Charles A Cornell
Speculative fiction
DragonFly
A collision of science fiction, fantasy and action-adventure.
A retro-futuristic thrill ride that re-imagines one of history's most far-reaching wars.
"The thrilling climax... outdoes any big action flick for sheer sweep and menace. Cornell hits a home run!"
- Ken Pelham
Award winning author of the mysteries, 'Brigand's Key' and 'Place of Fear'.
"Is the golden age of science fiction dead? More likely, we’ve entered a new Golden Age. Charles A. Cornell delivers a classic example of where 21st century science fiction is heading... Cornell doesn’t just put his protagonist up a tree and shoot at her; he puts her in the midst of machine-gun fire, rockets’ red glare, and bombs bursting in air. Before Ronnie has time to locate all the dials and buttons on her first test flight, she’s in a dogfight with the Germans. And you won’t believe what they’re flying! Mysteries in this novel could keep book club members talking for weeks. Or years."
- Carol Kean
Book Critic, Perihelion Science Fiction Magazine
It is 1942. The world is at war and a nation's fate lies in the hands of pilot Veronica Somerset and DragonFly, an incredible aircraft designed by science, flown with passion, and fueled by magic.
In DragonFly, the first novel of Charles A Cornell's dieselpunk series, Britain is threatened by Nazi wizard, Reichsfuhrer Morax and his creation, the Blutskriegers - biovulcanized warriors ‘fabricated’ from an unspeakable evil inside the Third Reich. Can Veronica Somerset and her DragonFly Squadron make the difference between victory and death as Hitler’s invasion fleet lands?
DragonFly fast forwards steampunk into World War Two.
As advanced Nazi aircraft probe Britain's defenses off the coast of Cornwall, a top secret research facility at Royal Naval Station Enysfarne prepares a test flight of the DragonFly, a submersible fighter-bomber powered by the ancient Druid science of quadra-hydrogen. Enter Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Somerset, an impetuous RAF pilot banished to Enysfarne to fly one of the Navy's workhorses, the Sunderland flying boat. When her Sunderland is destroyed in a Nazi attack and the DragonFly's test pilot is killed, the future of Britain falls into Ronnie's hands.
Ronnie and DragonFly's young inventor, Dr. Nigel Pennbridge embark on a mission with millions of lives at stake. Enysfarne’s caves are full of magic crystals, the Druids’ source of unlimited energy and the British military's most carefully guarded secret. But will young Druid Lord, Affodill help his countrymen defend Britain against the Nazis? Or will Affodill’s hatred for the British monarchy, and its legacy of betrayal that has destroyed Druid trust, make him a bystander when Hitler's wizard, Morax and his army of Blutskriegers land on Britain’s shores?
