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Empire of Ivory (Temeraire #4)

by Naomi Novik (Goodreads Author)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 7,525 ratings · 459 reviews

“A new writer is soaring on the wings of a dragon.”
–The New York Times

“Enthralling reading–it’s like Jane Austen playing Dungeons & Dragons with Eragon’s Christopher Paolini.”
–Time, on His Majesty’s Dragon

Tragedy has struck His Majesty’s Aerial Corps, whose magnificent fleet of fighting dragons and their human captains valiantly defend England’s shores against the encr...more

Paperback, 404 pages

Published September 25th 2007 by Del Rey

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Mar 06, 2008 Corrielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Laurence and Temeraire's most recent adventure is a bit of a departure from their usual military and diplomatic adventures. This time, they're out searching for a cure for a draconic ailment that is lingering and eventual fatal. The entire Aerial Corps is at risk, and Temeraire is one of the only healthy dragons left. So, it's off to Africa, where they think the cure might be found.

I have always loved the different ways that cultures integrate dragons into themselves. We got to see the Chinese p...more Laurence and Temeraire's most recent adventure is a bit of a departure from their usual military and diplomatic adventures. This time, they're out searching for a cure for a draconic ailment that is lingering and eventual fatal. The entire Aerial Corps is at risk, and Temeraire is one of the only healthy dragons left. So, it's off to Africa, where they think the cure might be found.

I have always loved the different ways that cultures integrate dragons into themselves. We got to see the Chinese practices in the second novel, and in this one, we get to see how tribes in Central Africa do it. They believe that dragons are reincarnated spirits of people who have recently died, and when a dragon is still in the egg, it has its entire human life "told" to it in ceremonial chanting. So, the dragon hatches already having a history and a connection to the community it is born into. (This, I think, has the same effect as "harnessing" does for the Westerners. As long as the dragon is immediately somehow given a place in human society, it won't "go feral.")

At any event, things move slowly as Laurence and his crew search for a rare mushroom that proves to cure the illness, but pick up when they discover that the tribes in Central Africa have banded together with their dragons to stop the incursion of slavers into their lands. This is a point where the history of Temeraire's world suddenly went very differently than the history of our own. (Though it was quite cool that Temeraire made a friend and ally for his cause in William Wilberforce when Laurence's father convinces both of them to meet with a bunch of British abolitionists.)

A great many other things happened that deserve some comment... the issue of women in the Corps continues to give poor Will Laurence fits. There's Catherine Harcourt's complete ignorance of the rules of inheritance and her dalliance with Riley (who was quite insufferable for most of the novel) and the quick wedding (can't wait to see where that goes... a navy captain married to a longwing captain who is very sure of herself and used to being in command...), but then there's also Jane Roland, and the unfortunate misunderstanding that led to Will's father believing Emily to be his "natural child." I felt bad for him when Jane refused his proposal so matter-of-factly, but I think that it was for the best, seeing as how Will was asking for reasons of appearances rather than affection. Not to say that the tow of them don't care for each other... I'm even hoping that they're going to get closer as the books progress. Right now, they're mostly convenient friends with benefits (dear friends, even...). Besides, I don't think Will's quite ready for the kind of equality being in love-relationship with Jane would entail.

All of that aside... HOLY CRAP THE CLIFFHANGER. I couldn't believe it when I read that the Admiralty had basically, for lack of a better word, engaged in biological warfare by sending the sick French dragon back home without thought for the countless innocent dragons from enemy and ally countries alike that would fall ill and die because of it. With the shock of that still very fresh in my mind, within pages, Laurence and Temeraire are off committing (in my mind quite justifiable) treason by taking the French the cure. And Will, being the noble-minded Englishman that he is, is going back to England now that he's done what he felt was right. Though I have never been more proud of Laurence and Temeraire, the government is NOT going to be happy with Will, and how he's going to escape without a noose around his neck is anyone's guess.

Next book now, please?
(less)

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Sep 02, 2008 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: regency-napoleonic, time-travel-alt-history

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.

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May 06, 2012 Tari_Roo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, after the first book, this book is my next favourite. The anxiety and tension in books 2 and 3 restrained my complete enjoyment, but with Empire of Ivory, I was reading avidly, unable to put the book down.

The first notes of enjoyment were Iskierka and the ferals - who were delightfully funny and amusing, especially in contrast to the overhanging sorrow and worry with the plague affecting the other dragons. And as frustrating as Laurence finds the British Government, I found them worthy of...more Well, after the first book, this book is my next favourite. The anxiety and tension in books 2 and 3 restrained my complete enjoyment, but with Empire of Ivory, I was reading avidly, unable to put the book down.

The first notes of enjoyment were Iskierka and the ferals - who were delightfully funny and amusing, especially in contrast to the overhanging sorrow and worry with the plague affecting the other dragons. And as frustrating as Laurence finds the British Government, I found them worthy of a punch in the nose.

The main thrust of the book, the journey back to Cape Town and search for the cure was delightful and eye opening to read. As a South African I appreciated the details and mentions of possible future events (and my fav place in the world Plettenberg Bay). And the truly, truly AU/Alternate History hit. The Tswana kingdom. And Novak revealed that kingdom expertly and perfectly, with the growing understanding of the Europeans that Africa was not bereft of civilization and then the realisation that the unthinking assumption that slavery would be tolerated and not invoke retribution from an organised people.

Beautiful.

The route and attack of Cape Town was heartrending to read but also, strangely... fitting. With all my heart I wish that this story - of a strong, capable African society that repelled the initial colonists were true. I do not wish the settlers dead or enslaved but repelled and Africa left for the Africans. Centuries and decades of hardship, bloodshed, heartache and wickedness could have been avoided. It is not a guarantee that a world or history with a real (dragons free) Tswana or Zulu or Xhosa (or any tribe) kingdom would not have resulted in wars and hardships of a different kind, but perhaps we could hope for something better.

And then the last section of the book... the dreadful, awful plan to infect the European dragons, and Temeraire and Laurences wonderful, poignant sacrifice to save the dragons. I am desperate to read the next book to find out what happened, but also do not want to *bites nails*

Ohhhhh, what a good story. (And I was pleased to determine that the Incas are alive and well, as I hoped and another tragedy in world history averted.) :)(less)

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Jan 14, 2008 Zen Cho rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sff, regency

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was really good -- perhaps the best of the Temeraire books so far, though I may just feel this way 'cos every time I read a new Temeraire book I find I'd forgotten how great they are. But I wish Harper Collins hadn't done such a damned shoddy job of proofreading. I kept getting tripped up by typos, grammatical errors, dangling sentence fragments, and once, the same word being used twice in the same sentence in a way that made me have to reread the sentence twice before I understood it.

Also...more

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Oct 24, 2007 Meredith Galman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

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...more

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Nov 04, 2007 Trin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historicalfiction, american-lit

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...more

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May 11, 2013 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: alternate-history, frustrating-reads, here-be-dragons, steampunkish, tribal-native, war

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 19, 2012 Onefinemess rated it 3 of 5 stars

Another good read that I just tore through, but I’m starting to see a pattern… Maybe it’s just the (now somewhat) practiced writer in me – but her plot shapes are showing. I suspect this is probably how all books read, more or less – but – I’m really noticing how the action bunches up at the end. “But this is the climax!?” you say. I suppose it is, still it seems to rush up so suddenly at the end…

Also, there’s generally a moment of sudden sadness about 2/3 of the way through each book, often a q...more Another good read that I just tore through, but I’m starting to see a pattern… Maybe it’s just the (now somewhat) practiced writer in me – but her plot shapes are showing. I suspect this is probably how all books read, more or less – but – I’m really noticing how the action bunches up at the end. “But this is the climax!?” you say. I suppose it is, still it seems to rush up so suddenly at the end…

Also, there’s generally a moment of sudden sadness about 2/3 of the way through each book, often a quick and unexpected death, rendered poignant for one reason or another.

This book continues our tour (often by really slow boat, which bugs me but I’m sure is historically sound or some junk :P) around Novik’s world – this time we’re spending more time in Africa, where the slave trade vs. status of dragons in English metaphor continues to grow.

This book ends in a pretty serious cliffhanger too. I mean, we know the MC won’t actually be executed but, you know, hell of a depressing way to end a book. There is a general aura of malaise over the whole society – made even more evident from our “modern” perspective where we are much more aware of equality and injustice – and I hope it’s something Novik shifts at some point. Everything doesn’t need to be depressing, does it?

The continued hints at unexpected qualities of dragons (the way they communicate with eggs, the way they control their mating cycle (?), etc.) and the MCs continued idiotic “proper” behavior which prevents him from asking questions to which we know that Temeraire has answers… THAT needs to end with a quickness. I’ve always hated that kind of thing – where someone knows the answer, and the answer would save everyone, but the other person just never asks (for some idiotic reason) while the audience is forced to stew in that? HATE IT. Not that it’s that dire here… but I can see how it could get there. Please don’t go there Ms. Novik!

THREE AND A HALF STARS(less)

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Nov 09, 2012 Angela Oliver rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, history

Continuing on in the Temeraire series, with this relatively long-winded instalment. It has a very slow build, with so much pompous speech that cannot help but be a little gobsmacked when suddenly, about halfway through, the well-laid plans of Laurence and his company suddenly and violently goes to hell. However, after that brief flurry of excitement, we are thrown once more into tedious political manouverings and overblown speeches. I ended up skim-reading the end bit, because it seemed to promi...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Lucy Cokes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This series is brilliant. I adore the setting, and the characters are fun and believable. Novik chooses well how to present human history, sometimes commenting on the injustice of slavery in a way that really makes you think. I was bored at some points but having forgotten what goes on within Africa itself I found the pace and plot exciting. It never seizes to amaze me that Novik - an American - has at her control a fantastic knowledge of British and European history, and produces convincing voi...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Big McLargehuge rated it 2 of 5 stars

Oh dear, this one stumbles a little...

Empire of Ivory certainly starts strongly enough. Things pick up right where Black Powder War left off, the Prussian evacuation making its homecoming to find that the absence of British support had a far more calamitous cause than mere negligence - the nation's dragon population has been inflicted with a deathly illness. By chance Temeraire is discovered to be immune to the sickness and it is deduced that some conditions experienced on the journey along the...more Oh dear, this one stumbles a little...

Empire of Ivory certainly starts strongly enough. Things pick up right where Black Powder War left off, the Prussian evacuation making its homecoming to find that the absence of British support had a far more calamitous cause than mere negligence - the nation's dragon population has been inflicted with a deathly illness. By chance Temeraire is discovered to be immune to the sickness and it is deduced that some conditions experienced on the journey along the African coast hold the keys to a cure.

Things are bogged down a little early on as Lawrence makes some plodding efforts to win over political favour towards dragon freedoms but eventually a vanguard dragon squadron is shipped to the Cape. A whole multitude of things happen while they're in Africa and unfortunately most of it was pretty unsatisfying. The source of the cure will be immediately apparent to anyone who was paying even slight attention in Throne of Jade but whatever, not a huge deal.

Things do start to get a little more implausible when Laurence's crew start encountering the indigenous African population. I don't want to give out spoilers so it's really hard to get into specifics, but lot of things just don't seem to add up quite right, or there isn't much information offered for the reader to go on with regards to their capabilities or their culture. For instance there are allusions made to some kind of belief in reincarnation vis-a-vis humans and dragons. Interesting concept but ultimately when the direction of the story leaves Africa it remains just as nebulous and unclear a practice as when it's first brought up - we never really learn anything about these people. With respect to native African cultures they at times demonstrate military and technological power that goes well beyond suspension of disbelief (there even seems to be some sort of implication that these tribes have plans involving Europe and the Americas - though just like with their beliefs in reincarnation, the hows and whys of such a scenario are left practically untouched).

The book thankfully ends on a stronger note by introducing a major ethical dilemma into the course of the war. I actually wish this conflict was what occupied the bulk of the book instead of the African saga. Unfortunately it seems to be reserved as a glorified footnote to the story, albeit one that has major consequences for Laurence and Temeraire. Overall this has been my least favourite of the series so far. It starts and ends well but in the meat of the story I just couldn't mentally lose myself in the series' universe to the same vivid degree I can with the rest.

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May 15, 2012 Bart Breen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Naomi Novik is a writer to continue to watch and the Temeraire Series is a delight to read. I've not been as looking forward to a next book in a series for quite some time.

What Novik does better than most writers in a series is to avoid the temptation of rewriting a previously successful book and manages to introduce new themes. In Empire of Ivory, Novik again changes the venue and moves the theater of operations within the Napoleonic wars to Africa where the social elements of slavery are furth...more

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May 13, 2012 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Julie by: Jim Dressner

Shelves: 2012, author_female, fantasy, geo_asia, geo_europe, history, pub_post-1945, series, type_fiction

I cannot think of another fantasy series, other than Dragonriders of Pern, in which the books keep getting better, but this fourth book in the Temeraire series is my favorite so far. Previous books in this truly imaginative series have taken place in England, China, Istanbul and eastern Europe. This book sends Captain Laurence and his trusty dragon Temeraire to Africa in the company of other characters we have grown to know in the previous novels. I don't want to give too much away, but the plot...more

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May 07, 2012 Thomas Harlan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've wound up reading the His Majesty's Dragon series a bit out of order. Read the first two a couple years ago (and gave them to my pop for Christmas), then happened to pick up Ivory, Victory and Tongues at the library recently.

Empire of Ivory is good, but not great. It spools up a global threat to dragonkind, resolves it, and then gets into the repercussions of that (a cruel choice forced upon Laurence and Temeraire; with wide ranging aftereffects - which is pretty good). The dragons are great...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Anne Toronto1 rated it 2 of 5 stars

** "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 victims of...more

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May 12, 2011 Glee rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 (and geography) wedged in...more

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May 11, 2011 Coligne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fanucci, fantasy, temeraire, my, favorite

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...more

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Jan 05, 2011 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction-and-fantasy

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 aboard...more

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Aug 31, 2010 ambyr rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: genreㅡalternate-history, acquiredㅡbought-new, authorㅡfemale, protagonistㅡmale, read-aloud, ownㅡcurrently, signed

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...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Madigan McGillicuddy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm racing through these Temeraire books and thoroughly enjoying each one. Volume 4 of the epic series sees the dragon Temeraire and his human captain Wil Laurence return to Britain from their travels in China.

The shocking news on their return is that nearly all of the dragons in England are sick, dead or dying. Meanwhile, Napoleon's armies are on the move, and eager to move into British territory. After spending weeks sick with fear, and dreading the illness, Temeraire and Laurence realize that...more I'm racing through these Temeraire books and thoroughly enjoying each one. Volume 4 of the epic series sees the dragon Temeraire and his human captain Wil Laurence return to Britain from their travels in China.

The shocking news on their return is that nearly all of the dragons in England are sick, dead or dying. Meanwhile, Napoleon's armies are on the move, and eager to move into British territory. After spending weeks sick with fear, and dreading the illness, Temeraire and Laurence realize that the cure is in a foul smelling mushroom that he ate on the trip over to China.

The crew immediately goes on a mission to Africa to see if they can find more of the rare fungi, and this is where things get really interesting. The slave trade is in full-swing, and the dragons of Africa are beginning to fight back. Laurence ends up abducted by a group of Tswana tribesmen, who believe that dragons are reincarnated humans, and count themselves as close kin with many of the unfortunates kidnapped by slavers. The book begins to take on the feeling of anthropological fiction, as the details unfold of how various societies integrate dragons differently. The Africans have a marvelous cliff top dragon city - inaccessible except by air, but built by humans and dragons together.

Fierce little baby dragon Iskierka makes a brief appearance in this book. She's taken to raiding ships for treasure, to build up her dragon hoard of wealth. She parades her captain Granby around in bejeweled get-up, and I was reminded of nothing more than one of those poor dogs whose owner had outfitted them in a ridiculous little sweater.

Another of my favorite scenes is when Jane Roland presents Arkady, the leader of the group of feral dragons who've been convinced to join England's cause, with a "medal" for bravery - really just an engraved dinner plate, with a brass chain, making all the other dragons, including Temeraire terribly jealous.

I also enjoyed the scene where Temeraire is convinced to father an egg - since Britain is desperate to rebuild their ranks of dragons following the decimation of illness.

I feel like things are at a breaking point. Surely, most of the British citizens will learn that women have been secretly serving as dragonriders very soon.

The book ended on a real surprise note for me. (view spoiler) I can't wait to read more.(less)

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Oct 20, 2011 John Kirk rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 society ourse...more 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 society ourselves (rather than spelling it out explicitly).

Since the air corps (and the readers) are obviously fond of dragons, it's always felt a bit odd to me to be cheering the winner in air combat: I don't take any pleasure when enemy dragons are shot or captured. This book addressed my concerns admirably.

(view spoiler)(less)

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Apr 13, 2011 Gus rated it 4 of 5 stars

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...more

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Jan 14, 2011 Heather Young rated it 4 of 5 stars

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's...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Kate Millin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 dragons ar...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Eliane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ich hätte gerne eine Karte von Afrika gehabt, um den Weg dort nachvollziehen zu können. Bei den Wasserfällen dämmerte es mir zwar, dass es sich um die berühmten Viktoria - Fälle handeln muss, aber dies wird erst sehr weit am Ende bestätigt durch eine Niederschrift der Geschichte der Tswana (damaliges Königreich; Bevölkerung von Botswana wenn ich es richtig nachvollziehen konnte), wobei mir hier auch Google/Wikipedia weiter half.

Davon abgesehen: damn, das Ende ist sehr abrupt. Eben liest man noc...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Saphirablue rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dragons, hurt-comfort, fantasy, favorites, in-english, alternate-history, read-in-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It took me a long time to start and then to re-start reading this book because of the dying dragons. :( Couldn't deal with that. But after I finally started? I couldn't stop reading.

