Your Questions

In several books you indicate the riflemen end up after a fierce action with powder burns on their faces from flashback off the pan. When I was a Rev War reenactor we were taught that the flashback out of the touchhole would burn the person to your right when firing in close ranks, since the touchhole is on the right side of the gun, away from the shooter, and that veteran combat soldier had the left side of their faces scarred from powder burns, but not from their own muskets, but their lefthand neighbors. Since the riflemen are usually not firing in close ranks, I was wondering why they are getting powder burns on their faces? Phil Lord

Hello, I was just wondering why, since you are a United States citizen, you books come out in the U.K before the United States? Is the publishing company in the U.K.?

Also, I wondering what your overall opinion of Napoleon Bonaparte is? In the Sharpe books Sharpe seems not to have an opinion on Napoleon at all. That is up until Sharpe's Devil where Sharpe is charmed by the Emperor and seems to take a liking to him. I was wondering what your opinion was based on your British background since the British tend to be more on the Anti-Napoleon side. Just wondering. Love the books. Keep writing.

I am an avid reader of your novels but in many of them you portray Christians in a less than flattering light. is this because of your own beliefs or merely because , historically religion was more brutal than we like to admit? I have read and enjoyed many of your novels but one thing has troubled me. In many of your novels the welsh are portrayed as inferior to the other British cultures, am I just paranoid (very likely) or are you a bitter Saxon (no offense)? Evan Reese

I've almost all of your non-Sharpe books and am now keen to dive into the Sharpe series. Would you recommend reading them in the order of events or date of writing? James Thurlow

Good day Mr Cornwell. In one of your answers you state that Derfel started a church and a monastery in western Wales. Are those buildings still used or are they ruins?

Looking forward to Azincourt. I am glad you used the name of one of the archers that fought there. Did this man live to" have a share of the greater glory?" Regards Nicholas.

Hi Bernard, Judging by your progression from Briton v Saxon, then Saxon v Dane, I was wondering if the next step will be the Norman Conquests? There are 3 notably different cultures struggling for supremacy, intrigue behind the differing claims to the throne, the rebellion in the North against William, the subjugation of Wales by Harold, the death of two great kings and at least three major battles (I'm sure you already know all this). I would love to read your interpretation of events. Regards, Pete

hello, Mr Bernard Cornwell my mom was moaning at me , saying I don't read enough, so I started reading your Saxon stories and Warlord chronicles, and I couldn't put them down, now she is moaning, saying all I do is read these books, there is no pleasing some people. But thank you for writing the greatest books I have read, reading them has helped me at school because my English had improved a lot, thank you. I was just wandering how many Saxon stories you are going to write? and if you would ever write anything about earlier events, such as when the Romans invaded England, or further back than that like the Greeks? thank you for the books, 1 of your biggest fans, Marcus

I was just wndering if Azincourt would be available in the U.S. and when? It gives a date for the U.K. I know but I was just wondering. Thanks for your time and good luck on all your future books. Russell Houk

My question is regarding the Warlord books, will there be a fourth and final book? Having just finished Excalibur I feel the whole story is not told. I know Arthur is (assumed) dead but the three books are as much Derfel's and Britain's story and their story is not finished. We know who died at the battle of Cammlan but what about the survivors? Derfel we know survives to old age, but what of Ceinwyn? She was standing on the beach with Derfel at the end and what of those that left with Arthur's body, Guinevere, Galahad, Gwydre what is their fate? Finally Nimue, I'm guessing she did not take the loss of the greatest of the treasures well so how did Derfel and the rest survive her wrath? Phil Norris

Dear Bernard, I was just wanting to ask why not make a series of novels based around Captain Rider Sandman? He was a very interesting Character and I would look forward to see him in more then just "The Gallows Thief". Chris Claridge