Empire of Ivory (Temeraire, Book 4)
by Naomi Novik
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Book Reviews of Empire of Ivory (Temeraire, Book 4)
Book Review: Tremendous Letdown
Summary: 2 Stars
In Empire of Ivory, the author starts using dragons as a vehicle for early 19th century social criticism and the book falls flat.
Novik is falling prey to her own fiction. In her first book she whipped up a race of speaking beasts set in the Napoleonic Wars; belatedly she realized having another sapient race on the planet might make for some social changes. Up until this point, the Temeraire books had been more or less-parallel to our own history -with dragons.
In Empire of Ivory, however, she regresses into vilifying the British for the practice of Slavery (which she rewrites them into NOT abolishing in 1807) and for their senseless cruelty to dragons, and idolizes the enlightened China she has created. Napoleon's France, too, is now rewritten as a force for social equity! (nb: in actuality, he *revived* slavery, which had been abolished in the Revolution)
In the effort to discover a cure for a mysterious plague, the English discover a *completely* unknown, continent-spanning African Empire, ruled by a dragons -a sort of cross between Shaka's Zulu Kingdom and Mahdist Sudan set in the Congo. And, surprise, they're angry about the slave trade!
Now, I have a particular problem with the fictional Africans being -at the same time!- portrayed as a force of social justice both morally superior and more socially enlightened than the English, while ALSO being willfully close-minded murderers. More practically, if a kingdom were powerful enough to destroy EVERY white city from South Africa to Nigeria, how on earth was it unknown to the world? And how did it fall victim to the slave trade in the first place?
While it started out fascinating, the gaping plot holes and poor planning eventually boggled the mind.
The ending of the book is predictable, disgusting and pointless. Or rather, it is the inevitable result of the plot, but it is disgusting and pointless that the plot should have led in that direction. Nothing is resolved by the end of the book, and the reader is left dissatisfied with a sour taste in the mouth. Yes, I want to read more, but only so I can forget how horrible *this* book was.
Book Review: Temeraire and Laurence ride off to the Dark Continent to save England
Summary: 4 Stars
Say what you will about Naomi Novik's Temeraire series, but you will never find a more mature set of books about a dragon fighting in the Napoleonic Wars.
That line is only half tongue-in-cheek. As a man of a certain age, I often receive accusatory smirks when other adults catch me reading yet another Temeraire story - as if I have incriminated myself somehow as an unserious reader. Without getting into the merits of my reading list, anyone who judges the themes of the Temeraire series solely by the cover art shows their prejudices.
Novik may not be writing novels that will rival the masterworks of American literature, but these are books about something more than just high fantasy. In "Empire of Ivory," Temeraire and Will Laurence confront not one but two timeless moral traps - slavery and germ warfare, and their chosen side's dastardly role in both. How Laurence and Temeraire confront these dilemmas forms the heart of the book, and these ideas elevate the book beyond the usual sword-and-sorcery fare.
The plot is fairly straightforward, at first. The war with France rages on, but a sinister disease has decimated the dragons of England. Several are dead and most of the others are dying, without any hope for a cure. It is only a matter of time before Napoleon figures out that England's shores are vulnerable and he will attack.
So Laurence and Temeraire whip down to Africa on the most desperate of errands - to find the cure that will save their friends and save their nation. But what promises at first to be a frantic treasure hunt turns into a shocking confrontation with Europe's colonial politics and the human cost of the slave trade. Many fights are fought and many questions are asked, but not all are answered.
To be fair, the first several chapters plod along at a very pedestrian pace, but the book's latter chapters save the day.
Do not read these books out of order - if you start with this one, you'll miss a great deal of back story. But start reading this series, and read it proudly, enduring the scoffs of your fellow adults.
Book Review: Exciting and emotionally rich alternate history
Summary: 5 Stars
Britain, fighting an overmatched war against Napoleon, now suffers from a plague that keeps the dragons grounded and is gradually killing them off. French victory seems certain unless a cure can be found. When Temeraire proves to be immune, his captain, Laurence, realizes that Temeraire might have found the cure during his journey around Africa. Temeraire and his wing are dispatched to Capetown in hopes that somehow Temeraire will be able to remember what he ate that cured him--and share this with the other dragons.
Africa in the early 19th century is torn apart by the slave trade and by European colonization. European incursions into the interior of this vast continent frequently vanish. Still, aided by his dragon, Laurence doesn't have any special fears. After all, a dragon who mounts a crew of over 100 is not likely to be disturbed by a few spear-wielding native warriors. Neither Laurence, nor any other European, is prepared for what they face when the African continent finally explodes.
