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The Cloister Library - Dragons' Wrath

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    BASIC PLOT

     Benny finds herself in possession of the Gamalian Dragon, leading her to an old friend she hasn't met yet, a dangerous archaeological mission and the interest of an evil warlord.

    FEATURING

     Bernice Summerfield.

    COMPANIONS

     Irving Braxiatel, Joseph the Porter and a brief appearance by Wolsey.

    PREPARATORY READING

     None.

    CONTINUITY REFERENCES

     Pg 13 "Apart from masterminding a convoluted plan to overthrow a ruthless dictator, Braxiatel had been an obsessive collector." Theatre of War.

    "But she had heard stories that Baxiatel had helped organize the Armageddon Convention in Venice in the seventeeth century" The Empire of Glass.

    Pg 14 "The last time Benny had seen Braxiatel was at her wedding" Happy Endings.

    Pg 34 "You reckon the Cat's Paw called in on Nusek and lifted it in the dead of night?" Cat's Paw is a celebrity burglar, first mentioned in Oh No It Isn't!, whom we meet in Ship of Fools.

    Pg 39 "Let's just say helping out here on Dellah I feel closer to God" It's not clear if this is a reference to God from the Dyson Sphere (although given the mentions in Oh No It isn't! it probably is), but in light of later events it's a very spooky line indeed.

    Pg 134 "Braxiatel was tinkering with two white hemispheres, poking inside one with a tiny screwdriver. [...] 'Seems simple enough. Bit too simple perhaps.'" When repairing Joseph, Braxiatel makes a discovery that won't be revealed until page 269 of Tears of the Oracle.

    Pg 140 "The pantomime paper was quite an experience" Oh No It isn't!

    "Oh yes they would." A reference to Oh No It Isn't!

    Pg 141 "Vazlor Baygent became the President of Earth" In Deadfall, the Knights of Jeneve want to restore Baygent (their founder) to life. Chris Cwej is one of Baygent's descendents.

    "He entrusted its completion and protection to an existing scientific-military organization which was at once seen as independent yet tied to political powers. Baygent rechartered and renamed it the Knights of Geneva." The Knights of Jeneve are an outgrowth of UNIT.

    Pg 142 "We have to tolerate and indeed encourage pirates like the Grel." First seen in Oh No It isn't!

    Pg 144 "As I told you when we first met, knowledge above all." Professor Archduke did indeed say this (a code phrase that indicates he's a member of the Knights of Jeneve) on page 21 of Oh No It isn't!

    Pg 152 Benny runs into a Goll guards, an Ootsoi and a Pakhar. All three were seen in Oh No It Isn't!

    Pg 157 "'In here we're shielded' [...] 'Shielded from what?' [...] 'Just about everything'" Braxiatel's office is likely his TARDIS.

    Pg 158 "A small brass plaque which read 'Custodian of the Library of St John the Beheaded'" The Library was first introduced in All-Consuming Fire and seen throughout various NAs and MAs.

    "The Armageddon Convention - Your Contribution Really Made A Difference" The Empire of Glass.

    OLD FRIENDS AND OLD ENEMIES

    This book reintroduces Irving Braxiatel to the line. He had appeared in Theatre of War, The Empire of Glass and Happy Endings (as well as being mentioned in Legacy and City of Death), although this is his first chronological appearance, as he hasn't met Bernice yet. He will go on to appear in most Benny books.

    Menlove Stokes is seen briefly on page 14, in his second and final appearance in the Benny NAs.

    The Knights of Jeneve are the figurative descendents of UNIT (Jeneve is a corruption of Geneva and in the history given on page 141, the order is said to be "an existing scientific-military organization which was at once seen as independent yet tied to political powers.")

    Professor Archduke is seen again after his appearance in Oh No It isn't!, with a lot more of his background revealed here.

    Three of Benny's students from Oh No It isn't!, Polybus Arex, Anne-Marie Rose and Marjorie Marjorie are seen briefly on page 147.

    NEW FRIENDS AND NEW ENEMIES

    Newark Rappare later appears in Demontage despite being killed here. His appearance in Demontage leads into his appointment at St Oscar's University, making the two books contemporaneous.

    Divson Follett is first seen here, although he was previously mentioned in Oh No It isn't!. He will appear in various Benny books.

    Emelia Winston is an elderly academic who returns in Tears of the Oracle.

    Commander Skutloid the Ice Warror has a brief introductory scene here. He will also appear in later NAs, most notably The Medusa Effect and Tears of the Oracle.

    Reddik is a Knight of Jeneve who worked for Romolo Nusek.

    Webbe is Nusek's commander in chief. The Shakespeare building is introduced on page 13 and seen again later, including Deadfall.

    CONTINUITY COCK-UPS

    None.

    PLUGGING THE HOLES [Fan-wank theorizing of how to fix continuity cock-ups]

     N/A

    FEATURED ALIEN RACES

     The Steggodons, known as Steggies, herd animals with limited intelligence and dismemberment rituals.

    Mastrov is a cybernetic assassin.

    FEATURED LOCATIONS

    Dellah, 2593

    Nusek's Palace on Tharn.

    An archaeological dig and surroundings on Stanturus Three.

    A shuttle.

    Nusek's cruiser.

    Talisman Station.

    Braxiatel's personal shuttle.

    IN SUMMARY - Robert Smith?

    Dragons' Wrath is better known for the various elements it introduces or reintroduces into the Benny line than for the quality of the story on display. There are the usual Richards' plot twists, some of which are quite clever, but it feels a bit like Richards running on autopilot. It's a mostly solid NA, with Benny as Indiana Jones and some nifty historical setup, but it doesn't grab the reader the way it should.