Bernard Cornwell

Author

Bernard Cornwell is one of the world's foremost writers of historical fiction, best known for the Sharpe series, the Saxon Stories (The Last Kingdom), and a lifetime of brilliantly researched, action-packed novels that bring history to vivid, visceral life. With over forty million copies sold worldwide, he has earned a reputation as the... master of the historical adventure. Born in London in 1944, Cornwell was adopted and raised in Essex by a strict family belonging to the Peculiar People, a puritanical religious sect. Books were forbidden, but he discovered novels through school and a public library, igniting a lifelong passion. He studied History at the University of London and worked for the BBC in Northern Ireland and as a television presenter before moving to the United States in 1980, where he began writing fiction because he was unable to obtain a green card that would allow him to work. The Sharpe series, beginning with Sharpe's Eagle in 1981, follows Richard Sharpe, a rough-hewn soldier who rises from the ranks during the Napoleonic Wars. The series now spans over twenty novels and was adapted into a hugely popular ITV television series starring Sean Bean. The books combine meticulous historical research with thrilling battle sequences and compelling characters. The Saxon Stories, beginning with The Last Kingdom in 2004, follow Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a Saxon nobleman raised by Vikings, through the turbulent period of Alfred the Great's England. The series — adapted by the BBC and later Netflix as The Last Kingdom — brought Cornwell to a new generation of fans and cemented his reputation as the finest writer of historical battle fiction working today. Cornwell has also written standalone novels and other series set during the American Civil War, the Hundred Years' War (the Grail Quest series), and the Arthurian age (The Warlord Chronicles). Whatever the period, his approach is the same: rigorous research, unflinching depictions of warfare, and characters you genuinely care about. The audiobook editions of Cornwell's novels have attracted a huge following. Narrators like Rupert Farley and Jonathan Keeble deliver commanding performances that suit the epic sweep and physical intensity of his storytelling. For many fans, the audiobooks are the preferred way to experience Cornwell's vivid battle scenes and richly drawn historical worlds. Bernard Cornwell lives with his wife in the United States and continues to write with undiminished energy and skill. His books and audiobooks are essential for anyone who loves history brought thrillingly to life. Read more Show less