Your Questions

Hi Bernard, Just back from holiday where I devoured Sharpe's Triumph, The Lord's of the North & Sword's Song. GREAT GREAT books!! I especially liked the Sharpe one as it's the first early years one I have read and I liked the fact that he was not quite as assured and confident as he is in later years. The writing style you use in the Saxon books differs from Sharpe. You seem to use a more narrative style with the Saxon books where Uhtred is recounting his youth etc while Sharpe is written in the 3rd person. Why did you write the Saxon books in the first person and what effect do you think it has. Also, for an author's first published historical novel, how many copies would it typically sell. I know, a hard question to answer? For example how many copies did Sharpe's Eagle sell in the first year or two. Hope you don't mind me asking? Also thanks for answering my question about how you know if words were invented etc at the time of a novel's setting which you answered a few weeks back. Thanks Bernard, Regards Willie

Doing some research on my family tree. Noted that you have done extensive research for your Norse saga books and mentioned somewhere of Norse ancestry. Trying to find info on Scottish family name Skeith. Info I found relates word to Old Norse for race-course (for horses), root word for cutting; also mentioned as a plow part, shield or ship prow(?). Any thoughts or info you may have come across would be appreciated. Thank you VERY MUCH for any time or info you are able to give. LOVE YOUR BOOKS! Thanks! Thomas Wooded

Hello Mr Cornwell, I was wondering if the last Sharpe book will be Sharpe working for(with) Wellington on a mission in England. Of course Harper would be along. In regards to Sharpe's sword. I did see an 1850 model in a shop in Toronto. It was real, a yard of steel, and it did not cost a lot. 150 -200 cdn. Also the reader should check out sword magazines from England. there are some sword stores in Sheffield ( where else) that have hundreds of swords. If the reader takes his time he will find a Sharpe's sword. Regards Nicholas.

Dear Mr. Cornwell, I found your web page and would like to thank you very much for the opportunity to be able to read your Uhtred trilogy here in Germany. I came across the first one while on a trip to Berlin, it took me two days to finish it, after that I was literally hooked! So I got the second, in German. The third I could not wait for and bought it in english. It is now available in german, but much thicker! Must be the translation??? Nevertheless now your new book is on the market in the UK. I will have no trouble getting it over amazon, but wondered, when it will come out in German? On the german web page is the fourth book not yet been mentioned. Have you any idea about the release date? Thank you for some awesome and suspense reading, most of all for a brilliant story on the history of King Alfred the Great. Very kind regards from a german fan, hope you will carry on putting your genius mind on paper!! Mrs. Deane

Dear Mr. Cornwell, Thank you so much for the many hours of excellent entertainment reading your many books. My favourite are the Arthur books. I have the books in hardcover and paperback and would love to have them in electronic format for my Amazon Kindle as well. Do you and/or your publisher intend to make them available in the Kindle format? Regards, Jonathan Crain

Is there any way you can nudge your publishers on the question of ebook production for the Sharpe series? I have bought the first 14 and would gladly buy the rest but they have come to a stop apart from the out-of-sequence 'Devil'. I note from the published answers that they were working to produce the rest back in 2006. Given that it takes a few hours to translate the average DTP file into a format suitable for producing an ebook - I do it all the time - they do not appear to be working very hard. In the meantime, less scrupulous readers face the temptation to follow the only alternative, which is to download a free pirate copy from the internet. Your publishers' tardiness is undoubtedly costing you money! All the best, David Lawrence

Dear Mr.Cornwell. My thanks. I wish I could swear an oath to you right now. I kinda got that from reading the Winter King and "the Enemy of God". As always have a few questions. are you a Christian? I hate to put it out there but the question has been bothering me as I am myself a Christian. Have no problems if you do,but just the books,you write i just wonder... also in the Winter king and that whole series,you describe Lancelot and Bors as being "wimps" or cowards,but in other books,and movies such as the latest move "king Arthur"(good movie) they are not cowards,so which way do you prefer them as cowards or as heroes? I myself after reading the Winter king found myself liking Lancelot as being a wimp,for it makes Derfel look stronger not that he isn't. and is Derfel an original character or is he part of your amazing mind? so thank you sir,for writing these books I find myself in my room for hours just reading and re-reading Sharpe.(personal favorites Sharpe's escape,and Sharpe's battle)(you should be Knighted for your deeds). your loyal reader Luke Wynes.

Mr. Cornwell I have just finished Sword Song and absolutely loved it! Please don't ever stop writing! When do you thinK the next saxon story will be out? what would you suggest I read of yours in the mean time?
George Curwen

Hi Bernard I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying your Saxon series at the moment and eagerly await the next novel. What I want to know is why haven't any studios or TV channels picked them up and developed them into movies/ TV shows like Sharpe? I think they are visually stunning and would be immensely exciting on screen. I also think they'd work best as a big TV production in the Sharpe vein and I think they'd made so much money for the TV companies too because there is very little decent action dramas being produced on this side of the ocean. If anyone offers, I hope you will accept as soon as they put some serious money into the production and give it to good, passionate people. I think they would also feed well into the current political climate in regards to religion and the state. Keep writing, I'm loving ever line!
Steve James

Being an archer myself (although nothing as powerfull as a warbow) I am eagerly awaiting Agincourt!! I have read every word you have written, and I, like many other people, owe you a debt of gratitude for the many many hours of pleasure your work as given me. But just one question, will Uhtred be returning, with his dream of his seat at Bebbenburg still so far away? Neil Newsome