Have you ever taken a good, long look at the Napoleonic Wars and thought, “These are cool, but they could really use more dragons”? Naomi Novik did, so she wrote a book about it.That’s really all you need to know about the Temeraire series: if it doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, then it’s not going to change your mind about dragons or about the Napoleonic Wars. But if it sounds awesome, then you’re in for a treat. I originally gave this five stars when I added it to Goodreads, having read it before I joined the site. I’ve decided to revise this to three stars now that I’ve had the time to read and compose a proper review. While in terms of my sheer enjoyment and reading pleasure this is a five-star read, His Majesty’s Dragon still has flaws. Fortunately, having read much of the rest of the series, I know it just gets better.Novik has imagined an alternative universe where humanity has been breeding and harnessing dragons for centuries, if not millennia. Her dragons are diverse, existing as various geographically-distributed breeds of different size, colour, mass, and of course, tactical abilities. In this alternative world, Britain has both a fearsome navy at see and an Aerial Corps of officers who lead squadrons of dragons into battle. A trained British dragon is a sight to see, for it carries into battle an entire crew of gunners and bombers—and a dragon itself is a formidable foe.This series is essentially a “boy and his dragon” story writ large across an intricate historical backdrop. William Laurence is a successful Navy captain who captures a French frigate—and the dragon egg it’s transporting. When the egg hatches while returning to port, Laurence becomes the person who harnesses the dragon for England. This is a deep, personal connection that is difficult to transfer. Indeed, as Laurence comes to know Temeraire, he decides he does not want to leave Temeraire, despite the loss of his Navy commission—and his ship—that this entails.The relationship between Laurence and Temeraire is the lifeblood of this series. At times it gets a little mushy, because Laurence and Temeraire are always going on about how fond they are of each other, and I can’t help but be creeped out by the thought that Temeraire is this giant reptilian cat. Thanks to the contrasts Novik presents in the way other aviators interact with their dragons, however, it becomes clear that Laurence and Temeraire are something special. While most aviators, with a few notable exceptions, are devoted to their dragons’ wellbeing, Laurence and Temeraire have a very unusual dynamic. This is partly the result of Laurence’s unexpected entry into the Aerial Corps: he doesn’t have any of the preconceived notions about dragons and dragon training that would have been drilled into him as a cadet. So he does things like reading books to Temeraire, or giving him baths, that the other aviators just don’t do. And in his own, unassuming way, Laurence upsets the status quo. This isn’t, generally, a good idea in a military outfit—less so when it’s the nineteenth century.Temeraire speaks English (and French), learned from the shell. Indeed, I like how Novik’s dragons are a largely intelligent, self-aware bunch. The degree of that intelligence varies, from rather dull representatives like Maximus to the sharp and wise Celeritas. Although deadly in battle, Novik’s dragons are essentially people. This is a theme that becomes apparent in His Majesty’s Dragon and continues throughout the series. Even as she gives us exciting dragon-on-dragon action—by which I mean battle scenes—Novik also explores how we co-exist with another intelligent species in a very rich and profound way.The battle scenes are not my favourite part of this book. I don’t visualize while reading, so Novik’s careful descriptions of the logistics of harnessing and flying a dragon or of the intricate chaos of aerial combat do little for me. It happens; it’s over; we go home. I’m much more enamoured with the scenes that happen between battles, the dialogue between Laurence and Temeraire and everything we learn about this alternate 1805. I’m not an historian, so I won’t comment on Novik’s accuracy. Yet she’s clearly enjoyed playing the what-if game of how the world would be different with dragon warfare. Of course, one has to give her the benefit of a doubt that even with dragons as a major game piece throughout human history, our nation states would largely have developed in parallel to what happened in our world. Otherwise, maybe Britain would still be ruled by a 19th-century Roman Empire! (But that’s for another story….) Indeed, from the perspective of His Majesty’s Dragon, it regretfully seems like this is little more than “nineteenth-century Europe … with dragons”—the most haphazard form of alternative fiction. I know that future books clarify this description and show how the world is far more interesting in its deviations from our own—but that’s for another review.His Majesty’s Dragon is a fantastic combination of wit and humour with conflict and difficult decisions. Laurence leaves everything he has known and loses the woman he plans to marry in order to be Temeraire’s captain. Temeraire discovers his origins and his potential even as he realizes that dragons are treated as far less than citizens in English society. And behind all these personal stories hovers the spectre of Napoleon himself. As another reviewer pointed out, this book is a strong fantasy entry because it lacks a clichéd “dark lord” character manipulating everything from behind the scenes. Instead, Novik lets the larger events of the time take that role, and they serve admirably. There are some issues with pacing here, and Novik’s characterization leaves a little to be desired. Some of the characters are well done, and their relationships are varied and interesting. In particular, I appreciate the evolution of Laurence’s relationships with Rankin and Granby. Clearly Novik knows what she’s doing here; she just chooses to focus so much on Laurence and Temeraire and lets them carry the story to the extent that sometimes other characters seem to suffer for it.I love the Temeraire series, and His Majesty’s Dragon is an excellent piece of historical fantasy with a military edge. For the most part, it’s well-written and imaginative, with heroes, epic conflicts, and twists and reversals that literally make me cheer out loud. It’s that kind of a book.My reviews of the Temeraire series:Throne of Jade →
His Majesty’s Dragon is a historical fantasy set during the Napoleonic wars in the early 1800s. There isn’t really any magic in this alternate history, and there is really only one difference, which is - obviously - the existence of dragons. I love the way that Novik interweaves dragons with what really happened, giving them a place in history as it played out. It’s such a subtle change, really. Humans use dragons in war. They have entire units of them to supplement naval battles. They are not a rarity that gives one side a huge advantage over the other, so the war is pretty much the same, just with dragons as an added factor.Captain Laurence is a naval officer who finds himself attached to a dragon and having to give up his naval life for a life in the dragon corps. A lot of time in this first book is spent on him and Temeraire training together and learning about aerial maneuvers and battle strategy. They do get to see some real action later in the book, but it takes a while to build up to. Some people might find it slow-moving, but I really enjoyed the pace and getting to know the culture of the dragon corps in training mode.The dragons are used in much the same way as ships, with rigging and harnesses that host an entire crew for shooting at other dragons. I really felt like I was reading about naval battles, just in the air and with a ship that can think and act for itself. One thing I should mention is that although this is a Regency era novel, there are not many women at all. It is not a Jane Austen-esque novel, but focuses more on the men (and yes, a couple of non-typical women) in the military and their concerns. There is the typical era stuffiness about manners and etiquette - who can talk first at the dinner table, etc - but without the courtship aspect that many Regency readers are familiar with and may be wishing for. Captain Laurence is one of these stiff, very correct and honorable men, but unlike with his naval experience, his new aerial unit does not “stand on ceremony” and he has to learn that ceremony is ridiculous sometimes. I like this angle that critiques the culture of the time, showing how over-politeness can be a hindrance to sincerity and truth. The women that do exist in the book are not at all the genteel types that Laurence is used to, which also challenges his concept of what is acceptable. I love that the story takes a typical Regency captain out of his element and gives him a unique view of his own society that he can’t help but begin to criticize. He begins to realize there’s a difference between affecting manners and true honor. As he questions the norms, he brings the parts that do make sense with him into the dragon corps and sparks changes there.The main thrust of the story plot-wise is the friendship that develops between Laurence and Temeraire as they train for active service. Dragons occupy a low place in this society, and are not respected as sentient beings. They’re treated more as animals - like a horse that needs to be trained and cared for, but never gets brushed down or has its saddle removed. But as the captain gets to know his dragon, he begins to question that aspect of his own society as well. The dragons have wonderful personalities, some of them very intelligent, and the way the humans treat them ends up making them look like animals instead.All-in-all, I really enjoyed this. I love books set in this time period, though, and am partial to Comedy of Manners as well as Fantasy genres. The combination of the two here is a definite win for me, especially with the satirical critiques of the society. I found the lack of domestic concerns a refreshing change from the usual novels of the period, and didn't even mind the lack of magic, which is usually a 'must' for me in Fantasy.The 9th and final book in the series is due in 2015, and I’ll be slowly making my way there whenever I get a hankering for this very particular flavor.
What do You think about His Majesty's Dragon (2006)?
I'd actually give this a 4.5. I found it intriguing and hard to put down. It was different from many books I've read recently.This is an alternative history where dragons are a part of the military and have a long tradition of bonding with their 'aviators' and fighting international skirmishes.I won't go into much detail because it's laid out so nicely in the book it's a joy to read it fresh. I will say that this takes place during the Napoleonic wars and it's set in England. It isn't romance, although the characters are not eunuchs. It's just not about that.The dragons are cool and Novik includes some sketches at the end of the book to give the reader an idea of what the dragons they've been reading about look like. But, even without that, I'd recommend this series to those who like fantasy and alternate history tales. It's extremely well written.I got this as a Kindle freebie, but I don't know if it's available like that anymore. I will be continuing the series, though, because the prices don't seem too bad. They could be lower on Kindle, but it's better than many of the others. I've already bought the next book and I'm looking forward to it cropping up in the rotation. :D
—Beanbag Love
Naomi Novik's Temeraire books are set in an alternate reality in which dragons are found around the world, are intelligent and have allowed themselves to be linked to a rider.Set during the Napoleonic Wars the drgaons are, at this point, recruited by both sides as an Air Force changing the way the war actually went by adding in an extra element. The main characters are Temeraire, a Chinese dragon whose egg was captured from the French, and his handler, Capt. Laurence. From the start I found the book riveting as it combined two of my favourite areas - fantasy and history. The action was well done and the story was well paced. Thankfully the only romance in the book is very understated and hopefully won't be a big part of the series. I look forward to seeing where the series go and can't wait to read the next book.
—Kim
Horatio Hornblower meets Dragonriders of Pern. This is a really fun, light read. It's predictable - you can see plot twists coming a mile away, but that doesn't make the story any less satisfying.There's no magic in this book. It's an alternate history where dragons are a normal part of warfare. The author is pretty good at making it a believable story, even if you might raise one eyebrow a little at dragons capable of carrying a dozen men or more.I do love Regency England, especially the dialog, and I liked the main character (and his dragon) very much.Thanks, Julie!
—Jamie
