Bernard Cornwell OBE (born February 23, 1944) is a prolific and popular English historical novelist. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe which were adapted into a series of Sharpe television films.
Easton Press Bernard Cornwell books
The India Trilogy - 2008 - including the following books:
Sharpe's Tiger - Signed limited edition
Sharpe's Triumph
Sharpe's Fortress
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Author Bernard Cornwell
Cornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman. His mother was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his mother's maiden name, Cornwell.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a Green Card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
Cornwell decided to write a series of novels that would follow a British rifleman called Richard Sharpe through the various major battles of Lord Wellington's Peninsular War. Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of 'warm-up' novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel Sharpe's Company published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) He also published Redcoat, set in Philadelphia during the British occupation of 1777, in 1987.
After having published 8 books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles published in 1987 and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed, these were; Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and a political thriller called Scoundrel in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was awarded an OBE (Officer, Order of the British Empire) in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Bernard Cornwell Saxon series in order
The Last Kingdom (2004)
The
series begins with Uhtred as a young boy who is captured and raised by
Vikings. The story follows his journey as he grapples with his divided
loyalties between the English and the Danes.
The Pale Horseman (2005)
Uhtred
continues his adventures as a warrior and finds himself at the heart of
pivotal events during the Viking invasion of England.
Lords of the North (2006)
Uhtred
faces new challenges and conflicts as he seeks to reclaim his
birthright and navigate the complex political landscape of Saxon
England.
Sword Song (2007)
Uhtred, now a seasoned warrior, becomes embroiled in the battles for control over England as various factions vie for power.
The Burning Land (2009)
The
series continues with Uhtred's involvement in the struggle for
dominance in England, particularly during the reign of Alfred the Great.
Death of Kings (2011)
Uhtred faces both internal and external threats as he plays a role in shaping the destiny of England during a tumultuous period.
The Pagan Lord (2013)
Uhtred
faces new challenges and adversaries as he continues his quest to
reclaim Bebbanburg and navigate the shifting alliances of the time.
The Empty Throne (2014)
Uhtred finds himself at the center of conflicts as he seeks to secure his legacy and protect the kingdoms of Wessex.
Warriors of the Storm (2015)
Uhtred
faces both personal and political challenges as he continues to
navigate the complex world of Viking invasions and Saxon politics.
The Flame Bearer (2016)
The series continues with Uhtred's quest for vengeance and his efforts to secure a future for himself and his people.
War of the Wolf (2018)
Set in 10th-century England and continues to follow the fortunes of the fictional Uhtred of Bebbanburg.
Sword of Kings (2019)
This
novel begins with his investigating the murder of fishermen under his
protection. He then gets drawn into an expected succession struggle in
Wessex and Mercia.
War Lord (October 2020)
Uhtred of
Bebbanburg plays a crucial role in the battle that will decide if Alfred
the Great's dream of England comes to pass or not.
Cornwell's
novels are characterized by their attention to historical detail,
engaging characters, and action-packed plots. He has an extraordinary
ability to immerse readers in the sights, sounds, and struggles of the
past, making history accessible and exciting. Over the years, Bernard
Cornwell has received numerous awards and accolades for his
contributions to historical fiction. His novels have been bestsellers
around the world, and his impact on the genre is widely recognized.
Beyond his literary achievements, Cornwell's passion for history and
storytelling has made him a beloved figure among readers who appreciate
the blend of adventure and historical authenticity in his works.
Sharpe's Tiger - Sharpe Series Book 1
The
prequel to the series, describing Sharpe's experiences in India.
Sharpe’s Tiger describes the adventures of the raw young private soldier
Richard Sharpe in India, before the Peninsular War.
Sharpe and
the rest of his battalion, along with the rising star of the general
staff Arthur Wellesley, are about to embark upon the siege of
Seringapatam, island citadel of the Tippoo of Mysore. The British must
remove this potentate from his tiger throne, but he has gone to
extraordinary lengths to defend his city from attack. And always he is
surrounded by tigers, both living and ornamental…any prisoner of the
Tippoo can expect a savage end.
When a senior British officer is
captured by the Tippoo's forces Sharpe is offered a chance to attempt a
rescue, a chance he snatched in order to escape from the tyrannical
Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill. But in fleeing Hakeswill he enters the
confusing, exotic and dangerous world of the Tippoo and Sharpe will need
all his wits just to stay alive, let alone save the British army from
catastrophe.
With the same meticulous research and attention to
detail that distinguishes the rest of the bestselling series of Sharpe
novels, Bernard Cornwell has recreated the 1799 campaign against
Seringapatam which made the British masters of southern India, a
campaign that pitted brutalized soldiers against an ancient and splendid
civilization. Set against a background of dazzling wealth, ruinous
poverty, gorgeous palaces, sudden cruelty and pitiless battles, Sharpe’s
Tiger is his greatest adventure yet.
Sharpe's Triumph - Sharpe Series Book 2
India,
1803. Sergeant Richard Sharpe witnesses a murderous act of treachery by
an English officer who has defected from the East India Company to join
the mercenary army of the Mahratta Confederation. In the hunt for the
renegade Englishman, penetrates deep into the enemy's territory where he
faces temptations more subtle than he has ever dreamed of. And behind
him, relentlessly stalking him, comes his worst enemy, the baleful,
twitching Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill who is determined to break Sharpe
once and for all. The paths of treachery all lead to the small village
of Assaye where Sir Arthur Wellesley, with a tiny British army, faces
the Mahratta horde. Outnumbered and outgunned, Wellesley decides to
fight, and Sharpe is plunged into the white heat of a battle that will
make Wellesley's reputation. It will make Sharpe's name to, but only if
he can survive the carnage and killing frenzy, for it is at Assaye that
he at last realizes his ambition and has a chance to seize it. This
major new novel will follow the adventures of Richard Sharpe in India,
begun so excitingly in Sharpe's Tiger and culminating in the Battle of
Assaye, which Wellington considered his greatest victory.
Sharpe's Fortress - Sharpe Series Book 3
Critically acclaimed, perennial New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell (Agincourt, The Fort, the Saxon Tales) makes real history come alive in his breathtaking historical fiction. Praised as "the direct heir to Patrick O'Brian" (Agincourt, The Fort), Cornwell has brilliantly captured the fury, chaos, and excitement of battle as few writers have ever done perhaps most vividly in his phenomenally popular novels following the illustrious military career of British Army officer Richard Sharpe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In Sharpe's Fortress, Ensign Sharpe's adventures in India reach a grand finale at the Siege of Gawilghur during the Maharatta War in December 1803, as Cornwell's hero uncovers a foul treason and seeks a righteous revenge. Perhaps the San Francisco Chronicle said it best: "If only all history lessons could be as vibrant."
Source and additional information: Bernard Cornwell