ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ithout the faith and enthusiasm of Emma
Barnes and Lou Anders, this novel might never have been published.
Without the encouragement and unfailing positivity of George Mann,
it might never have been written. Without the influence and genius
of Mike Moorcock, it might never have been conceived. My heartfelt
thanks to all.
I'd also like to express my gratitude to Saladin Ahmed, who helped with the Arabic, and to Stephane Rouvillois, who helped with the French.
A Rage to Live by Mary S. Lovell was at my side throughout this project. There are a great many biographies of Sir Richard Francis Burton, but this, in my opinion, is by far the best.
To Yolanda Lerma: thank you for being so patient, so supportive, and for feeding me!
Finally, the "famous names" who feature herein are national heroes who loom large in the British consciousness. In this novel I have, with my tongue in my cheek, mercilessly trampled on their reputations and turned them into something they most definitely were not. I did so secure in the knowledge that my tampering will damage their stature not one little bit.
