Most Popular Books by Bernard Cornwell

From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell comes a saga of fidelity and betrayal that brings to center stage King Alfred the Great, one of the most crucial figures in English history. It is King Alfred and his heirs who in the ninth and tenth centuries fought to secure the survival of England by battling the ferocious Viking invaders. Bernard Cornwell''s epic novel opens in A.D. 866. Uhtred, the son of a nobleman, is captured in the same battle that leaves his father dead. His captor is the Earl Ragnar, a Danish chieftain, who raises the boy as his own, teaching him the Viking ways of war. Uhtred grapples with divided loyalties, torn between Ragnar, the warrior he loves like a father, and Alfred, whose piety and introspection leave him cold. It takes a terrible slaughter and the unexpected joys of marriage for Uhtred to discover his true allegiance -- and to rise to his greatest challenge.

New York Times Bestseller The fourth installment of Bernard Cornwell’s New York Times bestselling series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England, “like Game of Thrones, but real” (The Observer, London)—the basis for The Last Kingdom, the hit television show. The year is 885, and England is at peace, divided between the Danish kingdom to the north and the Saxon kingdom of Wessex in the south. Warrior by instinct and Viking by nature, Uhtred, the dispossessed son of a Northumbrian lord, has land, a wife and children—and a duty to King Alfred to hold the frontier on the Thames. But a dead man has risen, and new Vikings have invaded the decayed Roman city of London with dreams of conquering Wessex...with Uhtred''s help. Suddenly forced to weigh his oath to the king against the dangerous turning tide of shifting allegiances and deadly power struggles, Uhtred—Alfred''s sharpest sword—must now make the choice that will determine England''s future. “Vastly entertaining and slyly wise.... Followers of this excellent series have stuck with Uhtred of Bebbanburg, the dispossessed pagan nobleman in thrall to the professionally Christian Wessexian monarch, through enough battles and perils for a dozen ordinary men.... Consistently fascinating.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

After barely surviving a murderous act of treason by a bitter English officer who has joined the mercenary forces of the Mahratta confederation, young Richard Sharpe vows to hunt down the turncoat. Reissue.

The first book in Bernard Cornwell''s bestselling GRAIL QUEST series, in a bright and bold repackage. The year is 1342. The English, led by Edward III, are laying waste to the French countryside. The army may be led by the King, but it is the archers, the common men, who are England''s secret weapon. The French know them as Harlequins. Thomas of Hookton is one of these archers. But he is also on a personal mission: to avenge his father''s death and retrieve a stolen relic. Thomas begins a quest that will lead him through fields smeared with the smoke of fires set by the rampaging English, until at last the two armies face each other on a hillside near the village of Crécy.

The twelfth installment of Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling Saxon Tales series chronicling the epic story of the making of England, “like Game of Thrones, but real” (The Observer, London)—the basis for the hit Netflix series The Last Kingdom. His blood is Saxon His heart is Viking His battleground is England “Perhaps the greatest writer of historical adventure novels today” (Washington Post), Bernard Cornwell has dazzled and entertained readers and critics with his prolific string of page-turning bestsellers. Of all his protagonists, however, none is as beloved as Uhtred of Bebbanburg. In this epic twelfth novel he continues Uhtred’s conquests and challenges, bringing the birth of Britain to glorious life.

After breaking with King Alfred of Wessex and joining the Danes and the Vikings in hopes of reclaiming Bebbanburg, warlord Uhtred switches sides again after Alfred''s daughter pleads with him to take command of the Mercian army and protect Britain from being conquered. By the author of the best-selling Agincourt. 200,000 first printing.

A dramatic new departure for international bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, FOOLS AND MORTALS takes us into the heart of the Elizabethan era, long one of his favourite periods of British history. Fools and Mortals follows the young Richard Shakespeare, an actor struggling to make his way in a company dominated by his estranged older brother, William. As the growth of theatre blooms, their rivalry - and that of the playhouses, playwrights and actors vying for acclaim and glory - propels a high-stakes story of conflict and betrayal. Showcasing his renowned storyteller''s skill, Bernard Cornwell has created an Elizabethan world incredibly rich in its portrayal: you walk the London streets, stand in the palaces and are on stage in the playhouses, as he weaves a remarkable story in which performances, rivalries and ambition combine to form a tangled web of intrigue.

Bernard Cornwell, the "master of martial fiction" (Booklist), brings Thomas of Hookton from the popular Grail Quest series into a new adventure in 1356, a thrilling stand-alone novel. On September 19, 1356, a heavily outnumbered English army faced off against the French in the historic Battle of Poitiers. In 1356, Cornwell resurrects this dramatic and bloody struggle—one that would turn out to be the most decisive and improbable victory of the Hundred Years’ War, a clash where the underdog English not only the captured the strategic site of Poitiers, but the French King John II as well. In the vein of Cornwell’s bestselling Agincourt, 1356 is an action-packed story of danger and conquest, rich with military strategy and remarkable characters—both villainous and heroic—transporting readers to the front lines of war while painting a vivid picture of courage, treachery, and combat.

The greatest threat to Wellington''s Salamanca Campaign is not Napoleon''s Army but France''s deadliest assassin. He''s already failed to kill Captain Richard Sharpe once. Now, he''s getting a second chance.

An extraordinary and dramatic depiction of the legendary battle of Agincourt from the number one historical novelist.

Captain Richard Sharpe, along with his company of redcoats and riflemen, must save Portugal from the invading French in this action-packed, rip-roaring entry in Cornwell''s "New York Times" bestselling adventure series.

Leading an Irish battalion from the king of Spain''s household guard into the bitter Peninsular War of 1811, Richard Sharpe is ambushed by an elite French unit commanded by his arch enemy and is forced to salvage a ruined reputation. Reprint.

The battle begins: the first two books in the epic and bestselling series that has gripped millions. A hero will be forged from this broken land. As seen on Netflix and BBC around the world.

An unfinished duel, a midnight murder, and the treachery of a beautiful prostitute lead to the imprisonment of Sharpe. Caught in a web of political intrigue for which his military experience has left him fatally unprepared, Sharpe becomes a fugitive--a man hunted by both ally and enemy alike.

A riveting and compelling account of Nate''s initial Civil War experience—its battles, romances and divided loyalties When Richmond landowner Washington Faulconer snatches young Nate Starbuck from the grip of a Yankee-hating mob, Nate is both grateful and awed by his idealistic rescuer. Turning his back forever on the life he left in Boston, Nate agrees to join the newly formed Faulconer''s Legion, even though it means fighting against his native North. But Nate''s dilemma is only one of many within the Legion. Faulconer''s own son cannot bring himself to fight, while his daughter''s cheating fiancee plots for control of the Faulconer family fortune. As they come together to march into battle, the men are prepared to start a war...but they aren''t ready for how they—and the nation—will be forever changed by the oaths they have sworn for their beloved South.

From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, another exciting adventure in the world-renowned Sharpe series, chronicling the rise of Richard Sharpe, a Private in His Majesty’s Army at the siege of Seringapatam. Five years after the Battle of Waterloo, Sharpe’s peaceful retirement in Normandy is shattered. An old friend, Don Blas Vivar, is missing in Chile, reported dead at rebel hands – a report his wife refuses to believe. She appeals to Sharpe to find out the truth. Sharpe, along with Patrick Harper, find themselves bound for Chile via St. Helena, where they have a fateful meeting with the fallen Emperor Napoleon. Convinced that they are on their way to collect a corpse, neither man can imagine that dangers that await them in Chile…

"The greatest writer of historical adventures today." —Washington Post 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. Chronicling Sharpe''s involvement in the famous Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, Sharpe''s Trafalgar finds the young ensign captive on a French warship and in gravest peril on the eve of the one of the most spectacular naval confrontations in history. Perhaps the San Francisco Chronicle said it best: "If only all history lessons could be as vibrant."

New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell returns with his iconic hero, Richard Sharpe. SHARPE IS BACK. Outsider. Hero. Rogue. And the one man you want on your side. Sharpe''s Assassin is the brand-new novel in the bestselling historical series that has sold more than twenty million copies worldwide. The adventure continues in December 2021. . . .

The 11th book in the epic and bestselling series that has gripped millions. A hero will be forged from this broken land. As seen on Netflix and BBC around the world.

June 1815: The Duke of Wellington, the Prince of Orange, and Napoleon will meet on the battlefield--and decide the fate of Europe With the emperor Napoleon at its head, an enormous French army is marching toward Brussels. The British and their allies are also converging on Brussels--in preparation for a grand society ball. It is up to Richard Sharpe to convince the Prince of Orange, the inexperienced commander of Wellington''s Dutch troops, to act before it is too late. But Sharpe''s warning cannot stop the tide of battle, and the British suffer heavy losses on the road to Waterloo. Wellington has few reserves of men and ammunition; the Prussian army has not arrived; and the French advance wields tremendous firepower and determination. Victory seems impossible.

*A brand new companion to the Last Kingdom series, Uhtred’s Feast, is available to pre-order now* BBC2 and Netflix TV series THE LAST KINGDOM is based on Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling novels on the making of England and the fate of his great hero, Uhtred of Bebbanburg. SWORD SONG is the fourth book in the series.

