Empire of Ivory by

2 June 2008


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Image of Empire of Ivory
Book 4 in the Temeraire series.
ISBN: 9780007256747
See also: Other reviews ; Novik’s LJ

“Send up another, damn you, send them all up, at once if you have to,” Laurence said savagely to poor Calloway, who did not deserve to be sworn at: the gunner was firing off the flares so quickly his hands were scorched black, skin cracking and peeling to bright red where some power had spilled onto his fingers; he was not stopping to wipe them clean before setting each flare to the match.

Dragons and the Napoleonic wars. What could possibly be better? Well, I suppose there really isn’t too much of the Napoleonic wars in this book. Laurence and Temeraire are back from their trip to China, but they had returned to a plague. The dragons of Britain are ill; some are dead and more are dying. So off they head to maybe track down a cure. And of course they get embroiled in plenty of adventures along the way.

I do enjoy these books. But I always feel like I could enjoy them a hell of a lot more. Novik’s writing does the job, but she never manages to really grip me as a reader. Yes the story is fine and I turn the pages to find out what happens next, so she has more than done her job there, but her characters are a little lacking for my liking. And while her style tells a good story there is nothing more there.

Nothing wrong with that. I’m just always hoping for more :)

If you’ve enjoyed the previous books I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one too. It is after all, more of the same, with some extras thrown in, like Africa, more on the slave-trade, and well, to tell more would be spoilerish wouldn’t it.

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