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Black Powder War (Temeraire #3)

by Naomi Novik (Goodreads Author)

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 9,252 ratings · 511 reviews

“A splendid series.”
–Anne McCaffrey

“Naomi Novik has done for the Napoleonic Wars what Anne McCaffrey did for science fiction: constructed an alternate reality in which dragons are real in a saga that is impressively original, fully developed, and peopled with characters you care about.”
–David Weber, author of the Honor Harrington series

After their fateful adventure in Chin...more

Paperback, 365 pages

Published May 30th 2006 by Del Rey

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Feb 01, 2013 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Black Powder War has a definite "middle of a series" flavor about it--not unlike trying to read one of the Aubrey-Maturins. It reads a lot more like a series of unrelated episodes than one big plot. But as with Patrick O'Brian, if you think about it as one big ongoing story, that makes it less jarring! Plus, there's lots more goodness here with Novik's dragons, interesting glimpses into how more cultures besides Britain treat their dragons, and some new and entertaining characters both human and...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Tracey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: re-read, audiobook, libraryread-idm

Last read Feb 2008 - listening to audiobook Jul 2011

The third in the series - Temeraire, Laurenec and crew are sent on a mission to retrieve 2 dragon eggs from Istanbul, and must cross the width of Eurasia to do so. Along the way they endure privations, clash cultures with Middle Easterners, meet a band of feral dragons and (once they reach Europe again) become involved in military engagements.

I would have liked to have seen more of how the Arab culture dealt with dragons; tho with Laurence &...more

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Feb 02, 2008 Kevan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

This was another foray into the foreign culture and politics of the Napoleonic era, this time exploring first Istanbul and the Turkish people and then moving north to the crushing military defeat suffered by the Prussians at Napoleon's hands.

I'm sorry to say I think the author fell prey to her own fascination with the military history of the time and lost sight of what the reader's personal interests might be. The second part of the book, the Prussian campaign, dragged considerably. The endless...more

6 likes · like · see review

Oct 11, 2007 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is a little more meandering than the other two, but she hasn't dried out her well of interesting ideas. There are several interesting new characters and the plot actually does move forward.

The dragons are again brilliant characters, who bring a unique perspective that differs not just from our own, but also in interesting ways from the point of view of the human characters. These conflicts form the moral center of this novel and are what really elevate it to a four, instead of just a t...more

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May 28, 2011 Suna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

Alright, I'm furious. I've read this one before. See my review for Temeraire, which I now realize was this book, complete with the wrong cover, the wrong title etc.
How can a publisher make a gargantuan mistake like that?

Cover: Temeraire.
Inside content: Black Powder War.

Also I now realize I have never read the actual first book before and have to go back and find a proper copy of it.

All the references of Laurence being made an aviator from naval captain were aspects the writer alluded to but had...more

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Mar 26, 2009 Logan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: scifi-fantasy

A fine continuation of the series. Temeraire and Lawrence, after spending all of the previous book journeying to China, must now make haste to Turkey to retrieve some dragon eggs that Turkey has recently sold to the British Air Corps. There follows a fantastic trip down the spice roads that two centuries previously had led Marc Polo to Asia, easily the best part of the book. Sandstorms, camel thieves and feral dragons make for some interesting alternative history.

The story staggers for a bit wh...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Sofia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dragons, historical, fantasy, action-packed, books-i-will-have-my-children-read, loved-the-mcs

TEMERAIRE IS BACK, BITCHES!

So yeah, my worries about this series going downhill after Throne of Jade were completely unnecessary!

A few mindblowingly awesometacular things Black Powder War brough to this series:

-Tharkay. That is all. Tharkay alone is enough reason to read this series. Without spoiling anything about him, I can pretty much guarantee that you will find Tharkay, in and of himself, mindblowingly awesometacular.

-The trip around the world was way, way better executed in this book. It...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Dennis D. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the third book of the 'Temeraire' series, the first of which was published here in the U.S. under the title His Majesty’s Dragon. The series so far is an alternate history of the Napoleonic War era that supposes Great Britain and France each have an "air force" consisting of sentient dragons. While not critical, knowing the both the dragon lore and the primary characters from the first two books in the series was helpful.

