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To Hell and Back
A young woman with the fate of a nation in her hands.
An aircraft designed by science, fueled by magic and flown with passion.
A World War re-imagined like never before.
Strap yourself in for a wild ride as award-winning author Charles A. Cornell takes you on Part I of his dieselpunk adventure, DragonFly; a collision of science fiction with fantasy that fast forwards steampunk into an alternative World War Two.
In 1942, an unlikely heroine changes the course of history.
On the eve of invasion by the Nazis, twenty-two year old RAF pilot Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Somerset is fighting another battle - winning respect within the stuffy, male-dominated British military. She’s feisty and brash and determined to overcome every obstacle to become Britain’s first female combat pilot.
When Ronnie is re-assigned to Enysfarne, a mysterious Royal Navy base off the coast of Cornwall, fate places her inside the cockpit of the most revolutionary aircraft ever invented. Brilliant engineer, Dr. Nigel Pennbridge has discovered quadra-hydrogen, an element that powers the DragonFly, a remarkable fighter-bomber that carries the hopes of Britain on its blue and silver wings.
Across the English Channel, Nazi Germany is busy planning its next conquest. Reichsführer Bernhardt Morax, Hitler's personal sorcerer and leader of the Third Reich’s Zauber Korps is preparing his Blutskriegers for the invasion; bio-mechanical warriors created by a depraved occult science whose dark secrets cross the boundaries of evil.
In Part I: ‘To Hell and Back’, Ronnie proves she’s a hard-nosed, quick-thinking daredevil. She embarks on a dangerous mission behind enemy lines to spy on Hitler's invasion plans and rescue a defecting officer from the Zauber Korps. Hans Schüller is a Nachtjäger or Night Hunter who introduces her to psychic powers she didn’t know she possessed; powers that entwine her destiny with his.
Part I: ‘To Hell and Back’ includes five color and five black and white illustrations.
But for the ultimate DragonFly reading experience consider ‘DragonFly – the Illustrated Edition’, packed with sixty illustrations that make the action jump off the page, including character dossiers, historical ‘retrographs’ and fantastic designs of retro-futuristic aircraft; many exclusive to this omnibus edition. ‘DragonFly – the Illustrated Edition’ is the logical choice to follow the story of Ronnie’s adventures to its dramatic conclusion.
An aircraft designed by science, fueled by magic and flown with passion.
A World War re-imagined like never before.
Strap yourself in for a wild ride as award-winning author Charles A. Cornell takes you on Part I of his dieselpunk adventure, DragonFly; a collision of science fiction with fantasy that fast forwards steampunk into an alternative World War Two.
In 1942, an unlikely heroine changes the course of history.
On the eve of invasion by the Nazis, twenty-two year old RAF pilot Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Somerset is fighting another battle - winning respect within the stuffy, male-dominated British military. She’s feisty and brash and determined to overcome every obstacle to become Britain’s first female combat pilot.
When Ronnie is re-assigned to Enysfarne, a mysterious Royal Navy base off the coast of Cornwall, fate places her inside the cockpit of the most revolutionary aircraft ever invented. Brilliant engineer, Dr. Nigel Pennbridge has discovered quadra-hydrogen, an element that powers the DragonFly, a remarkable fighter-bomber that carries the hopes of Britain on its blue and silver wings.
Across the English Channel, Nazi Germany is busy planning its next conquest. Reichsführer Bernhardt Morax, Hitler's personal sorcerer and leader of the Third Reich’s Zauber Korps is preparing his Blutskriegers for the invasion; bio-mechanical warriors created by a depraved occult science whose dark secrets cross the boundaries of evil.
In Part I: ‘To Hell and Back’, Ronnie proves she’s a hard-nosed, quick-thinking daredevil. She embarks on a dangerous mission behind enemy lines to spy on Hitler's invasion plans and rescue a defecting officer from the Zauber Korps. Hans Schüller is a Nachtjäger or Night Hunter who introduces her to psychic powers she didn’t know she possessed; powers that entwine her destiny with his.
Part I: ‘To Hell and Back’ includes five color and five black and white illustrations.
But for the ultimate DragonFly reading experience consider ‘DragonFly – the Illustrated Edition’, packed with sixty illustrations that make the action jump off the page, including character dossiers, historical ‘retrographs’ and fantastic designs of retro-futuristic aircraft; many exclusive to this omnibus edition. ‘DragonFly – the Illustrated Edition’ is the logical choice to follow the story of Ronnie’s adventures to its dramatic conclusion.
172 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2014
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24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 24, 2017
"...that cheeky schoolgirl grin that told you she was about to get into mischief, and she wanted you to be with her when she did."
I'm not sure quite what I was expecting when I started this, perhaps a 40's style serial action adventure. This story is more sedate than that, although there are places of exciting action. I appreciated the unique choice of giving us a heroine in this type of story, I'm not sure I would have found it as interesting if it had not. I truly liked Veronica "Ronnie" Somerset, and was glad I took the ride in this beginning of her adventure.
What we have here is a World War II story with alternate history events, a fantastic plane which didn't (unfortunately!) actually exist, a few sci-fi elements, and a female lead who is as real and believable as she is tough and determined.
And the story starts right off with a Nazi attack.
There are a few things that occurred that weren't really explained, I'm hoping there's more information to come in the second book.
Warning: Ends in a cliffhanger, but I'm willing to go along for the ride for part two.
A couple quotes:
"The castle looked like a brooding dragon standing watch over England's shores; the path up to its keep, the dragon's spiny tail; the parapets, the folds of its angled wings; the turrets, the crown of its ever-vigilant brow."
"...that cheeky schoolgirl grin that told you she was about to get into mischief, and she wanted you to be with her when she did."
I'm not sure quite what I was expecting when I started this, perhaps a 40's style serial action adventure. This story is more sedate than that, although there are places of exciting action. I appreciated the unique choice of giving us a heroine in this type of story, I'm not sure I would have found it as interesting if it had not. I truly liked Veronica "Ronnie" Somerset, and was glad I took the ride in this beginning of her adventure.
What we have here is a World War II story with alternate history events, a fantastic plane which didn't (unfortunately!) actually exist, a few sci-fi elements, and a female lead who is as real and believable as she is tough and determined.
And the story starts right off with a Nazi attack.
There are a few things that occurred that weren't really explained, I'm hoping there's more information to come in the second book.
Warning: Ends in a cliffhanger, but I'm willing to go along for the ride for part two.
A couple quotes:
"The castle looked like a brooding dragon standing watch over England's shores; the path up to its keep, the dragon's spiny tail; the parapets, the folds of its angled wings; the turrets, the crown of its ever-vigilant brow."
"...that cheeky schoolgirl grin that told you she was about to get into mischief, and she wanted you to be with her when she did."
May 13, 2014
Well written book and characters, a mixture of magic and science it seems. The story of a female pilot in WWII Britain who would have been relegated to flying the mail back and forth if she hadn't shown that she had the intestinal fortitude to bypass her commander and fly one of England's most secretive aircraft. An aircraft that is powered by seemingly magic crystals and water, an aircraft that can fly underwater as well as in the air. Looking forward to part two of this series I'm sure it will be as exciting as part one was. I'd recommend this book to anyone.
May 7, 2014
DragonflyDragonfly, Part I, is the first of a series of a Dieselpunk saga about World War II and Nazi Germany. It stars a feisty young woman pilot, and a newly discovered and still secret fuel: crystals. Just this side of magic crystals. I know, shades of Lennon and McCarthy. But not those kinds of crystals. These particular crystals are found only in a deep cave on an island off the coast of Penzance.
It is the beginning? Early beginning? of World War II, the Nazis have all kinds of wonderful new techno killing machines and are overrunning Britain. Our protagonist lady pilot is sent to the Royal Naval Station Enysfarne, which is located in an ancient castle. A young scientist, Nigel Somebody, has discovered the crystals and that by arranging them in descending size order, and pouring water through them, he can create fusion, which can explode or propel a vessel, plane, etc. He and his engineering buddies build a wonderful plane which they call the Dragonfly, and which is powered by the crystals. And guess what. It can also dive and go underwater, like a submarine. I know. You men are all probably giddy with the vision of this thing. Us ladies, probably not so much.
The majority of the book is battles, warfare, spying, shooting, aerial dog fights, that kind of thing, with our Lady Pilot in full control. Gotta love that chick.
The book has a number of absolutely beautiful illustrations of the fanciful machines concocted by both sides of the conflict. In my Kindle Fire HD, they are just stunning, but I can't figure a way to produce one here to give you an idea of the quality of the artwork. When was the last time you read a work of fiction that was illustrated that wasn't a kid's book or one published in 1937? Right. So the illustrations alone make this worth the read. Remember those cheesy illustrations from early sci fi? The ones in this book are not your father's sci fi illustrations.
This was a fun book, in spite of the Nazi atrocities, which I confess I sort of skimmed over. I like my world filled with sunlight and daisies, love and sweet music. I'm a wuss.
Well written, nicely plotted, good pacing, interesting characters. And shooting. What's not to like?
It is the beginning? Early beginning? of World War II, the Nazis have all kinds of wonderful new techno killing machines and are overrunning Britain. Our protagonist lady pilot is sent to the Royal Naval Station Enysfarne, which is located in an ancient castle. A young scientist, Nigel Somebody, has discovered the crystals and that by arranging them in descending size order, and pouring water through them, he can create fusion, which can explode or propel a vessel, plane, etc. He and his engineering buddies build a wonderful plane which they call the Dragonfly, and which is powered by the crystals. And guess what. It can also dive and go underwater, like a submarine. I know. You men are all probably giddy with the vision of this thing. Us ladies, probably not so much.
The majority of the book is battles, warfare, spying, shooting, aerial dog fights, that kind of thing, with our Lady Pilot in full control. Gotta love that chick.
The book has a number of absolutely beautiful illustrations of the fanciful machines concocted by both sides of the conflict. In my Kindle Fire HD, they are just stunning, but I can't figure a way to produce one here to give you an idea of the quality of the artwork. When was the last time you read a work of fiction that was illustrated that wasn't a kid's book or one published in 1937? Right. So the illustrations alone make this worth the read. Remember those cheesy illustrations from early sci fi? The ones in this book are not your father's sci fi illustrations.
This was a fun book, in spite of the Nazi atrocities, which I confess I sort of skimmed over. I like my world filled with sunlight and daisies, love and sweet music. I'm a wuss.
Well written, nicely plotted, good pacing, interesting characters. And shooting. What's not to like?
September 7, 2014
I have to be honest. I had a hard time when I first started reading this story. It wasn’t that it was a bad story but it was hard for me to get into it. However, I am glad I made myself continue. If I had stopped reading when I was first inclined I would have missed out on a truly remarkable reading experience. The storyline was well thought out down to the littlest detail. Mr. Cornell Has a very wicked imagination and it shows in this tale of war and magic. The characters were well defined and I loved that a women pilot was leading the way in kicking Hitler’s butt and I really want a ride in a dragonfly. This is a long book, but don’t let that put you off. This story is worth the time.
August 10, 2014
This was a very interesting read and a new take on War. Ronnie Somerset is a woman pilot in WWll something not heard of very often. She is pretty much forced into piloting a new type of plane. The Dragonfly which is not your usual plane and not powered by ordinary means either. This is an action adventure with a lot of twists, turns and excitement. A good read especially if you like war.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews