The concept is intriguing: to follow the lives of three fictional people caught up in important historical situations, culminating in the death of Richard III and the ascent of "Henry Tydder" to the throne of England (see note below).

The geographical scope ranges from Wales not long after the end of the reign of Owain Glyn Dŵr (Owen Glendower, d. 1415) to the last days of Byzantium in 1453; and from Renaissance Milan (Sforza and Medici families), to England during The War of the Roses.

Yes, it's a fantasy, with vampires, wizards and magic, but also real-life physicians, courtiers, kings, and soldiers, all of whom are convincingly portrayed as main characters as well as the "extras".

The individual stories were interesting, and the threads that were pulled together to weave the fate of Britain were intricate and sometimes elusive, but the author maintained a good sense of drama and believable detail.

Nonetheless, the conclusion was ultimately unsatisfying to me because the characters who were most invested in the fate of Wales had a trajectory from the beginning that was not compatible with its final, historical, end-point in the book.

*Henry Tydder is a kind of mangled version of the name of the victor of the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 who became Henry VII.
The English is Henry Tudor; the Welsh, Harri Tudur.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/welsh-history-month-harri-tudu.....

PG-13: some mild sexual innuendo and situations; violence, although not too graphic. ( )

Wow. This is one of the most intricate, complex, multilayered, meticulously researched alternative history/fantasy books I've ever read. (If not THE most?)
- It helps if you know your English history, your Shakespeare, something about early Renaissance and Florence, something about ancient Rome and Byzantium :)))) It heightens your enjoyment of the book, as you go through the literary/historical allusions and Easter eggs scattered throughout.
- It was interesting to see John M. Ford imagine a world without Christianity as one of the dominant religions - a world which is more humanistic, more advanced, and is a (somewhat) better place for women than 15th century Europe of "our" world.
- Nothing is spelled out and the plot unfolds slowly. As a reader, you need to PAY ATTENTION and fill in the blanks.
- The magic system is very dark. I don't think I've ever seen its like in any other fantasy book.
- The characters are wonderfully - and subtly - drawn. (I loved Cynthia!)
- This is a book you need to re-read and see what you had missed last time.
- Like many others, I highly recommend Draco Concordans as a reading companion. It is geeky and wonderful, and it's interesting to see what you have missed in chapter x. ( )

What should have been an interesting take on a historical scenario was delivered in a completely uninteresting manner. And in several cases an unbelievable manner. I mean, how would they still have Christian names? ( )

La historia comienza en el año 1478 en una Europa donde las fuerza de la oscuridad y la magia enfrentan a las distintas potencias.

El Imperio bizantino no ha caído, sino que es más poderoso que nunca y domina media Europa. Juliano el Apóstata, conocido como Juliano el Sabio, consiguió acabar con el cristianismo como religión oficial y la expansión imperial prosigue sin que nadie parezca capaz de detenerla.

En este contexto se produce la presentación de los protagonistas: un muchacho fascinado por un brujo vampiro en apuros en las frías montañas del norte de Gales, otro que presencia el asesinato de su padre a manos de los enviados del Imperio Bizantino a la Galia y una muchacha hija de un doctor en medicina con grandes conocimientos en Florencia. Posteriormente se encuentran en los Alpes varios años después, donde unidos por su odio hacia el Imperio Bizantino se dirigen a Inglaterra para detener su avance.

I’ve been picking up books in the Tor essentials imprint lately and just finished The Dragon Waiting by John Ford. A bit clunky at times but it was a real enjoyable alt history / fantasy read. Ford asks a lot of his readers, and it feels like this is one that would really hold up well to a reread.

It also feels like the kind of thing that in a lesser, or at least different, author would turn into a series. ( )