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His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire #1)

by Naomi Novik (Goodreads Author)

4.05 · rating details · 11,760 ratings · 1,543 reviews

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.

When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an u...more

Mass Market Paperback, 356 pages

Published March 28th 2006 by Del Rey (first published January 1st 2006)

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Jul 10, 2007

Irene rated it

I wasn't expecting much when I picked up His Majesty's Dragon. To tell the truth, if I'd seen it in a bookstore, I wouldn't have picked it up. But it was recommended to me by a reliable source as a better alternative to Eragon, and it was a historical fantasy set during the Napoleonic Wars. I figured I'd give it a try. I didn't regret it.

I don't love this book because Naomi Novik's writing style is equal to that of Tolkien. I don't love this book because it's perfect in every way - i...moreI wasn't expecting much when I picked up His Majesty's Dragon. To tell the truth, if I'd seen it in a bookstore, I wouldn't have picked it up. But it was recommended to me by a reliable source as a better alternative to Eragon, and it was a historical fantasy set during the Napoleonic Wars. I figured I'd give it a try. I didn't regret it.

I don't love this book because Naomi Novik's writing style is equal to that of Tolkien. I don't love this book because it's perfect in every way - indeed, some of the subplots were rather weak, and should have been changed or cut out altogether. Rather, I love this book because Naomi Novik took a boring, cliche idea, and put on a spin on it that's so brilliant and yet mind-bogglingly obvious I have to wonder why in the world someone hadn't thought of it before.

In all of the previous dragonrider books I'd read, there was always one rider. One lone human on a dragon the size of a house. And somehow, that was supposed to be special and sensible and realistic. But no - if a dragon is that large, then why is there only one rider? Why can't there be more? Having one rider on a dragon is like putting one passenger on a plane that could potentially carry fifty.

And that's where Naomi Novik takes the Temeraire series. Her fight scenes aren't one-on-one affairs, they're all-out aerial battles fought with crew members dangling precariously from leather harnesses, forced to make the best of inaccurate rifles. It's true, the captain has a special relationship with his or her dragon, but there's the distinct feeling of a team - that the captain would really be nowhere without the support of a crew behind him. What's more, Novik makes the battles work - they're clearly planned out and make sense in a historical context.

The main characters are also unusually engaging - Laurence, as a former naval captain who accidentally stumbles upon a dragon egg, is plunged into a branch of the military completely unlike the one in which he's served, and his confusion and stiffness are only to be expected. While his stubbornness and sense of propriety are on occasion mildly irritating, his reactions to elements of the Aerial Corps are only natural given his character. And Temeraire, the dragon that hatches from the egg Laurence discovers, is more than a mere sentient ship - his naive, inquisitive personality is adorably appealing, and the political views he develops at times contrast sharply with those of Laurence.

And then there's the matter of the main villain - there is none. There's no evil overlord to face, no Dark Lord Napoleon who tries to foil Laurence's and Temeraire's plans at every turn. In fact, despite the fact that the book is from a strictly British point of view, Novik portrays Napoleon fairly, and his character only grows more sympathetic as the series goes on. Napoleon doesn't even make an appearance during the first book - it's just the British Aerial Corps versus the French Armee de l'Air. It's a lovely change; as the battles grow steadily more climactic, one gets the feeling that they're in a war against other dragon-crews just like theirs, not fighting some unseen maniac.

Like I said, His Majesty's Dragon isn't perfect. The subplot with Choiseul is ultimately disappointing in its resolution, and Laurence's love interest is perilously close to a Mary-Sue and should have been cut (thankfully, there's a lot less of her in the following books). Still, it's a refreshingly original spin on an overused idea, and all in all a very good read.(less)

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Dec 22, 2008

Jim rated it

Shelves: historical, fantasy

A very engaging book, I read it in a few hours on a very cold Sunday afternoon & evening. I didn't want to put it down. Historically, it is set about the early 19th century during Napoleon's reign. Told from the POV of a British sea captain, but the twist is that dragons are a part of the war effort between the two. Our captain/hero gets caught up in that part of the war.

Characterization is very good as is the portrayal of British society & military. There isn't a lot of militar...more

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Jan 22, 2010

Katie rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'll go ahead and applaud Novik for originality; she pulled me back into the exhausted dragon-rider genre that as far as I'm concerned McCaffrey bludgeoned to death and Paolini shanked up the ass.

But that says more about me than her.

At some point after two-hundred pages I lifted my head and realized nothing had happened. Oh yes, Laurence had rushed from point A to B and done This and That, but what's there to say about Laurence? He's boring, brainless, carries on ambiguo...more

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Jul 11, 2007

Dafna rated it

Recommends it for: Everyone

God, I admit, I'm one of those douchey fucks that look down on fantasy readers while I sit firmly ensconced in my igloo composed of "Star Wars: Rogue Squadron" and "Star Trek: The Lost Years" books. Of course, it'd be a book about dragons fighting for the British army against the encroaching Napoleonic forces to get to me to realize: DRAGONS ARE FUCKING COOL.

Especially dragons with awesome Han Solo type female riders and plucky young girls manning the gunnery and ...more

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Nov 06, 2007

rgb rated it

Recommends it for: Bored SF fans

This is a tough one to review in some ways. First, I've read lots of "dragon books", and this is far, far from the best. For one thing, I'm a physicist and while I'm willing to suspend disbelief up to a certain point, the image of dragons capable of carrying anywhere from tens to hundreds of humans at a time (plus weapons and armor!) for distances that again range from tens to hundreds of miles in a day just does not compute. Let me count the ways it violates natural law, not just b...moreThis is a tough one to review in some ways. First, I've read lots of "dragon books", and this is far, far from the best. For one thing, I'm a physicist and while I'm willing to suspend disbelief up to a certain point, the image of dragons capable of carrying anywhere from tens to hundreds of humans at a time (plus weapons and armor!) for distances that again range from tens to hundreds of miles in a day just does not compute. Let me count the ways it violates natural law, not just by a little bit but ludicrously: energy conservation, scaling laws, biology -- you name it, her dragons violate it. Her dragons carry loads like 747 airliners carry loads -- to carry the load described in the last book of this series, where Temeraire helps ferry people over a hundred at a time from a fort out to a boat, well -- imagine hanging 100 people from an elephant. Hmmm, no way. A brachiosaurus? Sorry, I can't imagine more than 30 or 40. A blue whale? Now we're talking.

100 humans at 200 pounds each is an easy 10 tons of humans. Add this to the (conservatively) 100 ton body mass of an animal large enough to hang all these people on and you're talking the good sized airliner, all supposedly powered by muscles on the fuel of the energy content of an occassional cow. Waste heat alone would cook such a beast until it starved to death, assuming of course that they weren't crushed under their own weight as they attempted to stand.

Okay, you say. We know dragons aren't real, so why can't they be whatever she likes? They can, of course, but even my 12 year old thought that it was a bit odd and hard to believe. And it's not that I don't like dragons. McCaffery's dragons are close enough that I can suspend disbelief -- Pern's gravity is lower, air is maybe thicker, they're hollow bodied and don't have to carry huge loads, just a person and saddle and load of firestone, which (for all I know) is a light and porous rock or the dragons couldn't chew it. Battledragons are also believable -- basically smallish dinosaurs in armor who like noodles as much as meat. One can go down a veritable list of dragons back to King Arthur, and never has their been a storybook dragon so very out of kilter with common sense.

Once you get past this, the book is still flawed in several ways. Laurence (the main human protagonist) is a middling flawed individual -- priggish, filled with notions of duty and obligation, blind to his surroundings, out of touch with the real world, a supposedly "romantic" character that comes across looking more foolish than believable. He persists in referring to his (male) dragon as "dear" throughout the book. No man calls his male companions or pets (however you want to view the dragon) as "dear", and even viewing the dragon as his "child" it still sounds odd. Because he's a dodo-brain when it comes to politics he naturally gets into all sorts of scrapes that could easily be avoided, which gives the book a bit of stilted or contrived feel. Even the economics of dragons doesn't really compute -- at a good sized piece of livestock a day, dragons are remarkably expensive to feed (a cow takes months to years to grow and can feed a lot of humans). Yet we see dragons by the dozen being supported for their military potential, we see dragons "making a living" carrying messages or people around a city. Hell of a taxi service, if the taxi driver/cab combo earns enough to buy an entire cow a day.

Given all of this, if you accept the series as being a simple historical "what-if" novel exploring the Napoleanic wars with dragons being used as a living "air force", it's a decent read. Worth it for exactly three novels, which unfortunately wasn't enough to get close to terminating the endless story. I will not buy any more.

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Mar 17, 2009

Elizabeth rated it

Recommended to Elizabeth by: Jamie

Shelves: dragons-on-display, 2009, in-by-of-england, vamps-and-other-mythical-beasts, reviewed, they-re-like-fish-man, fantasy-sci-fi

I wasn't going to read this book. I have seen it in bookstores a dozen times and not once did it call out, Elizabeth, I'm awesome. You will love me!

What it said was, Elizabeth, I'm another wanna-be dragon-riding book set in some pseudo-historical period which is incompletely researched and annoyingly contrived. To make it worse, it's set on a ship. Early nineteenth century ships are not someplace any sane person would want to be; the necessary historical details are likely to turn t...moreI wasn't going to read this book. I have seen it in bookstores a dozen times and not once did it call out, Elizabeth, I'm awesome. You will love me!

What it said was, Elizabeth, I'm another wanna-be dragon-riding book set in some pseudo-historical period which is incompletely researched and annoyingly contrived. To make it worse, it's set on a ship. Early nineteenth century ships are not someplace any sane person would want to be; the necessary historical details are likely to turn the modern reader's stomach, and I have no interest in description-induced seasickness.

So I was reluctant to pick it up. It took me months to open if after it made it home. But here were are, two days after I began the book, and I am about to write a (mostly) glowing review.

First, the time shipboard is blessedly brief. We only learn that they kept live animals aboard (when possible) and were spared any description of what the hold (or the men) must have smell liked.

Second, the characters are clever. Laurence and Temeraine are great fun to hang out with. I appreciated the challenges to habit (in behavior and thinking) that the author set her protagonist to overcome. I didn't mind the more obvious ones because I liked the way Laurence reacted. I liked his change in thinking over time. I liked the way he solved problems. They weren't always the obvious solution either, which was refreshing.

Third, there are dragons. I am not sure where the fascination with dragons came from. Was it from childhood stories? My mother had a great book about a Chinese dragon who saved a town from invaders because the poorest street boy gave him a bowl of rice. I remember reading it over and over again. I remember seeing Reign of Fire, and certainly not for Matthew McConaughey's brilliant dialog (They're like fish, man). I am more likely to read a book about dragons before any other magical creature, but they cannot be the only attraction. I couldn't finish Dragonhaven by an author I truly love, even with a dragon, and I don't think there's any reason to discuss Eragon.

This is a fun, quick read. It's perfect for a plane or a rainy afternoon or doctor's waiting room. It is not perfect for bed-time; you will not get to sleep. I made that mistake and only managed to put it down because I got annoyed by a couple of things. Too-neat resolution of certain subplots was one. It seemed like the author (or her editor) wasn't quite sure which things were important to her and so didn't make the necessary sacrifices (or rewrites) to tighten up some of her ideas. (Ask me about the Frenchman some time). And then there were the Roman-built baths in caves under the hills outside of Inverness. Inverness! This little tidbit drove me crazy (much like the fish comment in Reign of Fire, actually). I don't usually read alternative histories for exactly this reason. I'll give you a Chinese dragon fighting for Britain in 1815, with a whole corps of them flying in formation over the English Channel, but the idea of these baths really bothered me.

There, I have vented and you have been forewarned. Now you can simply enjoy the story and not worry about the petty details. I've already started the second book. I love it when that this happens.

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Mar 12, 2009

Logan rated it

Shelves: scifi-fantasy, e-book

Napoleonic wars with dragons. Really, do you need much more of an explanation? These are dragons written how I always wished they were, in a world that I care about. Alternate histories are dicey things- either the author hews too closely to the original events for the story to take on its own life or the history just serves as a lure to get unsuspecting nerds to take the plunge. Novik pulls off the ultimate balancing act, however, weighing Nelson's naval maneuvers with aerial raids from Fre...more

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Jun 24, 2010

Beanbag Love rated it

· review of another edition

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 E...more

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Apr 09, 2009

Kristjan rated it

Recommends it for: Dragon fans

Recommended to Kristjan by: GR Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Club

Shelves: book-club-selection, high-fantasy

It would have been hard for me to hate this story as I am a sucker for Dragons. I am also a former tall-ship sailor, so the initial 19th century naval setting of the story (aka Master and Commander style) only added to my enjoyment … provided I suspend a fair amount of disbelief in how much can actually fit on a dragon (think heavily lift helicopter with everything inside sprawled into slings underneath and tents topside). In fact, even the aerial combat was difficult to imagine realistically,...more

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Mar 23, 2009

Richard rated it

Recommends it for: Pretty much anyone that enjoys fantasy fiction, even a little.

Recommended to Richard by: SciFi & Fantasy Group 2008-12 Fantasy Selection

Shelves: fantasy, bookclub, series

This was the Fantasy selection for the Goodreads SciFi and Fantasy Book Club for the month of December 2008. Visit this link to see all of the discussions, group member reviews, etc.

Some very trivial spoilers are, I suppose, present below. But not really anything more detailed than one could discover in the book's marketing copy and promotional blurbs. But if you are hypersensitive, then skip to the next review...

I thought it was charming that the first blurb inside the f...more

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Apr 28, 2011

Jenny Maloney rated it

Shelves: have-read

I picked this book up (and it's two follow-ups) because there was a great write-up in Writer's Digest about how Novik turned this story into a 'great new series'. Um, after reading it, I'm not sure quite how she managed that.

There are scenes. Sometimes really exciting scenes. But I fail to see the over-arching problem...and I don't know how you would drive a whole series without a bigger problem. The relationship between the rider, Laurence, and the dragon, Temeraire, is strange...to ...more

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Jun 05, 2007

Siria rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 21st-century, alternate-history, american-fiction, fantasy, historical-fiction

I really, really enjoyed this. For a first novel, it's quite some achievement. It's a fantastic , original blend of Regency period naval adventure with pure fantasy, a world that's recognisable as the one about which Jane Austen and Patrick O' Brian wrote, but which is inhabited by dragons. The premise is mostly well thought through, and slots in well into early nineteenth century society. The dialogue also manages to walk the fine line between being appropriate to the period, and being a pastic...more

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Jul 24, 2008

Jamie rated it

Recommended to Jamie by: Julie Carter

Shelves: historical-fiction, regency-era, fantasy-traditional

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 Englan...more

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Dec 09, 2008

Amy rated it

Shelves: read-in-2008

A very quick read - I checked it out from the library yesterday and finished it last night. It's good enough to make me want to make a special trip back to the library to check out the next one.

This book is set during the Napoleonic wars and has dragons, two elements which have long been included in my favorite reading. In sixth grade I devoured Anne McCaffrey's Pern novels. And I've been reading Regency era romance novels for years, as well. Combine those two, and add a dragon w...moreA very quick read - I checked it out from the library yesterday and finished it last night. It's good enough to make me want to make a special trip back to the library to check out the next one.

This book is set during the Napoleonic wars and has dragons, two elements which have long been included in my favorite reading. In sixth grade I devoured Anne McCaffrey's Pern novels. And I've been reading Regency era romance novels for years, as well. Combine those two, and add a dragon who loves to read about math and science, and you've got a winner for me.

I liked the developing relationship between Temeraire and Laurence, although Laurence was a little bit overboard with 'My Dear'. Temeraire is mentally mature when he hatches from the egg; he only needs to have contextual information, supplied from conversation and books, to be Laurence's best friend. This relationship is the most important in Laurence's life, and very time consuming; it precludes the possibility of marriage, in his mind at least.

I've heard Laurence described as kind of stuffy - and I found him to be this way as well, particularly in regards to women and their roles. I think this is intentional; without his stuffiness, someone not familiar with the time period would not be able to see how advanced was the Aerial Corps' inclusion of women.

This aspect of the novel actually did not work well for me. At the celebration at the end of the book, it was remarked that the females among the Corps were assumed to be wives, as female dragon riders would be entirely unacceptable. This hits on a larger problem I have with the concept; if dragons and their riders had existed throughout history, I find it highly unlikely that the world would have developed in the same way. Attitudes towards women would have been different. And the balance of power in Europe, and between Europe and Asia, would have been different.

This is the first alternate history book I've read. This book alters history in it's entirety, by assuming that dragons have always existed on earth, but then it only looks at the ramifications of that assumption as applied to one particular time period. This just causes problems for me.

But I loved the characters. I loved the idea of dragons being used somewhat like aerial ships. I eagerly look forward to reading the next 4 published books in the series. (less)

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Jun 09, 2011

Suna rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, maritime, dragon-fiction, alternate-history

Well I can only say that I vastly suffered from Sense & Sensibility syndrome reading this book.
(Having seen the movie umpteen times first, I had adjustment issues with the novel's differences.)

When I started reading the series I managed to be saddled with a faulty copy: The cover of the first installment housed the third book, which I therefore mistakenly read as the start to Laurence's adventures.

Irritatingly this book is now so unsurprising as to spoil my reading exper...more

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Oct 19, 2009

Ken-ichi rated it

Recommended to Ken-ichi by: Sarah Hawley

Shelves: escape, fantasy

Dang, that was fun. If you enjoy Patrick O'Brian, are not averse to the fantastic, and are looking for a quick, fun read, please overlook the corny cover and check this out. Though perhaps not as funny or as brilliantly wordy as O'Brian at his best, Novik does an excellent job illustrating the details of a remote time and lifestyle, exploring not only technical details of gear and rigging, but also the social constraints of being an "aviator." Riders bond with their dragon for life...more

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Dec 24, 2008

Brad rated it

Shelves: fantasy, historical

It would be easy to slip into hyperbole about His Majesty's Dragon, so before I get to the hyperbole I want to make it clear that while I did enjoy Naomi Novik's story of dragon riding in Napoleonic Europe, it is not the most amazing book ever. Although I will probably continue in the series, it isn't at the top of my to read list.

Now for the hyperbole.

His Majesty's Dragon is very entertaining. Novik sweeps us into the world of her dragonriders and delivers action at a p...more

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Nov 28, 2008

Jon rated it

Recommended to Jon by: SciFi & Fantasy Book Club December Theme (Alternate History)

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, read-in-my-40s, alternate-history, hugo-nominee

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Why do I love tales of adventure on the high seas? Is it because I've always lived in Kansas, thousands of miles away from the ocean? And the icing on the cake? Dragons!

We meet Captain Laurence as he's defeated and captured the French ship Amerité. Within it's hold is a peculiar and very precious cargo, which Captain Laurence transfers immediately to his ship, the HMS Reliant. The Reliant's surgeon confirms the cargo is a dragon egg. Due to the recent stormy weather, which blew ...more

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Jul 10, 2008

Shannon rated it

Recommended to Shannon by: Betsy

Shelves: fantasy, 2008

What do you do when you have a passion for both the Napoleonic Wars and dragons? Why, combine them of course. In Novik's debut novel she's taken the Napoleonic wars and added dragons and aviators to produce a unique new fantasy.

The younger son of a Lord, Laurence is a young captain in the British navy, and proud of it. His life is by no means pat but he has some hopes of marrying Edith and making enough prize money to keep her in the manner to which she is accustomed. His plans and h...moreWhat do you do when you have a passion for both the Napoleonic Wars and dragons? Why, combine them of course. In Novik's debut novel she's taken the Napoleonic wars and added dragons and aviators to produce a unique new fantasy.

The younger son of a Lord, Laurence is a young captain in the British navy, and proud of it. His life is by no means pat but he has some hopes of marrying Edith and making enough prize money to keep her in the manner to which she is accustomed. His plans and hopes for the future and his career are shattered when, after capturing a French frigate, they find a precious dragon's egg in the hold and, when it hatches a week later, the dragon accepts Laurence as his handler. No well-bred woman will marry an aviator - perhaps no woman at all, as they have much more uncertain lives than naval officers.

Laurence names the unusual dragon Temeraire and over the weeks it takes to reach the nearest naval base, he becomes very attached to the creature - and Temeraire to him. He's too old to be an aviator, but Temeraire won't accept another, so they travel on to Scotland for intensive training. The British don't have as many dragons as some other countries, including the French, and their most formidable breed is the longwing which spits acid. Trained in the arts of war, these massive dragons battle the equally huge French dragons while, below, the navy tries to keep Napoleon from landing his forces on British soil.

This is an unusual fantasy is several ways, not least of all the premise, which is very engaging - after a while, you forget that they didn't have dragons to help them win that war, or any other. So solidly is the idea built upon the period, so seamlessly is it incorporated into the established history, that it becomes entirely plausible. Probably the only logistics not worked out is how they produce enough cattle and sheep to feed these humungous beasts, on top of the human population's normal consumption.

Novik has also attempted to keep the tone of books written in the period or thereabouts, such as Jane Austen. The prose is light on descriptions, not in the least bit flowery, and has that strange ability to draw you close to the characters whilst simultaneously keeping you distanced. The perspective is always from Laurence or, in the gaps, some vague omniscient narrator, yet we never learn all that much about Laurence - or anyone else for that matter. We don't even know what he looks like, and the other characters are distinguished by only one or two characteristics, like Captain Roland's facial scar. It is their mannerisms, behaviour and style of speech that defines their personality, as well as their actions.

The dragons, though, add flesh to the story. Their personalities are distinct and they're sweet and funny. They don't think like humans but are easier to relate to and sympathise with. The simple-minded Volly made me laugh so hard when he is invited to share Temeraire's meal and stares with wide eyes at the cattle and says "Cows!" I could picture that so clearly! I tried very hard not to cry when one particular dragon dies, because I was reading it on my lunch break at work, but every time a dragon got hurt or died I felt awful.

There's some delightfully humorous moments, and some poignant ones. The scenes of training in Scotland are kept lively by the relations between both people and dragons, and from learning about the somewhat mysterious and secretive aviators alongside Laurence. The final section, when they battle the French, is by no means a sure thing and put my heart in my mouth. While I would have liked to get closer to the characters, the blend of "old-fashioned" (Laurence and polite society) and modern (the aviators, who include some women and are much less formal) is well done and sustained throughout; the details and mannerisms of the period are, to the best of my knowledge, accurate; and the steady pace never wavers. While I didn't fall in love with the book I certainly enjoyed it and intend to read the others in the series.(less)

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Nov 15, 2007

Mj rated it

Shelves: already-read

I'm amazed at how many people enjoyed this book. The premise is fascinating and extremely creative. And for that it avoids a single star. Otherwise, the characters are bland, there is minuscule character development to speak of, and THERE ARE NO REAL CONFLICTS. Every conflict is conveniently tied up with no trade offs. This isn't fantasy, it's day dream.
By far, the most amusing portion of the book is the conversations between Laurence (the protagonist) and Temeraire (the dragon)-amus...more

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Apr 13, 2009

Christopher rated it

His Majesty's Dragon is a tender story about the beautiful, homosexual, inter-species love between the protagonist and his gigantic black dragon.

Ok, so that's not really what it's about, but seriously ... the homoerotic undertones in what is otherwise a fun, if not particularly challenging, historical fantasy are pretty amusing. Not only does the main character basically forgo women entirely in favor of his dragon (with the exception of a single night spent with a fellow "aviato...more

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Apr 06, 2009

Nikki rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: dragons, fantasy, historical-fiction-alternatehistory

Temeraire (or His Majesty's Dragon outside the UK) is basically a lot of fun. I read it very quickly, and while it reminded me of other books about dragons (McCaffrey came to mind, obviously) it made a world of its own. The exclusion from society in coverts reminded me of the weyrs in McCaffrey's books, as did the importance of the hatching, but the dragons themselves are different. There are different breeds, much like dogs, and they speak aloud, not telepathically. The dragons are as much char...more

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Nov 27, 2008

Ben rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, fantasy, read-2008, fiction

Quite entertaining. Novik did a good job bringing the dragons to life. They were, by far, the most affecting characters of this book. I don't typically enjoy fantasy and dragons but I liked the setting of the Napoleonic Wars so I gave it a shot. Pretty good. 3.5 stars.

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Feb 21, 2011

Vinaya rated it

Recommends it for: The Paolini Hate Club

Shelves: books-i-loved, re-reading-times-1-million, the-real-5-star-deal, favorites

I read His Majesty's Dragon when it first came out in 2006. The Eragon craze was in full swing, and everybody but me was raving about the book, it seemed. I have had a fascination with dragons ever since I watched Dragonheart (which made me cry like a baby!). Paolini's immature rendition of a draconian 'plaything' made me crave some decent writing. A friend recommended the Temeraire series, and it was the biggest favour he's ever done me, then or since.

Sometimes when I re-read books...moreI read His Majesty's Dragon when it first came out in 2006. The Eragon craze was in full swing, and everybody but me was raving about the book, it seemed. I have had a fascination with dragons ever since I watched Dragonheart (which made me cry like a baby!). Paolini's immature rendition of a draconian 'plaything' made me crave some decent writing. A friend recommended the Temeraire series, and it was the biggest favour he's ever done me, then or since.

Sometimes when I re-read books that I read a long time ago, I find myself losing interest. One of the sad/good things about growing up is that you're more critical and less accepting of flights of fancy, let's say. So while my teenage self thought The Princess Diaries was the coolest thing to happen to YA fiction, my adult self gets pretty damn tired of her self-involved babbling. And don't even get me started on the then vs. now of Enid Blyton's books.

But thankfully, the magic of His Majesty's Dragon has not faded. I find that I am still as touched and amused by the relationship between Laurence and Temeraire as I ever was. If you've been living in Siberia, and don't know what this book is about, it's an alternative history/historical fantasy set in the Napoleonic era. The war between Britain and France is being fought, with dragons in the fray. SO when Navy captain Will Laurence captures a French frigate and discovers an unusual egg, it is cause for celebration. Not for long, however. En route to Madeira, the egg hatches, and the dragonet forms a bond with Laurence, hitherto a career Navy man. Leaving behind all that he knows, Laurence sets off with his dragon, Temeraire to enter the new world of the aviators, those mysterious group of dragon handlers.

Watching the bond develop between Laurence and Temeraire is a little like a love story, except then it'll be bestiality, so ew, definitely not! Maybe the start of a beautiful friendship, then. Laurence is at first distressed about leaving all that he knows and values, but gradually, his affection for Temeraire and respect for the dragon's intelligence grows, until he cannot bear to be separated from the creature who has become his best friend.

I love Naomi Novik's writing. Her characterisations are authentic, and as someone who is a little bit of a Regency freak (no, I don't mean I read a lot of Georgette Heyer, although there is that too!) I know that she's really made an effort to research her history, customs, language, military data, etc. There are some inconsistencies that crop up, but I'll let her get away with it in the name of Art.

Will is adorable as the stuffed shirt who eventually unbends, but it is not he that makes the series. It is, completely and totally, from the first book to the sixth, thus far, Temeraire who is the heart and soul of the story. He grows from the first book, where one tends to think of him as a fascinating, amusing, sort-of pet into a thinking, growing person in his own right, with opinions and quirks, until by the sixth book, he's just like a man on four legs. Although that would probably be something of an insult to a dragon.

And it's not just Laurence and Temeraire who are likeable in this book. Despite a sad lack of page-time, I also fell in love with the relationship between Maximus and Berkely, and found myself blubbering in incoherent rage over Rankin's treatment of his dragon. I really, really, empathised with the characters and the storyline, even the second time around, which is saying a lot for the adult, newly-picky version of moi.

I cannot recommend HMD and the rest of the series enough. If you're the kind of person who isn't entirely comfortable with the slightly long-winded modes of speech of Georgian and Regency England, you may find some parts of the story hard going, but if you persist, it's totally worth it. I. Love. This. Book. (less)

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Apr 19, 2009

Susanna rated it

Shelves: fantasy, dragons

What could be more fun than the Napoleonic wars - with dragons?

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Dec 21, 2011

David Edmonds rated it

Shelves: read-2010, read-2011, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I absolutely loved this book. I was trying to decide on a TIOLI challenge book for March (read a book by an LT Author) and I needed something that was more brain candy than anything else, and after reading a couple of other reviews/recommendations of His Majesty's Dragon decided I'd pick up the first book if I found it at the bookstore. Much to my now pleasure, they had a copy and I went ahead and broke my no new book buying rule for about the 100th time this year and picked it up. Needless to s...moreI absolutely loved this book. I was trying to decide on a TIOLI challenge book for March (read a book by an LT Author) and I needed something that was more brain candy than anything else, and after reading a couple of other reviews/recommendations of His Majesty's Dragon decided I'd pick up the first book if I found it at the bookstore. Much to my now pleasure, they had a copy and I went ahead and broke my no new book buying rule for about the 100th time this year and picked it up. Needless to say, the next four are on their way from Amazon now.

Novik takes another look at the Napoleonic Wars in this series, one where dragons are an important part of all armies and their fighting forces. The dragons are harnessed at birth (when they emerge from their egg) with a human rider who becomes their captain, and together they become a fighting force with an entire crew that works to keep the dragon healthy and safe. When Capt. Laurence captures a French ship carrying a dragon egg, at first he imagines only what his share of the prize money will be, but when it is discovered that the egg will hatch before they reach port, the decision is made to try to harness the dragon right on the ship, something that has never been done before, as the Aerial Corps has always handled all eggs and the subsequent harnessing. Much to his surprise, when the new dragonet hatches, it completely ignores the man whose name was pulled to try the harnessing, and instead speaks directly to Laurence and allows him to do the harnessing. Now Laurence must leave the navy and with the newly named Temeraire, must learn the ways of the Aerial Corps. And I couldn't put the book down from here on out.

I loved the growing relationship between Laurence and Temeraire. Instead of just being mindless beasts bent on destruction, Novik has created intelligent and engaging characters in her dragons, and from the moment that Temeraire speaks to Laurence, I was totally lost in their growing friendship and trust. I think this, above and beyond anything else in the book, was what had me hooked from the beginning. There was just something about the way that Novik had Laurence and Temeraire grow closer that I just found totally mesmerizing. The other side stories were just as equally well-written, but it was the experience of watching Laurence and Temeraire grow into their partnership that held the entire book together so unquestionably. Of course, there is so much more to the story than just their growing relationship; there is also their training and the interactions on both Laurence and Temeraire's parts with their new comrades and the battle at the end of the book where we learn the true nature of Temeraire's breeding. It's just all so well put together, I loved every moment of the book and read it in 2 days.

I always enjoy discovering a new author, but to be able to find a book that I can so easily get lost in as well is a complete treat for me, and I can't recommend His Majesty's Dragon enough. I'm anxiously looked forward to moving on to the second book in the series, Throne of Jade. This will easily be topping my list of favorite books of the year.(less)

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Mar 03, 2009

Laura rated it

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, historical-fiction, historical-wars

I've been reading Neil Gaiman's blog since he started it while writing American Gods -- it was meant to be a writerly blog about the experience of getting a book written and published, and somewhere along the way (the blog just turned 10) it stopped being a "getting AG published" blog and became a general blog about Gaiman's crazy writing-touring-keeping up with things existence. He occasionally reviews what he's currently reading, and if his review is favorable I will usually jot dow...moreI've been reading Neil Gaiman's blog since he started it while writing American Gods -- it was meant to be a writerly blog about the experience of getting a book written and published, and somewhere along the way (the blog just turned 10) it stopped being a "getting AG published" blog and became a general blog about Gaiman's crazy writing-touring-keeping up with things existence. He occasionally reviews what he's currently reading, and if his review is favorable I will usually jot down the title somewhere and try not to lose it (I'm pretty sure Gaiman never actually buys these books; rather, it's all promo copies and requests for blurbs and gifts from author-friends, so chances are it's months between when he reads it and when it gets onto book- and library-shelves). Sometimes I lose it anyway; sometimes our tastes do not mesh (e.g. The Ghost in Love); this time, it worked! I found an extraordinarily battered copy of His Majesty's Dragon at the library sale for 25 cents and I bought it.

AND I liked it. I suppose His Majesty's Dragon fits squarely in the genre of fantasy, what with the dragons and all, but it reads more like historical fiction. The dragons are the only fantasy element; everything else is set squarely during the Napoleonic Wars, and I can't say I've actively researched this, but all of the historical details certainly seem accurate. There is no questing, no magic sword or previously unrealized birthright, no megalomaniac wizard/evil-type villain who must be slain (unless you count Napoleon, who is certainly not magical).

The class distinction between the aerial corps and the other branches of the military was an interesting detail, one that added a little more to Laurence's character, as he comes from a family of toffs and must adjust to his new nomadic/looked-down-upon existence. Novik uses the plight of the dragons -- intelligent, yet essentially enslaved; none except Temeraire even realize that they are in a plight -- to explore (gently here, although this becomes a v. important theme in later Temeraire books) the larger ideas of slavery and empire-building, to great effect. Both of the main characters are fascinating and distinct; unfortunately, the audiobook narrator (I listened to the other Temeraire books on audiobook) completely butchered both of their voices, ugh. There is some clunky prose and the "twist" about Temeraire's breed I saw coming a mile away -- although I did like the scholarly papers at the end.

Some fantasy series I find overly florid and heavily stereotyped (and -typical; I'm looking at you, Goodkind); His Majesty's Dragon was a refreshing change and an excellent tale.(less)

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Mar 03, 2009

Jess rated it

Recommended to Jess by: Laura

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, adventure, adult-fiction

With the only fantasy element being the use of dragons, this would be a great cross-over title for fans of historical fiction and all those sea-faring adventures. For me, the fun of the book was the gradual unfolding of the relationship between navy captain Will Laurence and the dragon he accidentally ends up captaining, and the way adding dragons and an aerial corps adds an interesting twist to British society and history. Because Laurence is new to the aerial corps, and Temeraire is a young ...more

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Oct 07, 2008

Jamie rated it

Terry Pratchett and a brief dip into Stephen Erickson aside, I had largely given up on the whole fantasy genre for all the obvious reasons. I kept hearing about Naomi Novik's Temeraire series, though, usually accompanied by the pithy but intriguing description "It's the Napoleonic Wars, except with dragons." Indeed, the first book in the series, His Majesty's Dragon proved to be just that: a story from said war between France and Britain set in an alternate history where enormous drago...moreTerry Pratchett and a brief dip into Stephen Erickson aside, I had largely given up on the whole fantasy genre for all the obvious reasons. I kept hearing about Naomi Novik's Temeraire series, though, usually accompanied by the pithy but intriguing description "It's the Napoleonic Wars, except with dragons." Indeed, the first book in the series, His Majesty's Dragon proved to be just that: a story from said war between France and Britain set in an alternate history where enormous dragons form air corps on both sides and thus rewrite the rules of warfare.

The story starts when British sea Captain Will Laurence captures a French ship bearing an unusual dragon egg. When Laurence is unable to get into a friendly port before the egg hatches, the newborn dragon Temeraire imprints on him, linking the two together. This is at first an unwelcome shock to Laurence, who is faced with the prospect of giving up a hard-earned and lucrative career as an officer in the British Royal Navy and replacing it with the wild and largely mysterious life of an Aviator and dragon handler in the air corps. Bur Laurence rises to the challenge and warms to his new life when his training as an Aviator begins and his relationship with the curious, noble, and intelligent Temeraire develops.

I liked this book, not only because it's set in a time period mostly unknown to me (and NOT in just another Middle Earth knockoff), but also largely because it manages to eschew many of the tired standards of the fantasy genre. Here are some of the things that you will NOT find in His Majesty's Dragon:

An epic storyline to save the world
Multiple points of view tracking multiple characters
A protagonist who starts as farm boy but who is secretly of high birth
An apprenticeship to some wise teacher who awakens a hidden power
A quest to destroy/reclaim some magic foozle
A king being corrupted by a wicked adviser

Instead, we get a fairly small and personal story about Laurence and his journey into a new career. There's also some interesting world building going on, with Novik's descriptions of how warfare changes when you have thirty ton dragons on the battlefield, each capable of carrying an entire squad of riflemen and bombardiers in addition to their own teeth, claws, and occasional breath weapon. I also liked that dragons are the only magical things to appear in the books, and even then they're treated largely as intelligent animals. It's fantastic enough to be exciting and fanciful, but different enough from the usual tripe to keep your attention. I plan on checking out subsequent books in the series soon.(less)

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Jul 28, 2008

Lucy rated it

Recommends it for: Fantasy readers, historical readers, dragon lovers, naval interest

Recommended to Lucy by: Irene

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. His Majesty's Dragon, or 'Temeraire', which is the name I read this book under, tells the story of a Napoleon-era naval Captain, William Laurence. After winning a fierce battle against a French ship, Laurence discovers a dragon egg in the hold of the ship. A pity the poor Captain is unable to see the future; the dragon egg - the norm in Novik's reimagined era of history - hatches and the dragon inside chooses Laurence to be its Captain.

Laurence's life is uprooted, shaken around and ...moreHis Majesty's Dragon, or 'Temeraire', which is the name I read this book under, tells the story of a Napoleon-era naval Captain, William Laurence. After winning a fierce battle against a French ship, Laurence discovers a dragon egg in the hold of the ship. A pity the poor Captain is unable to see the future; the dragon egg - the norm in Novik's reimagined era of history - hatches and the dragon inside chooses Laurence to be its Captain.

Laurence's life is uprooted, shaken around and thrown into the air on the back of Temeraire, a spectacular young dragon of a breed unfamiliar to all but the most expert of dragon professors. Naomi Novik takes the reader on the journey of a confused, tentative and eventually deeply affectionate relationship between a man who had everything going for him and the dragon who made him realise just how dull his life was.

In this first book of the series, Novik creates the characters, setting and adventures with skill often missing in new authors on their first published book. She doesn't patronise the reader, explain things needlessly or try to 'modernise' the setting of the Napoleon Wars. Laurence is an upright, honest, stickler of a gentleman who struggles at first to adapt to an aviator's more wild, out-of-bounds way of life. His gradual change to a more broad-minded and humble view of the world is so gentle that at first you don't notice, and only upon rereading do we notice just how much of a journey Temeraire takes Laurence on.

As for the dragon himself, Temeraire is a rarity in the modern glut of novels filled with dragons. Highly intelligent, naive, innocent and very possessive of his captain, crew and jewelry, Temeraire is the most likeable and believable dragon I've read. Lacking Saphira's condescending manners and Smaug's dangerous greed, he becomes a character you feel could become thoroughly dangerous through his innocence and curiosity without Laurence's regular intervention.

The one concession to modern readers Novik allows is the central part female aviators play in these novels. Cleverly concealing that some of the men in the dragon Corps are, in fact, women assigned to the fussy, female-inclined Longwings, Novik allows the reader to slip into a believable tale of war and dragons tied in to the true history of Europe. While Laurence isn't the most charismatic of heros, he certainly is the most upright, believeable and well-rounded I've read in months. His character perfectly plays against Temeraire and creates an enjoyable, occasionally hilariously funny and thoroughly enthralling story.

More!(less)

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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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“I should rather have you than a heap of gold, even if it were very comfortable to sleep on.” — 38 people liked it

“I do not think you are in any danger of starving," Maximus said. "The surgeon said only two weeks ago that you are too fat."

"The devil!" Berkley said indignantly, sitting up; and Maximus snorted in amusement at having provoked him.” — 13 people liked it

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