Author: Naomi Novik
Date Published: July 8th 2008
Publisher: Del Rey
Source: Audible
Length: 332 pages, or 10 hours and 29 minutes on audiobooks
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Shelfari | Goodreads | Audible
Synopsis: Naomi Novik's triumphant debut, His Majesty's Dragon, introduced a dynamic new pair of heroes to the annals of fantasy fiction: the noble fighting dragon Temeraire and his master and commander, Capt. Will Laurence. Now in the latest novel, they soar to new heights of breathtaking action and brilliant imagination. It is a grim time for the dragon Temeraire. On the heels of his mission to Africa, seeking the cure for a deadly contagion, he has been removed from military service - and his captain, Will Laurence, has been condemned to death for treason. For Britain, conditions are grimmer still: Napoleon's resurgent forces have breached the Channel and successfully invaded English soil. Napoleon's prime objective: the occupation of London. Separated by their own government and threatened at every turn by Napoleon's forces, Laurence and Temeraire must struggle to find each other amid the turmoil of war and to aid the resistance against the invasion before Napoleon's foothold on England's shores can become a stranglehold. If only they can be reunited, master and dragon might rally Britain's scattered forces and take the fight to the enemy as never before - for king and country, and for their own liberty. But can the French aggressors be well and truly routed, or will a treacherous alliance deliver Britain into the hands of her would-be conquerors?
My Rating:
★★★★
In A Sentence:
A very good installment to an entertaining series.
My Thoughts:
I'm definitely having fun with this series, and this book most certainly contributed to it. Temeraire is proving time and again that dragons are intelligent and should be treated as equals, in ways that are both perfectly sound, and highly amusing. I love how the military leaders get continuously flabbergasted by Temeraire and his ideas. I keep laughing and cheering every time. It was nice (although a little confusing) to hear the narration from Temeraire's point of view this time, even if it only was for part of the story. Naomi Novik really did an excellent job with this series; I just want to keep reading, if only to see if Temeraire will eventually succeed and become a recognized hero.
What's holding me back from 5 stars is the fact that I don't currently feel the inclination to re-read the books. I really am enjoying them, but there are good portions of the plot that I felt reading once was enough. And I don't really get Laurence. When it comes to debating issues, I tend to side more with Temeraire than I do with Laurence, so perhaps the reason I can't love the series is because I can't fully empathize with one of the main protagonists. I do, however, really love Temeraire, and I'll definitely continue with the series for his sake.
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