A young woman with the fate of a nation in her hands. An aircraft designed by science, fueled by magic and flown with passion. A World War re-imagined like never before.
In 1942 an unlikely heroine changes the course of history. Twenty-two year old RAF pilot Veronica 'Ronnie' Somerset is determined to overcome every obstacle to become Britain's first female combat pilot. When 'Ronnie' is assigned to Enysfarne, a mysterious Royal Navy base off the coast of Cornwall, fate places her inside the cockpit of a revolutionary new aircraft powered by quadra-hydrogen, the DragonFly, a plane that carries the hopes of Britain on its blue and silver wings.
Across the English Channel, Reichsführer Bernhardt Morax, Hitler's personal sorcerer prepares his army of Blutskriegers for the invasion of Britain. The Blutskriegers are bio-mechanical warriors created by a Nazi occult science whose dark secrets cross the boundaries of evil.
As the German invasion fleet gathers off England's shores, will the Druid wizard, Affodill whose ancestral home of Enysfarne has been expropriated by the Royal Navy join forces with the British or will he make a pact with the evil Morax? Can Princess Victoria and Ronnie Somerset convince Affodill to place his magic in the service of a nation that has betrayed his Druid ancestors for centuries?
Both the Kindle and print editions of DragonFly contain illustrations that make the action jump off the page, including character dossiers, historical 'retrographs' and fantastic designs of retro-futuristic aircraft (sixty illustrations in the Kindle edition, thirty-three in the print edition).
Strap yourself in for a wild five star ride as award-winning author Charles A. Cornell takes you on his science fiction/fantasy adventure, DragonFly set in an alternative World War Two.
Visit www.DragonFly-Novels.com for additional web exclusive illustrations and biographies.
"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'.
"There is a lot to like about Dragonfly... surprises... intrigue... in a world that doesn't particularly follow the history that we know." - Bard Constantine, author of 'The Troubleshooter' series and 'Silent Empire', dieselpunk novels.
"It was fantastic ... Charles has done a wonderful job blending alternate history with the mystical. His characters are well developed. I was disappointed when it ended." - John Charles Miller, award winning short story writer and author of the alternative history novel, 'Citrus White Gold'.
"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
About the Author: I was born in England, raised in Canada and now divide my time between Michigan and Florida. I started writing seriously more than ten years ago. My first published novel, Tiger Paw, won the 2012 Best Thriller Award from the Florida Writers Association. My newest work, the two-part novel, DragonFly ventures into the realm of dieselpunk, a retro-futuristic collision of science fiction and fantasy with overtones of alternative history. Regardless of what genre I'm writing in, I aim to provide a unique perspective in my fiction, layering hidden meaning inside the protagonist's journey. My debut thriller, Tiger Paw blends action and intrigue with psychological suspense, and asks the questions, how far will someone go to sell his soul to the Devil? And what if the Devil seeks revenge? My new dieselpunk series, DragonFly explores the incredibly turbulent times during the 1940s and the 'what ifs' that might have been for a generation burdened by the ravages of war. DragonFly follows the journey of Veronica Somerset as she battles the odds to become Britain's first female fighter pilot. DragonFly is not just a novel, it is a whole new world of fantastic technology, dangerous fighting machines and wizards battling across the boundary between good and evil. I would love to spend more time in Florida and much more time writing, and maybe in the near future, I will get the chance to do both. In the meantime, I live in Michigan with my wife, my rock musician son, and a cat. Most of the time, the cat wonders what the hell is going on as we lead such busy lives. I must write about that some day. From the cat's point of view, of course.
