What do you think?
Rate this book
Temeraire
Golden Age and Other Stories
Naomi Novik ended her acclaimed, beloved nine-volume Temeraire series last year with a stunning finale, League of Dragons. Fans missing their favorite series can now rejoice: Novik returns with an original Temeraire collection as unique as the world she has created, with each tale inspired by an accompanying piece of fan art.
The Temeraire novels provide a window into an alternate nineteenth century populated with Novik’s own richly human and unforgettably draconic characters as they adventure alongside well-known historical figures. That tradition continues here. Readers will delight at appearances by fan-favorite characters from the series and historical figures like the famed explorer Matteo Ricci. In “Planting Season,” Novik shows us an early glimpse of American dragon John Wampanoag at Boston Harbor. “Golden Age” finds a dragon who believes he remembers being called Celeste hatch from a shipwreck-tossed crate onto an island where he meets others of his kind. But other famous fictional characters are to be discovered here as well. Readers will certainly recognize a certain Miss Bennet (here Captain Bennet) and her suitor, Mr. Darcy, in “Dragons and Decorum.”
Filled with the inventive world-building, rich detail, sparkling wit, and deep emotion that readers have come to expect from Novik’s work, Golden Age and Other Stories is a treasure at home on any Temeraire-lover’s bookshelf.
The Temeraire novels provide a window into an alternate nineteenth century populated with Novik’s own richly human and unforgettably draconic characters as they adventure alongside well-known historical figures. That tradition continues here. Readers will delight at appearances by fan-favorite characters from the series and historical figures like the famed explorer Matteo Ricci. In “Planting Season,” Novik shows us an early glimpse of American dragon John Wampanoag at Boston Harbor. “Golden Age” finds a dragon who believes he remembers being called Celeste hatch from a shipwreck-tossed crate onto an island where he meets others of his kind. But other famous fictional characters are to be discovered here as well. Readers will certainly recognize a certain Miss Bennet (here Captain Bennet) and her suitor, Mr. Darcy, in “Dragons and Decorum.”
Filled with the inventive world-building, rich detail, sparkling wit, and deep emotion that readers have come to expect from Novik’s work, Golden Age and Other Stories is a treasure at home on any Temeraire-lover’s bookshelf.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2017
135 people are currently reading
4054 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Novik
71 books36.2k followersAn 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 participate in the design and development of the computer game Neverwinter Nights: Shadow of Undrentide. Over the course of a brief winter sojourn spent working on the game in Edmonton, Canada (accompanied by a truly alarming coat that now lives brooding in the depths of her closet), she realized she preferred writing to programming, and on returning to New York, decided to try her hand at novels.
Naomi lives in New York City with her husband and six computers. Her website is at naominovik.com
Naomi lives in New York City with her husband and six computers. Her website is at naominovik.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
September 4, 2017
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/09/02/...
Golden Age and Other Stories is a charming little anthology that is sure to please fans of Naomi Novik’s Temeraire, though if you are just getting started on the series or are hoping to sample some of the stories here before diving into the main books, this will not be the most ideal entry point. For that, I highly urge you to simply pick up His Majesty’s Dragon, one of my favorite fantasy novels of all time. While I don’t think you have to complete the series to appreciate this collection (I myself have only read the first six of the nine volumes), having some basic knowledge of the world to start will definitely help you out a lot.
This anthology also features an interesting format, consisting of six short stories which are then followed by about two dozen snippets termed “Drabbles”. All of them are accompanied by a piece of fan art upon which these tales are based, so not only are you getting plenty of dragon-y goodness with this collection, you’ll also be receiving a generous helping of gorgeous eye candy.
But how do the stories themselves stack up, you ask? Well, as with most collections, the offerings here are somewhat unbalanced, hitting both highs and lows. I don’t mind admitting that I was largely unimpressed with the first few stories or any of the Drabbles at the end, but sandwiched between them are several amazing gems that are so good that I would say they are worth the price of admission alone.
To begin, we have the first tale called “Volly Gets a Cow”, a short humorous piece that nevertheless left me feeling lukewarm towards it. One thing I did like though, was how this was one of the few stories in here that featured Temeraire displaying a deep font of patience as he tries to reign in one of his dragon friends, the playful and distracted Volly who only has eyes for a delicious yummy cow.
Next up is a story called “Planting Season”, which fortunately I enjoyed a lot better than the first. It stars a dragon in the Americas named John Wampanoag, who has fallen into a sort of mediator role between the Native Americans and the European settlers in the aftermath of the Revolution. Offering his services as a courier, John has a talent for making negotiations and a sharp mind for getting the best deal out of a trade. I liked how this one offered another view of the world from a different context, accomplishing just what a side story should do.
Then comes another dip, I’m afraid, in “Dawn of Battle”, a story starring a young Jane Roland that gives a bit about her background. To my disappointment, of the six full tales in this collection, I thought this was probably the least memorable, though if you’re a big fan of her character then this one may impact you a lot more.
Now comes the good stuff: The title story “Golden Age” is a reimagining of Laurence’s first meeting with his dragon. This alternate version has Temeraire’s egg washing up ashore on a desert island following a shipwreck. After hatching and falling in with a group of feral dragons, the lot of them decide to turn to a life of piracy, and their subsequent looting and plundering prompts Laurence to investigate and bring them to justice. Do I really need to spell out why this story was so awesome? PIRATE DRAGONS! Not to mention there’s also a heart-pounding encounter at sea involving dragons and a kraken, which hopefully shouldn’t be a spoiler considering how the image depicting this scene is plastered all over the cover.
After all the action, a more emotional, quiet tale is told next in “Succession”, a story about Temeraire’s mother. After laying twin eggs, Qian has to make a difficult decision in order to prevent a rivalry between the princes in the Chinese imperial family. This one really tugged on my heartstrings, reading about a nervous parent fretting for the precarious wellbeing of her growing child, only to find out about a second dragonlet. Something that should have been a blessing becomes the source of even more heartbreak in this beautiful story about motherhood and sacrifice, and I think fans of the series will also enjoy the little insights we get into Temeraire’s origins.
Without a doubt though, the crowning glory of this collection is “Dragons and Decorum”, and yes, the title should clue you in on the story’s inspiration, even without the mention of Elizabeth Bennet as the main protagonist. In this lovely, delightful mashup featuring a blend of the worlds of Temeraire and Jane Austen, Elizabeth is sent to the Aerial Corps as a young girl to become a dragon rider, returning home a few years later as Captain Bennett accompanied by her gabby Longwing named Wollstonecraft. Similar to the novel Heartstone by Elle Katharine White, this is a re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice with dragons, but what I loved about this story is that Elizabeth is the dragon rider instead of Mr. Darcy. It’s also quite a close retelling, though I did wish the story had ran a little longer because it was so cute and endearing. Novik also shows what a versatile writer she is, perfectly channeling Austen and the Regency-era style.
And finally, we come to the Drabbles, a series of 100-word paragraph-long stories which I honestly could have done without. Like a collection of random notes or passages clipped out of a book, I can see writing them being a fun little exercise for Novik and pairing them with pieces of fan art was also a very unique and cool idea, but for the most part none of them made much of an impression.
So, is Golden Age and Other Stories worth reading? If you’re a fan of Temeraire, the answer is absolutely yes. While the early stories and the ending Drabbles may be on the underwhelming side, I wouldn’t let that discourage you from seeking the real treasure found in the intervening pages. I would even go as far as to say standouts such as “Golden Age”, “Succession”, and “Dragons and Decorum” are must-reads, and happily, these three stories make up the bulk of this book. The world of Temeraire is rich and marvelous, and a collection like this reminds me that there’s always something more to discover.
Golden Age and Other Stories is a charming little anthology that is sure to please fans of Naomi Novik’s Temeraire, though if you are just getting started on the series or are hoping to sample some of the stories here before diving into the main books, this will not be the most ideal entry point. For that, I highly urge you to simply pick up His Majesty’s Dragon, one of my favorite fantasy novels of all time. While I don’t think you have to complete the series to appreciate this collection (I myself have only read the first six of the nine volumes), having some basic knowledge of the world to start will definitely help you out a lot.
This anthology also features an interesting format, consisting of six short stories which are then followed by about two dozen snippets termed “Drabbles”. All of them are accompanied by a piece of fan art upon which these tales are based, so not only are you getting plenty of dragon-y goodness with this collection, you’ll also be receiving a generous helping of gorgeous eye candy.
But how do the stories themselves stack up, you ask? Well, as with most collections, the offerings here are somewhat unbalanced, hitting both highs and lows. I don’t mind admitting that I was largely unimpressed with the first few stories or any of the Drabbles at the end, but sandwiched between them are several amazing gems that are so good that I would say they are worth the price of admission alone.
To begin, we have the first tale called “Volly Gets a Cow”, a short humorous piece that nevertheless left me feeling lukewarm towards it. One thing I did like though, was how this was one of the few stories in here that featured Temeraire displaying a deep font of patience as he tries to reign in one of his dragon friends, the playful and distracted Volly who only has eyes for a delicious yummy cow.
Next up is a story called “Planting Season”, which fortunately I enjoyed a lot better than the first. It stars a dragon in the Americas named John Wampanoag, who has fallen into a sort of mediator role between the Native Americans and the European settlers in the aftermath of the Revolution. Offering his services as a courier, John has a talent for making negotiations and a sharp mind for getting the best deal out of a trade. I liked how this one offered another view of the world from a different context, accomplishing just what a side story should do.
Then comes another dip, I’m afraid, in “Dawn of Battle”, a story starring a young Jane Roland that gives a bit about her background. To my disappointment, of the six full tales in this collection, I thought this was probably the least memorable, though if you’re a big fan of her character then this one may impact you a lot more.
Now comes the good stuff: The title story “Golden Age” is a reimagining of Laurence’s first meeting with his dragon. This alternate version has Temeraire’s egg washing up ashore on a desert island following a shipwreck. After hatching and falling in with a group of feral dragons, the lot of them decide to turn to a life of piracy, and their subsequent looting and plundering prompts Laurence to investigate and bring them to justice. Do I really need to spell out why this story was so awesome? PIRATE DRAGONS! Not to mention there’s also a heart-pounding encounter at sea involving dragons and a kraken, which hopefully shouldn’t be a spoiler considering how the image depicting this scene is plastered all over the cover.
After all the action, a more emotional, quiet tale is told next in “Succession”, a story about Temeraire’s mother. After laying twin eggs, Qian has to make a difficult decision in order to prevent a rivalry between the princes in the Chinese imperial family. This one really tugged on my heartstrings, reading about a nervous parent fretting for the precarious wellbeing of her growing child, only to find out about a second dragonlet. Something that should have been a blessing becomes the source of even more heartbreak in this beautiful story about motherhood and sacrifice, and I think fans of the series will also enjoy the little insights we get into Temeraire’s origins.
Without a doubt though, the crowning glory of this collection is “Dragons and Decorum”, and yes, the title should clue you in on the story’s inspiration, even without the mention of Elizabeth Bennet as the main protagonist. In this lovely, delightful mashup featuring a blend of the worlds of Temeraire and Jane Austen, Elizabeth is sent to the Aerial Corps as a young girl to become a dragon rider, returning home a few years later as Captain Bennett accompanied by her gabby Longwing named Wollstonecraft. Similar to the novel Heartstone by Elle Katharine White, this is a re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice with dragons, but what I loved about this story is that Elizabeth is the dragon rider instead of Mr. Darcy. It’s also quite a close retelling, though I did wish the story had ran a little longer because it was so cute and endearing. Novik also shows what a versatile writer she is, perfectly channeling Austen and the Regency-era style.
And finally, we come to the Drabbles, a series of 100-word paragraph-long stories which I honestly could have done without. Like a collection of random notes or passages clipped out of a book, I can see writing them being a fun little exercise for Novik and pairing them with pieces of fan art was also a very unique and cool idea, but for the most part none of them made much of an impression.
So, is Golden Age and Other Stories worth reading? If you’re a fan of Temeraire, the answer is absolutely yes. While the early stories and the ending Drabbles may be on the underwhelming side, I wouldn’t let that discourage you from seeking the real treasure found in the intervening pages. I would even go as far as to say standouts such as “Golden Age”, “Succession”, and “Dragons and Decorum” are must-reads, and happily, these three stories make up the bulk of this book. The world of Temeraire is rich and marvelous, and a collection like this reminds me that there’s always something more to discover.
Want to read
June 25, 2019Contents:
007 - Volly Gets a Cow
011 - Planting Season
023 - Dawn of Battle
033- Golden Age
069 - Succession
081 - Dragons and Decorum
127 - Drabbles
Dust jacket Illustration by Sandara Tang
Note: This is a First Deluxe Edition, the book has now gone into a second edition.
All stories copy-write 2017.
007 - Volly Gets a Cow
011 - Planting Season
023 - Dawn of Battle
033- Golden Age
069 - Succession
081 - Dragons and Decorum
127 - Drabbles
Dust jacket Illustration by Sandara Tang
Note: This is a First Deluxe Edition, the book has now gone into a second edition.
All stories copy-write 2017.
June 6, 2017
Delightful! And frankly, altogether better than some of the books in the main Temeraire series.
Although the opening story didn't do much for me, and neither did some of the closing drabbles, all of the stories in between are gems. The longest -- which literally rewrites Jane Austen characters into the Temeraire storyworld -- is a bit self-indulgent but also amazing: the best kind of fan-fiction, really. I also enjoyed the story going into Jane Rowland's backstory, but my personal favorite may be the AU "What if?" story where Laurence and Temeraire meet under different circumstances. This is even more clearly Novik writing fan-fiction of her own fiction, and it too is amazing.
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
Although the opening story didn't do much for me, and neither did some of the closing drabbles, all of the stories in between are gems. The longest -- which literally rewrites Jane Austen characters into the Temeraire storyworld -- is a bit self-indulgent but also amazing: the best kind of fan-fiction, really. I also enjoyed the story going into Jane Rowland's backstory, but my personal favorite may be the AU "What if?" story where Laurence and Temeraire meet under different circumstances. This is even more clearly Novik writing fan-fiction of her own fiction, and it too is amazing.
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
September 1, 2017
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
Ah the beautiful cover with both dragons and ships lured me in. Arrrr! The author, Naomi Novik, hooked me and had me super excited to read this collection of stories revisiting the dragon, Temeraire and his world. This collection did not disappoint. It contains 6 stories and 26 drabbles. What is a drabble? I’ll get to that . . .
“Volly’s Cow”
This is a very short story about Temeraire trying to obtain the vote of Volly. I am not quite clear on the whole voting plotline as I have yet to finish the whole Temeraire series but of course I like silly Volly and the story did entertain.
