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Thaumatology #4
Dragon's Blood
Ceridwyn Brent and her boss, Cheryl Tennant, are on a mission. Prove their thaumic power generation system works, provide almost limitless, clean electricity for Great Britain and the rest of the world, and maybe sort out their slightly overcomplicated private lives. The first trial of the generator is to take place at Stonehenge, a Neolithic monument built five thousand years ago during a spike in magical activity, though no one really knows why. Uncovering the secret of why the great henge was built uncovers a secret about Ceri and why she is a sorceress. Unfortunately, their private lives are not getting any less entangled any time soon.
But as Ceri tries to deal with the knowledge she has gained, and cope with giving a lecture at a prestigious academic conference, an old adversary returns, determined to destroy her. As the bodies start to pile up and no one seems able to find the murderer, Ceri and Lily, her half-succubus lover, must go out on their own and seek help from their sworn enemies in order to fight back.
Amidst the chaos and death, Ceri must still seek out and unlock the secret of the dragons and their blood. Her future could depend upon it.
But as Ceri tries to deal with the knowledge she has gained, and cope with giving a lecture at a prestigious academic conference, an old adversary returns, determined to destroy her. As the bodies start to pile up and no one seems able to find the murderer, Ceri and Lily, her half-succubus lover, must go out on their own and seek help from their sworn enemies in order to fight back.
Amidst the chaos and death, Ceri must still seek out and unlock the secret of the dragons and their blood. Her future could depend upon it.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2012
29 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Niall Teasdale
74 books294 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 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 28, 2020
Revelation time.
With the resounding success of Ceri's previous studies things move to applied side of science and in this case: Generating electricity from magic... At Stonehenge! Add to that the introduction of new characters, new magical beings and the Thaumology universe keeps getting more and more interesting. Story wise this novel continues the plot of the previous novel, in addition to a lot of slice-of-life moments and the return of one of the badguys. The Techno-Magical aspect work rather well and make for an interesting world and having a protagonist so firmly entrenched in this aspects makes for good reading.
In all this was a solid fourth novel in the series that build well on the previous novels.
With the resounding success of Ceri's previous studies things move to applied side of science and in this case: Generating electricity from magic... At Stonehenge! Add to that the introduction of new characters, new magical beings and the Thaumology universe keeps getting more and more interesting. Story wise this novel continues the plot of the previous novel, in addition to a lot of slice-of-life moments and the return of one of the badguys. The Techno-Magical aspect work rather well and make for an interesting world and having a protagonist so firmly entrenched in this aspects makes for good reading.
In all this was a solid fourth novel in the series that build well on the previous novels.
March 16, 2014
The overall story line is a continuation of the previous book. Ceri and Cheryl are still working on using magic to generate electric power.
I'm liking this series since it is so different from most of the previous urban fantasy, in that the main character(s) aren't hard boiled heroes of some type out to save the world.
I hope that slice of life type story lasts a bit longer as Teasdale is setting up something with Ceri and Lily.
I'm liking this series since it is so different from most of the previous urban fantasy, in that the main character(s) aren't hard boiled heroes of some type out to save the world.
I hope that slice of life type story lasts a bit longer as Teasdale is setting up something with Ceri and Lily.
May 1, 2014
Good continuation of the story. Ceri continues to attract more and more friends, she lands another job (between all the sex, where does she find the time?) and defeats an archenemy yet again.
Somehow though, the final confrontations are always short and come a little too easy for my tastes.
Anyways, on to number 5
Somehow though, the final confrontations are always short and come a little too easy for my tastes.
Anyways, on to number 5
October 31, 2014
This is one of the series i re-read every few months or whenever there is a new book. I love the take on the combination of Science and Magic. The real strength of the series is the main characters, and the great supporting characters. I highly suggest you try the series.
July 16, 2013
REVELATION ! You are good Niall xD
June 11, 2015
My completionist nature is going to be the death of my sanity
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews