Your Questions

Q

Mr. Cornwell, Right now I am in the process of reading your book, Sharpe's Company, for a school project. My project is on genre fiction and I have chosen the adventure genre. I was wondering if you could maybe answer a few questions for me. First of all, I was just wondering what attracted you to writing adventure stories. Also, I was curious as to how the limits of the adventure genre have helped to work for or against you in writing Sharpe's Company. Well, if you could answer my questions it would be wonderful! thank you so much! Cammie

A

I guess we all write the books we want to read! So what drew me to military-history adventure was a love of the Hornblower novels and a wish to read something like them, but set against a land background instead of the sea! There was also the realisation that I was neither talented nor clever enough to write literature, whatever that is, and, to be honest, a desperate need to make some money (I'd fallen in love with an American and the US government refused me a green card). Now, beyond that, I'm not sure . . . I never analysed the genre, but right from the start I knew I wanted to do something in the Hornblower vein . . . so maybe the answer is imitation? The limits of the adventure genre? I'm not sure it has limits, other than the obvious one not to bore people. The limits are the constraints of real history . . . . Company was the third book I wrote, and I decided to break the real history constraint and have Sharpe get through the breach (an error I confessed in the Historical Note), and that reflects the truth that I have to be a story-teller before an historian. I should imagine that the limits are the bounds of the writer's imagination? I always feel inadequate answering queries like this, because I don't think much about the theories of writing . . . . I think a lot about plot and character, but not about the big picture, which means that I shall look forward to your conclusions.


Q

My memory may be faulty, but I seem to remember that at one time you listed books that YOU enjoy reading. I couldn't seem to find such a list, although there are of course the suggestions for additional reading for each series. I was wondering if you have read Conn Iggulden's Genghis Khan novels? I have only recently discovered them, and find them almost as riveting as yours! Just curious - I always like to know what other people are reading. By the way, I'm almost finished Sword Song, and enjoying it as much as the previous books in this series. I do like Uhtred!
Jeanie Dubberley

A

I should republish that list! And I'm a Conn Iggulden fan so agree with you about the Genghis Khann novels . . . right now I'm reading Richard Fortey's Dry Store Room Number One, which, despite its title, is a riveting book about the Natural History Museum . . . I'm a great Richard Fortey fan!


Q

Bernard, I occasionally read through "Your Questions." It occurred to me that it must be a great feeling reading all of this praise. I wondered if it ever goes to your head? I would probably be a bit arrogant if all this praise was aimed at me!

I had a few more questions if you have time: What are a few of your favourite films?

What are a few of your favourite bands?

Do you believe in god? I think from your writing you don't but it's hard to tell!

Lastly I just wanted to say I love your books. The Arthur series were phenomenal and I can't wait to read them again. I'm going through Sharpe at the moment and loving these too. Sharpe certainly has more than his fair share of women, eh? ;)
Charles

A

My wife keeps my feet firmly on the ground. Question to Judy from a friend: 'do you actually read Bernard's books?', answer 'I skip the battles.' She can read a Sharpe book in ten minutes! I adore her.

Oh wow. Lawrence of Arabia. Miss Congeniality. Four Weddings and a Funeral. Das Boot. Casablanca. The Longest Day. The Bank Job. Those are off the top of my head . . . . . . my least favorite? Titanic.

Any band playing Mozart.

Nope. Don't believe in Father Christmas either. It would be nice to believe, but there it is.


Q

Hi Bernard, Ray here in sunny Coimbra Portugal - I'd like to say a big thank you for getting me back interested again in 'history' that means something instead of drawling over the tedious 'corn laws' which i done at 'O level' many years ago - I have started researching Wellingtons expulsion of ol' Boney here in Portugal and Spain and find it fascinating i visited the Bussaco museum just recently and it's great to see the history in person - Just a question on the back of your books there is a photo of you is that taken at Lavos beach here in Coimbra? Where Wellington landed all those years ago - Regards -

A

No, that photo was taken on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA.


Q

Hi, just found out there is a new book, Azincourt? Wow! Exciting. Is it part of an existing series? The Alfred the Great stories perhaps? Why isn't it on the homepage? Cheers, Iain.

A

It is not part of an existing series. And it is on the homepage as of today! Click on the book cover to be taken to a page where you can read an excerpt of the book.


Q

Hello, I would like to know how long it will take until the Sword Song is available in German? Thanks a lot Florian

A

I believe it will be available in 2009. Go to the Diary page of this website and you'll find a link for a German website.


Q

I like your Sharpe books and have for a long time. However, the movies show Sharpe's Justice, yet I cannot find the premise in your books. help? Robert Willis

A

'Sharpe's Justice' (and 'Sharpe's Mission') are not based on one of my books, but rather on scripts written by the screenwriters for the tv films.


Q

Mr. Cornwell, I´m your big fan from São Paulo, Brazil. I like to know when the Portuguese version of "Sword Song" will be published on my country? Best Regards, Carolina Fernandes Rondina

A

Hi Carolina! You can look for Sword Song in Brasil either late this year or early in 2009.


Q

Dear Mr Cornwall, I have followed your books since my Dad gave me his copy of the Warlord Trilogy when I was 12. I have always been an avid fan of Arthurian legend and now studying English at Loughborough University I say to my friends it's the most realistic and interesting account of the tales I have read. You must get these emails a lot so I'll quickly get to the point. Why after the success of the Sharpe TV series has the Warlord Trilogy not been made into three films? Obviously the ins and outs of the film industry are beyond me, but after watching the latest King Arthur with Clive Owen it just goes to show that your story has a much better plot and more substance. In my ideal world of the silver screen I could imagine a director like Ridely Scott doing justice to your book; in a Gladiator esk kind of way. Is the reasons for not making it into a film because you would rather that the trilogy remain as fiction, or have you not found a director to your liking? I apologise, at the end of the day it is none of my business how you use your material, it just frustrates me that when I come out of films about King Arthur I can't help thinking that your story would be much better. Obviously as a fan I'm bias, but I reckon a lot of other people feel the same way. Thank you for your time Mr Cornwall I understand you get many emails so thank you for reading over mine. Yours Sincerely James McNulty

A

Thank you for your kind words! I'm not a filmmaker so it's up to someone else to do it; but I suspect it may prove too expensive to make. I take the view that my job is to put books on shelves, not pictures on screens. If it happens, great! but I don't spend much time thinking about it. Thanks again for your message!


Q

Mr. Cornwell, I'd just like to say that your books are the best books I've ever read. You are definitely the greatest author I've ever knew. I read all The Arthur Books, The Grail Quest, and all the Saxon Stories and I plan to read all the others, but I'd like to know if you have any idea about when can we(readers) expect the 5th book of The Saxon Stories? Thank you ,Vini.

Firstly, thank you so much, for the enjoyment you have given me, through your books. Could you tell me if the fifth Alfred book will be released this year and if so when? Thanks again. Barry.

A

Not this year - look for it in 2009.