The Recurring Cast
Character guide · 47 books · 1981 to 2023

Bernard Cornwell

FantasyHistorical fictionHistorical and mythic fantasyNaval adventureMilitary historicalMedieval and Tudor

Bernard Cornwell is the master of battle fiction. Richard Sharpe rises from the ranks to command in India, Spain and at Waterloo; Uhtred of Bebbanburg, raised by Danes, fights for and against Alfred the Great as England is born.

Best estimate, compiled from series guides, publisher descriptions and reviews where available, and from memory otherwise. Book level only, not chapter level. Minor includes cameos and brief references. Each book carries a confidence rating in its tooltip. Sharpe is shown in story order; it was written out of order, beginning with Sharpe's Eagle. Wellington, Alfred and other real figures are not charted.

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Who appears in which book

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LLeadMMajor·MinorHas a note
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Bernard Cornwell books in order

Each series in publication order, with its lead characters. Where the story runs in a different order, switch to Story order. Crossover books are marked and listed under their main series. Use My books to track what you have read.

Sharpe

23 books · story order differsMilitary historicalNaval adventure
  1. 1Sharpe's Eagle1981With Richard Sharpe · Set in TalaveraBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Sharpe's Gold1981With Richard Sharpe · Set in AlmeidaBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Sharpe's Company1982With Richard Sharpe · Set in BadajozBuy on Amazon
  4. 4Sharpe's Sword1983With Richard Sharpe · Set in SalamancaBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Sharpe's Enemy1984With Richard Sharpe · Set in the Portuguese borderBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Sharpe's Honour1985With Richard Sharpe · Set in VitoriaBuy on Amazon
  7. 7Sharpe's Regiment1986With Richard Sharpe · Set in LondonBuy on Amazon
  8. 8Sharpe's Siege1987With Richard Sharpe · Set in GasconyBuy on Amazon
  9. 9Sharpe's Rifles1988With Richard Sharpe · Set in GaliciaBuy on Amazon
  10. 10Sharpe's Revenge1989With Richard Sharpe · Set in FranceBuy on Amazon
  11. 11Sharpe's Waterloo1990With Richard Sharpe · Set in BrusselsBuy on Amazon
  12. 12Sharpe's Devil1992With Richard Sharpe · Set in ValdiviaBuy on Amazon
  13. 13Sharpe's Battle1995With Richard Sharpe · Set in Fuentes de OñoroBuy on Amazon
  14. 14Sharpe's Tiger1997With Richard Sharpe · Set in SeringapatamBuy on Amazon
  15. 15Sharpe's Triumph1998With Richard Sharpe · Set in AssayeBuy on Amazon
  16. 16Sharpe's Fortress1999With Richard Sharpe · Set in GawilghurBuy on Amazon
  17. 17Sharpe's Trafalgar2000With Richard Sharpe · Set at seaBuy on Amazon
  18. 18Sharpe's Prey2001With Richard Sharpe · Set in CopenhagenBuy on Amazon
  19. 19Sharpe's Havoc2003With Richard Sharpe · Set in PortoBuy on Amazon
  20. 20Sharpe's Escape2004With Richard Sharpe · Set in CoimbraBuy on Amazon
  21. 21Sharpe's Fury2006With Richard Sharpe · Set in CádizBuy on Amazon
  22. 22Sharpe's Assassin2021With Richard Sharpe · Set in ParisBuy on Amazon
  23. 23Sharpe's Command2023With Richard Sharpe · Set in AlmarazBuy on Amazon

Saxon Stories

13 booksMilitary historicalMedieval and Tudor
  1. 1The Last Kingdom2004With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in WessexBuy on Amazon
  2. 2The Pale Horseman2005With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in WessexBuy on Amazon
  3. 3The Lords of the North2006With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in YorkBuy on Amazon
  4. 4Sword Song2007With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in LondonBuy on Amazon
  5. 5The Burning Land2009With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in WessexBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Death of Kings2011With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in MerciaBuy on Amazon
  7. 7The Pagan Lord2013With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in BamburghBuy on Amazon
  8. 8The Empty Throne2014With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in ChesterBuy on Amazon
  9. 9Warriors of the Storm2015With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in ChesterBuy on Amazon
  10. 10The Flame Bearer2016With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in BamburghBuy on Amazon
  11. 11War of the Wolf2018With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in NorthumbriaBuy on Amazon
  12. 12Sword of Kings2019With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in LondonBuy on Amazon
  13. 13War Lord2020With Uhtred of Bebbanburg · Set in NorthumbriaBuy on Amazon

Grail Quest

4 booksMilitary historicalMedieval and Tudor
  1. 1Harlequin2000With Thomas of Hookton · Set in NormandyBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Vagabond2002With Thomas of Hookton · Set in DurhamBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Heretic2003With Thomas of Hookton · Set in GasconyBuy on Amazon
  4. 413562012With Thomas of Hookton · Set in PoitiersBuy on Amazon

Warlord Chronicles

3 books · Set in Arthurian BritainMedieval and TudorHistorical and mythic fantasy
  1. 1The Winter King1995With Derfel CadarnBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Enemy of God1996With Derfel CadarnBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Excalibur1997With Derfel CadarnBuy on Amazon

Starbuck Chronicles

4 books · Set in Richmond, VirginiaMilitary historical
  1. 1Rebel1993With Nathaniel StarbuckBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Copperhead1994With Nathaniel StarbuckBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Battle Flag1995With Nathaniel StarbuckBuy on Amazon
  4. 4The Bloody Ground1996With Nathaniel StarbuckBuy on Amazon

Characters

18 recurring and key characters, with the book each one first appears in.

The 95th Rifles

The Saxon Stories

The Grail Quest

The Warlord Chronicles

The Starbuck Chronicles