His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, Book 1)
by Naomi Novik
List Price:
Our Price: $3.87
You Save: $4.12 (52%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Naomi NovikEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-03-28
ISBN: 0345481283
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Del Rey
Book Reviews of His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, Book 1)
Book Review: Excellent, Compelling alternate universe of the Napoleonic Wars
Summary: 5 Stars
I should preface this with the warning that I'm going to gush -- frankly, I haven't been this madly fond of a book in the longest time (hm, when did Connie Willis last publish something?), and I'm at the stage where I want the whole world to know how great this book is. I bought it Wednesday afternoon, read 200 pages of it that night, then went out the next day and all I kept thinking about was going home and finishing it, which I did, staying up very late (past my bedtime) and finding the ending very bittersweet. Bittersweet because the conclusion happily justifies all the promise of the beginning chapters, and yet I'm sad because I'm through with the book and will have to wait weeks (till April 25) for the sequel. I know that's nothing compared to the wait with most fantasy trilogies, the gap between books is usually at least a year, but I want the sequel right NOW in my hot little hands.
The novel takes place in England during the Napoleonic Wars, only with the added twist of dragons (which must be admitted, improve every scenario). In this alternate universe, dragons are tamed by most nations of the world as a fighting force, bonding to a handler at hatching, and trained in the Aerial Corps in the pursuit of warfare. So when Will Laurence, a British Naval captain experienced in battle, captures a French frigate with a dragon's egg that is very quickly going to hatch, he has no choice but to put himself and the crew up to bonding with the creature because even though England has France outgunned in the way of ships (think Admiral Nelson and the superiority of the British Navy), France is outgunning England 2-1 in the way of fighting dragons. Laurence and his dragon, Temeraire, are then thrust into the world of the Aerial Corps where things are done in a slightly different way than Laurence is used to in the Navy.
Novik handles the world-building with startling grace, given that this is her first novel. One of the prime pleasures of the book is authentic feel of the world she's built -- you can tell that months of research went into correctly portraying 19th century English society, from the realities of the Navy to the manners of the drawing room. And best, none of it is done showily or in a lecturing way, it's all of it presented as naturally as possible. She doesn't let research intrude upon telling the story, and better yet, her addition of dragons into this world is so well thought-out (from their feeding, breeds, natural inclinations, personalities, levels of intelligence, size and temperment, mode of fighting and the innovative invention of aerial fighting) that it adds to the depiction of the historical period. She seamlessly grafts on her inventions to the known historical realities, and comes up with a beautifully realized fictional world that's meticulously detailed and worked out. I adore that there is so much thought given to how the dragons would fit into this society, and she succeeds in a way that few authors of speculative fiction succeed -- I really want to spend more time in her imagined universe. That's the highest compliment I can give.
But, there are other pleasures as well. Temeraire and Laurence bond, and even though it is not a telepathic mind-meld (ala Anne McCaffrey), it is a deeply emotional connection. There is palpable love between man and dragon, and their relationship is the emotional thru-line for the novel. It makes me sound like a 12 year old girl to say this (which I am not), but Temeraire is such a cool dragon. I totally want one like him for my very own, because he is so intelligent and logical and witty and also nuzzles Laurence affectionately and loves him. I mean, I know, this is gushy, but you can't blame me! Novik captures the sweetness and light of their bond, enough to give balance to all the colder, plot-driven elements of the story. It's primarily an adventure, a story in wartime, an exploration of dragons in this fascinating society, but she doesn't neglect the warmer side of things. There are moments of extreme emotion, of emotional distress, mostly due to the closeness that aviators develop with their dragons, and each moment played realistically for me. I'm very particular when it comes to moments of high emotion -- each one has to be earned in character, in story, in meaning, and I hate more than anything the feeling of being manipulated to respond. Novik very definitely earns each emotion she wrung from me.
I can't recommend this book enough. It has all the everything you want from good speculative fiction (meticulous world-building, a desire to step into the universe), well-defined, charismatic, understatedly human characters you care about (though Temeraire is perhaps my favorite personality of all), a confident and elegantly polished prose style, emotional depths, gorgeous and inventive battle scenes (and I'm usually the type of reader to skim written battle scenes, but Novik writes so concisely about aerial battles that they are some of my favorite scenes in the book). It's a great book, extremely fun, addicting, polished, exciting -- I can't wait to read the next one, and the one after that. The last book of such promise from a new author was Susannah Clarke's "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell", and then I think I prefer Novik's to Clarke's. JS&MN is almost too ambitious for its own good, and Clarke has a lesser insight into human personality than Novik, while "His Majesty's Dragon" has no weaknesses. I can't perceive any faults or flaws, and recommend it whole-heartedly.
Summary of His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, Book 1)
Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain?s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future?and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France?s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte?s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.
Literature & Fiction Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Literature & Fiction Books
Little Womenby Louisa May Alcott
Scribner; Published: 1986-06-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops:
The Killing Groundby JACK HIGGINS
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS LTD; Published: 2007; Hardcover; Book
Saving Fish from Drowningby Amy Tan
4th Estate; Published: 2005; Paperback; Book
Life Expectancyby Dean Koontz
Harpercollins Pb; Published: 2005-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.00
Constant Princessby Philippa Gregory
Touchstone/Simon & Schuster; Published: 2005; Hardcover; Book
Wolf of the Plains (Conqueror, Book 1)by Conn Iggulden
Harper; Published: 2007; Paperback; Book
Saharaby Clive Cussler
Harper Collins Pb; Published: 2005-03-21; Paperback; Book
Perelandra (Cosmic Trilogy)by C. S. Lewis
Voyager; Published: 2005-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.67
Price in other shops:
The Lord Of The Rings: Part 2 The Two Towersby J. R. R. Tolkien
Harper Collins Publishers; Published: 2001; Paperback; Book
Red Marsby Kim Stanley Robinson
Trafalgar Square; Published: 2001-06; Paperback; Book
Similar Books and other products
Victory of Eagles (Temeraire, Book 5)by Naomi Novik
Del Rey; Published: 2008-07-08; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $2.43
Price in other shops:
Mistborn : Final Empire Series (Book #1) (Mistborn, Book 1)by Brandon Sanderson
Tor Fantasy; Published: 2007-07-31; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.35
Price in other shops:
Tales of the Dying Earthby Jack Vance
Orb Books; Published: 2000-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.50
Price in other shops:
Crucible of Goldby Naomi Novik
Del Rey; Published: 2012-03-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.41
Price in other shops:
Dragon Champion: Book One of the Age of Fireby E.E. Knight
Roc; Published: 2010-11-02; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.42
Price in other shops:
Victory of Eagles (Temeraire)by Naomi Novik
Del Rey; Published: 2009-05-19; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.08
Price in other shops:
Black Powder War (Temeraire, Book 3)by Naomi Novik
Del Rey; Published: 2006-05-30; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.49
Price in other shops:
Tongues of Serpents: A Novel of Temeraire (Temeraire Series)by Naomi Novik
Del Rey; Published: 2011-06-07; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.26
Price in other shops:
Throne of Jade (Temeraire, Book 2)by Naomi Novik
Del Rey; Published: 2006-04-25; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.71
Price in other shops:
Empire of Ivory (Temeraire, Book 4)by Naomi Novik
Del Rey; Published: 2007-09-25; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.19
Price in other shops: