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Customer Reviews:- And where do we go from here? (SPOILERS)
I wanted to like this book so much. I loved the first three (and most of four); I read the advance chapter and I just about hung over the reserve librarian until my copy showed up.
But after reading VoE, I spent the rest of the weekend in a sizeable depression. Lawrence can't forgive himself, and I halfway felt he didn't forgive Temeraire for talking him into his treason. They're on their way to Australia on a convict ship (although carrying dragon eggs) and I can't imagine where Ms. Novik is going to take this series and keep up what she had done so well in the earlier books. Not to mention both Lawrence and Temeraire being cut by former crew and friends and Lawrence enduring another death that cuts quite close to home.
The good news is insight into dragon relations, Temeraire's joy at getting his Lawrence back (and organizing a dragon militia in the process). Missing are Volly and James and not much insight into Harcourt, Tom, Lily and only small parts for Maximus and Berkley.
All in all, this was not what I had been hoping for. Let's see what happens next.
p.s. Why is anyone surprised that Temeraire hasn't gotten an egg yet? I don't have a copy of "Throne of Jade" handy, but didn't they say that Celestials can't be bred?...more info - too much contradiction
This series was a fun read, but now it is simply getting too muddled. There are too many contradictions in key areas:
1 - Laurence bringing the cure to France (from the previous book, but the setup for this book): this was made so melodramatic, if it had to be a spur of the moment decision by Laurence. As Jane even points out in this book, there were so many other ways to take care of this. For instance, let the French dragons get sick, and then hold France hostage and force a surrender from Napoleon, then give the dragons the cure. Its not as though Napoleon is trying to kill you and wipe out your dragons, oh wait, yes he is. L and T's actions save a hundred or so dragons (who didn't have to die anyway) and let the war continue, and cost the lives of tens of thousands of British commoners and troops and dragons. That is treason and Laurence should have been shot on the spot.
Nevertheless, I waited for the paperback edition to see if Naomi could pull out a better story in V of E. Well she did not, in fact she continues:
2 - Temeraire is fighting, but does not use the divine wind - ???? He uses it once and kills a dragon with it. All these people and dragons dying, why not use this weapon if T is so eager to fight??? What better way to learn and be able to handle this weapon. The fire dragon uses her flame on other dragons, the ground, etc
3 - T fights dragons but rarely seems to kill them? Yet sometimes he does? Are they fighting a war or not? He often yells coward at the retreating, injured dragons, wow what a dumb animal. These dragons are coming back and killing T's dragons, friends, British soldiers, ships etc what is his (Naomi's) problem with using the weapons he has.
4 - Tactics and inconsistent results- Naomi needs to consult a war historian/tacticion: the british suck and the french have great tactics (apparently). Supposedly these groups have had dragons for at least a couple of hundred years, yet they do not know how to use them. It was a revelation in a previous book to use the dragons to ferry a bunch of soldiers, but really something that simple took a chinese dragon to introduce after all those years? Lets look at how this works: the French are moving their forces, and cannons etc in some leapfrog fashion (as painfully explained during the book) throughout the day. Yet when T and the other dragons try this sort of stuff for the British, they become tired very quickly. Well, so when the French march like this, why not simply attack them at the end of the day when the dragons are tired. Further the brits have acid throwing dragons - well, that is simple, simply fly over the French and spit acid down - it is going to go through everything including French dragons - opps, Naomi didn't think of that when she created those dragons. This is similar to the scene at the start of the book when the French dragons are shooting harpoons at the ships????? Really??? Sounds cool, but this means the dragons are coming within easy firing range and would suffer massive casualities from musket fire from the ships, or from attacks from British dragons. Naomi tries to justify this, but then, the french bring their rafts of soldiers across, without any British dragons being able to attack???? How come French dragons can get through ground fire etc, but British dragons can't? Which would be harder to attack for a dragon? A British gun ship or a French raft? Why not send an acid spitting dragon up against Napoleon's ships that are bottled up by the British Navy. Unfortunately, I could go on and on. I am not trying to nitpick, and this is fiction, but it would be nice to see some consistency. Another reviewer said something similar: it is hard to feel sorry for people that are so stupid (the brits).
5 - For some reason it seems bad that L and T and other dragons are going and killing the foragers from Nappy's army. This disgrace is heaped on top of the treason L has already committed. I don't get this at all, especially the way that Naomi describes it: the French have gone in to the first village and killed peasants to get food for the army and dragons, suddenly L and T feel justified to kill the French foragers. But then she waffles back on that and L,T and all the othere dragons and officers don't want to do this any more as somehow it is dishonorable. Wrecking supply lines has always been an important part of warfare, where is the dishonor in that. Were the peasants killed righteously by the French foragers? Why this reluctance to kill French men and dragons - they brought this war to your country - kill them - end of story. Napoleon certainly has no qualms about killing brits or their dragons.
5 - the battle scene at the end with the ships shooting cannon balls at all of the dragons. How far does Naomi think these cannon balls can fly? These are not modern day battleships and munitions. These are cannonballs with limited height and range. Can't the French dragons fly a bit higher?
6 - escape of Napoleon and Tien - really again, like someone else said, this sounds like a comic book. Tien killed Nelson and 14!!!! ships. None of the dragons, or the divine wind can be used against Napoleon's tent? A small dragon goes in and captures the captain from one dragon. Can't another one go in and pluck out Napoleon? After all they have just overwhelmed the french dragons. Tien is tired, why does Temeraire not go after her. Use the divine wind on her? She is being supported by two other dragons. How fast are the 3 of them flying? As fast as unencumbered, and unharnessed British dragons? Wasn't it in an earlier book where T was supporting some injured dragon and as a result they were flying very slowly.
Its too bad, Naomi has a good imagination to have developed this world. And it has some great potential. However, she has not pulled it off in this book and she needs to consult some experts to make her army tactics 'realistic'. The book has a very predictable rise and fall to the rhythmn and nothing good seems to happen to L and T. They should go back to China where L is a Prince and T is revered! I certainly am not left with any sympathetic feeling for Laurence's honor toward England. Especially because it is always causing massive problems for T....more info - Best in the series since the the first
Victory of Eagles was everything that I would want in this series. Nonstop action, daring rescues, political bluster, and a sad, though necessary conclusion. I thought it was better than any in the series except for the first. Instead of long adventures to far overseas places with copious world-building, we are in merry old, familiar Britain which is threatened by Napoleon's tyranny. A wonderful read, hopefully not the end to this terrific series....more info - excelent seller
The seller was excelent, very reliable and fast, I ordered the book on a Wed. and got it on the following Mon....more info - Great Continuation of a Great Series
I really enjoyed this book, as I have enjoyed every book in this series. I was pleased that the book did not dwell on Lawrence's public humiliation (although clearly showing us his remorse and better understanding of all the ramifications of his actions - Temeraire, although evolving, still lacks a good understanding of the diffused and devastating effect one action can trigger). The invasion of England was also interestin alternate history, and the evolution of the dragon militia fascinating. Can't wait to see where the series goes from here; I wish Novik wrote faster!...more info - Not the best, but still wonderfully Temeraire. ('Ware spoilers!)
Caution: Spoilers hidden within.
Reading Naomi Novik's Temeraire series is like eating a big Thanksgiving feast: no matter how slowly you try to take it, you can't help but gulp it all down in one go, and then all you want to do is lay very still and absorb.
I've been a fan of the series since a customer recommended them to me a couple summers ago. I think the ideas are wonderfully fresh, the writing captivating, and the story rich. I enjoyed this book more than I've enjoyed almost any other in a long time.
That being said, I did not like this one as much as the others.
But! Complements first!
I really enjoyed getting into Temeraire's head and also starting to understand how the dragons think. We get to see so much more of their thoughts in this one; it's fascinating. What's also interesting is how different a dragon's idea of the world is from a human's.
Making the emotions of the characters tangible to the reader is one of Novik's strongest skills. Laurence's depression comes through so clearly that I had to put the book down at the end of the second part and walk away for an hour. The feeling that there is no resolution, no way to repair what's been done, is almost too much much to take; I don't know how Laurence managed it. And when Temeraire thought Laurence was dead, I wanted to cry, his pain came through so clearly (see especially page 76).
As always, the battle scenes were so intense I held my breath for most of them (a mistake, since holding one's breath for twenty some pages makes it difficult to continue reading after a while). The sheer brutality of this war - death, destruction, loss, dishonorable tactics - comes through more clearly in this book than in the others.
I enjoyed seeing some of Temeraire's original crew, too. I quite miss having Granby around and Hollin was a great character. Tharkay plays a surprisingly significant role, which was exciting in its own way - not that this fast-paced book needs any more excitement!
Now, for a little, tiny bit of criticism...
Some of the things I so enjoy about this book are also among the reasons I don't like it as well as the others.
For one, the tone of the story is so grim at parts that it becomes painful to read. It seems Temeraire and Laurence might never be completely happy again; and that's a hard feeling to transfer to the reader.
As enjoyable as it is to gain insight on Temeraire's way of thinking, it also makes the story hard to follow in places. I understand why she wrote it that way, since he and Laurence are separated for the beginning of the book, but I prefer the story more focused around Laurence.
I feel she added too many new dragon characters. While some are interesting and give some life to the dragons beyond those we already know, it also becomes hard to keep track of who is who. And we get to see less of our old favorites, Maximus, Lily, Volly, and Celeritas, to name a few.
I also disliked the ending. There really seems to be no resolution for Laurence. He's not going to forgive himself for his treason, and his country isn't either. His relationship with Jane appears to be over, many of his crew won't even look at him, and he's dishonored his family. Now he's headed for Australia. How is he going to make it right? (And, more importantly, how is Novik going to make it right?)
But I really did enjoy the book, despite it's faults. I have high hopes for the next. I don't know what's in Australia, but Novik does. And I'd like to know a few things: why hasn't Temeraire sired an egg? What's happening in Australia? Will Temeraire and Lien EVER have a final showdown?
And how is Britain getting rid of Napoleon?
Victory of Eagles (Temeraire, Book 5)...more info - Dont like the ending
This being the fifth book of fiction in the series I was really disappointed in the ending. Shipping them off to a remote colony as prisoners to a life of hard work and leaving it ending as they are on the ship under guard reading a book with no real closure disappointed me to no end. It made me wish I had never read the series. The author totally disregarded her own writing where the dragon and his handler were promised a pardon if the other dragons fought which they did. Yes I know it was Temeraire not Laurence that who got them to fight but they were offered a pardon in exchange for the fighting and what does the author do? Totally forgets and has them put aboard a prison ship as prisoners under guard. I really really hated that ending and was hoping they could return to China since he was officially a prince - another issue how could the British imprison him for life of hard work without issues with China? The author totally missed excellent opportunities for a better resolution of the story line. I dont care about history comparisons this is pure fiction and even though it loosely parallels some parts of history it is a work of fiction and that is how I and many other I am sure read the stories. ...more info - Wonderful
Interesting - having read one of the more negative reviews pointing out that Ms Novik does not convey the same patriotism as the O'brien novels, I have to disagree. O'brien used Maturin to contrast Aubrey's blind patriotism and cast it into doubt. Ms Novik does the same - however in this case she uses Temeraire's innocense framed within the contempory British attemptes to ban slavery and contrasted with Lawrence's dutiful patriotism to very similar affect. I for one found myself rooting against Britain at various times in nearly every historical novel I have read, while at the same time hoping the main charectors triumph. I should say that I am an American and to me Britain was just as tyrannical as Napoleanic France if not quite so foolishly aggressive.Her books are wonderful in that they entertain unabashedly while stimulating you to think. ...more info - It's pretty good...
[...]
It was a great, fast read. As others have said, well paced. It only picks up the ball directly from the return of Laurence and Tremaire to England, nothing about the more significant geopolitical events from Empire of Ivory is more than tangentially mentioned. I suspect this is at the point in which world-building gets to be much more of a challenge for Naomi Novik, but we aren't *that* far through the Napoleonic conflicts so the series itself is not going to be running out of steam soon....more info - one of the best books in the series
I was disappointed in the predecessor to this book (Empire of Ivory), so I was wary when I began this book. Not to worry. Novik has regained her stride in telling Temeraire's story.
The engaging characters are still there, with the intriguing backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars in an alternate history. Both Temeraire and Laurence develop and change in this book (I liked that), and Novik introduces more new characters, mostly draconic, for readers to meet, like, and love. For readers who want action, there's lots of it, as Temeraire and Laurence resist Napoleon's latest incursion on England and encounter the day-to-day challenges of war.
As with the previous books, Novik shows a solid grasp of history, and the book has undercurrents about the morality of war and its costs, and the right to justice and freedom for all citizens. Not heavy-duty, but the themes are there if you care to examine them. Novik lightens these hard questions with a sly humor as Temeraire rises in the world of men-- a welcome touch.
Overall, an enjoyable, good read, and a thought-provoking one as well. Along with the first Temeraire book, one of my favorite books in the series....more info - Sad, Funeral Dirgelike
I was so excited about this book, I rushed out to buy it the day it came out. Sure, Empire of Ivory wasn't the best in the series, but it was still fun and interesting and best of all, hard to put down so I was 100% sure this would be the same.
WRONG! I almost quit reading when every other page had Laurence feeling guilty over his part in saving the dragons of the world from germ warfare by the British Government.
Laurence moped around like a geisha with big feet feeling sorry for himself pretty much the entire book, ugh. I'm not sure if this can be fixed in the next book. I will give the next one a try, but frankly my hopes aren't high.
...more info - So-so alternate history, plus dragons
Sigh. After the rip-roaring ending to the last novel in the series, this one comes as a severe disappointment. (Minor spoilers follow.)
If you, like me, were expecting this book to start with some excruciating emotional torture (while watching Laurence being manhandled, locked up, and condemned to death for treason, etc. etc.), you'll know you're in trouble from the first paragraph. The most compelling part of what-happens-next was simply left out, and into this emotional vacuum strides a rather limp and depressed Laurence, along with a preoccupied Temeraire. Neither of them does anything compelling thereafter.
Yes, Laurence has reason to be depressed. He also has reason to be incandescently angry: his country wants to murder him for having prevented the near annihilation of a sentient species. I expected more in the way of spine from him, I suppose, not the total capitulation we get at the end of act two. His character has lost his spirit, the relationship between Laurence and Temeraire has settled into a rut, and I was so uninterested in the whole thing by the end of the book that I only finished reading it out of habit.
I hope the next one's better....more info - Excellent alternate historical fantasy
The war rages on between England and France, but Napoleon's forces have landed on English soil. At the same Will Laurence knows he did the right moral thing when he betrayed his country but also feels anguish for doing so (see EMPIRE OF IVORY) as he realizes Napoleon is bringing the atrocities of war to his people thanks in part to his seditious act. Already convicted of treason, he believes he deserves to die even if he still feels he acted ethically as slavery is an abomination.
Meanwhile his dragon Temeraire is bored and grieving as he assumes Will is dead and cannot stand the haggling hags who he shares the Pen Y Fan breeding pen with in Wales as a guest of the state. However, having enough with their jealousies and constant bickering, Temeraire quickly turns them into a dragon force led by him.
When the ship bringing prisoner Laurence to England for his execution goes down in the Channel, he survives. He is given a stay if he reunites with Temeraire to bring the Divine Wind against Bonaparte, who controls London.
The fifth tale in this alternate historical fantasy is a superb entry even as Will and Temeraire stay home unlike the world traveling of the previous novels (see THRONE OF JADE, HIS MAJESTY'S DRAGON, and BLACK POWDER WAR). The story line is fast-paced from the onset while once gain insuring dragons at war seem genuine. However it is Laurence's conflicting anguish between knowing he did right vs. betraying his country and Temeraire's doubts as to how to help him move past his angst make this a strong military fantasy. Fans of the Naomi Novik saga will appreciate this excellent entry even if Temeraire's miraculous conversion of the cackling dragons into a precise aerial military unit in Guinness Book of Records time seems implausible as the heroes debate my country right or wrong.
Harriet Klausner
...more info - Series not yet back to its original glory
While this book is a great page turner that I read in a few hours, I did not feel it was nearly as good as the first couple of books. As the series has gone on, I find that Ms. Novik's alternate history and the motivations of the characters become less and less believable. Fredtownward's review of Empire of Ivory (Temeraire, Book 4) covers my thoughts very well.
I also find myself caring a lot less about the characters. You get some interesting insights into Temeraire's thoughts, and the scenes of dragons discussing things among themselves are very enjoyable. However, there are too many new and minor characters and not enough time is spent on characters introduced in earlier books.
Finally, unlike the noble Britain of Patrick O'Brian's or Bernard Cornwall's worlds standing against the tyrant Napoleon, the British in Temeraire's world don't seem worthy of devotion or loyalty. I am having a hard time understanding why the main characters - particularly the dragons - would feel such patriotism. It is very interesting that Ms. Novik has added enough complexity to her world that you often wonder while reading, "would it really be so bad if Napoleon won?" But, in the last couple of books I've actually been rooting for him.
I'll give this series one more book to get out of it's slump, but then I'm done....more info - Sober Heroism and Quiet Companionship in Dark and Desperate Times
"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost." --Arthur Ashe
EMPIRE OF IVORY was a grand exploration adventure to a strange civilization on a mysterious continent. I missed seeing Lawrence and Temeraire within the milieu of the armed services battling against Napoleon, however. This book returns them to all that with a vengeance.
We last saw our heroes finding a cure for the dragon plague, but then having to choose to do what should be the right thing over Lawrence's oath to his service and his country. Lawrence insists on returning to face dishonor and death --or a postponed death while he's held hostage for Temeraire's good behavior, since the country still wishes to keep the rare Celestial dragon.
Temeraire is relegated to the very boring, for him, breeding grounds in Wales. Lawrence is kept prisoner aboard ship, where he is able to see when Napoleon launches his invasion of England. This disaster overshadows, at least a bit, the crime of Lawrence and Temeraire. He is still a condemned traitor (at a time when hanging, drawing and quartering was still technically in effect for that capital crime), a disgrace to his family and friends and all he served with, and drummed from the service, but now there is some more immediate need for Temeraire. Lawrence is ordered to go and retrieve Temeraire for active service.
This is not a happy time for Lawrence. He's for all intents and purposes a broken man, save for his desire to keep Temeraire alive and, if not happy, at least not grieving for him before it becomes impossible to avoid. Lawrence has to deal with the fact that doing the right thing can have dark consequences. For Temeraire, it is all so much simpler (or relatively so. Temeraire is complex for a dragon, as most just want to be kept fed. Temeraire wants rights for dragons. And he wants Lawrence back, no matter what. Lawrence, however glad he is to be back with Temeraire, carries a load of guilt for what he has done, right or not. Napoleon would not have been able to invade but for his actions.
And in the meantime, Napoleon is heading for London, his troops and his dragons strong and organized. The British government and its military are in shock and disarray, the countryside is raided for the supply of the French: very dark and desperate times, indeed.
The action is intense and fast-paced, between small skirmishes and full-scale battles. The suspense and tension is unrelenting, with physical danger threatening as well as the uncertain fate of Lawrence and Temeraire. The focus is concentrated on Lawrence and Temeraire and the invasion of England. The quiet despair of Lawrence, who keeps fighting because of his love of country and Temeraire, is poignant and evocative. His struggle with his conscious and the consequences of his action is deeply moving and thought-provoking.
I was touched by Lawrence's sacrifices in the very first book in this series, in order to be with Temeraire and do his duty to his country; and also caught up in Temeraire's unconditional love for Lawrence. These characters and their relationship and Lawrence's sense of honor and duty, are the essence of this series. All these things and more are brought back to the forefront once more in this book, and I adored it. I am more a fan of this series than ever.
