His Majesty's Dragon

Not only is this a unique premise that appeals to the period drama lover inside me and mixes it with fantasy's most beloved creature: the dragon, it is also a rare story that isn't part of the ‘gritty' genre of fantasy that is so prevalent today. I appreciated that more than I thought. Yes there are really good stories among those gritty, dark fantasies, but I will always love a story that at it's heart is either adventure or good vs. evil or both. In His Majesty's Dragon, there isn't really a good vs. evil story line, just the conflict of the Napoleonic War as a backdrop to the intimate story of a naval officer, Laurence, forced into the ariel corps and dragon combat when he bonds with a newly hatched dragon that was found on a french ship he took for a prize. Swept away from the life he knew and expected to have, he has to adjust to his new life and to the very different atmosphere of the arial corps. But his love and affection for his dragon helps him along and their relationship is really the highlight of this book. As his dragon grows and learns, so does Laurence and finds a new home among the dragons and the riders. Laurence is a very likable character, although sometimes frustrating, being a product of his time his thoughts on the propriety of women in a man's setting can be annoying to the female audience, but it's not so prevalent as to be a turn off, and he slowly starts to change his mind as the book progresses. His sense of duty can at times put a smile on your face and at other times it makes you want face palm. But that's also what makes him more human. He's not just a Mary-Sue, he follows his heart in a lot of respects, but is also corralled by his times and the expectation of society during those times, which is realistic and appreciated to make him more grounded. Temaraire is his dragon, and he's a wonderful companion and will make any dragon lover wish for their very own. The battles are intense and very visual in the telling, I can see it as a movie very clearly. Although I didn't find myself glued to the book from start to finish, I did really enjoy it and look forward to future volumes very much.