I live near Carlisle in England. A couple of years ago, I won a book voucher (not for a particularly mainstream bookshop, but it was a voucher nonetheless) and I remember searching in vain for a book that would interest me (I used to read all the time when I was younger and had to go on “book bans”) as I had recently started to lose interest in books. Anyway after being buffeted about by the other students I ended up finding solace by the entrance where there were shelves upon shelves of historical fiction and classic works. The short story is I ended up leaving with three ‘Sharpe’ books and ‘The Pale Horseman’ (I had vague memories of the ‘Alfred’ books). I had watched Sharpe on TV when I was younger and enjoyed it, and my philosophy is that the books are usually better than the films. How true this was (not that I don’t enjoy watching Sean Bean running around a battlefield). Instantly I caught the fever that I had long forgotten and I can’t but books down. Interestingly, when I had
started the ‘Pale Horseman’ I happened to be on a week’s trip to Holy Island and of course Bamburgh Castle; so I suddenly felt as if it were meant to be.
My friend and I are both huge fans, and she made me a bear in Rifleman’s Green which I have named Major Sharpe (because ‘Lieutenant Colonel Sharpe’ was a bit of a long name) and he sits on my bookshelf, next to the ongoing ‘Sharpe’ collection.
I just wanted to thank you for getting me back into the wonder of books and I do hope there will be more of ‘Sharpe’ although it has been a few years and there are only so many battles to put him and Harper in.
Thank you so much for all of your wonderful books!
Ruth Chamberlain