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His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, #1)

Naomi Novik

Start date: January 1, 2024

Finish date: January 31, 2024

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What Members Thought

Mar 28, 2009 BJ Rose rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, fantasy, history-europe

An aerial corps is a very important aspect of warfare, but instead of airplanes we have the Dragon Corps taking part in the Napoleonic Wars. This is a fantasy historical that does a good job of making everything sound 19th century except the dragons; even when they're working with/interacting with dragons, the characters sound and act like 19th c. people, and there are some looks into 19th c. society.

I really liked the emphasis on the dragons - their varieties of breeds, their personalities, th ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jul 12, 2009 Bonnie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: neo-victorian-regency, fantasy-historical, fantasy-general

I had no expectations for this book, which is the first of a series of 10. I thought for sure it would be terrible, but decided to stick it out nonetheless. Was I ever wrong! It’s amazing.

Novak did an incredible job of making a very realistic alterna-19th century. Class and etiquette play very important roles, and this was more than just 21st century characters in 19th century costumes. It felt very true to the times. Except for the dragons. Because in this universe, there be dragons.

Captain W ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 26, 2011 Kate rated it it was amazing

Those evil people at kindle knew what they were doing when they made this a freebie. (Sure, take that first sniff of cocaine on us.)

I've managed to down 3 of them now. The transformation of Laurence in the first book from a familiar but very well drawn figure of a Regency gentlemanly sea captain was fantastic. The world building, wonderful, imaginative.

The other two charmed me less, perhaps because they seemed less amazingly well researched or because Laurence is now removed from the familiar w ...more

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Feb 15, 2015 Morgan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, dragons, audiobook, fantasy, five-star-reads

I really expected that no matter how many dragons you added this book would come off as dry.

I was delightfully wrong. Even Laurence with his no-nonsense ways was a big ol' softie marshmallow and you just wanted to grin at him all buttoned up and stuffy like I'M ONTO YOU!

I read so many audiobooks any more that it should come as no surprise that this was one, and also that the narration was very well done. I am excited and anxious to read more, because I don't know if more will live up to the fir ...more

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Aug 30, 2010 Chris rated it really liked it

Shelves: series, fiction, scifi-fantasy-paranormal, united-kingdom

This is definitely my new favorite series. Novik has created a wonderful alternate reality in which England and France are fighting the Napoleonic Wars with dragons. The dragons are intelligent (or most of them are) beings, capable of speech and with unique traits and personalities. They bond for life with their "handler." But, this being the very early 19th century, the handlers must live a life apart from regular society. So when sea captain Will Laurence accidentally finds himself bonded to a ...more

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Nov 03, 2023 Tiffanie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4 1/2 stars.

The description of the book, "It's like Jane Austen wrote a book with dragons in it," is accurate.

So if that sounds interesting to you, give this book a try. It's a polite society with dragons in it. ...more

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