League of Dragons: Book Nine of Temeraire

This series is an alternate history in which sentient dragons exist during the Napoleonic wars and in most countries are used primarily as aerial fighters. Although the series hero, Will Lawrence, is a British officer, the book ranges all over the world and mixes British colonial history during the height of the British Empire with well developed imaginary dragon culture in nearly every part of the world including Europe, Asia, Africa Australia and North and South Americas. The Chinese are the acknowledged dragon breeding experts in the world, and Naomi Novak, the author, develops the conflicts between the Chinese methods of dragon rearing and British methods in the context of the conflict between China and Britain over the British importation of opium into China. It's brilliantly done. Will Lawrence and Temeraire, his dragon, are wonderfully developed and nuanced. Even Napoleon, who makes several appearances during key points in the novels has a complex and mature character. Strongly recommend you read the whole series.

This really is a such great series. What a novel concept to combine the Napoleonic wars with dragons who have total sentience and fantastically unique personalities. Naomi‘s writing is incredible. She does a brilliant job in writing the speech of the characters to be more accurate to the period, which at first can be a little disconcerting and challenging to understand a times. However, there was such a beautiful grace and thoughtfulness to dialogue 200 years ago that the further I went down the rabbit hole of the series, the more I actually looked forward to being transported to that period of history. The characters were awesome, the story line was fantastic, it really was a great series. Also, the fact that the series is complete was really nice for me since I could read it all the way to the end and not have to worry about waiting a year for the next book to come out.

What happens when you take Patrick O’Brian’s Jack Aubrey and grant his ship thoughts, wings, and the ability to breathe sonic waves? You get Naomi Novik’s excellent Temeraire series, one of my favorite historical fantasies.In Novik’s version of the Napoleonic era, dragons are used as flying battleships, complete with crews that hang on by clipping carabiners to their giant steeds’ harnesses. Dragons can talk too, and often express personalities evocative of highly intelligent dogs.In the first book, Temeraire, a rare breed of dragon, is found in the egg by William Laurence, a captain of the Royal Navy. After Temeraire hatches, he imprints on Laurence, and will have no one else as a companion, leaving Laurence little choice but to give up his career in the navy and join the less-reputable Royal Aerial Corps. As an aviator, Laurence is (literally) out of his depth. But he and Temeraire learn quickly, and come to be an important force in the fight against Napoleon—at least in the first few books, until Laurence’s growing esteem for dragons sets him at odds with his home country.There’s a lot to like here. For one, Laurence and Temeraire are both excellent characters: likable, distinct, and dynamic without seeming inconsistent. The worldbuilding is also fascinating. In Britain, dragons are seen as dangerous but necessary beasts, and the government isolates them from the rest of the nation. But as Laurence and Temeraire range further afield, they learn that other societies treat dragons quite differently, sometimes with equal (or even revered) status... which leads Temeraire to wonder why dragons shouldn’t have similar rights back home.Then we’ve got the whole alternate history aspect. Playing with actual events is tricky: how much can you change the course of the Napoleonic Wars before the setting feels like all fantasy and no history? Novik mostly sticks to the real chronology, but her diversions—like a French invasion of Britain—lead to some of the best moments in the series.League of Dragons, the last entry in the saga, plays it safer. Napoleon is on the run after his defeat in Russia, and Laurence and Temeraire eventually help Britain and its allies achieve total victory; the exact time and place of the general’s downfall differ from those in the historical record, but the outcome is the same (as it probably must be for a satisfying conclusion). Characters from previous books flit in and out, and Novik ends several action scenes abruptly, without fully resolving their climaxes.It’s still a good read, though, and the series as a whole is outstanding. I can only hope Novik continues to write historical fantasy, and that her next setting is even half as enthralling.(For more reviews like this one, see [...])

The "Temeraire" Series by Naomi Novik combines sentient dragons used for by many nations for arial warfare with the historical battles and times of the Napoleonic Era. The novels are interesting, imaginative and have great characterization. The history of the war between England and France is well researched. I did not know much about the Napoleonic war history before reading these novels and never understood the extent of involvement by other countries. The fiction in the novels uses accurate historical happenings in addition to anexplanation of outcomes by assistance of a sky force to the land and naval forces. Having the dragons be of many species with different abilities, and as thinking, talking beings creates another layer to the stories. Captain William Lawrence and his Celestial Dragon Temeraire are the main protagonists. Captain Lawrence is a former British Naval Captain who raised his dragon from a hatching and in the process imprinted his own honorable code upon his fosterling. I am not a huge fan of alternate history or fantasy books but this series I would recommend to everyone!

This series is genius. I've read all of Novik's books, but these are definitely the ones I enjoyed the most. The characterisation is first class, the plots romp along. I was left wanting more.

I quit the series after book 5, but could not resist reading the conclusion and am glad I did! The world view is beautifully detailed, and the intelligent but straightforward and maybe slightly childlike viewpoints of the dragons made me fall in love with them all over again

Conforme à mes attentes.

I have read this complete series. It was interesting playing against the Napoleonic Wars. Temeraire was an exceptional dragon and Will Laurence an exceptional man.I sadly let the series go. Overjoyed with the writing. The myriad of scrapes and puzzling occurrences the led you through each book.If like me you love a fantasy, with many twists and turns, this is a series for you.

When I finished reading this volume in the incredible Temeraire series, I nearly cried. Not because it's bad because it definitely isn't. Because it's over. I loved each and every book in the series and this is a beautifully written conclusion. Well done to the author. I just want more however.I can't help but wonder how the Victorian age would have unfolded with Temeraire active and preaching reform. How would Queen Victoria have reacted? It's established that dragons have a very long life span. Perhaps Victoria could have met Temeraire or Perschita (sp?).I hope that there will be more novels or short stories with dragons. They are too charming and well defined to be left behind.