“Planting Season”
This story showcases John Wampanoag, an enterprising dragon trader. Apparently he shows up later in the Temeraire books. All I know is that this story was one of the highlights for me. This is a colonial-era story with John’s navigation of both Native American and European factions. Short yet sweet.
“Dawn of Battle”
This story involves Jane Roland before the Battle of the Nile and the destruction of L’Orient. Jane is a young captain trying to exert her influence on her male crew. I adored her relationship with Excidium. It is amazing that this story took place before the action of the battle and yet was exciting in its own right.
“Golden Age”
This fabulous story is a re-imaging of how Temeraire and Laurence meet. Temeraire, called Celeste in this incarnation, is washed up on the shore of a seemingly deserted island. The first part of the story is told from Celeste’s point of view about how he develops and what occurs on this island. The second half is from Laurence’s point of view. From battles at sea to fights with kraken to the burgeoning friendship of man and dragon, this one was a pure delight.
“Succession”
A lovely story that takes place in China and tells the story of Temeraire’s inception and the start to how his egg ends up meeting Laurence. I loved the viewpoint of Qian and her viewpoint of the Chinese politics. It shows such a different dragon culture from the European fighting forces centered one.
“Dragons and Decorum”
A Pride and Prejudice retelling with Elizabeth Bennett as a Captain with her own dragon. Amazing. ‘Nuff said.
“Drabbles”
Apparently a drabble according to the author is “a story of 100 words – and while there are many debates on how strictly this limit should be observed, for purposes of this collection I have kept to the exact number.” The collection contains 26 of them. These snippets were very interesting and well written but overall just left me wanting them to be longer. Perhaps these will be turned into longer stories in the future. Mulan with dragons anyone? Yes please.
While I enjoyed this collection immensely, there was one flaw of the kindle edition – the artwork. It was black and white which I did not mind for the historical feel of it. But each image was so small and several were missing altogether. I wish the art could have been enlarged when clicking on it so I could have seen the full details. I am assuming that the hardback will have no such problems of course. So if ye like dragons in general and Temeraire specifically, then pick this collection up!
Side note: the author’s website has larger versions of the artwork on it! Hooray! Reading by Amy Thompson is me favorite with Dragons in a Winter Clearing by Stephanie Mendoza being a close second. Okay but the cover art by Sandara Tang is awesome. That much wonderful dragon art . . . can’t complain. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
Ah the beautiful cover with both dragons and ships lured me in. Arrrr! The author, Naomi Novik, hooked me and had me super excited to read this collection of stories revisiting the dragon, Temeraire and his world. This collection did not disappoint. It contains 6 stories and 26 drabbles. What is a drabble? I’ll get to that . . .
“Volly’s Cow”
This is a very short story about Temeraire trying to obtain the vote of Volly. I am not quite clear on the whole voting plotline as I have yet to finish the whole Temeraire series but of course I like silly Volly and the story did entertain.
“Planting Season”
This story showcases John Wampanoag, an enterprising dragon trader. Apparently he shows up later in the Temeraire books. All I know is that this story was one of the highlights for me. This is a colonial-era story with John’s navigation of both Native American and European factions. Short yet sweet.
“Dawn of Battle”
This story involves Jane Roland before the Battle of the Nile and the destruction of L’Orient. Jane is a young captain trying to exert her influence on her male crew. I adored her relationship with Excidium. It is amazing that this story took place before the action of the battle and yet was exciting in its own right.
“Golden Age”
This fabulous story is a re-imaging of how Temeraire and Laurence meet. Temeraire, called Celeste in this incarnation, is washed up on the shore of a seemingly deserted island. The first part of the story is told from Celeste’s point of view about how he develops and what occurs on this island. The second half is from Laurence’s point of view. From battles at sea to fights with kraken to the burgeoning friendship of man and dragon, this one was a pure delight.
“Succession”
A lovely story that takes place in China and tells the story of Temeraire’s inception and the start to how his egg ends up meeting Laurence. I loved the viewpoint of Qian and her viewpoint of the Chinese politics. It shows such a different dragon culture from the European fighting forces centered one.
“Dragons and Decorum”
A Pride and Prejudice retelling with Elizabeth Bennett as a Captain with her own dragon. Amazing. ‘Nuff said.
“Drabbles”
Apparently a drabble according to the author is “a story of 100 words – and while there are many debates on how strictly this limit should be observed, for purposes of this collection I have kept to the exact number.” The collection contains 26 of them. These snippets were very interesting and well written but overall just left me wanting them to be longer. Perhaps these will be turned into longer stories in the future. Mulan with dragons anyone? Yes please.
While I enjoyed this collection immensely, there was one flaw of the kindle edition – the artwork. It was black and white which I did not mind for the historical feel of it. But each image was so small and several were missing altogether. I wish the art could have been enlarged when clicking on it so I could have seen the full details. I am assuming that the hardback will have no such problems of course. So if ye like dragons in general and Temeraire specifically, then pick this collection up!
Side note: the author’s website has larger versions of the artwork on it! Hooray! Reading by Amy Thompson is me favorite with Dragons in a Winter Clearing by Stephanie Mendoza being a close second. Okay but the cover art by Sandara Tang is awesome. That much wonderful dragon art . . . can’t complain. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
October 3, 2021
Novik has mad writing skills. She invokes centuries of writing on the Napoleonic wars, both as history and as nautical sub-genre, with a voice and tone that meet expectations and sounds authentic without getting so far into character as to risk incomprehension in the 21st century reader. It's a neat trick. She is equally evocative at drama and comedy. And now I see that she is as damned good at drabbles, as she is at novels of vast scope.
Plus illustrations are so happy -making.
There are only two disappointments: that the book isn't three times as long, and that the concept isn't really explained. I get that she was writing as inspired by (really excellent) fan art, but I want to know how the pieces were chosen, if there were others she loved but couldn't come up with an idea for, that sort of thing.
Anyway, it's all fabulous, including a Pride and Prejudice that isn't problematic.
Library copy
Read for Supernatural
Plus illustrations are so happy -making.
There are only two disappointments: that the book isn't three times as long, and that the concept isn't really explained. I get that she was writing as inspired by (really excellent) fan art, but I want to know how the pieces were chosen, if there were others she loved but couldn't come up with an idea for, that sort of thing.
Anyway, it's all fabulous, including a Pride and Prejudice that isn't problematic.
Library copy
Read for Supernatural
July 10, 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for the opportunity to read this digital galley.
I have been a fan of the Naomi Novik stories featuring Temeraire since I read the first sentence of the first book. When I saw this collection which seemed to be offering short stories to accompany the now finished series I literally almost broke my finger smushing it down on the "request" button. Naturally, since I already know the author's writing style I enjoyed this book. I don't know if that will be said of anybody who isn't already a fan but who buys this book because they see dragons in the illustrations.
There are six short stories at the beginning of the book, five are very short, one is much longer and, honestly, that is what saved the whole reading experience for me. The first is a Temeraire story which will only make sense to fans who have read the series and understand why dragons voting is such a big deal. The final short story is Novik's take on the Meryton Ball sequence from Pride and Prejudice except - naturally - from a totally different angle. I absolutely loved that!
Following the stories are 26 Drabbles. Quite honestly, I had no idea what a Drabble was. Novik explains that it is a story in 100 words and she followed that rule - 100 words only in each story. Not only was I underwhelmed, I was totally underwhelmed. It seemed to me that these drabbles were notes made on cocktail napkins, on the backs of grocery lists, jotted down on used envelopes......whatever. They felt more like an exercise in how to organize thoughts for an idea which could be filled out later on. Pretty non-earthshattering stuff.
This book seems to be available in print only - at least when it is first released. I'm sure the reason for that is so the artwork in the book can be shown to best advantage. I can see the art quite clearly on my Kindle, but lack all the color the print copy will have. I'm sure it will be stunning. So, if you have a collection of all the Temeraire stories you will definitely want to think about adding this new release to your collection. For me, "Dragons and Decorum" was a total delight and simply points out what a truly talented author Naomi Novik is.
I have been a fan of the Naomi Novik stories featuring Temeraire since I read the first sentence of the first book. When I saw this collection which seemed to be offering short stories to accompany the now finished series I literally almost broke my finger smushing it down on the "request" button. Naturally, since I already know the author's writing style I enjoyed this book. I don't know if that will be said of anybody who isn't already a fan but who buys this book because they see dragons in the illustrations.
There are six short stories at the beginning of the book, five are very short, one is much longer and, honestly, that is what saved the whole reading experience for me. The first is a Temeraire story which will only make sense to fans who have read the series and understand why dragons voting is such a big deal. The final short story is Novik's take on the Meryton Ball sequence from Pride and Prejudice except - naturally - from a totally different angle. I absolutely loved that!
Following the stories are 26 Drabbles. Quite honestly, I had no idea what a Drabble was. Novik explains that it is a story in 100 words and she followed that rule - 100 words only in each story. Not only was I underwhelmed, I was totally underwhelmed. It seemed to me that these drabbles were notes made on cocktail napkins, on the backs of grocery lists, jotted down on used envelopes......whatever. They felt more like an exercise in how to organize thoughts for an idea which could be filled out later on. Pretty non-earthshattering stuff.
This book seems to be available in print only - at least when it is first released. I'm sure the reason for that is so the artwork in the book can be shown to best advantage. I can see the art quite clearly on my Kindle, but lack all the color the print copy will have. I'm sure it will be stunning. So, if you have a collection of all the Temeraire stories you will definitely want to think about adding this new release to your collection. For me, "Dragons and Decorum" was a total delight and simply points out what a truly talented author Naomi Novik is.
August 30, 2017
First of all, I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This little anthology is sure to be a hit with anyone who's read and enjoyed the Temeraire series. With 6 short stories, followed by 26 drabbles of exactly 100 words each, and an accompanying piece of fanart for each tale, this collection revisits some of the best-loved characters from the series and explores some alternate universes along the way.
I absolutely loved all of the short stories, but three stood out for me in particular: Dawn of Battle gives us a glimpse into the life of a much younger Jane Roland, who cuts a no less formidable figure even so and reminded me just why she's such a fantastic character; the eponymous Golden Age, a reimagining of Laurence and Temeraire's first meeting, balances high seas adventure with the gentle friendship that characterised the entire series; and Dragons and Decorum, which was probably my favourite of the whole bunch, is literally the impossibly charming, utterly delightful Pride and Prejudice dragon AU that I never knew I needed. I absolutely couldn't put it down!
The drabbles were a bit more of a mixed bag, but there were a few gems in there too - the Tharkay-centric one, in particular, was absolutely lovely. All in all, I would definitely recommend Golden Age and Other Stories to any Temeraire fan!
This little anthology is sure to be a hit with anyone who's read and enjoyed the Temeraire series. With 6 short stories, followed by 26 drabbles of exactly 100 words each, and an accompanying piece of fanart for each tale, this collection revisits some of the best-loved characters from the series and explores some alternate universes along the way.
I absolutely loved all of the short stories, but three stood out for me in particular: Dawn of Battle gives us a glimpse into the life of a much younger Jane Roland, who cuts a no less formidable figure even so and reminded me just why she's such a fantastic character; the eponymous Golden Age, a reimagining of Laurence and Temeraire's first meeting, balances high seas adventure with the gentle friendship that characterised the entire series; and Dragons and Decorum, which was probably my favourite of the whole bunch, is literally the impossibly charming, utterly delightful Pride and Prejudice dragon AU that I never knew I needed. I absolutely couldn't put it down!
The drabbles were a bit more of a mixed bag, but there were a few gems in there too - the Tharkay-centric one, in particular, was absolutely lovely. All in all, I would definitely recommend Golden Age and Other Stories to any Temeraire fan!
November 1, 2022
When I first started the Temeraire series, it was full of promise. While the quality steadily declined for me over the course of the series, I kept reading because I hoped I would again find that spark that got lost along the way.
I finally found that spark in this short story collection.
It was actually about dragons rather than boring battle descriptions and reiterating the military history with some minor changes. And even when it was about humans, the characters were actually interesting, unlike the dull main characters of the main series such as Laurence or Grandby. I really appreciated a story from the perspective of one of my favourite characters, Jane, even if it was short (Dawn of Battle). I would also gladly read a whole novel about captain Elizabeth Bennet and her Longwing, Wollstonecraft (Dragons and Decorum). It was probably the best re-telling of Pride and Prejudice in existence.
I also really enjoyed Planting Season, the story which speculated on how the age of colonization of North America would be different, if dragons were in the equation, as well as Golden Age, an alternative story of Temeraire as the leader of dragon pirates.
And now it's time to really say goodbye to Temeraire and his companions.
I finally found that spark in this short story collection.
It was actually about dragons rather than boring battle descriptions and reiterating the military history with some minor changes. And even when it was about humans, the characters were actually interesting, unlike the dull main characters of the main series such as Laurence or Grandby. I really appreciated a story from the perspective of one of my favourite characters, Jane, even if it was short (Dawn of Battle). I would also gladly read a whole novel about captain Elizabeth Bennet and her Longwing, Wollstonecraft (Dragons and Decorum). It was probably the best re-telling of Pride and Prejudice in existence.
I also really enjoyed Planting Season, the story which speculated on how the age of colonization of North America would be different, if dragons were in the equation, as well as Golden Age, an alternative story of Temeraire as the leader of dragon pirates.
And now it's time to really say goodbye to Temeraire and his companions.
Read
September 6, 2017I could not get interested in this collection. Probably because I'm not at all familiar with Novik's Temeraire series. I'm sure longtime fans will adore this book, as the stories here are about those characters and that world.
March 15, 2019
Okay, 5 stars is maybe a bit generous, I don't think this is perfect, but I loved it so much. There is nothing I like better than DRAGONS, especially, for some reason, 19th-century fantasy-of-manners-style dragons. ❤🐲
July 21, 2023
Now I want to reread all of Temeraire again... :D
September 25, 2019
After a couple recent disappointing reads, I was feeling myself start to slip into a book slump. I knew I needed a guaranteed win, and who better to turn to than Naomi Novik? I thought I’d seen the last of Laurence and Temeraire until this lovely illustrated story collection popped up in my Goodreads feed. It was just the thing to defeat this book slump before it took hold.
I’ll break it down from least fave to fave:
3-3.5 stars for “Volly’s Cow,” “Planting Season,” and the “drabbles” at the end. The drabbles—stories told in 100 words—were a nice way to showcase a lot of art, but I didn’t find them super memorable. I did appreciate the imagination and humor in them.
4 stars for “Dawn of Battle” and “Succession,” which focused on important supporting characters—Jane Roland in her first command and Temeraire’s mother Qian before he was born.
5+++ stars for “The Golden Age” and “Dragons and Decorum.” I loved these so much, I couldn’t stop smiling while I read them.
“The Golden Age” is an alternate beginning for Laurence and Temeraire, a “what if” story where instead of being taken as a prize of war, Temeraire (he has a different name in this story) is in a shipwreck and hatches alone on a deserted island. I loved how Novik reimagined how he and Laurence found each other. It’s such an imaginative thing to do—she basically wrote really good fanfic of her own fiction.
“Dragons and Decorum” was a delightful surprise. I was beside myself when I realized Novik had reimagined Pride and Prejudice in Temeraire’s world, with Elizabeth a captain in the Aerial Corps. I’m a huge sucker for Pride and Prejudice retellings, and this story made my heart sing with its clever reversals.
I’m tempted to do creative math and give this 5 stars, but overall I’d say it’s a 4-star read for me. Still, I may need to own a copy of this just to keep those two stories close.
A must-read for fans of the Temeraire series.
I’ll break it down from least fave to fave:
3-3.5 stars for “Volly’s Cow,” “Planting Season,” and the “drabbles” at the end. The drabbles—stories told in 100 words—were a nice way to showcase a lot of art, but I didn’t find them super memorable. I did appreciate the imagination and humor in them.
4 stars for “Dawn of Battle” and “Succession,” which focused on important supporting characters—Jane Roland in her first command and Temeraire’s mother Qian before he was born.
5+++ stars for “The Golden Age” and “Dragons and Decorum.” I loved these so much, I couldn’t stop smiling while I read them.
“The Golden Age” is an alternate beginning for Laurence and Temeraire, a “what if” story where instead of being taken as a prize of war, Temeraire (he has a different name in this story) is in a shipwreck and hatches alone on a deserted island. I loved how Novik reimagined how he and Laurence found each other. It’s such an imaginative thing to do—she basically wrote really good fanfic of her own fiction.
“Dragons and Decorum” was a delightful surprise. I was beside myself when I realized Novik had reimagined Pride and Prejudice in Temeraire’s world, with Elizabeth a captain in the Aerial Corps. I’m a huge sucker for Pride and Prejudice retellings, and this story made my heart sing with its clever reversals.
I’m tempted to do creative math and give this 5 stars, but overall I’d say it’s a 4-star read for me. Still, I may need to own a copy of this just to keep those two stories close.
A must-read for fans of the Temeraire series.
July 2, 2018
Well, that was perfectly delightful. If you're a fan of Naomi Novik's Temeraire novels, this is for you. (And if you haven't read them yet, for heaven's sake why not?)
The premise of this collection is that readers submitted fan art of the characters in the series, and Novik wrote short stories based upon the artworks. The stories are delightful in themselves, and the artworks lovely and fun.
The title story is a gorgeous re-imagining of how Laurence and Temeraire (with a different name here) met and became companions. "Planting Season" is a fascinating story featuring The American dragon-entrepreneur, John Wampanoag. And "Dragons and Decorum" features--wait for it, Janeites--Captain Elizabeth Bennet of His Majesty's Aerial Corps, and her dragon--wait for it again--Wollstonecraft. WOLLSTONECRAFT. I am driven to all-caps by this. And fear not, Darcy fans will not be disappointed.
The book finishes with a selection of drabbles, 100-word very short pieces, many of which are perfectly delightful but will be most interesting to fans of the series. And I sat stunned after reading the drabble from Tharkay's point of view. It was like that feeling one has after reading Emma and wondering how you missed the secret engagement, and upon re-reading wondering how you didn't see it immediately.
I feel a re-read of the series coming on. The stories are so creative and the writing so beautiful and literate. Just delightful.
The premise of this collection is that readers submitted fan art of the characters in the series, and Novik wrote short stories based upon the artworks. The stories are delightful in themselves, and the artworks lovely and fun.
The title story is a gorgeous re-imagining of how Laurence and Temeraire (with a different name here) met and became companions. "Planting Season" is a fascinating story featuring The American dragon-entrepreneur, John Wampanoag. And "Dragons and Decorum" features--wait for it, Janeites--Captain Elizabeth Bennet of His Majesty's Aerial Corps, and her dragon--wait for it again--Wollstonecraft. WOLLSTONECRAFT. I am driven to all-caps by this. And fear not, Darcy fans will not be disappointed.
The book finishes with a selection of drabbles, 100-word very short pieces, many of which are perfectly delightful but will be most interesting to fans of the series. And I sat stunned after reading the drabble from Tharkay's point of view. It was like that feeling one has after reading Emma and wondering how you missed the secret engagement, and upon re-reading wondering how you didn't see it immediately.
I feel a re-read of the series coming on. The stories are so creative and the writing so beautiful and literate. Just delightful.
September 15, 2019
I wish Naomi Novik would keep writing in this world forever. How does she make dragons so lovable and charming? Alternate histories are usually an automatic DNF for me, but I've read all 10 Temeraire novels and would gladly read 10 more. This is a great collection, with each story inspired by fan art. This means that Novik really goes out of the box with some if these stories, even writing some AU versions of her own world, and it's really well executed. It's great to see someone who has been such a big part of fandom turn around and honor her own fans, and using fan work as inspiration allows her to be really creative with this. Glad to get this little extension of the Temeraire universe!
June 28, 2017
*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*
Golden Age and Other Stories is a short story collection from Naomi Novik, all set in her Temeraire universe – set in the Napoleonic period, with the inclusion of sentient dragons. I’ve really enjoyed Novik’s efforts recently – her Uprooted, which I reviewed last year, was brilliant. So this collection had me quite excited as I went into it.
The collection contains several short stories, and a set of ‘drabbles’, stories of exactly one hundred words. All have accompanying art, which both sets the mood for the associated story and, to be honest, look rather nice on the page.
The first story, Volly Gets a Cow is rather short, tracking Temeraire, the sentient dragon at the heart of the series, as he attempts to get the notoriously unfocused Volly to vote for a dragon member of parliament. Volly is uncooperative, mostly because his attention is focused on his own hunger, and the titular cow. There’s a warmth to this story, the gentle aggravation of Temeraire trying to nudge others into doing something they want to do. We only get quick strokes of Volly and his potential MP here – but enough that their personalities shine through; the dragon representative is a smidge arrogant and abrasive, Volly wooly-headed and, well, hungry. But it’s a cheerful comic tale, showcasing the sort of gentle warmth and humour that sits near the heart of the series, alongside more serious issues – that dragons should be politically represented is an interesting turn, and if it’s only lightly touched on here, still suggests an interesting larger tapestry of events at play.
But it’s not all Temeraire – or if it is, sometimes in a different context. Planting Season for example shows us a dragon in the hinterlands of America, after the convulsions of the Revolution. Here, the dragons acts a bridge between the Native American and European cultures – shuttling goods from one to the other, and stepping between the cultures of both. It’s sympathetic and sharply observed, giving us people on both ends of the trade simply trying their best – and left me wondering how the counterfactual Americas were getting on after the fact; the policy of careful integration suggested here is intriguing, and Novik’s talent for making both colonial-era Boston and the Native American wider spaces feel colourful and alive is in full force.
Then there’s Golden Age, which shows us an alternative meeting for Temeraire and his Captain – the latter sent out to investigate rumours of French piracy, the former, somewhat accidentally, the cause. The dialogue between Temeraire and the Captain here evoked something in the tradition of Aubrey Maturin; both coming to the table as equals, even if one is a naval officer, and the other a thirty-foot lizard which can breathe fire. Here, it seems like the theme is acceptance – as what would be Temeraire sleeps warmly on a beach, gathering treasure and food – and is shocked out of complacency by the arrival of a human with a loud voice, and a willingness to negotiate.
