Lucy's Blade
About the Author Dr. John Lambshead is senior research scientist in marine biodiversity at the Natural History Museum, London. He is also the Visiting Chair at Southampton University, Oceanography, and Regent's Lecturer, University of California. He has authored almost a hundred academic/scientific publications. In their special 2000 millennium edition, London's Evening Standard newspaper nominated him as one of London's top 100 "unknown thinkers" for his scientific research. He has kept sane by writing military history books and designing computer and fantasy games, and designed the world's first icon-driven game, based on Frederick Forsyth's movie, The Fourth Protocol. He is married, lives in Kent in southern England, and is putting two daughters through university, so he really needs you to go out and buy his books. Cover Art by Clyde Cauldwell |
|
|
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental. First printing, May 2007 Distributed by Simon & Schuster Printed in the United States of America |
ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-2121-1
|
AcknowledgementsI would like to thank Jim Baen, who always believed in Lucy's Blade. He helped me work out the background and plot and he gave me the chance to write it. Jim sadly died before the book was finished. Wherever you are. Jim, I hope the novel pleases you. I must also express my gratitude to Toni Weisskopf for her editorial skills. She improved the novel tremendously. A very special thank you must go to David Drake, for his wisdom and many kindnesses. Please drive your motorbike carefully, David. The world of science fiction and fantasy has taken a big enough blow this year. I would also like to acknowledge the contribution of my wife and daughters; the latter's university fees supplied the motivation to be an author. —John Lambshead |
|
Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth's Secretary of State, was the greatest spymaster the world had ever seen. But when he asked Dr. Dee to summon a demon the result was unexpected, especially for his orphaned niece Lucy. Sir Francis' duty as her guardian was to find Lucy a suitably aristocratic husband, not to let her fight demons and witchcraft for the Queen's Secret Service. But his—and Lucy's—duty to protect Queen and country from enemies both natural and supernatural kept getting in the way. And so did all those demons . . . 