Empire of Ivory (Temeraire, Book 4)
by Naomi Novik
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.23 You Save: $3.76 (47%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.85 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Empire of Ivory (Temeraire, Book 4)
Book Review: A Spellbinding Trek Through Early 19th Century South Africa from Naomi Novik
Summary: 5 Stars
When a deadly cold threatens to wipe out the British Aerial Corps' elite dragon fighting force, Temeraire and Captain Will Laurence embark upon their most dangerous mission yet, seeking a cure in the remote, largely unexplored, reaches of southern Africa. Fellow Brunonian Naomi Novik offers one of the most compelling installments in her Temeraire Series with the fourth book, "Empire of Ivory". Tis a story that will resonate strongly with those readers who cherish the intense emotional and intellectual relationship between Temeraire and Laurence; a strong friendship that will lead both to question their loyalties to Great Brtiain's military forces, forcing them to challenge the wisdom of Admiral Lord Nelson himself. Novik offers us yet again a spellbinding tale that is exceedingly rich in exploring the culture and history of a distant land; in this case, the Bantu peoples of Eastern South Africa. Among her most exciting chapters are those recounting the harsh treatment that Laurence, and eventually, Temeraire, receive at the hands of the dragon-led Tswana kingdom. Once more her substantial gifts as both a fine prose stylist and story-teller are prominently on display here, demonstrating why her ongoing series is among the most intriguing, and best-written in all of fantasy.
Book Review: Review of Empire of Ivory
Summary: 4 Stars
Naomi Novik steps up the story in EMPIRE OF IVORY - while in previous novels Temeraire and Captain Laurence travel to places such as China; where dragons are treated with respect to Istanbul; where dragons are feared.
Now we view them in South Africa - as ancestors to an ancient tribe. But why are Laurence and Temeraire in Africa? That is exactly what makes this book so incredibly fascinating.
Instead of the typical strategy and war that I've come to expect of the Temeraire novels this book deals with an epidemic among the dragons. They are sick and dying and there is one cure that can be given to them, a cure which has its roots in Africa.
Laurence is treated with more harshness than he has been in the past in EMPIRE OF IVORY and the politics of slave-trading come to a fevered high point in this story.
It's fascinating to me to see how the characters grow in these books and with the ending of the story it seems that Naomi Novik has finally made that step into cliff-hanger territory. I cannot imagine reading this book and having to wait months until the next one was put out.
This was the most fun I've had since EMPIRE OF JADE and I am looking forward to picking up VICTORY OF EAGLES.
Book Review: Book 4 Did Not Live Up to Previous Renditions
Summary: 2 Stars
I have within the last 6 months read the first three books of this series and loved them. The author built the characters so that you cared for them, made the dragons very "human," and when there was battle scenes described them it such a way as "not to bore" the reader.
So it was to my great disappointment the 4th book of the series does not develop the characters, takes plot twists that are not logical, has very little dialogue (but allot of logistical information like what the landscape looks like) and the fight scenes were skipable.
I believe this is because as the author says herself, she wrote the first three books back-to-back and so had continuity in style. I think the lag between book 3 and 4 had a real affect on the writing style.
Ironically, I agree with others when they said that the story plot started getting a little more interesting towards the end, but unlike the other three books that made you feel like each book ended on its own, book 4 left you hanging without the feeling of ending the current story line.
I gave this book a rating of 2 because I don't know if I will ever read book 5 since I don't think I got my money's worth out of book 4.
Book Review: Mixed results
Summary: 4 Stars
When last we left our Character's they were trapped with the Prussian Army running for their lives in the face of Napoleon's Army. Returning home they are confronted by a disaster of cataclysmic proportions as a illness is rapidly decimating the dragon populace of England. Harrowing stuff....
The story really takes quite a while to get going and seems to find greater quality in it's depiction of events rather than characters. The main character remains an almost cardboard character for the greater portion of the book and, while this may be accurate for the historical period, it leaves me uninterested in him. The internal conflict that he is certainly feeling is not very well felt by the reader. By the end of the book things begin to improve, but still he just seems too cold by half.
The author is growing this alternate history/fantasy by leaps and bounds, so the book is worth reading for that fact alone. The dragons almost seem to have more personality than most of the characters though. This is a flaw that her editors can help out with by giving her better feedback. This series simply has too much potential and if the characters can improve then it will be a truly wonderful read.
Book Review: Rivals the First!
Summary: 5 Stars
I just started reading Naomi Novic's Temeraire series a couple months ago. I wish I'd found it sooner...and yet I'm very glad to have found it late! Here's why: now I can finish one book and immediately move on to the next, with only the wait at the bookstore cashier line.
His Majesty's Dragon was excellent. Throne of Jade was subpar, though still good, and in Black Powder War things picked up again. I just finished Empire of Ivory, and am hard put to decide whether it is the best since the first, or the best so far! It was magnificently executed, combining many of the successful plot elements of previous books, while avoiding their pitfalls. There is a lot of suspense and tension, with a goodly amount of action.
Like Throne of Jade, in Ivory we are shown a new society and its relation to dragons. While China was fascinating, African dragons are amazingly conceived. Also, this book does a lot to further character development, especially for Lawrence and Temeraire...though others get more page time too. The dragons really came to life and personality for me in this one more successfully than in the past. And this one already has me itching to read the next.