The Dragon Waiting by John M. Ford
"The Dragon Waiting" is a historical fantasy novel that intertwines the lives of four main characters, each representing different European backgrounds and facing the overarching influence of the Byzantine Empire. The story features Hywel Peredur, a Welsh wizard linked to a lineage betrayed by Byzantium; Dimitrios Ducas, a mercenary with royal bloodlines; Cynthia Ricci, a Florentine physician entangled in a deadly political plot; and Gregory Von Bayern, a German vampire with a non-violent ethos. Set against the backdrop of 15th-century Europe, particularly in Milan and England, the characters unite to confront Byzantine machinations that threaten to extend their control into the west.
As they investigate a series of murders, their shared animosity towards Byzantine ambitions drives them to protect England, which, despite its own political turmoil under Edward IV, remains untouched by Byzantine rule. The plot thickens as they contend with the manipulative schemes of Margaret of Anjou and the dire fate of Edward’s sons, who are revealed to be infected with vampirism. Through their alliance, the four friends aim to thwart the Byzantine influence, culminating in their support for Richard III in a struggle that not only seeks to defend England but also to challenge the encroaching Byzantine tyranny. This blend of fantasy and history invites readers into a richly detailed narrative filled with intrigue and cultural tensions.
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Subject Terms
The Dragon Waiting
First published: 1983
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Science fiction—alternate history
Time of work: The fifteenth century
Locale: Wales; Burgundy, France; Florence and Milan, Italy; and England
The Plot
In this novel, four characters from different European countries and backgrounds live out their early lives and suffer from larger Byzantine plots and intrigues that sweep up their lives. Hywel Peredur, himself a wizard, is a descendant of a great Welsh wizard betrayed by the Byzantine Empire. Dimitrios Ducas, a mercenary, is the son of the governor of Burgundy in Gaul and the descendant of a deposed Byzantine emperor. Cynthia Ricci, a Florentine doctor in love with Lorenzo de’ Medici, is killed, along with members of her family, in a Byzantine plot to gain control of Italy. Gregory Von Bayern is a German vampire who has never infected a human and never killed, though he possesses a vast knowledge of guns and explosives.
The four characters meet in Milan, Italy. While trying to unravel a mysterious murder, they discover their mutual hatred of the Byzantine Empire and their desire to halt its spread westward across Europe. They decide to focus their attention on England, which, though politically turbulent under Edward IV after the Wars of the Roses, still remains free of Byzantine domination. The country is not free of scheming Byzantine pawns, all hoping to further their individual ends by casting their lots with the overarching Byzantine conspiracy for world domination, a domination abhorrent to the four friends.
Their various skills make them instrumental in challenging various Byzantine-connected forces determined to deliver England to the empire. They first contend with the plots of Margaret of Anjou, the wife of England’s former Lancastrian ruler Henry VI, to use occult arts and well-placed evil magicians to displace the Yorkist Edward IV. After Edward’s suspicious death, the four support Edward’s brother, Richard of Gloucester, as Lord Protector and regent of Edward’s two young sons. Cynthia discovers that both sons have a rare but terminal blood disease and have been traitorously infected with vampirism.
While feuding relatives and other internal crises confront Richard, Hywel Peredur and Cynthia Ricci discover that other trouble is afoot in Wales. Byzantine forces, using magic and ancient Welsh legends, are building support for Henry Tydder. He is a descendant of the widow of England’s King Henry V and is known to history as Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty and the man responsible for the defeat of Richard. Following the mysterious deaths of Edward’s sons, Hywel, Dimitrios, Cynthia, and Gregory rally around Richard, now Richard III, in what will be not only the battle of his life but also a battle to end the inroads of Byzantine tyranny and treachery.