Capt. Will Laurence, the dragon Temeraire and what's left of their...more This is the third book of the 'Temeraire' series, the first of which was published here in the U.S. under the title His Majesty’s Dragon. The series so far is an alternate history of the Napoleonic War era that supposes Great Britain and France each have an "air force" consisting of sentient dragons. While not critical, knowing the both the dragon lore and the primary characters from the first two books in the series was helpful.

Capt. Will Laurence, the dragon Temeraire and what's left of their crew are still in China, where they wound up at the conclusion of the second book, Throne of Jade. Here they receive orders to depart immediately for Istanbul to pick up three dragon eggs purchased from the Sultan, and return with the eggs to England. This isn’t as easy as it should be, however, as the carrier ship that is supposed to take them home is in a Chinese dry dock for several months' worth of repairs. As a result, Capt. Laurence instead hires the mysterious Tharkay as a guide to lead Temeraire and the crew overland, where they battle the desert, feral dragons and treachery in the mountains of the Ottoman Empire, only to find Napoleon, his Grand Armée and a new archrival, Lien, the albino celestial dragon introduced last time around, standing between them and England.

Novik’s writing seems to improve with each book, and many of the characters here are much more thoroughly realized than in previous entries. She does a good job portraying Will's struggles with decision-making, in what is still his relatively short-lived command. Tharkay is somewhat of a cipher, but I'd allow that that is probably by design. Novik also devises some clever uses for dragons during wartime, especially by the French, that are more elaborate than just sending them crashing into enemy lines.

My only knock is that like the previous book, I felt this one dragged a little bit in the middle. It seemed like after a fast and promising start, too many pages in the middle were spent on Will, Temeraire and crew just waiting around for the events which would propel them into the final action. Also, although this book and its predecessors were originally marketed as three parts of a trilogy, Black Powder War wasn’t as conclusive as I’d expect the final chapter or a trilogy to be. It wrapped up in a hurry, and was definitely open-ended enough to leave no doubt as to whether or not there would be further adventures. This is a minor quibble with an otherwise entertaining book.
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Nov 09, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Here we pick up with Laurence and Temeraire who are still in China. They have been granted permission to stay together as captain and dragon. Shortly though they receive word that they must go immediately to get 3 dragon eggs. This book follows their progress through the wilderness with a guide that seems to be coming and going and likely betraying them. They meet up with some feral dragons who Temeraire talks into coming with them. They lose some gain the eggs and leave quickly since they had t...more

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Oct 25, 2011 El Templo de las Mil Puertas added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 04-eltemplo, reseñas

"Para quien no la conozca, contaremos que la saga de Temerario tiene un planteamiendo muy original: una versión de nuestro mundo en la cual los dragones existen, como una especie más, igual que existen los perros, los caballos o los delfines. Y, naturalmente, en la Europa de principios del siglo XIX, en plena guerra contra Napoleón, los dragones de la Fuerza Aérea británica son un arma poderosa. En el primer volumen, El dragón de Su Majestad, el capitán de barco Will Laurence interceptaba una fr...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

The dragon Temeraire, Captain Will Laurence and their crew have finished their mission to China to learn about how the Chinese tend to the Celestial dragons, cousins of Temeraire. As they prepare to head back to England, their ship receives a great deal of damage just before receiving word of a new assignment. They mission has been assigned to stop in Turkey on the way home to pick up three dragon eggs from one of Englands few remaining allies on the continent. Since the damage to their ship wil...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Lucinda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fresh, original and wonderfully magical this spectacular series is a real treat!

This uniquely distinctive series blends together history and sympathetic characters in such an engaging way, as to make the books highly readable and fun. I love how Naomi Novik includes within her novels characters with such heart and spirit, which ultimately add depth and substance to the exciting storyline. As Peter Jackson (director of the Lord of the Rings films) stated “…these are beautifully written novels” a...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Big McLargehuge rated it 3 of 5 stars

Loses a bit of the luster of the other books. The plot has been parroted in plenty of other reviews so I won't repeat it again, but the overland journey - supposedly a suicidally-dangerous undertaking - is somewhat rushed and never really lives up to the kind of difficulties that are implied by those in China who try to dissuade Laurence et al. The primarily highlight is the introduction of a number of feral dragons that, imo, provide some of the most amusing dragon-centered moments of the serie...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Peggy rated it 4 of 5 stars

The third book featuring Novik's unique mashup of Napoleanic War tales and dragons, Black Powder War sees Will Laurence and his dragon Temeraire leaving China and making their way overland to Istanbul to take charge of 3 dragons eggs purchased by the British government. The journey is rough, their guide is questionable, and Laurence struggles daily with an incredibly intelligent dragon who has little respect for any authority that isn't his and who has begun to wonder at the way dragons are trea...more

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May 18, 2012 Bart Breen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another Solid Novel in a Strong Series

Novik takes the reader to yet another venue in this series set in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars. From England, to China and now from China through the Middle-East and Ottoman Empire the story line begun is expanded to plant more strongly the seeds of the social debate of that era over slavery, an illustration of the diplomatic relationships between England and it's natural allies in Europe who were faced with walking the fine line of contributing to the d...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Roger rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the third book I've read in the series. I'm sure a lot of other people will give you a synopsis of the story and do a much better job that I could. I'll just tell you how I liked the book.

I'd have to say it was only "okay" for me. My memory is I liked the first two books much better than this one. It suffers from the problem that I've found in a couple of books lately. That is the person I view as the main character doesn't seem to influence and control the events around him. Problems ar...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Nuranar rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, alternate-universe, historical, war, read-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This third entry in the Temaeraire series began promisingly. Still in the Far East, our protagonists received an urgent summons to return to England by way of Turkey. Since they elected to return overland, the opening of the book was rife with possibilities of both adventure and intrigue - in a phrase, the "spy stuff" that I still adore. The prologue, in addition, introduced a deadly antagonist, and I kept reading in great anticipation of the conflict and eventual victory at the end of the book....more This third entry in the Temaeraire series began promisingly. Still in the Far East, our protagonists received an urgent summons to return to England by way of Turkey. Since they elected to return overland, the opening of the book was rife with possibilities of both adventure and intrigue - in a phrase, the "spy stuff" that I still adore. The prologue, in addition, introduced a deadly antagonist, and I kept reading in great anticipation of the conflict and eventual victory at the end of the book.

The overland journey was surprisingly brief, in retrospect. It was interesting, and there were adventures along the way, but nothing particularly notable. I was vaguely disappointed when they arrived in Istanbul after only a few chapters.

The time in Istanbul did not involve spy stuff so much as the worst kind of criminal activity, permitted by bureaucracy and timid diplomacy. The Gordian knot was cut, but the final adventure came with a shock that at least for me left a nasty flavor. I did not enjoy the sequence. Nor did the protagonists, of course; but surely it could have been written or plotted better. The time in China was worse for the protagonists, but while I felt for them just as much, I wasn't dragged down by it. Somehow she kept my interest up more. This part of the book lacked suspense, and without suspense, it was simply frustration.

The last half of the book I did not enjoy at all. Novik chose to enmesh her protagonists in the Prussian army shortly before their disastrous defeat by Napoleon at Jena, and to keep them in the long retreat and failure for the rest of the book. I have only the vaguest ideas of the progress of the Napoleonic Wars, but I had an inkling shortly after they arrived in Prussia, and knew for certain when the village of Jena was first mentioned. After that it was just a question of time - how long would they be stuck in this long defeat? More unforgivably, the protagonists do so little. They are little more than observers of Prussia's defeat. Their particular antagonist's work goes completely unopposed.

Still, I reserved judgment until the end. I've read many books that I did not particularly enjoy until the end, when the climax makes it all worth it and adds far more meaning. Instead, this climax felt rather flat. As a climax, it wasn't much; there was some tension, but the protagonists plotted almost too well. For the type of book I knew they wouldn't outright fail; but I do expect some serious in-spite-of-myself doubt. And in context of the book as a whole, it did not bring to closure anything but the protagonists' time in Europe. Unlike the previous two books, I did not put it down with a happy and wistful sigh.

I think the major flaw is the overall lack of suspense. The overland journey begins with a lot of suspense, but I found it failed to deliver much. Istanbul was more frustrating than exciting. Again, this is striking compared to Novik's plotting in Throne of Jade. The settings are similar - mewed up in royal/imperial quarters, denied their objectives by polite double-talking obstructionism - but although the China sequence went on much longer, I read the entire time looking forward to what would happen next. That didn't happen in Istanbul. And the last half felt like a blow-by-blow account of Valley Forge or something. (Not quite that bad - at least they were moving!) But it was just as depressing and ultimately seems pointless.

I am somewhat holding out hope that this book is (somewhat unexpectedly) going to function as a bridge. The first two were really well plotted: the first by setting up a fascinating situation within a fascinating world; and the second by taking a pivotal factor from the first and developing - and resolving - it masterfully. The antagonist introduced in this book comes from the second, and could have unified the plot; instead, the antagonist is a mostly-impersonal factor in a more nebulous plot that really isn't resolved. It left me with the feeling that Novik found her characters at loose ends, and tried to get up steam again by dragging them into the mainstream of the war. I am hoping, however, that she does have a greater plot in mind, and that Black Powder War turns out to be a building block in that plot.(less)

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Sep 15, 2010 Benjamin Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

During my lunch break today, I finished up Black Powder War, the third in Naomi Novik's "Temeraire" series. This is a solid entry in the series and, fortunately, a bit more balanced than the previous book. This novel takes the main characters from China to Turkey where they have orders to obtain 3 dragon eggs and transport them back to England. These aren't just any eggs, but a particular breed of fire breathing dragons which would ultimately give England a strategic leg up on Napolean's forces....more During my lunch break today, I finished up Black Powder War, the third in Naomi Novik's "Temeraire" series. This is a solid entry in the series and, fortunately, a bit more balanced than the previous book. This novel takes the main characters from China to Turkey where they have orders to obtain 3 dragon eggs and transport them back to England. These aren't just any eggs, but a particular breed of fire breathing dragons which would ultimately give England a strategic leg up on Napolean's forces. Of course nothing is ever that easy and sure enough, multiple adventures ensue. They end up in German lands in time for the battle of Jena.

It is nice to see this series incorporating real historical events in an authentic way. Ms Novik continues to excel at building an extremely believable fantasy landscape. This is the real historical record, with the added addition of dragons. Normally, that would be pretty difficult to pull off but her dragons are so well thought out that they seemlessly interface with the "normal" society. More importantly, the story continues to excel with compelling, sympathetic characters. She shows the brutal reality of war with corresponding loss of life (and yes, some characters we know from the past do not survive this battle) and yet the novel is not at all a "war" novel. The characters, especially Lawrence and Temeraire continue to grow and mature in their thinking, and themes that began in the last book continue here. For example, the nature of how dragons are treated by different cultures, whether they should be servants or equals, is examined further.

These first three books of the series, according to Ms Novik's own blog, were held by the publisher until all were ready for publication as a way of launching the series. Consequently, many people believed them to be a trilogy. This third novel though, does little to wrap up anything but does spur interest in the next book. I am thankful for that as these books should be coming out at around one per year for quite a while to come. Already there are a total of 5 published volumes with more planned.(less)

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May 28, 2010 April rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, dragons, female-author, male-pov, history-rewritten, series, world-5-stars

My least favorite of the three books. Half of it is put to getting the eggs. Most of the danger didn't even come from the trip, which they had said was so dangerous. Of course they had a great guide. There wasn't as much action in this one, which was expressed more in the part where there even was war, to Temeraire's great sadness. Laurence doesn't have any contact with the Aerial Corps, adding questions. I guess that to put the war with Napoleon and the French in England would give so much more...more

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Jun 25, 2009 Gordon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, it may have taken me a month to read this with everything else going on (Whistler biking trip, work, house prep) but it was worth it.

I think this is the first Novik/Temeraire worth 4 stars (although I am harsh and reserve the right to reduce to 3). (Of course, after writing this I realize I've already given all three of the Novik books 4 stars now, so I must be thinking of bfp stars, which are one star harsher. So b*gger it, I'm giving this one 5).

The only negative I have is that it felt v...more

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May 05, 2009 Stefan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, library-loan

The first book of this series, His Majesty's Dragon, is an enjoyable alternate history fantasy in which the Napoleonic Wars are changed by the addition of an air force, comprised of domesticated dragons. It's an enjoyable and tightly written book, well researched and written in (what appears to my layman's eye) a historically accurate style. I enjoyed the story of Laurence, a naval captain who accidentally captures a rare dragon's egg and becomes Temeraire's - the dragon's - captain and companio...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Brenda Morris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, historicalfiction, war

I'm totally hooked on this series. It appeals to me because I love dragons. I really like the way Novik develops the various breeds of dragons, each with their own characteristics and personalities. I also enjoy the historical aspects: the Napoleonic wars reimagined with dragons, the criticisms of 19th century British society, and the details of war and naval power that are not only so new to me but easy to understand and visualize. Novik even reimagines the idea of dragon riders - no longer are...more

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Aug 08, 2007 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2007, read-since-august-2006, fantasy-sf

I finally finished this book after having lost it for a goodly number of months. This is as strong as previous books in the series, but sadder, grimmer. I like how Novik is tackling the problem of enslaved dragons (after I read the first book, I said "that's all well and good, but these dragons are enslaved." The friend who gave me the books assured me that the subject would come up later, and he was right), and Temeraire continues to be a strong, delightful character.

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Feb 24, 2013 Lizabeth S. Tucker rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

This third installment in the Temeraire series was a much slower read than the first two books.

The basic synopsis concerns the new mission of Laurence, the Celestial dragon Temeraire and their crew to travel from China to Turkey to retrieve two dragon eggs bought by the British government. After a frantic, dangerous trip through a desert wasteland, they find themselves cooling their heels as reluctant guests of the Sultan. They soon become aware that the white dragon Lien has beat them there and...more

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Sep 18, 2011 Kate Millin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like the way in which Temeraire's character and personality are developing in these books. It is also interesting to see how his relationship with Will is developing.
The book is starting to develop some interesting themes about freedom and civil rights - in this case for dragons not races. It is an interesting way of tackling some difficult subjects.
This does not take away from the readability and interest in the novel, but adds extra levels
After their fateful adventure in China, Captain Will...more

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Aug 01, 2010 Erin Reilly-Sanders rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historical, adult, fiction

While I enjoy this series quite a bit, I found this one more difficult to get into than the previous two. Set still in China, the beginning seems a little awkward, likely to get Captain Lawrence and Temeraire away from sea travel for some inland adventures. Unfortunately, the crossing of the desert is nice but not as good as the bits about serving with the Prussian army. The desert parts are a little plodding, although not greatly so, and the wild dragons for some reason, perhaps an intentional...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Brandon Ostrom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I can't say enough positive things about Naomi Novik's writing or the quality of the series she's created! But to go over a few things, there's the alternate history stuff (as in, imagine what the Napoleonic wars would be like if dragons had existed) the writing style (what if Jane Austen and Patrick O'Brian wrote a dragon book together) and the fantastic fiction "wow factor," completely charming, awesome and often heartfelt role dragons play in the book, not to mention them just being interesti...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Justin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed

Yeah.. I'm glad I've been taking my time reading this series. The plots change but the plot layout is exactly the same. Always worst case scenarios and M. Night Shamylan plot twists. They're fun to read but getting steadily more predictable and with that, bit by bit more dull and unappealing.

I like this installment in the Temeraire series because more dragons were introduced, if only for a short part of the novel. Not so much the fact that the crew's trek across the desert read almost exactly li...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Madigan McGillicuddy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another fantastic entry in the Temeraire series. The plucky Oriental dragon finds himself and crew on the return home to Britain from China. After a disastrous fire with their ship transport, they opt for an overland journey, taking them through the deserts of the Middle-East. Wil Laurence doesn't know what to make of their shifty guide Tharkay.

Temeraire remains as plucky and loveably naive as ever, certain that he can lobby for better treatment of dragons as soon as they get home. But home is t...more Another fantastic entry in the Temeraire series. The plucky Oriental dragon finds himself and crew on the return home to Britain from China. After a disastrous fire with their ship transport, they opt for an overland journey, taking them through the deserts of the Middle-East. Wil Laurence doesn't know what to make of their shifty guide Tharkay.

Temeraire remains as plucky and loveably naive as ever, certain that he can lobby for better treatment of dragons as soon as they get home. But home is thousands of miles away, and there are plenty of adventures to be had before they get there. The British government has negotiated to purchase three dragon eggs from the Turkish government. This is a troubling prospect to Temeraire who has quickly sussed out that buying eggs = buying dragons. And dragons being bought and sold = slavery. (view spoiler)

One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Temeraire and company come across a pack of feral dragons, headed by the dragon Arkady who tells them a native dragon story - which is very complex and features plenty of fights over treasure, and drama between star-crossed dragon lovers.

When Laurence finally decides to make a break for it and escape the Sultan who has been holding them virtual prisoner, it's not without difficulty. (view spoiler) Tharkay finally proves himself undoubtedly loyal and helpful in their escape. I cringed reading the rest of the book, knowing that no matter how much danger or difficulty Laurence and Temeraire face, they're sure to be questioned on everything by bureaucrats back home, and they won't get their fair share of credit.

Their continued journey westward lands them right in the middle of what is now Germany, during Napoleon's confrontation with Queen Louise of Prussia. The British allies take a serious pounding, and even Temeraire's presence is not enough to turn the tide of this historic battle. (view spoiler) Really, there is such a thing as too much honor! In the meantime, Lien, the disgraced albino Imperial dragon, has allied herself with Napoleon in order to have her revenge on Temeraire's part in the death of her prince. I felt bad for Lien. She's supposed to be a villain of course, but it's only an accident of birth that made the Chinese view her as unlucky.

I loved fiesty little Iskierka! Yay, baby dragons! She pops out of her shell, breathing fire, ready for a fight and just as saucy and independent as Temeraire. I loved the scene where Temeraire insists that he's certain he was never so silly as a baby as Iskierka is, and Laurence basically rolls his eyes at this, and doesn't say anything. The story ends with the Temeraire and crew, including dragonet Iskierka, and 20 new feral dragons on the final flight to Scotland. How will the British higher-ups react to their return? And what has Laurence missed in his year away? I can't wait to find out!(less)

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Sep 12, 2011 Stephanie Fischer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Bottom line: I loved this book. I'm a huge fan of the series, and this was surely not a letdown.
Pros: I loved the action. Naomi's writing skills are always a pro to me, but that's a given, and she surely didn't let down in this book. The action sequences were intense and believable, especially with the deaths (however heartbreaking they may be... *ahem* Digby *ahem*) of many well-known characters. Tharkay was a huge hit with me, possibly because I am drawn inexplicably to mystery and complexity,...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 Black Powder War

“It is quite uninteresting; that is why one comes out."
— Temeraire, on being inside an egg” — 41 people liked it

“I will see you bereft of all that you have, of home and happiness and beautiful things. I will see your nation cast down and your allies drawn away. I will see you as alone and friendless and wretched as am I; and then you may live as long as you like, in some dark and lonely corner of the earth, and I shall call myself content.

-Lien, Albino Celestial (Dragon) ” — 28 people liked it

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