The Dragon Waiting, A Masque of History (Signed first edition)
Signed and dedicated by John M Ford at Fantasycon IX in Birmingham in September 1984
Author
Publisher
Printing Details
First edition, first printing. Hardback in dustwrapper. 21.5 × 14.5cm, 365pp.
Signed and dedicated by John M Ford to the title page, "To Mike and Di, Brimingham BFC 1984, John M Ford". The BFC was the Fantasy Convention (Fantasycon IX) held in the West Midlands city in September 1984.
A novel of alternate history. The story follows an unlikely band of four mercenaries/misfits who are drawn together to stop the Byzantine expansion and place Richard III on the throne of England. The four are Hywel Peredur, a Welsh wizard with a grudge against the Empire; Dimitrios Ducas, an exiled Byzantine soldier and expert tactician; Cynthia Ricci, a brilliant female doctor from Florence fleeing political intrigue; and Gregory van Kalemstout, Flemish vampire (in this world, "vampirism" is a medical condition). In this world, 15th century, the Roman Empire never converted to Christianity, and as a result, the Byzantine Empire has grown into an unstoppable, sorcerous superpower that is slowly swallowing Europe.
Condition
Good condition. The dustwrapper is edge-worn with slight loss to the spine ends but it has not been price-clipped. The inner binding is a little pulled at the half-title revealing a little of the webbing, and the gathering of chapter heading and page 17/18 is neatly detached. However, the book remains in good readable condition.
ISBN
0671475525
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Price
£30.00
