Dec
17
2006
Book 3 in the Temeraire
Author: Naomi Novik
ISBN: 0345481305
DDC: 813.6
See also: LibraryThing ; Wikipedia entry ; aarti chapati
The hot wind blowing into Macao was sluggish and unrefreshing, only stirring up the rotting salt smell of the harbor, the fish-corpses and great knots of black-red seaweed, the effluvia of human and dragon wastes.
I can’t say very much about the plot of this book without giving away plot details from Book 2. I enjoyed this more than the second, maybe because I read it straight after and so was more in the mindset of the books, or maybe because I liked the story better, or maybe simply because it is a better book. Whatever the reason, if you liked the previous two books in this series you’ll want to read on.
We get yet more adventures from Temerarie and William, but we also get to see more of the world that Novik has created. Plus feral dragons and Temeraire’s desire to get home and help free British dragons from their almost-slavery.
I think my favourite character of this book is the new dragon Iskierka, although she isn’t a major character Show Spoilers ▼
only hatching midway through the book
she is pretty forceful. If the series continues in this manner, light adventure, then I’ll continue to read along.
Tags:
7 Stars,
813.6,
alternate history,
Black Powder War,
Britain - Napoleonic wars,
dragons,
fun,
historical fiction,
Naomi Novik,
series,
sff,
Temeraire
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Dec
17
2006
Book 2 in the Temeraire series
Author: Naomi Novik
ISBN: 0345481291
DDC: 813.6
See also: LibraryThing ; Naomi Novik’s LJ ; Sandstorm Reviews
The day was unseasonably warm for November, but in some misguided deference to the Chinese embassy, the fire in the Admiralty boardroom has been heaped excessively high, and Laurence was standing directly before it.
In the first book of this series Novik introduced the slightly alternate Napoleonic world she had created; one with dragons used as instruments of war. In this book the action moves to China. Temeraire is a Chinese dragon, not only that, but a Celestial, the breed of dragon reserved for the Imperial family, and the Chinese are not too happy that William Laurence is his captain. And from a diplomatic point of view the English government want to keep China happy, even that means sending Temeraire off to China. And because a dragon won’t easily be parted from his captain, that means that Laurence must go too.
I didn’t really enjoy this book as much as the first one, they spent far too long at sea on the transport, and although some of it was entertaining, I felt that it wasn’t as engaging as the first book. Nevertheless it is still very enjoyable and well worth the read.
Novik does a good job in expanding her ‘verse, the Chinese have a very different outlook on dragons, and this begins to impact on the relationship between Laurence and Temeraire, with Laurence wondering if perhaps the dragon would be better off staying in China.
I may not have liked it as much as the first, but I’d still recommend it.
Tags:
7 Stars,
813.6,
alternate history,
Britain - Napoleonic wars,
dragons,
fun,
historical fiction,
Naomi Novik,
series,
sff,
Temeraire,
Throne of Jade
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