A magnificent alternate history, which begins in 17th century London. Edmund Cordery, Mechanician to King Richard the Lion Heart, believes the secret and supposedly magical process by which men become vampires must have a natural explanation. His knowledge becomes dangerous in the view of his masters when he builds a microscope and he brings his treasonous career to a swift and dramatic climax.  He entrusts his secrets to his son Noell, who lives as a fugitive, living in fear of discovery by the vampires of Europe. Noell’s adventures take him to Africa where vampires are revered as holy men. Accompanied by his lover, he journeys into the interior to witness strange and horrifying rituals in which men receive the gifts of immortality and freedom from pain. But when he returns to Europe to use his discovery he must face the awesome might of the armada of King Richard and Vlad the Impaler. Only in the final chapters are the ultimate effects of Noell’s discovery made clear.