We waited for dawn to arrive. I began to shiver even though my sheepskin jacket repelled the crisp sea air. I was leaning into Peter for warmth when I heard a voice say, “Don’t be afraid.” It wasn’t Peter. The words seemed to come from above me and from behind me at the same time. I turned around but saw no one.
I wandered over to Nigel. Jerzy Pasterz was instructing him on where his radioscope needed to be focused to film the mock attack. The voice inside my head returned. It whispered, “Don’t be afraid.”
I heard it.
I definitely heard it. As loud as if a person was talking to me in a pub.
I turned around.
Hans Schüller was staring straight at me. His lips weren’t moving. There was softness in his eyes. I could feel his thoughts reaching out to me like fingers stroking my hair.
DragonFly by Charles A. Cornell was a strange experience for me. There are many things I enjoyed, but still on the whole I can say I could have liked the story much more. I’m not sure what didn’t click with me. Maybe the inserts of the SF elements into history, which didn’t meld well in my opinion (in spite of the many action scenes where battles are involved, I never got a sense of the World War happening). Maybe the mashing of XX century history with Celtic history and culture, because in spite of happening in the same place, they were – and especially felt – very different and to me never really created something whole.
But one thing I really enjoyed and this was the meeting point of the ‘real’ world with a different, more intimate, spiritual world. I like that aspect of the story very much and I actually think this had the potential to mix the story in a more harmonious way if it had been exploited more.
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8 Comments
Amy
A bit of a strange one ey? Still, good quote though. I don’t usually read this genre. I’m sorry the book didn’t click for you 🙁
Happy reading,
Amy x
jazzfeathers
This was the best passage for me, mysterious and neraly haunting. I wish more of the story was like this.
Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies
Interesting — melding WWII with Celtic traditions and SF? The passage itself is pretty intriguing, but I can see how it might be a bit odd to read.
jazzfeathers
I think the mingling of the two elements (Celtic lore and WWII) may have been a lot smoother. But it was ok.
Sinead
That is quite a strange one! I’m sorry it didn’t clock with you I hate when that happens 🙁
http://lessrealitymorebooks.blogspot.ie/2015/09/thursday-quotables-9-unravel-me.html
jazzfeathers
Yeah, me too. Especially because there were a few very good section of story, especailly in terms of action.
I’m going checking yours 😉
Tiyana Marie
I don’t know how I came upon this post, other than I’d just heard about Dragonfly for the first time on Twitter and then found myself here. I thought this was a very interesting snippet, and I can see why you would choose it, Sarah! Knowing your penchant for spirits, the unexplainable and such. 😉
I haven’t read this novel yet, though it’s on my list, for sure. Especially because I think my WIP has a lot of similarities to Dragonfly, from what I can tell!
jazzfeathers
Eh, eh. YOu kno wme well, Tiyana 😉
Yes, now that you mention it, I do think there must be quite a few similarities between your story and Dragonfly. This is one of the most popular dieselpunk stories at the moment, so I think it’s well worth reading.
Let me know what you think when you do 🙂