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Thaumatology #9
Dragonfall
Ceridwyn Brent and Cheryl Tennant are having a very busy year. There is the long-term project to build a ley line bringing energy from the German Rift to London where it will be converted into electricity to run the entire city. There is the annual Thaumatology Conference, this year based in London. And everything seems to be going remarkably well, even if people are still thinking the world might end before New Year.
Then the conference is threatened by a group of militant scientists and there are growing rumours of a war between demons and dragons which has been going on for millennia, but may be about to flare up again on Earth. It is time to pick sides and decide upon loyalties, and Ceri has dragon ancestors while Lily Carpenter, her lover, is half-demon. When colleagues and friends begin to vanish or fall, can the two friends keep their relationship together?
Then the conference is threatened by a group of militant scientists and there are growing rumours of a war between demons and dragons which has been going on for millennia, but may be about to flare up again on Earth. It is time to pick sides and decide upon loyalties, and Ceri has dragon ancestors while Lily Carpenter, her lover, is half-demon. When colleagues and friends begin to vanish or fall, can the two friends keep their relationship together?
174 pages, ebook
First published December 4, 2012
35 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Niall Teasdale
73 books292 followersI was born in the vicinity of Hadrian's Wall so perhaps a bit of history rubbed off. Ancient history obviously, and border history, right on the edge of the Empire. I always preferred the Dark Ages anyway; there’s so much more room for imagination when people aren’t writing down every last detail. So my idea of a good fantasy novel involved dirt and leather, not shining plate armour and Hollywood-medieval manners. The same applies to my sci-fi, really; I prefer gritty over shiny.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still loved the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
As of 2015, I have thrown in my lot with writing. After thirty years of being a computer programmer I am making enough money to quit the day job and write full time. Dreams, occasionally, come true. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and (recently) Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still loved the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
As of 2015, I have thrown in my lot with writing. After thirty years of being a computer programmer I am making enough money to quit the day job and write full time. Dreams, occasionally, come true. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and (recently) Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 4, 2023
Having read nine out of the twelve books in the series. I have to say each and every one of them have had brilliant conception. Plus one of the particulars of her presentations is how she congeals Ceri's past with her present. But while doing so usually but not always the bit of her past often aids her in whatever crisis she is coping with!
I encourage you to read book1 and you to will take the trip offered by Niall Teasdale😜❗
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹❗
I encourage you to read book1 and you to will take the trip offered by Niall Teasdale😜❗
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹❗
November 8, 2021
The conclusion of an arc.
A slightly meandering plot, some cool magic/ technology and the culmination of a 9 book series. A lot happens, and this may be the biggest event that has happened in the series thus far so expect a few odd things.
A good novel, but could have benefited with some more cohesion in the plot.
A slightly meandering plot, some cool magic/ technology and the culmination of a 9 book series. A lot happens, and this may be the biggest event that has happened in the series thus far so expect a few odd things.
A good novel, but could have benefited with some more cohesion in the plot.
February 15, 2016
A book that could have used some major editing. The story could have fit in one-third the length of the book The overall series is great, but unfortunately to understand the rest of the series you have to slog through this one. Niall must have been off hi
July 27, 2014
Between the title and prologue, I think too much was given away on what was going to happen.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews