“A new writer is soaring on the wings of a dragon.”
–The New York Times
“Enthralling reading–it’s lik... read full description
–The New York Times
“Enthralling reading–it’s lik... read full description
reviews
Mar 06, 2008
Corrielle
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Jan 14, 2008
Zen
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Oct 24, 2007
Meredith
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In terms of both theme and action, this book seems more like a direct sequel, and a worthier follow-up, to Throne of Jade than the rather pointless Black Powder War. Back in England, Laurence and Temeraire discover the fighting dragons have been devastated by an unknown plague. Since Temeraire seems to have survived it, he and others of his consort are dispatched back to Africa to try and find the cure. There they encounter several African tribes and yet another societal relationship between h
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Nov 04, 2007
Trin
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The fourth in the Temeraire series, and the one I've enjoyed the most since the introductory book. Which is to say, a lot. This one felt more tightly structured than the last, with the disease plot as a brilliantly chosen and terrifying centerpiece. I've never had a dragon, obviously, but the idea of losing one made me ache almost as much as the thought of losing one's daemon in His Dark Materials. The African setting really came alive; I love how we're getting to see how different cultures aro
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Dec 22, 2008
Angela
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After the densely packed prose of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, it was rather a relief to tear through Empire of Ivory, the fourth installment of Naomi Novik's Temeraire series--which roared along at quite a satisfying pace and as always, latched onto my attention and refused to let it go until I was done.
This time around we have Captain Laurence and Temeraire up against the challenge of a plague that threatens to kill off the entire dragon population of Britain. The search for a cure More...
This time around we have Captain Laurence and Temeraire up against the challenge of a plague that threatens to kill off the entire dragon population of Britain. The search for a cure More...
Jun 26, 2011
AnEyeSpy
rated it: 
** "Empire of Ivory" (T4) has to be tamed elephant herd Africa. Noami Novik sends Imperial Dragon Temeraire and his British Aerial Corps aviator Captain Laurence for a cure to the respiratory virus that lingers months, slowly torturing, painfully killing the country's dragons, whether the warm dry climate, or accidentally medicinal ingredients of spicy concoctions by the Chinese chefs to encourage their patient's sickened appetite. Naturally they land in the middle of a revolt by the v
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May 12, 2011
Glee
rated it:
OK, first book was Temeraire's birth and early training in England (with his trusty sidekick, Will Laurence, British naval officer turned dragon captain), followed by Temeraire's exploration of his "roots" in China, then Temeraire on the Silk Road, with special emphasis on Constantinople and other Balkan hot spots, and now in book 4, we have Temeraire in Africa!!
As ridiculous as this sounds, these are more than just ripping good fantasy reads. There is a lot of history (an More...
As ridiculous as this sounds, these are more than just ripping good fantasy reads. There is a lot of history (an More...
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May 11, 2011
Coligne
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Se siete stufi del solito fantasy questa saga, di cui il qui presente libro è il quarto volume, è certamente una ventata di aria fresca, ed una piacevole novità, per le vostre letture.</p><p>La Novik è riuscita nel difficile compito di unire, o se non altro avvicinare, due mondi agli antipodi tra di loro: il romanzo storico, in cui il rigore (storico) è d'obbligo, ed il fantasy, dove invece a farla da padrona è la fantasia.<br />Il mondo che ci viene restituito dalla lettura di questo libro è un
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Jan 05, 2011
Natalie
rated it: 
I really disliked the middle third of this book, which I thought was unrealistic but I really liked the first and third portions. An epidemic has taken most of the British dragons out of commission with a strange coughing sickness. Temeraire and Laurence realize that the cold the dragon had in the previous book was the disease, and he had consumed something in Africa that had cured him.
Our heroic duo along with several sick dragons embark on a three month long journey to Capetown, Africa More...
Our heroic duo along with several sick dragons embark on a three month long journey to Capetown, Africa More...
Aug 31, 2010
ambyr
rated it:
For the first time in the series we see clearly what's been hinted at all along--that this alternate history is not just our history performed in slightly different costumes. The dragons are not just window-dressing; having the most powerful weapon of the 19th century be non-technological and thus equally available to both pre- and post-industrial societies makes a very real difference in the history of colonization. Watching the consequences of that play out left me with a deep sense of satisfa
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Oct 20, 2011
John
rated it:
Another good installment in the series. I stayed up until 5am reading this, because when I got to the last few chapters I couldn't bear to go to sleep until I found out how it ended!
This book does a good balancing act: it stays true to the characters and themes of the previous novels without rehashing the same plot. It's interesting to see how different cultures handle dragons, and I particularly liked the way that the author trusted us to figure out the implications of the African soc More...
This book does a good balancing act: it stays true to the characters and themes of the previous novels without rehashing the same plot. It's interesting to see how different cultures handle dragons, and I particularly liked the way that the author trusted us to figure out the implications of the African soc More...
Apr 14, 2011
Gus
rated it:
Empire of Ivory is much different from the other books in the series. This is important because you can't tell how any of the books will end. The main problem here is plague, not on humans, but an epidemic which has infected all of the dragons in England – except for Temeraire and his companions. Somehow Temeraire is immune to the disease, and the dragon surgeons think they know why. He had it back when it started, but suddenly it went away. He must have eaten something that cured him somewhere
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Jan 14, 2011
Heather
rated it:
I really enjoyed this installment of the Temeraire series and Novik takes us even deeper into the relationship between Temeraire and his Captain Laurence. I enjoyed the African adventures and though she touches briefly on the horrors of the slave trade we are given an accurate enough picture to see just how brutal the truths of that trade were during that time. (even though this is a time among dragons) It's still amazing to me how the stories blend seamlessly into existing history and how it'
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Sep 02, 2008
Jamie
rated it:
I'm loving this series. This one has a sort of cliffhanger ending, which I don't in general care for, and I'm glad the next book is already available. I'm going to be really frustrated when I finish that one - I hate it when I "catch up" on a series and have to wait a year or more between books.
Novik's writing gets better and better. I kept going back to re-read sections that were particularly compelling, and there are some very funny scenes. I love the Regency-era dialog.
Novik's writing gets better and better. I kept going back to re-read sections that were particularly compelling, and there are some very funny scenes. I love the Regency-era dialog.
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Jan 14, 2012
Kate
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The way in which the British react to and work with the dragons in this series of books is not very complementary - although the juxtaposition of this with how we react to/ managed the slave trade is very apposite. A well written addition to the series - with more interesting alternative history, this time covering Africa.
Laurence and Temeraire made a daring journey across vast and inhospitable continents to bring home a rare Turkish dragon from the treacherous Ottoman Empire. Kazilik drag More...
Laurence and Temeraire made a daring journey across vast and inhospitable continents to bring home a rare Turkish dragon from the treacherous Ottoman Empire. Kazilik drag More...
Oct 26, 2011
Saphirablue
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Jun 19, 2010
Sandra
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I think we've all heard the comparison by now that the Temeraire books a like "Master and Commander with dragons" Piff. Nonsense. The only thing they have in common is the era and the fact that there are, sometimes, ships.
Ms. Novik's love for the era and hunger for research shows quite keenly in this installment. While this is an alternate history, it can still be called a historical fantasy in the depth and breadth of detail paid to every aspect of the work from clothing to More...
Ms. Novik's love for the era and hunger for research shows quite keenly in this installment. While this is an alternate history, it can still be called a historical fantasy in the depth and breadth of detail paid to every aspect of the work from clothing to More...
May 12, 2010
Rob
rated it:
...In the end Empire of Ivory offers a better structured and more complete story arc of its own, centred on the mysterious disease, than the previous book. I have seem some complaints in other reviews that the novel takes its time to get going but that is certainly not my experience. It does take a little time get reacquainted with the situation in England, which after an absence of a year can hardly be a surprise. It does end in a major cliffhanger however. If you don't like that in a book then
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Oct 18, 2011
Rachel
rated it:
Novik once again produced an enjoyable adventure, on par with the rest of the series.
The exploration of the African continent and culture is exciting and fresh. As an action, adventure story these books are very good, but not for someone looking for complex plot, politics, or magic.
With the glimpse of French culture and the influences Lien is having there at the end of this book, it is obvious that there is still a great deal to be explored and great opportunities for the cha More...
The exploration of the African continent and culture is exciting and fresh. As an action, adventure story these books are very good, but not for someone looking for complex plot, politics, or magic.
With the glimpse of French culture and the influences Lien is having there at the end of this book, it is obvious that there is still a great deal to be explored and great opportunities for the cha More...
Aug 29, 2011
Derrick
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Sep 27, 2010
Oracleofdoom
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Aug 02, 2010
Erin
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After The Black Powder War, I wasn't so sure about continuing with the Temeraire series but shortly into this one my initial excitement picked back up. This one shines with great adventures and many complex and interesting battles. Unfortunately, the beginning is rather sad, with all of the British dragons dying but the change of scene to South Africa at first seemed arbitrary, as if the author was trying deliberately to move each book to a different area of the world, but soon made sense and
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Sep 13, 2010
Vanessa
rated it:
After so long abroad, traveling to China in book 2, then making their way across the continent in book 3, Laurence and Temeraire have finally returned home to England. Unfortunately, they have arrived to find that almost all of England’s aerial corps is in quarantine: from a most often fatal illness.
The doctor assumes that Temeraire had the illness while en route to China, and on their stop in Africa must have eaten something that cured him. In a desperate bid to save the only means More...
The doctor assumes that Temeraire had the illness while en route to China, and on their stop in Africa must have eaten something that cured him. In a desperate bid to save the only means More...
Sep 09, 2010
Alisa
rated it:
This one I liked, but did not love. Maybe it's just that a large part of the book is spent in Africa, and I've never been interested in Africa. Maybe it's that I don't agree with a decision Laurence and Temeraire made - although, I have to say that that decision made for much more interesting last section and a good-golly of a cliffhanger.
Okay, spoiler warning for what comes next:
The decision I disagreed with w More...
Okay, spoiler warning for what comes next:
The decision I disagreed with w More...
Feb 08, 2012
Justin
rated it:
My comments from when I first started reading this book...
Somehow a good deal more entertaining than the past few books in the series. The introduction of the fire breathing Iskierka added a good deal of humor and lightness to the wars with Napoleon, and the epidemic of some unknown illness grounding almost all of England's dragons. I'm looking forward to seeing how this story ends, and desperately hoping it does not develop into the same plot line as the past three books in the series More...
Somehow a good deal more entertaining than the past few books in the series. The introduction of the fire breathing Iskierka added a good deal of humor and lightness to the wars with Napoleon, and the epidemic of some unknown illness grounding almost all of England's dragons. I'm looking forward to seeing how this story ends, and desperately hoping it does not develop into the same plot line as the past three books in the series More...
Jan 28, 2010
Emily
rated it:
I'm constantly amazed at Naomi Novik's ability to find new twists in the world she's created and make them feel adventurous but not contrived. It helps, I think, that Novik has not tried to invent a whole new universe, but just used dragons to add a little zest to history. Many of the most interesting parts of the books--including, in this one, her portrayal of colonial South Africa--don't actually have anything to do with dragons.
Some readers found the historical detail in this vol More...
Some readers found the historical detail in this vol More...
Nov 17, 2011
Russell
rated it:
I want to start this review by saying that I really enjoyed the story, and would have given the story itself four or five stars. However, the terrible standard of editing and proofreading detracted from the story quite significantly, and so led to the relatively low rating.
I suspect the poor editing is only present in the e-book versions. As this Huffington Post article explains, publishers currently don't proof/edit e-books as thoroughly as paper books. One particularly egregious ex More...
I suspect the poor editing is only present in the e-book versions. As this Huffington Post article explains, publishers currently don't proof/edit e-books as thoroughly as paper books. One particularly egregious ex More...
Oct 26, 2010
Jamie (LadyJai)
rated it:
This was a very tumultuous journey for Lawrence and Temeraire and it did not end with the end of the book. The long journey home from China turned rough and nearly disasterous. The conflict between Lien and Temeraire continued. I loved seeing the integration of the African cultures into this story, from both sides of the slave-trade irons. It is amazing how Ms. Novik incorporates a very high and controversial political issues throughout this story line, and this book does not falter. I do love
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Dec 02, 2009
Donna
rated it:
Laurence and Temeraire take their sick formation to Africa in hopes of finding the cure for the illness that is ravaging England's dragon population. But when they venture into the continent's interior, they make a discovery that threatens both their chances of success and the security of the European colonies on the continent.
The whole idea that our heroes stumbled on the cure in a previous adventure is a huge coincidence, but a forgivable one. The adventure elements were well done, More...
The whole idea that our heroes stumbled on the cure in a previous adventure is a huge coincidence, but a forgivable one. The adventure elements were well done, More...
Sep 17, 2009
Libbycgray
rated it:
To the ongoing civil-rights questions threaded through the military history/fantasy storyline, Novik now adds the first genuinely painful moral choices in the series:
When is treason to a State more acceptable than murderous treachery to Allies, up to and including genocide? And what becomes of a Nation which chooses to abandon its' ethics and core principles in the quest for victory in war?
These are the timely and provocative questions posed by the book which every American should we More...
When is treason to a State more acceptable than murderous treachery to Allies, up to and including genocide? And what becomes of a Nation which chooses to abandon its' ethics and core principles in the quest for victory in war?
These are the timely and provocative questions posed by the book which every American should we More...