Bestselling historical novelist Bernard Cornwell returns to the battlefields of the Iberian Peninsula with Sharpe''s Havoc, where the lieutenant and his men bravely fight the French invasion into Portugal. It is 1809, a few years after Lieutenant Richard Sharpe''s heroic exploits on the battlefields of India and at Trafalgar, and Sharpe finds himself fighting the savage armies of Napoleon Bonaparte as they try to bring the whole of the Iberian Peninsula under their control. Napoleon is advancing fast in northern Portugal, and no one knows whether the small contingent of British troops stationed in Lisbon will stay to fight or sail back to England. Sharpe, however, does not have a choice: He and his squad of riflemen are on the lookout for the missing daughter of an English wine shipper, when the French onslaught begins and the city of Oporto becomes a setting for carnage and disaster. Stranded behind enemy lines, Sharpe returns to his mission to find Kate Savage. Sharpe''s position on enemy grounds is precarious, and his search is further complicated by a mysterious and threatening Englishman, Colonel Christopher, who has his own ideas on how the French can be driven from Portugal. Christopher''s scheme is dangerous, and Sharpe and his Riflemen are the only obstacles standing in his way. Suddenly, a newly arrived British commander in Lisbon, Sir Arthur Wellesley, unknowingly comes to Sharpe''s rescue. Just when Sharpe and his men seem doomed, Sir Arthur mounts his own counterattack, an operation of breathtaking daring that will send Marshal Soult''s army reeling back into the northern mountains. Sharpe''s Havoc is a classic Sharpe story, based on real history, and a return to Portugal in the company of Sergeant Patrick Harper, Captain Hogan, and Sharpe''s beloved Green-jackets, who can turn a battle as fast as Cornwell''s readers can turn a page.

Nick Sandman''s spine was shattered by a bullet in the Falklands. He has no money and no prospects, only a dream of sailing far away from his troubles on his boat, Sycorax. But Sycorax is as crippled as he is, and to make her seaworthy again, Nick must strike a devil''s bargain with egomaniacal TV star Tony Bannister. Signing on to the crew of Bannister''s powerful ocean racer, Wildtrack, Nick is expected to help sail her to victory. But the despised celebrity has made some powerful enemies who will stop at nothing for revenge. . . .

“A gifted storyteller and orchestrator of suspense.” —Philadelphia Inquirer “Bernard Cornwell is to the yachting adventure novel what ex-jockey Dick Francis is to the racetrack thriller.” —Orlando Sentinel The New York Times bestselling author of The Fort, the Saxon Tales, and the immensely popular Richard Sharpe novels, Bernard Cornwell has been called, “perhaps the greatest writer of historical adventure novels today” (Washington Post). He demonstrates another side of his extraordinary storytelling talents with Scoundrel, a contemporary tale of excitement and danger on high and treacherous seas. A gripping tale of an outlaw yacht captain who decides to cross the Irish Republican Army for a $5 million payday only to find himself pursued by intelligence agents, terrorists, and killers across perilous open waters, Scoundrel is a masterful thriller in the Tom Clancy vein—a masterwork of suspense from one of today’s most versatile and accomplished popular novelists.

Distinguished at the Battle of Cedar Mountain, Confederate Captain Nate Starbuck''s career is jeopardized once again by the suspicion and hostility of his brigade commander, General Washington Faulconer. The outcome of this vicious fight drastically changes both men''s fortunes and propels AX into the ghastly bloodletting at the Second Battle of Manassas. Evocative and historically accurate, Battle Flag continues Bernard Cornwell''s powerful series of Nate''s adventures on some of the most decisive battlefields of the American Civil War.

It takes a remarkable writer to make an old story as fresh and compelling as the first time we heard it. With The Winter King, the first volume of his magnificent Warlord Chronicles, Bernard Cornwell finally turns to the story he was born to write: the mythic saga of King Arthur. The tale begins in Dark Age Britain, a land where Arthur has been banished and Merlin has disappeared, where a child-king sits unprotected on the throne, where religion vies with magic for the souls of the people. It is to this desperate land that Arthur returns, a man at once utterly human and truly heroic: a man of honor, loyalty, and amazing valor; a man who loves Guinevere more passionately than he should; a man whose life is at once tragic and triumphant. As Arthur fights to keep a flicker of civilization alive in a barbaric world, Bernard Cornwell makes a familiar tale into a legend all over again.

John Rossendale, heir to an impoverished earldom, is content to wander the oceans in a 38-foot cutter called Sunflower. But even on the peaceful seas, mystery seems to find him and lure him into dangerous waters--as he is trapped in a cat-and-mouse game with a shadowy figure determined to acquire a lost Rossendale treasure.

Synopsis coming soon.......

This spellbinding historical drama, set in 1820s London, surrounds a former solider of the Napoleonic Wars who is drawn to Newgate Prison, where he attempts to rescue an innocent man condemned to the gallows. First in a new series.