...more info - Incredible!
This is one of the best series involving dragons that I have ever read! The way Novik tells a story is not only excellent, but also believable. I highly recommend this to anyone who has ever liked Mercedes Lackey, Anne McAffrey, Alan Dean Foster and/or Piers Anthony!...more info - Victory Of Eagles; positive but mixed, needs some happy (Spoiler)
I came late to the Temeraire series, downloading the free - Her Majesty's Dragon a little over a week ago and reading the entire series as if one big book in the last 7 days.
First the positive: I love most of the ideals of the series, freedom, respect, self determination, honor dignity, responsibility and loyalty regardless of race, creed, color or in this case species. I actually cried when Levitas looked up at his captain the heartless Rankin and said with his dying breath, "you came". I tear up thinking about that moment, as I write this review. I love the different perspective the series presents again and again, seeing issues from the "other side" forces me to think outside my own paradigms. I enjoy that rather than a stereotypic presentation of Napoleon, the author instead chooses to focus on his need to influence, strategic decision making and subtle stabs ie: knowing that by sparing Lord Allendale's home he pushes Laurence further away from the Lordship and military leaders of England. I enjoyed the introduction of Percitia who refused to fight and instead used her intellect despite the fear of being labeled a coward. I enjoyed the idea that the Dragons would finally recognize their right to free will.
Now to what ultimately left me unfulfilled.
1. As amazed as I am to say this, I'm getting tired, no bored of William Laurence. Laurence takes great pride in his honor and resulting self sacrifice, but again and again is willing to potentially put Temeraire in a position of a century(s) of misery only to serve his now ridiculous sense of honor (there is no honor or duty in genocide). First by returning to England after providing a cure to the Dragon Plague, and then again at the end of this book by accepting a life sentence of hard labor for both of them instead of offending his sense of honor and defending his right to freedom based on the promise provided during the invasion. While he obviously has good intent, but if he truly believed Dragons to be equal creatures then he should feel less guilty for preventing genocide. He should be more willing to argue his case, "honorable" or not. Strangely, if Laurence were to die the prime emotional kick in the gut would be how it would effect Temeraire, a bad sign. Laurence should be able to stand on his own as a character and if he's going to, he needs to stop being so dark, always.
2. They are never happy. I'm finding that the lack of ebb and flow in their happiness is inoculating me when things go bad, things are always going bad. At some point Temeraire/Laurence need to be happy so when that happiness is disturbed it actually feels like a loss.
3. Little incongruities in ideals mentioned above in the positives. The author goes to great lengths to present the idea that Percitia (who is slow, small and will not fight) still has great value to the war cause and dragons in general. Percitia comes up with a idea that likley saves the day, yet without much thought their pay scale is set on the size of each Dragon, reducing them again to livestock, and they agree?? The whole idea of having a smallish dragon attend the negotiations was to ensure equal payment/treatment, then they agree to a livestock weight/pay agreement?
4. Lien/Temeraire - I don't mind that they don't meet in battle, I just wish the author would allow Temeraire to grow a little and be more strategic, not continually outwitted by Lien. Its the dragon version of the Laurence problem. If Lien is never (2 books), disappointed and always ahead, it's no surprise when she again outsmarts Temeraire and his group. Even in this book, the trap was fallen into not by Lien but by Napoleon. The repeated Lien escapes would be more rewarding if there was ever even the smallest sense of risk for her.
5. This is my final criticism. I'm going to buy the next book and the first thing I'm going to do is turn to the back page. If Laurence or Temerarie are *again* in chains, arrested, injured and dying, or otherwise in dire straights it will be the last, of a series I love. There are far better ways to provide a bridge to the next book than to have every book end with some unresolved bad situation, that starts to feel like a comic book after awhile.
So how did I give this book 4 stars?
The author has an excellent ability to get you to understand the characters and their motivations. The stories are interesting and have enough history embedded so you almost feel compelled to review the historical subject matter after the fact.
And most important, Temeraire is the kind of companion anyone would love to have by their side, whatever species. ...more info - A rip-roaring adventure story with substance
While I enjoyed the first volume of the Temeraire series, "His Majesty's Dragon", I thought the subsequent novels really dropped in quality. It got to the point that after the last novel, "Empire of Ivory", I considered dropping the series since I was discouraged about how events were progressing. After the first novel, I wanted to further read about Napoleon's attempts to invade Great Britain, as that was the most gripping conflict in the novel. Instead in "Throne of Jade", "Black Powder War" and "Empire of Ivory", Temeraire and Laurence are traveling the world, engaging more in events I would consider to be subplots than furthering the main conflict: the Napoleonic War between Britain and France. That's not to say, there hasn't been plot points essential to the story in the travelogue trilogy that renders these books unnecessary. There just isn't enough movement in the main conflict in these books.
Now in "Victory of Eagles", Naomi Novik has shifted the setting back wholly to Britain and Scotland. And to make this even better: Napoleon finally invades. This immensely helps the storyline, making "Victory of Eagles" the best Temeraire novel since "His Majesty's Dragon". Unfortunately, the ending of "Victory of Eagles" suggests to me that the series may go on indefinitely. An immediate resolution of the Napoleonic War does not appear to be at hand. I'd like to see Novik wrap the series up, but I'm not holding out much hope. Still, she has captured the best elements in the series here, while expanding the emotional depth displayed by Laurence and Temeraire.
At the end of "Empire of Ivory", Laurence and Temeraire had committed a treasonous act when they supplied Napoleon with a cure for the sickness plaguing his dragons. Now, Laurence finds himself locked away in a British naval vessel's brig, so his location will remain a secret from Temeraire. Not surprisingly, he's been convicted of treason and sentenced to hang, though not imminently as the British are keeping him alive in order to keep Temeraire in check. Meanwhile, Temeraire is at the breeding grounds, suffering from depression and loneliness about his situation.
Soon Napoleon invades and gains a foothold in Britain, shattering Temeraire's bout of self-pity. But bad news follows as Temeraire mistakenly believes that Laurence has been tragically killed during the course of the invasion. With a burning desire to now fight the French, Temeraire organizes the unharnessed dragons of the breeding ground into an army, and strikes out after the invaders. Much to both their delights, Laurence and Temeraire are soon reunited and quickly enlisted to help defend against Napoleon's march on London. But after a crushing defeat by the French, Temeraire and Laurence must flee to Scotland with the remainder of the English army. There they hatch a plan to win the country back from the French and capture Napoleon in the process.
Novik has delivered a peach of a novel, returning to the form that made "His Majesty's Dragon" so enjoyable. The intense battles are great and immersive, while the guerrilla warfare with dragons is a very interesting idea. Interestingly, the characters have become much more introspective in "Victory of Eagles"; Laurence in particular must learn to live under the huge stigma of being a traitor. He finds himself essentially dispossessed of his career, reputation and wealth, leaving him alone with only his conscience. Eventually, he even battles for that before realizing that it is his last and most valuable possession and should not be so easily given away. "Victory of Eagles" explores the sometimes bitter consequences of making a hard moral decision, and this elevates the novel in my estimation. Novik doesn't let her characters get off easy, and that makes the consequences even more realistic and intriguing.
Last Word:
"Victory of Eagles" is a successful return to the charm and magic of the first book. But it is also a more mature work in which the characters confront deeper and darker emotional and moral issues. Coupled with the overall awesomeness of Napoleon fighting a pitched campaign on British soil, "Victory of Eagles" really pulls out all the stops in providing a rip-roaring adventure that has substance....more info - An interesting POV, plenty of action
One of the best historical fantasy series to show up in recent years has been Naomi Novik's Temeraire. Full of historical details in a world that is very close to our own, set in a world where dragons are quite real, and captained by crews of humans, serve as part of aerial corps, fighting in wars.
The setting is unusual as well -- the Napoleonic Wars, and with the fifth novel and its ominous title, Victory of Eagles things are not looking too good for the British. In an appalling display of stupidity by the Admiralty, Temeraire and Laurence, his captain, have been separated after the events of the previous novel. Laurence is aboard a ship, locked up in a brig, and the threat of execution follows him everywhere. He knows that if he cooperates, that Temeraire will not be harmed, and so does his best.
And his beloved Temeraire? The Celestial dragon is off in the remote mountains of Wales, condemned to the breeding grounds while a perfectly good war is raging on. Instead he's stuck in a remote valley, with nothing but a pokey cave to live in, no books, and even though there's plenty to eat, all that there is to do is sleep and ahem, make an egg with a willing dragon.
Needless to say, Temeraire is less than pleased about the situation. And his new neighbors are not that interesting either, especially a Regal Copper that has decided that Temeraire's cave would make a very nice home for himself. And there's Gentius an ancient Longwing who is pleased to talk to Temeraire. Most of all, there are Temeraire's own thoughts, and a chance to look at the world through the dragon's eyes.
When word comes that Laurence's ship has been sunk by the French, Temeraire decides that the time has come to break free of all of the stuffy rules. After all, the British have broken their word, and he feels that there's nothing to hold him back. So in a daring maneuver, he rounds up the dragons in the breeding ground, and he will lead them into battle against Napoleon.
And Napoleon? The French emperor is on the march again, this time crossing the Channel and setting his sights on capturing London...
I won't reveal much more here, as so not to reveal any spoilers, except that there are several new characters here, as well as quite a few of the earlier ones make a return. Most interesting is the Iron Duke himself, Wellington, and even a glimpse of poor King George III. Iskierka and Granby have a prominent role, and we see the rather harried Jane Roland having to cope with military men who have not a clue about how dragons can be used in battle. The action is breakneck, along with the pacing -- very rarely does the story slow down.
One aspect that I have enjoyed very much is watching Temeraire?s evolution in the series, as he matures and grows in his abilities to both deal with people, and his own sense of justice and morality. There are times when you can feel his frustration with dealing with humans, or the confusion of why don?t they get it? It?s one aspect of Novik?s creation that she is able to breathe in new life to the rather hackneyed use of dragons. Here they are personalities, and sentient beings, with ambitions, thoughts, and emotions of their own, and sometimes they don?t always mesh neatly with those of humans.
As with the previous novels, this is definitely part of a series. For someone who wants to start reading here, I recommend that you don't -- there is so much in here that relies on the earlier novels, that it would be nearly impossible to understand the current story without going back and reading the first four books.
One thing that I wish the series had was some kind of directory to keep all of the various types of dragons straight. While the first book had some drawings and a few details, there's very little here to help visualize many of the creatures, and create a mental picture of the action and details. It's one oversight that I hope will be taken care of either in a separate volume or in future books. This is the only real disgruntlement that I've had with the series so far.
A warning however -- don't try to read this one late at night. The odds will be that you'll be up still at dawn turning pages and eagerly seeing what happens next. The ending, as with before, is a bit of a cliffhanger, and I hope is a sign that there will be more to come.
Four and a half stars, rounded up to five. Recommended....more info - Victorious fourth novel
Novik, in author's notes, states that she is a fan of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin books, from which the movie "Master and Commander" was derived. O'Brian's series stands as one of the great works of 20th century literature, so even mentioning the series shows ambition. Fortunately, Novik delivers. She does a splendid job of creating a very believable alternate universe, in which intelligent dragons coexist with Napoleon, Wellington, Nelson, and other historical figures. While the series ("Victory" is the fifth volume) is not an explicit imitation of O'Brian's work, you can generally ascribe the role of Maturin to Temeraire, the Celestial dragon that is the main focus of the series, and Aubrey's role is taken up by Laurence, a Royal Navy captain who accidentally becomes Temeraire's captain. As this novel starts, Laurence is in prison, Temeraire is in exile, and Napoleon is invading. As you might expect, things get interesting quickly, and you'll have to read the novel to discover the rest. I recommend you start with the first novel and work your way forward. While "Victory of Eagles" can stand on its own, sequence does help....more info
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