The Dragon Waiting, A Masque of History (Signed copy). This item is unavailable.The Dragon Waiting, A Masque of History (Signed copy)

First edition, first printing. Hardback in dustwrapper. 21.5 × 14.5cm, 365pp. Signed and dedicated by John M Ford to the title page, "To Mike and Di, Brimingham BFC 1984, John M Ford". The BFC was the Fantasy Convention (Fantasycon IX) held in the West Midlands city in September 1984. A novel of alternate history. The story follows an unlikely band of four mercenaries/misfits who are drawn together to stop the Byzantine expansion and place Richard III on the throne of England. The four are Hywel Peredur, a Welsh wizard with a grudge against the Empire; Dimitrios Ducas, an exiled Byzantine soldier and expert tactician; Cynthia Ricci, a brilliant female doctor from Florence fleeing political intrigue; and Gregory van Kalemstout, Flemish vampire (in this world, "vampirism" is a medical condition). In this world, 15th century, the Roman Empire never converted to Christianity, and as a result, the Byzantine Empire has grown into an unstoppable, sorcerous superpower that is slowly swallowing Europe. Condition: Good condition. The dustwrapper is edge-worn with slight loss to the spine ends but it has not been price-clipped. The inner binding is a little pulled at the half-title revealing a little of the webbing, and the gathering of chapter heading and page 17/18 is neatly detached. However, the book remains in good readable condition.…