His Majesty's Dragon
Ratings295
Average rating4
I've enjoyed it. Dragon riders, reasonably thought out battles. And a not-quite-regency era romance. Yeah, it's cheesy and happy. It also (at least the first book) doesn't explore much behind the ridiculously class-obsessed setting, which for a recent book is a let down. It's also ridiculously francophobic and painting a horror-like image of Napoleon, which (as a Polish person) makes it somewhat hard to cheer for the protagonists.
See my video review on youtube by clicking here
I don't think I'll ever get tired of rereading the Temeraire books. This is my 5th reread and I love it just as much as when I first read it.
The common pitch of the Temeraire books is Napoleonic War plus dragons, which is the setting for these books, but I feel that's not the best way to describe them. Sure they fight some battles, but the story is focused on relationships and we see a lot of the day to day of the characters. In some ways it almost feels like a cozy fantasy. At the same time, it deals with heavy themes, so that might not be the best way to describe it either. Maybe the word I'm looking for is character driven.
At the start of the book we meet a naval captain named Laurence as he captures a French ship and finds a dragon egg aboard.
Laurence has heard that bonding with a dragon from the moment it hatches is very important, and he reluctantly becomes the dragon's companion, which requires him to give up his ship and naval career to join the dragon airforce. The airforce is not well regarded, and Laurance is forced to confront his own negative opinion of the airforce while he grows increasingly fond of his dragon companion, Temeraire.
And what a delightful dragon Temeraire is! Temeraire is enthusiastic and inquisitive and has an almost puppy light energy. He wants to go flying, explore new places, and have his chance in battle, because he finds it all very exciting. He is also an intelligent breed of dragons and convinces Laurence to read to him about science, history, and mathematics. Laurence is not a strong reader, but his love for Temeraire outweighs his dislike of reading.
The bond and friendship between Laurence and Temeraire is really what keeps me coming back to these books. I find them delightful to read about!
Temeraire is also a dragon who is delighted by gold and jewels. One of the most beautiful scenes is where Laurence is commenting to Temeraire that he isn't wealthy enough to provide gold hoards and Temeraire says “I should rather have you than a heap of gold, even if it were very comfortable to sleep on.” And then later Temeraire asks Laurence if he'd rather give up dragon riding and go back to the navy, Laurence responds “I'd rather have you than any ship in the navy.” Gaah! Bookending that plot point with them choosing each other is just so beautiful
Lawrence has a strong sense of duty and patriotism, which is why he agreed to become a dragonrider in the first place - he knows how desperate England is in need of more dragons. But Temeraire does not share this sense of duty, and often questions why they must do things they don't like. This is a theme that continues throughout the series, as Temeraire pushes Laurence to really think about his positions.
To hear my spoiler thoughts, see my video review
”Temeraire did not wake until the sun was slipping below the horizon; Laurence was nodding over his book. Temeraire nudged his cheek with a blunt nose to rouse him, and announced, “I am hungry again.” “
As someone with a newborn child, a novel about a talking newborn dragon is perhaps the perfect story at this moment. The hunger cues, curiosity and exciting moments I have seen in my beautiful daughter I related with in Laurence, besides the talking bit.
Also the wings.
____
Audio read by: Simon Vance
During the Napoleonic Wars, the HMS Reliant captured a French ship. Captain Laurence was stunned to find a dragon egg on the ship. Dragons have been used to aid aerial combat in the war, and are very important. Captain Laurence has limited dragon knowledge being a Naval Captain and is not quite sure what to do. He will just have to get the egg to the Aerial Forces before it hatches. Unfortunately or fortunately, the dragon has other ideas.
I really enjoyed this one. I have read so many back list books this year and wondered why I waited so long to read them. This is one of those gems. I love Will and Temeraire. I love all the dragons, and the crews. It's definitely a series I will continue.
Seacaptain wins a dragon egg as loot from a fight, and the dragon hatches... and chooses him.
That starts all kinds of problems. For example, the captain's father wasn't very pleased of him going to sea, and going to air force is totally unacceptable for him. And what about the woman he had an understanding with? Being a “dragon daddy” is not easy. But it pays back. Temeraire - as the sea captain names his new companion - is delightful, intelligent, compassionate... they soon grow inseparable. Now... as the book ends, we have discovered some very complicating details about Temeraire... and the stage for further adventures of the sea captain and his dragon - or the dragon and his sea captain - is set.
• 2.5 ★★☆
𝑀𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑦 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑇𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑒.
-
Lá vai. A data de 3 anos é uma média mentira. Comecei realmente em 2016 parei, e retomei há dois dias. E, é claro, que pagando uma mensalidade de quase 30 conto no Scribd, eu retomei o livro no audiobook e o terminei hoje, enquanto pesava amostras de Carbonato de Potássio.
