The Sword of Forever (novel)

The cover of this novel was the last to feature the "The New Adventures" titling and the "NA" logo. It was also the final to feature a conventionally illustrated cover; all future covers were computer-aided in design rather than this and previous covers' painting/drawn aesthetic. As such, this was the final Virgin novel to feature Bernice Summerfield on the cover; the next prose-based publication she would appear on would be 2000's Big Finish Productions' anthology Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Dead Men Diaries.

This was also the final monthly release in the novel series. Hereafter, the frequency of release was reduced.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

"I'm sure the Beach Boys didn't have mutant elephants in mind when they wrote "Surfin' USA.".

When Bernice Summerfield finds human skull fragments containing her own DNA in the stomach of a mummified dinosaur, she embarks on a trail of murder and betrayal. From the alien jungles of France to the primal continent of Pangaea, the trail leads ever further back in time. Together with Patience, the cloned smart-raptor, Benny must brave alien hybrids, agents of the Knights Templar guarding a secret older than time — and have breakfast with the man who would be Emperor of Earth.

All to find the fabled Sword of Forever, a mythical device with the power to destroy and create civilisations — but at what price?

Everything goes critical as Bernice and Patience travel across 120 million years and two universes — where ancient traps guard crumbling ruins, love is unrequited, time is running out, treasure is always buried and X never fails to mark the spot.

Chapter titles[[edit] | [edit source]]

Prologue: Guardians of Forever

Egypt: 1287
Arginy: 2562
Paris: 1307
Arginy: 2560
Paris: 1314

Part One: A Map of Skulls

Antarctica: 2595
Paris: 1314
Antarctica: 2595
Paris: 1314
Egypt: 2595
Paris: 1314
London: 2595
Arginy: 1354
London: 2595

Part Two: The Breath of the Serpent

Pangaia: 80 Million BC
London: 2595
Pangaia: 80 Million BC
London: 2595
Pangaia: 80 Million BC
The Midlands: 2595
Pangaia: 80 Million BC
Glasgow: 2595
Pangaia: 80 Million BC
Loch Ness: 2595
Pangaia: 80 Million BC
Loch Ness: 2595
Pangaia: 80 Million BC
Loch Ness: 2595
Pangaia: 80 Million BC
London: 2595

Part Three: A Labyrinth of Ghosts

Arginy: 2595
Ethiopia: 2575
Arginy: 2595
Ethiopia: 2575
Arginy: 2595
Ethiopia: 2575
Arginy: 2595
Ethiopia: 2575
Paris: 2595
Hampuchea: 2577
Paris: 2595

Part Four: The Blood and the Flame

Antioch: 2595
Pangaia: 80 Million Anno Quincunx
Hampuchea: 2595
The Orient: 4500 Anno Quincunx
Hampuchea: 2595
Jerusalem: 3355 Anno Quincunx
Hampuchea: 2595
Hampuchea: 150 Anno Quincunx
Quincunx

Epilogue: The Birth of Forever

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Organisations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Knights Templar agents follow Benny throughout her quest.

Religion[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Freemasons assassinate Benny.

Sports[[edit] | [edit source]]

Bernice plays and loses a game of netball to a blind priest (who sees by faith).

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

This is the last novel to have the "New Adventures" front-cover logo and title that had been in place since Oh No It Isn't! (although it was retained on the spine) and the cover design format that had been in place since Happy Endings.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Benny trades the platinum American Express card that the Doctor gave her and Jason in PROSE: Happy Endings and Eternity Weeps.
Benny previously encountered intelligent dinosaurs in PROSE: Blood Heat.

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]