I love, love, love, love Temeraire. I love that he is not a "dumb" dragon but that he has his opinion, polictical views, is sometimes sulking like a little child and just a fantastic character. Sometimes it's painful to read how hopeful he comes that the British governement gives more rights to dragons but we as read...more It took me a long time to start and then to re-start reading this book because of the dying dragons. :( Couldn't deal with that. But after I finally started? I couldn't stop reading.

I love, love, love, love Temeraire. I love that he is not a "dumb" dragon but that he has his opinion, polictical views, is sometimes sulking like a little child and just a fantastic character. Sometimes it's painful to read how hopeful he comes that the British governement gives more rights to dragons but we as reader know that that won't happen. :(

I love Laurence. His flailing at keeping up with Temeraire and his fellow officers and men and women in the Aerial Corps. Makes me smile every time. (Also, I'm so glad that I didn't live in this period of time. I can only shake my head at the attitude of the men in this time from the POV of a woman reading about it today.)

I love all the dragons (the antics of them make me smile and giggle so much) and crews and I also understand Riley and so on. Hell, even the "bad guys" in this book are absolutely likable and when you stop and think for a second you know that our "heroes" would act in the same way in the same situation (well, except for deliberately sending a sick dragon to the french).

I love visiting Africa with Temeraire, Lily, Maximus and all the other dragons of the wing. I love that here too we get an altered history. Of course, there are dragons too! Of course the tribes of Africa use them to drive away the settlers and slavers! \o/ I love the idea that the African tribes have a completely different attitude to the dragons and, like the chinese, live with them, cherish them, are not terrified of them and treat them with respect like the sentient and intelligent beings that they are.

The capture of Laurence & Co and then the following H/C? Makes me a very happy camper. Also, I love that Lily and Dulcia came up with the way to rescue Laurence & Co and Temeraire. :D

The flight of Temeraire and Laurence from London to Scotland and France? AWESOME! I love that both, Temeraire and Laurence, came up with it and they both knew the consequences and still did it.

I hate that the book ended with Laurence standing on the shore of France, certain that he won't live 'til Christmas because he will be hung as traitor. I'm so glad that I already have the next book at home and can start reading it tomorrow. :D(less)

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Jun 19, 2010 Sandra Stixrude rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 rank to political at...more

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May 12, 2010 Rob rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: random-comments-review

...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...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, female-author, reviewed

Although I enjoyed the second and third books in the Temeraire series, I thought that they weren't as good as the first novel, and this fourth book definitely rose back up to the level of "His Majesty's Dragon." When the dragons in England are stricken with a lethal illness, Laurence and Temeraire travel to Africa to search for a mushroom that may be the cure. Although I admit to knowing little about the locations the captain and dragon have traveled to throughout the series, this locale seemed...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

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 character development o...more

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About Naomi Novik

An avid reader of fantasy literature since age six, when she first made her way through The Lord of the Rings, Naomi Novik is also a history buff with a particular interest in the Napoleonic era and a fondness for the work of Patrick O’Brian and Jane Austen. She studied English literature at Brown University, and did graduate work in computer science at Columbia University before leaving to partic...more

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Quotes from Empire of Ivory

“Proper circus you make,' Berkley said, with a snort of laughter Laurence considered unnecessary, when they landed in the clearing and set the dog down; it promptly went tearing around the parade ground yelling at the dragons. For their part they were only interested and curious until the dog bit a too-inquisitive Dulcia on the tender nip of her muzzle, at which she hissed in anger; the dog yelped and fled back to the dubious shelter of Temeraire's side; he looked down at it in irritation and tried unsuccessfully to nudge it away.

'Pray be careful of the creature; I have no idea how we should get or train another,' Laurence said, and Temeraire at last grumbling allowed it to curl up beside him.” — 1 person liked it

“Keynes, quite ignoring the covert gestures, the attempts at signaling, of nearly every senior officer, examined [Lily] and declared that she was perfectly fit to fly, "had better fly, I should say; this agitation is unnatural, and must be worked off."

"But perhaps," Laurence said, voicing the reluctance which the captains all privately shared, and they as a body began to suggest flights out over the ocean, along the scenic and settled coastline and back; gentle exercise.

"I hope," Catherine said, going pink clear up to her forehead in a wave of color, "I hope that no-one is going to fuss; I would dislike fuss extremely.” — 1 person liked it

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Empire of Ivory (Temeraire #4)

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