Author Naomi Novik is in excellent form with EMPIRE OF IVORY. The relationship between Laurence and Temeraire continues to evolve, with Temeraire raising Laurence's consciousness about the unfairness of how both dragons and slaves are treated while Laurence has brought his strong sense of honor to the dragon. Novik digs more deeply into how the presence of dragons has changed history--with the major new world civilizations having apparently fought off European invasion.
The slave trade of the 19th century is not romantic--it's horrible, a black mark against humanity. For this reason, perhaps, many authors writing books set in this period simply ignore the entire institution. To her credit, Novik confronts it head-on, and develops an intriguing twist on history in doing so.
EMPIRE OF IVORY concludes with Temeraire and Laurence being faced with a horrible choice--one that appears certain to lead to dishonor on the one hand, or death on the other. I'm pleased to see that the next volume in this fine series will be out later in 2008--I can't wait.
Book Review: Great book - best in the series from a discussion perspective
Summary: 5 Stars
This is book 4 in the Temeraire series, which envisions the Napoleonic wars with aerial corps made up of dragons and their crew. Some of the below is included in my other reviews of the series but I like to know the order of books in a series, so I'm providing that for anyone else like me out there :)
In order they are
His Majesty's Dragon [Captain Will Laurence meets hatchling dragon Temeraire]
Throne of Jade [Laurence and Temeraire travel to China on a diplomatic mission]
Black Powder Wars [Laurence and Temeraire go to Istanbul to retrieve three new eggs, including a fire breather]
Empire of Ivory [Laurence and Temeraire visit Africa and battle a society of dragons intent on world domination]
Victory of Eagles [Laurence and Temeraire face the consequences of their treason as Napoleon invades England and occupies London, resulting in the death of many of their friends].
There is a sixth book coming out at some point but I can't figure out when.
This is a great book... one of my favorites in the series but this is the first time I really get aggravated with Temeraire. He has no concept of consequences. But I have to keep in mind that at this point in his development he is still a child and so my expectations of him should reflect that. But he gets Laurence and his friends into quite a few pickles without thinking of anyone but really his own opinions of right and wrong. I guess it really boils down to he has no empathy. But he's still charming - much like other three year olds I know =) - and the dynamic between him and Laurence is outstanding.
The summary of the book that is set out on the cover doesn't really cover the actual tale. Yes, they set out to retrieve the cure but that is a minor part of the story really - it's what happens while they retrieve the cure that has the most impact on the outcome of the book. I won't spoil it but there are some great book club kinds of issues that can be used to discuss prejudice, equality, slavery, and consequences of social mores.
Book Review: I Love this series
Summary: 5 Stars
and that is exactly how I view it. Not as a trilogy or ilogy of any sort. But an ongoing story that I hope goes on for quite some time. The cliffhanger ending is not a problem to me, having been a Patrick O'Brian reader for many years. The books in the Aubrey/Maturin story are rife with endings leaving the protagonists hanging by their fingers to the most frail of branches over many a pool of quicksand. That we leave Temeraire and Laurence making their way to Dover with an escort the of French Air Corps seems perfectly natural.
I continue to wonder at the criticisms of the language used in this story. Pre-Victorian English was stiff as a board though beautiful if you, like I detest the way English has been slaughtered in the intervening years. Ms. Novik does a very nice job of it to my mind, though I have a completely untrained eye and ear. I listen to audiobooks and the reader (Simon Vance) of the unabridged versions provides them with just the right rhythm and accents to make them ring true. He had also read some of the Aubrey/Maturin books although I liked their original reader Patrick Tull better. With listening to books it's the first voice one hears usually who becomes the voice of the books, unless they are really atrocious.
I enjoy the differences from book to book immensely. This latest continuation of the story reveals new layers to the characters, new obstacles to overcome and other things one finds in classic "quest fantasy" in an alternative history skin. Some have quibbled with the history told here in minor fashion but it still works from what I can tell. Someone mentioned "slash fiction" in a review of one of the previous books and I don't agree with that in the least. It's just good storytelling and why do we read fiction at all if not for a good story... This story is jam up and I can't wait for the next installment to arrive!
Or as Jack Aubrey might say, "Mister Novik, this post needs to get to the Admiralty without the loss of a moment. Pray hoist all sail and crack on if you please."