The Dragon Waiting
{{Short description|1983 novel by John M. Ford}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox book
| name = The Dragon Waiting
| image = The Dragon Waiting (1983)-John M. Ford.jpg
| caption =
| author = John M. Ford
| cover_artist =
| country = United States
| language = English
| genre = Historical fantasy
| pub_date = 1983
| publisher = Timescape Books
| media_type = Print (hardcover, paperback)
| pages = 365
| isbn = 0-671-47552-5
| oclc =
}}
The Dragon Waiting: A Masque of History is a 1983 historical fantasy novel by American writer John M. Ford. It won the 1984 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. This book, set in an alternate history, contains such plot elements as vampirism, the House of Medici, and the convoluted English politics surrounding Edward IV and Richard III. It also deals with the fate of the Princes in the Tower.
Plot summary
Edward IV is on the throne of England, but in this world, medieval Europe is dominated by the threat from the Byzantine Empire. During the 4th century CE, Julian the Apostate reigned longer than he did in our world, succeeded in displacing Christianity and reintroduced religious pluralism within the Roman Empire, resulting in the subsequent disappearance of Islam as well. Without any cohesive threat from the east, presumably Byzantium was able to survive, consolidate its authority and expand.
Sforza, the Vampire Duke, marshals his forces for his long-planned attack on Florence, and Byzantium is on the march. Gregory, a mercenary; Dimi, the exiled heir to the Byzantine throne; Cynthia, a young physician forced to flee Florence; and Hywel, a Welsh wizard, nephew of Owain Gly Dwr, seem to have no common goals but together they wage an intrigue-filled campaign against the might of Byzantium, striving to secure the English throne for Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and make him Richard III.
This succeeds, and Richard III goes on to win the Battle of Bosworth in this alternate universe, killing Henry Tudor and ensuring that he never becomes Henry VII as he did in the reality. At that point, the book ends.
Meaning of the title
Reception
In 1985, Gaiman reviewed The Dragon Waiting for Imagine magazine, and called it "a complex and brilliant work, serious, funny, and highly entertaining," recommending that readers buy it despite the cover art.{{cite journal | last = Gaiman|first = Neil |author-link=Neil Gaiman| title =Fantasy Media | type = review | journal = Imagine | issue = 28| pages =54 | publisher = TSR Hobbies (UK), Ltd. |date=July 1985| issn = }}
In 1995 Ford reported its sales as "40,000 copies in print (six thousand in hardcover) in English, about 10K more in the foreign editions".{{cite web|author=rec.games.frp.misc|title=Gygax's writing quality|url=http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.frp.misc/msg/d8ec11102cc6ee6c|access-date=27 February 2011}}
The novel won the 1984 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.{{cite web |url=http://www.sfadb.com/World_Fantasy_Awards_1984 |title=World Fantasy Awards 1984 |work=Science Fiction Awards Database |publisher=Locus Science Fiction Foundation |access-date=March 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630044017/http://www.sfadb.com/World_Fantasy_Awards_1984 |archive-date=June 30, 2015 |url-status=live}}{{cite web|author=World Fantasy Convention|title=Award Winners and Nominees|url=http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/awardslist.html/|access-date=February 4, 2011|archive-date=December 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201074405/http://worldfantasy.org/awards/awardslist.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.tor.com/2011/05/22/hugo-nominees-1984/ |title=Hugo Nominees: 1984 |work=Tor.com |first=Jo |last=Walton |author-link=Jo Walton |date=May 22, 2011 |access-date=March 16, 2016}}
Jo Walton praised it as "a brilliantly written, absorbing book with great characters", lauding Ford for having convincingly portrayed "a feudal world without Christianity", and emphasizing that it is a book "written by [an American] and set in Britain (...) where the geography works and the scale of the landscape feels right."[https://www.tor.com/2009/07/30/subtle-history-john-m-fords-the-dragon-waiting/ Subtly twisted history: John M. Ford’s The Dragon Waiting], by Jo Walton, at Tor.com; published July 30, 2009; retrieved August 1, 2022 Graham Sleight observed that it is "probably the most plotted of Ford's books", and that it "makes [the] most allowance for readers who may not be expecting the filigree intricacy of [Ford's] stories."Yesterday's Tomorrows", by Graham Sleight, in Locus; issue 615 (vol. 68, no. 4, April 2012; p. 59
Editions
- 1983, Timescape Books, {{ISBN|0-671-47552-5}}
- 1985, Avon Books, {{ISBN|0-380-69887-0}} cover by Sanjulián
- 2002, Gollancz (#29 in Fantasy Masterworks line), {{ISBN|0-575-07378-0}}
- 2020, Tor Books, {{ISBN|978-1250794802}} hardcover, {{ISBN|978-1250269010}} paperback, e-book.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.eblong.com/draconc/ Draco Concordans: A Concordance for John M. Ford's The Dragon Waiting] by Andrew Plotkin
- [http://www.sfsite.com/09b/dw136.htm Featured review] at SF Site
- {{cite web|url=http://www.r3.org/fiction/reviews/ford_dragonwaiting.html |title=Review: The Dragon Waiting |first=Kim |last=Malo |website=R3.org |publisher=Richard III Society (Internet Archive) |access-date=November 13, 2013 |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717065817/http://www.r3.org/fiction/reviews/ford_dragonwaiting.html }}
- {{ISFDB title|2070}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhaGsCXmwA4 Ford interviewed about The Dragon Waiting]
{{World Fantasy Award Best Novel thru 1989}}
{{Julian (emperor)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragon Waiting, The}}
Category:1983 science fiction novels
Category:American fantasy novels
Category:American alternate history novels
Category:Cultural depictions of Julian (emperor)
Category:Novels by John M. Ford
Category:Works about women in war
Category:World Fantasy Award for Best Novel–winning works
Category:Cultural depictions of Henry VII of England