🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Bernard Cornwell
After publishing his first eight novels, Cornwell was approached by a production company about turning the Sharpe series into a television show. But they asked him to write another book so they would have a starting point for the television show. As a result, Cornwell wrote Sharpe’s Rifle. The television show was filmed for ITV. It starred Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe, a soldier in the Napoleonic Wars. At first Cornwell did not approve of Sean Bean playing his beloved character. But when he saw his portrayal on the screen, Cornwell was absolutely delighted and dedicated his novel, Sharpe’s Battle, to the actor. He even admitted to changing the writing in his books to match how Bean would act or do.
All Book Series by Bernard Cornwell
A Crowning Mercy
Series opener · book 1 of 3 · published 1983 Co-authored · Susannah Kells
Coat of Arms / The Aristocrats
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 1986 Anthology · Susannah Kells
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Bernard Cornwell?
After publishing his first eight novels, Cornwell was approached by a production company about turning the Sharpe series into a television show. But they asked him to write another book so they would have a starting point for the television show. As a result, Cornwell wrote Sharpe’s Rifle.
Which Bernard Cornwell series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Sharpe series, the earliest of Bernard Cornwell's multi-book series: it opens with Sharpe's Gold (1981) and runs to 27 books across 1981–2025, ending with Sharpe's Storm (2025). Bernard Cornwell's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has Bernard Cornwell written?
Bernard Cornwell has 69 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1981 and 2025. 62 of them belong to 9 named series — the largest being the Sharpe series with 27 books — and 7 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Bernard Cornwell's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Bernard Cornwell's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Sharpe (1981–2025, 27 books), Crowning Mercy (1983–1986, 3 books) and Crowning Mercy (1986, 1 book), plus 6 more.
How are Bernard Cornwell's books organised into series?
This guide splits Bernard Cornwell's 69 books into 9 named series and 7 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Sharpe (27 books, 1981–2025); The Warrior Chronicles / Saxon Stories (14 books, 2004–2023); Sailing Thrillers (5 books, 1988–1992); Grail Quest (4 books, 2000–2012); Starbuck Chronicles (4 books, 1993–1996), plus 4 further series.