Your Questions

Q

Bernard, am late middle aged or whatever that conveys. Longtime reader of Sharpe series but enjoy Starbuck. High school history teacher in another life with graduate degree from NYC University. Former member {ACW} 124th NYSV. Enough of me. You have given me hours of pleasure with your work. Enjoy. Prefer "musket and ball" stories. Bring back Starbuck. How about a "stand alone novel" ie. French Irish Brigade perhaps Lally in India with Clive? Thanks Again. Bill McVey

Submitted September 12, 2007

A

I doubt it, but I never say never . . . .

Q

Hi Bernard In Sharpe's Fury (which I'm currently halfway through) you refer to 'Brigadier' Moon, although I'm fairly sure that they were 'Brigadier Generals' before the end of the First World War (when they were briefly changed to Commandant Colonels and then Brigadiers). My (long winded) point is that sure he should be referred to as 'General Moon'. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Cheers Luke

Submitted September 11, 2007

A

They were Brigadier Generals, of course, but there were also Major-Generals and Lieutenant-Generals, and they have to be distinguished one from the other, which the appellation 'general' doesn't do. In letters and diaries I often see B-G's referred to as 'the Brigadier', so I'm happy to go with that!

Q

Dear Mr Cornwell, as a huge Sharpe fan, let me thank you for many hours enjoyable reading. I read anything I can get my hands on about that era but Sharpe is far and away my favourite series. My question is, do we ever find out what happens to Rifleman Harris? I've been re-reading the series during the university summer break and couldn't seem to find out what eventually happened to him. The odds are, I've probably missed something but I was wondering if you could possibly clear this up for me please? Many thanks, Rachael - Northern Scotland

Submitted September 11, 2007

A

Harris was actually invented by the film people and I slipped him into some of the novels written after the TV films were made - so he hadn't been thought of when I wrote Sharpe's Waterloo. In the film he dies at Waterloo, so I suspect that's his fate!

Q

dear Mr Cornwell. I am very happy to have found out that you have are writing about the invasion made by the vikings into England so I would like to thank you. Like you I can trace my family tree back to that period, up to 500 AD (Pippin the Older) and am descended from several viking kings including Sven Forkbeard (I guess this means that our ancestors were killing each other but being half German and half American and living in England, this is no new problem to me) so these books truly make interesting reading. Will you start a classical period (roman) series)? I am sure that this would have a great fan base in England as there are currently no books of that period. Yours sincerely, Paul

Submitted September 11, 2007

A

I'm going to leave the Romans and their foes to other writers . . . not a period that fascinates me.

Q

Hello, I've just finished reading the first two books in the Saxon series in Swedish. I'll probably have to turn to the English originals for the other two since I assume it will be some time before they are translated. I really liked your books both as good reading but also for the historical interest. I'm involved in a viking association where we shoot old time bows and arrows and we have also organised a couple of viking festivals: http://www.gnejron.se/engindex.html. This year we had a Swedish historian/author holding a couple of lectures.

I wonder how certain one can be of the historical facts. In my genealogy I have found a connection with king Edvard (1003-1066). According to some source he had a daughter Jutta that married a Kiev king and a granddaughter of theirs married a Danish king. My son also used king Egbert as a base for a historical project in school. It this Egbert stone actually a place you can visit today in England? Johan

Submitted September 11, 2007

A

I wonder how certain you can be of historical facts too! And the farther you go back in history, the murkier those facts are! As for Egbert's stone, there are four possible locations - Stourhead in Wiltshire (worth a visit, even if no stone remains). The village of Coombe Street (near Stourhead) where tradition says Egbert raised a stone to mark where three counties joined (I'm told there is a small boulder there, but I've not seen it). The village of Willoughby Hedge (doubtful) and lastly Kingston Deverill (also Wiltshire) where legend says three large stones once stood on Kings Court Hill. The stones were brought to the village where two remain close to the church (but on private ground). The stones were known as King Egbert's stones, but were probably neolithic monuments (same age as Stonehenge or earlier). My bet would be Kingston Deverill, but Stourhead is also a strong possibility.

Q

Dear Bernard, love your work. Can you tell me if you plan to write any books about Lassan, Sharpe's son. he sounds as if he has lived an interesting life and I'd like to know how he 'earned' those scars! regards Mark

Submitted September 11, 2007

A

I doubt I'll write any books about Patrick Lassan, not because I don't like him, but simply because I have too many other books in mind (and have to finish Starbuck too!)

Q

Dear Bernard First let me say I bought Sword song yesterday and finished it today and thought it was fantastic with a cracking pace. Easily the best of the Viking books so far and let me congratulate you on an excellent book. In relation to it I wondered if you when you next tour if you will ever get to Chester (Selfishly if for no other reason so that I can get my copy signed) but a city still that is rich in military history all the same You can still the damage in the Roman walls from Parliamentarian cannon.

Sword Song also seems to suggest that in future Uhtred will be fighting the welsh and Scots is that true ?? (and speaking as someone who is half welsh bring him on!)

As for your next work will it be the rather open secret of Agincourt or a musket novel??? Although I hope you do not mind me saying it seemed a rather one sided fight with a small but veteran and disciplined army taking on and beating a large but motley hoard who were in the middle of a civil war (hard not to see the English as the bad guys in that fight).

And finally in regards to Sharpe he has served under Graham at Barossa any chance of him fighting with him at his last fight at Bergen-op-Zoom???? I think Wellington himself was surprised how after getting into that place the British managed to get kicked out.##

Finally I wondered if you had ever thought about the 1775/6 siege of Quebec It had some of the best fighters on both sides Arnold/Morgan/Carleton etc and was pretty epic While Carleton seemed rather similar to Wellington in that he was and Irish Protestant commanding fighting in a Catholic country and never lost a battle against an invader. Anyway Congrats again on an excellent book. Geraint

Submitted September 11, 2007

A

I don't have a tour itinerary yet, so I'm not sure of the plans.

Have no idea! Honestly! I'll know when I write the future books. Sorry to be so vague, but I really haven't planned out Uhtred's whole life because, as I write it, he'll insist on doing what he wants, so there's not much point.

Agincourt

Won't know about Sharpe til I get there.

It is a great story, and who knows? One day? Maybe?

Q

I am writing to tell you how much I have enjoyed reading your books I have just finished reading the saxon stories again in time for your new book coming out next month. I have read all of your books and was wondering when you will be finishing the starbuck chronicles? write back David Rutherford

I was just wondering after reading your last instalment again, if there are any plans for any more Starbuck books. Will Starbuck meet Billy Blythe again ?. The last line in the book says 'Starbuck will march again'. Will starbuck and the legion go to Chancellorsville or Gettysburg ?. Terence Aldcroft

Submitted September 11, 2007

A

I do plan to get back to Starbuck one day so hopefully we will find out.

Q

Hi Bernard Im looking forward to the release of Sword song this autumn and also of the impeding (hopefully) novel on Agincourt at some point in the future. I was wondering if you have ever consider ed writing a novel on any of the following historic British characters Robin Hood, Dick Turpin, Hereward the wake, William Wallace or Boudicca? I have also just re-read lords of the north and was wondering when we see any of Uhtreds children especially after Uhtred was told that one of his sons will break his heart, another will make him proud and his daughter will be mother of kings. Thanks for all the great books Phil

Submitted September 11, 2007

A

Hereward is a good tale so who knows? I've thought about Robin Hood a few times, but it is not likely to happen any time soon. I probably won't write a book on Boudicaa, although it would make for an interesting story. No plans for the others either. You'll see Uhtred's children soon!

Q

Hi Bernard, Just a quick note to tell you how much I admire your thriller books-all the boating stories. Naturally I'm a fan of Sharpe, but it was your first person novels that really grabbed me. I wondered whether you found writing in first person harder? I'm a full time artist. I sell my art all around the world, and whenever I can I play a Bernard Cornwell talking book in the studio to get me through the endless hours of photorealistic painting. In fact, you and Wilbur Smith have been the inspiration to attempt my own novel. So thanks, mate. (Tony from Australia)

Submitted September 11, 2007

A

It's swings and roundabouts. You do lose something by writing in the first person - not just the suspense of whether the main character will survive (which he or she usually does even in third person narratives), but also the alternative points of view that can increase suspense - i.e. you can watch an ambush being laid, then watch your hero walking into it. On the other hand there's an immediacy to the first person which can increase excitement and pace. I don't think one is any better than the other - and though most of my books are third person I enjoy doing the first.