am fascinated with your style of writing and I have been purchasing your books whenever I see them here, which is not so often. Last book fair I bought the four books from the Saxon stories and after reading the forth book I just had to search for a fifth one. My question is this, will there be a fifth book (couldn't find any mention to there being one), or has the story really ended? Thanks for the attention. Thalitta Vital