-
Temeraire ou temerário em si [o dragão] é uma criatura amável, definitivamente em gradual desenvolvimento proporcionado pela autora - o que nos leva a querer ler os próximos volumes da saga. Com inegável
excentricidades, a começar por sua espécie - ainda não determinada pelos avaliadores de dragões, apenas sabe-se que é chinês - ou raça\ninhada, tem a inteligência e gosto pelo conhecimento como suas principais virtudes, embora seja, também, um dragão excepcional nas atividades mais dragonescas que desempenha.
Mesmo ainda sendo um dragão jovem, um bebe, às vezes seus comentários e conclusões ingênuas do entendimento do mundo destoavam do texto, e do cerne de um ser mitológico tão sagaz que fala francês do nada e entende de física quântica embora tenha aprendido como ouvinte [exagero, mas essa é a pinta], e logo em seguida remediado pelo Lawrence.
Motivos estes que me fazem acreditar de verdade que o personagem-tipo se desenvolverá com audácia nos próximos volumes.
-
Não podemos nos respaldar no que esperamos que aconteça.
O livro pareceu introdutório demais, e com pressa demais para introduzir um universo riquíssimo onde temos navegadores, corte, dragões de varias etnias e Napoleão implantando o terror vivendo no mesmo ambiente!!
Porém, ao meu ponto de desgosto, as personagens são simples, sem muito aprofundamento psicológico [nem mesmo com Lawrence, e isso porque a historia é praticamente no ponto de vista dele], sem rosto. Os dragões também não são explicados alem do estritamente necessário e nessas... não me apeguei a ninguém.
-
Claro que senti pena de algumas das perdas ao longo das batalhas, das feridas, da traição e do traidor evidente, das tomadas de decisão da vida. Mas... e daí? Apegar pode ser uma palavra mimada, no entanto, é o que melhor descreve o que nos faz sentir vontade ou não de voltar a uma historia. O apreço pelas personagens que foram e como estão as que ficaram. Como as coisas ficam agora que x aconteceu?
Terminado Temeraire, não fiz nenhuma pergunta. E esse desapego pela que ocorreu é a razão de estrelinhas tão pequenas, para um livro que tinha tudo para ser massa.
-
Leremos os próximos?
Claro. Já comprei a maioria —suspira profundo—
I don't usually read books about dragons, but I picked this up based on a recommendation and it having been on sale. While the premise of the book is interesting and I enjoyed the world that Novik created, nothing really happened throughout the book. As such, it took me awhile to get through the book because of the lack of plot development. However, I can see how the story might get more interesting in later books, with this one having set everything up, but it isn't high on my reading list.
Now this is the kind of dragon story I'm here for.
I really enjoyed this. What mostly makes up my enjoyment is the relationship between Laurence and Temeraire and everything surrounding it. Unfortunately though, I did not care that much about anything else (aside from the other dragons) and so the action scenes felt a bit tedious to me, as I was never all that worried about anyone.
But man, I do quite love these main characters a whole bunch.
Very enjoyable. I glad I finally read this one. I will move onto the other books.
I love it!!!!!! To me a book is a treasure if it has demons, devils, gods and dragons!!!! Legend of Huma was my favorite, then Christopher Rowley's Baz Broketail series and along came Naomi Novik's Tremeraire!!!
Absolutely recommended, the tale simply drags you in, and even after the last page, you simply want to continue, a story of man and dragons, so what is so different about this???? Well the concept was simple 18th century world, but with a twist, here there be Dragons!!!! Always wanted to use that phrase!!! Simple storytelling but the details of the relationship between man and dragon, it's like Ms. Novik truly has a dragon companion, the way they interact, how they go about their daily routine, simple, simple yet effective,you could almost believe it's real!!!
And add to the fact, that we are in Britain!!! Love those accents, imagine Laurence with that accent, his companions, of course Tremeraire English/French, what a book!!!!
Plot, oh you guys can read the summary, curious???? Dive in then, and together we shall fly with Tremeraire, Maximus and Lily and a whole lot more!!!
You can't go wrong with this one.
Ms. Novik does not disappoint (again)!
If you like Dragons, Ships, Napoleonic Wars (or just enjoy a good story) I would suggest you read this book.
Amazing characters, great world building and a fresh account of historic events.
The only issue I can point to where will I find the time to read the next 8 books in this series?
You can't go wrong with this one.
Ms. Novik does not disappoint (again)!
If you like Dragons, Ships, Napoleonic Wars (or just enjoy a good story) I would suggest you read this book.
Amazing characters, great world building and a fresh account of historic events.
The only issue I can point to where will I find the time to read the next 8 books in this series?
Man I had high hopes for this one. It had all the ingredients for a classic. Especially it brought a whole new dimension to the Napoleon-Nelson wars. Sadly, while the narrative is pretty fast its just not gripping. Not a single goosebump moment where you want to put the book down and clap your hands. If I were to classify it I would say this is the love story of a man and his pet during a different time.
I liked Uprooted a lot better. There was nothing wrong with this book but it didn't really grab me in any way. It was an interesting world with decent characters but just ... meh? as a novel.
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.