There’s a sense in which several of the stories work better if you’re aware of the larger series; it works as a stand-alone collection, but the context from the wider series helps give it more depth. It was great to see some of the genesis of Roland, for example – a woman with a fine career ahead of her, a forceful personality if ever there was one. As presented, the story of a young woman’s growing into her Captaincy of a dragon, refusing to back down into social expectations, and leading her crew by strength of will and main courage is inspiring and delightful. Knowing what she will go on to do in the broader series gives it the narrative a more complex (but no less pleasant) flavour.
One story that works as a genuine standalone, and which I thought was the highlight of the collection, was Dragons and Decorum. Blending the fictional world of Temeraire with that of Austen, it gives us an Elizabeth Bennett who is a naval officer, leading a dragon crew. Novik scrupulously matches Austen’s prose style, but injects her own energy and enthusiasm. Watching an Elizabeth Bennet with agency approach a nervous Darcy, both still constrained by the customs of manners embedded in society of the period – well, it’s an absolute delight. I laughed, several times, and was transported by the evident genuine emotion growing between the two. Bennett is an active participant here, and all the better for it. If other stories in the collection are love letters to fans, then I’d say this one is a paean to the regency novel genre – one which plays with the conventions of that genre, and produces a fine alloy as a consequence.
The drabbles are fun, leaping across time and space equally, and providing more insight into the Temerire universe. They’re like short mood paintings, and after the main repast that is the collection, make an excellent dessert.
Is it worth buying? Well, if you’re a fan of Temeraire, this may be the last fiction available in that universe. It’s a diverse collection of stories, and there’s something for every fan here – it’ll probably reward your time. If you’ve never read the series before, I’d say it works as a stand alone – but you owe it to yourself to give the other books a try, as they’ll make this collection a richer, more complex experience.
Golden Age and Other Stories is a short story collection from Naomi Novik, all set in her Temeraire universe – set in the Napoleonic period, with the inclusion of sentient dragons. I’ve really enjoyed Novik’s efforts recently – her Uprooted, which I reviewed last year, was brilliant. So this collection had me quite excited as I went into it.
The collection contains several short stories, and a set of ‘drabbles’, stories of exactly one hundred words. All have accompanying art, which both sets the mood for the associated story and, to be honest, look rather nice on the page.
The first story, Volly Gets a Cow is rather short, tracking Temeraire, the sentient dragon at the heart of the series, as he attempts to get the notoriously unfocused Volly to vote for a dragon member of parliament. Volly is uncooperative, mostly because his attention is focused on his own hunger, and the titular cow. There’s a warmth to this story, the gentle aggravation of Temeraire trying to nudge others into doing something they want to do. We only get quick strokes of Volly and his potential MP here – but enough that their personalities shine through; the dragon representative is a smidge arrogant and abrasive, Volly wooly-headed and, well, hungry. But it’s a cheerful comic tale, showcasing the sort of gentle warmth and humour that sits near the heart of the series, alongside more serious issues – that dragons should be politically represented is an interesting turn, and if it’s only lightly touched on here, still suggests an interesting larger tapestry of events at play.
But it’s not all Temeraire – or if it is, sometimes in a different context. Planting Season for example shows us a dragon in the hinterlands of America, after the convulsions of the Revolution. Here, the dragons acts a bridge between the Native American and European cultures – shuttling goods from one to the other, and stepping between the cultures of both. It’s sympathetic and sharply observed, giving us people on both ends of the trade simply trying their best – and left me wondering how the counterfactual Americas were getting on after the fact; the policy of careful integration suggested here is intriguing, and Novik’s talent for making both colonial-era Boston and the Native American wider spaces feel colourful and alive is in full force.
Then there’s Golden Age, which shows us an alternative meeting for Temeraire and his Captain – the latter sent out to investigate rumours of French piracy, the former, somewhat accidentally, the cause. The dialogue between Temeraire and the Captain here evoked something in the tradition of Aubrey Maturin; both coming to the table as equals, even if one is a naval officer, and the other a thirty-foot lizard which can breathe fire. Here, it seems like the theme is acceptance – as what would be Temeraire sleeps warmly on a beach, gathering treasure and food – and is shocked out of complacency by the arrival of a human with a loud voice, and a willingness to negotiate.
There’s a sense in which several of the stories work better if you’re aware of the larger series; it works as a stand-alone collection, but the context from the wider series helps give it more depth. It was great to see some of the genesis of Roland, for example – a woman with a fine career ahead of her, a forceful personality if ever there was one. As presented, the story of a young woman’s growing into her Captaincy of a dragon, refusing to back down into social expectations, and leading her crew by strength of will and main courage is inspiring and delightful. Knowing what she will go on to do in the broader series gives it the narrative a more complex (but no less pleasant) flavour.
One story that works as a genuine standalone, and which I thought was the highlight of the collection, was Dragons and Decorum. Blending the fictional world of Temeraire with that of Austen, it gives us an Elizabeth Bennett who is a naval officer, leading a dragon crew. Novik scrupulously matches Austen’s prose style, but injects her own energy and enthusiasm. Watching an Elizabeth Bennet with agency approach a nervous Darcy, both still constrained by the customs of manners embedded in society of the period – well, it’s an absolute delight. I laughed, several times, and was transported by the evident genuine emotion growing between the two. Bennett is an active participant here, and all the better for it. If other stories in the collection are love letters to fans, then I’d say this one is a paean to the regency novel genre – one which plays with the conventions of that genre, and produces a fine alloy as a consequence.
The drabbles are fun, leaping across time and space equally, and providing more insight into the Temerire universe. They’re like short mood paintings, and after the main repast that is the collection, make an excellent dessert.
Is it worth buying? Well, if you’re a fan of Temeraire, this may be the last fiction available in that universe. It’s a diverse collection of stories, and there’s something for every fan here – it’ll probably reward your time. If you’ve never read the series before, I’d say it works as a stand alone – but you owe it to yourself to give the other books a try, as they’ll make this collection a richer, more complex experience.
October 20, 2021
Cok gereksiz kimi bir paragraflik alakasiz yazilar/hikayeler....görseler güzeldi ama cok anlamsiz bir kitapti...
August 24, 2025
temeraire summer is overrrr😭😭😭
February 7, 2018
SIGH
I really do love the Temeraire series. I really think Novik is a fantastically talented writer. This collection reminded me of both of those things... but it also really drove home how she seemed to have... lost control of Temeraire as a series. Or something. I don’t know. These stories were very nicely written and engaging in themselves, but when I think about what I want from a post-series Temeraire short story collection… eh.
Which is funny, since this is marketed as a 'treat for the fans!' title, with fanart for each short story and everything. But very little of it resembled the series I fell in love with - at it's best, it had the heart of why I love those books, but not much else? I can only feel like these were floating around on her harddrive somewhere, or she really just does have a very different idea of what makes her story interesting - when I compare it to similar fannish collections, it seems lacking in anything resembling... fan favourites.
Objectively the best stories were Planting Season, Golden Age and Dragons and Decorum. All of which were very well-written. Planting Season was an example of this series' alt-history when it's at its best. Golden Age made me have great big :') feels over Temeraire and Laurence, and then Dragons and Decorum was charming and wonderful and everything about the spirit of Temeraire/Novik's fanfiction that I love.
The other stories, eh, were nice enough, but very.... 'fodder from my harddrive' feeling lol.
Then I got to the drabbles - which reminded me that there really is a good reason why drabbles have fallen out popular usage in fandom lol. And not only that, Novik basically uses one drabble to...... canonically confirm that Tharkay had romantic feelings for Laurence?????
ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I know I got a lot of flack on my review of League of Dragons for saying there was queer subtext between Laurence and Tharkay so GUESS IT'S NICE TO KNOW I WAS RIGHT???? Not really this can get stuffed. Honestly I preferred it when she was textually presenting them as Platonic Bros Who Lived Together (it's not gay to move in with another man if it's for your dragon's political career), at least then I could believe it was just her sneaky little ~fandom tendencies to give us some ~shipfodder. But no. She truly was queerbaiting me.
I will admit. There were multiple mentions of Demane and Kulingile, my FAVE captain+dragon pair. That was good.
So, solid 3 stars, for Novik reminding me of why I feel for the series in the first place AND what made me so grumpy with her by the end of it, lol.
I really do love the Temeraire series. I really think Novik is a fantastically talented writer. This collection reminded me of both of those things... but it also really drove home how she seemed to have... lost control of Temeraire as a series. Or something. I don’t know. These stories were very nicely written and engaging in themselves, but when I think about what I want from a post-series Temeraire short story collection… eh.
Which is funny, since this is marketed as a 'treat for the fans!' title, with fanart for each short story and everything. But very little of it resembled the series I fell in love with - at it's best, it had the heart of why I love those books, but not much else? I can only feel like these were floating around on her harddrive somewhere, or she really just does have a very different idea of what makes her story interesting - when I compare it to similar fannish collections, it seems lacking in anything resembling... fan favourites.
Objectively the best stories were Planting Season, Golden Age and Dragons and Decorum. All of which were very well-written. Planting Season was an example of this series' alt-history when it's at its best. Golden Age made me have great big :') feels over Temeraire and Laurence, and then Dragons and Decorum was charming and wonderful and everything about the spirit of Temeraire/Novik's fanfiction that I love.
The other stories, eh, were nice enough, but very.... 'fodder from my harddrive' feeling lol.
Then I got to the drabbles - which reminded me that there really is a good reason why drabbles have fallen out popular usage in fandom lol. And not only that, Novik basically uses one drabble to...... canonically confirm that Tharkay had romantic feelings for Laurence?????
ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I know I got a lot of flack on my review of League of Dragons for saying there was queer subtext between Laurence and Tharkay so GUESS IT'S NICE TO KNOW I WAS RIGHT???? Not really this can get stuffed. Honestly I preferred it when she was textually presenting them as Platonic Bros Who Lived Together (it's not gay to move in with another man if it's for your dragon's political career), at least then I could believe it was just her sneaky little ~fandom tendencies to give us some ~shipfodder. But no. She truly was queerbaiting me.
I will admit. There were multiple mentions of Demane and Kulingile, my FAVE captain+dragon pair. That was good.
So, solid 3 stars, for Novik reminding me of why I feel for the series in the first place AND what made me so grumpy with her by the end of it, lol.
September 25, 2018
If you read the whole Temeraire series and still want more, these short stories are for you. Folks unfamiliar with the books will probably not get much out of them.
"Volly's Cow"--Temeraire is trying to drum up votes for another dragon, and finds a way to do it via threats to someone's cow. I love Temeraire's pov and it is an immediate pleasure to see his mind working again.
"Planting Season"--John Wampanoag establishes himself as a trading dragon. I like seeing some of how the American colonies ended up so different from our own world due to the presence of dragons. And it ends on such a sweet note, with his affection for a woman who can never be his rider.
"Dawn of Battle"--Jane takes command after her mother's passing. One of the things I like best about this is seeing how she expects certain challenges to her captaincy and maneuvers everything so she can deal with it with the least fuss possible.
"Golden Age"--A dragon egg accidentally winds up on an island and grows to become a pirate because it doesn't know any better.
"Succession"--Qian was companion dragon to the Emperor. Now that he is gone, she undertakes a great working, one that may kill her: to bear eggs for the continuation of the Celestial line. She has a wonderful, philosophical mindset that I liked feeling steeped in while I read.
"Dragons and Decorum"--Elizabeth Bennet became a dragon rider instead of staying at home, and eventually she and Mr.Darcy go through much the same paces as in P&P, but this time with dragons. Good fun.
The last bit of this collection are all untitled drabbles. I'm generally not a fan of these--100 words is so little to tell a story in!--but I'm so enamored with the Temeraire series that I enjoy any little extra snippets of the world I can get.
"Volly's Cow"--Temeraire is trying to drum up votes for another dragon, and finds a way to do it via threats to someone's cow. I love Temeraire's pov and it is an immediate pleasure to see his mind working again.
"Planting Season"--John Wampanoag establishes himself as a trading dragon. I like seeing some of how the American colonies ended up so different from our own world due to the presence of dragons. And it ends on such a sweet note, with his affection for a woman who can never be his rider.
"Dawn of Battle"--Jane takes command after her mother's passing. One of the things I like best about this is seeing how she expects certain challenges to her captaincy and maneuvers everything so she can deal with it with the least fuss possible.
"Golden Age"--A dragon egg accidentally winds up on an island and grows to become a pirate because it doesn't know any better.
"Succession"--Qian was companion dragon to the Emperor. Now that he is gone, she undertakes a great working, one that may kill her: to bear eggs for the continuation of the Celestial line. She has a wonderful, philosophical mindset that I liked feeling steeped in while I read.
"Dragons and Decorum"--Elizabeth Bennet became a dragon rider instead of staying at home, and eventually she and Mr.Darcy go through much the same paces as in P&P, but this time with dragons. Good fun.
The last bit of this collection are all untitled drabbles. I'm generally not a fan of these--100 words is so little to tell a story in!--but I'm so enamored with the Temeraire series that I enjoy any little extra snippets of the world I can get.
August 10, 2019
Nierówne jak diabli. Zawiera dwa dłuższe kawałki - wariację na temat Dumy i uprzedzenia (która jest bardzo w porządku, ale mam już dosyć wariacji na ten temat) oraz au, w kt Temeraire wykluwa sie gdzies na Pacyfiku i zostaje kimś na kształt smoka-pirata. Do tego 3 czy 4 drobne opowiadanka (jedno humorystyczne o Vollym, jedno o początkach Jane jako kapitan, jedno o tym, jak ten amerykanski smok zaczal pracowac w handlu i ostatnie o tym, jak matka Temeraire decyduje sie odeslac jedno jajo - najlepsze jest to ostatnie, choc w kazdym cos tam jest). Reszte zapelniaja rysunki fanow (troche marnujace sie na kindleu) oraz...drabble. Takie doslownie 100-słowne. Nigdy nie rozumialam sensu drabbli (poza byciem ćwiczeniem literackim), na pewno nie widze ich sensu tutaj, na poziomie książki wydanej na poważnie. Bardziej mnie to zirytowało niż cokolwiek innego.
September 11, 2017
As I read each of the Temeraire books upon publication (way back when), I found that I have only a very general remembrance of most of these characters and their backstories. This hindered my enjoyment.
So...unless you have a much better memory than myself, I would recommend this only for fans of the series and add a recommendation that it be read only after a recent series re-read for full enjoyment potential.
The fan art at the chapter headings makes for a nice bonus.
The Jane Austen tribute was fun. The drabbles were annoying.
So...unless you have a much better memory than myself, I would recommend this only for fans of the series and add a recommendation that it be read only after a recent series re-read for full enjoyment potential.
The fan art at the chapter headings makes for a nice bonus.
The Jane Austen tribute was fun. The drabbles were annoying.
November 23, 2019
A really fun collection of stories set in the Temeraire universe. The Pride and Prejudice mash-up is the longest and most detailed (and really delightful) but I have to confess my favorite story is the short bit of backstory on John Wampanoag, a dragon who shows up in the later Temeraire books. It says a whole lot, and wrenches a whole lot of heartstrings, in just a few words. ARC via netgalley, although I'll probably buy the book for completion's sake -- I own all the other Temeraire books.
July 16, 2019
A fun collection. I thought it was really interesting that Novik did both stories that fit into the original timeline of the series and alternative timeline stories. I think that really helped the book stand out. The section of drabbles was especially fun since you never get those in published works.
However, one of the longer (the longest?) story in the collection, “Dragons and Decorum,” fell completely flat for me. It wasn`t poorly written, I just could not get interested in it.
However, one of the longer (the longest?) story in the collection, “Dragons and Decorum,” fell completely flat for me. It wasn`t poorly written, I just could not get interested in it.
January 18, 2022
The “you are safe now my sweet child” meme except it’s Naomi Novik offering me more words about dragons being smart and humans being emotionally repressed in Regency Era England. That truly is what it is all about.
April 16, 2019
I wanted to read something by Naomi Novik, but didn't realise this collection of short stories was fan fiction related to the Temeraire series, which I haven't read. Never mind, it's a good test of a story collection like this to see if it can stand on its own.
The first story, Volley's Cow, did leave me a little bewildered. I think there was an assumption of familiarity with the characters, both human and dragon, as well as adventures they had been through in the series. The second story, Planting Season, was more self-contained and stood on its own well.
This was followed by Dawn of Battle, which I think probably reflected the sort of military battle atmosphere of the series and gave me a taste of the dragons and how they work in this world.
Then there is the title story, Golden Age. This one is longer than the others and rather good. My impression was that it was an alternative history using the characters from the first book of the series and focused very much on the nature of the dragons.
The next story, Succession, takes place in China and tells about how the French came to have a Celestial egg. This is followed by Dragons and Decorum, about a young woman being recruited into the air Corp, because female dragons will only have female handlers. Although I haven't yet read Pride and Prejudice, the use of the names Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy suggest there might be a nod to that book in this story.
The book wraps up with a section of Drabbles, 100 word stories. These were amusing and gave me some snippets of the world in which this series manifests. thought it was a nice way to finish up the collection. The artwork alone is worthwhile.
Over all an enjoyable read that I'm sure will be indispensable to readers of the Temeraire series.
The first story, Volley's Cow, did leave me a little bewildered. I think there was an assumption of familiarity with the characters, both human and dragon, as well as adventures they had been through in the series. The second story, Planting Season, was more self-contained and stood on its own well.
This was followed by Dawn of Battle, which I think probably reflected the sort of military battle atmosphere of the series and gave me a taste of the dragons and how they work in this world.
Then there is the title story, Golden Age. This one is longer than the others and rather good. My impression was that it was an alternative history using the characters from the first book of the series and focused very much on the nature of the dragons.
The next story, Succession, takes place in China and tells about how the French came to have a Celestial egg. This is followed by Dragons and Decorum, about a young woman being recruited into the air Corp, because female dragons will only have female handlers. Although I haven't yet read Pride and Prejudice, the use of the names Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy suggest there might be a nod to that book in this story.
The book wraps up with a section of Drabbles, 100 word stories. These were amusing and gave me some snippets of the world in which this series manifests. thought it was a nice way to finish up the collection. The artwork alone is worthwhile.
Over all an enjoyable read that I'm sure will be indispensable to readers of the Temeraire series.
August 24, 2023
'Your uncle is an aviator, I understand,' Miss Caroline Bingley said to Elizabeth...
"He is," Elizabeth said, and added with a little pardonable malice, "We have several officers, in our family." She had endured a great deal of hissed whispers from her mother ... on the need for secrecy, and the deadly danger to her sisters' reputation if her own profession should become known to the company. [loc. 1066]
A collection of short stories with accompanying artwork, set in Novik's 'Temeraire' universe. I hadn't been aware of this volume before, and was dismayed to see that it was only available as a high-priced hardcover: but lovely Subterranean Press have issued it in ebook format, which I snapped up after attending the author's talk at Waterstones Piccadilly.
The stories in Golden Age are variable in length and, to me, interest. There are some that could easily be part of the Temeraire canon, and others which I think can justifiably be termed 'AU' -- that is, alternate universes. These include my two favourite tales. In 'Golden Age', Temeraire's egg is not captured by HMS Reliant, but instead hatches on a deserted beach somewhere in the Caribbean. The newborn dragon names himself Celeste, finds some friends, and embarks upon a career of piracy -- until the Admiralty despatches one Captain Laurence to deal with the threat to shipping (and also with a kraken). My other favourite is 'Dragons and Decorum', a pitch-perfect Austen pastiche in which one Elizabeth Bennet becomes captain to a Longwing named Wollstonecraft, who does not take kindly to her dear Elizabeth being described as 'tolerable' by Mr Darcy. The story covers the events of Victory of Eagles, though with a very different ambience.
The artwork, even on Kindle, is excellent: various artists have provided art, which Novik has used as the basis for the stories. There are familiar characters and interesting viewpoints, and a strong sense of joyful exploration on the part of the author.
September 21, 2017
An enjoyable set of stories set in Novik's alternate history with dragons. The longest one was a re-telling of Pride and Prejudice, with Elizabeth Bennet as a dragon-rider. The title story (Golden Age) is about Captain Lawrence (as a sea captain, not with Temeraire) meeting an independent dragon who has been leading a group of smaller dragons in piracy. My thoughts on reading it was that it was retrocon since my recollection of the first book in the series was that Lawrence had not had any prior interaction with dragons. Other reviews in GR are calling it an alternate alternate history and refer to the dragon in this series as Temeraire.
The book ends with a bunch of "drabbles", short-short stories of exactly 100 words. Some of these are really good (how about a dragon egg being hatched by robots?) while others seem to be outtakes from the books, which deserved to be taken out.
The book ends with a bunch of "drabbles", short-short stories of exactly 100 words. Some of these are really good (how about a dragon egg being hatched by robots?) while others seem to be outtakes from the books, which deserved to be taken out.
July 5, 2025
Very charming collection of short stories and drabbles all accompanied by fan art (that I wish were printed in color). I especially liked the titular Golden Age, which is an alternate meeting story for Lawrence and Temeraire, and the Pride and Prejudice one. It's been a couple years since I read the rest of the Temeraire series so I was a little foggy on some of the characters, but I enjoyed stepping back into the world.
September 27, 2017
Lovely artwork.
I love the Temeraire novels and reading these stories was like revisiting an old friend. My favorites were: The Golden Age (a re-imagining of how Temeraire and Laurence might have first met), Planting Season (set in colonial America), and Dragons and Decorum (a mashup of dragons at Pride & Prejudice).
I love the Temeraire novels and reading these stories was like revisiting an old friend. My favorites were: The Golden Age (a re-imagining of how Temeraire and Laurence might have first met), Planting Season (set in colonial America), and Dragons and Decorum (a mashup of dragons at Pride & Prejudice).
August 19, 2018
Golden Age and Other Stories is a great dive back into the world of Temeraire. Within its stories, readers get to revisit some of their favorite characters, round out pieces of the world, and even have some moments of levity. It is a nice supplement to the series, and worth reading for any fan of Novik's work. The artwork is an excellent touch as well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews