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adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is my first foray into the speculative history genre, and I really enjoyed the author's reinvisioning of world history with dragons. My only complaint about the novel is that I don't understand why dragons choose to partner with humans and obey their commands, particularly in terms of military operations and breeding programs. It is not established during the first book what the dragons have to gain from this partnership or their involvement in the wars of their riders. I hope that will be illuminated in one of the later books in this series, as I found the unanswered question to be immersion breaking at times. Otherwise, I found the book hard to put down and would have finished it in a single sitting if I'd had the time and availability to do so.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Terrific writing - perhaps my favourite of Novik’s works so far, which I didn’t expect before I started. I often find war-related content in books boring and tedious to read, whether it’s the actual planning/combat, or the politics behind the whole thing, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn’t mind it in this book.
Very different in style to something like Spinning Silver (which I also loved), but it really works. Interesting characters (both likeable and not), and a loveable pair of MCs. Probably one of my new favourite depictions of dragons in fantasy.
Laurence and Temeraire’s relationship is so wholesome and heartwarming; there were definitely a couple moments towards the start where I was almost tearing up, it was lovely.
It was a little jarring at first with the time skips, but after the first few I got used to it and was even glad for them. It helped to keep the momentum going and I was so engrossed in this book that I finished it in less than half a day. I’m excited to read the next two, and can’t wait to see where the story goes.
Very different in style to something like Spinning Silver (which I also loved), but it really works. Interesting characters (both likeable and not), and a loveable pair of MCs. Probably one of my new favourite depictions of dragons in fantasy.
Laurence and Temeraire’s relationship is so wholesome and heartwarming; there were definitely a couple moments towards the start where I was almost tearing up, it was lovely.
It was a little jarring at first with the time skips, but after the first few I got used to it and was even glad for them. It helped to keep the momentum going and I was so engrossed in this book that I finished it in less than half a day. I’m excited to read the next two, and can’t wait to see where the story goes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Sexism, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual content, Medical content, Alcohol
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Superficially, I doubt that anyone would expect a book with this premise to be so compelling. His Majesty's Dragon is a hard sell because it's not really all that much like anything else.
Trying to explain to people the idea that in this book the various continental empires of the Regency period co-exist with dragons and, moreover, use them as capital ships, can be a little trying on their willingness to suspend their disbelief.
Like, the best way to get into this franchise is to already be really autistic about the Age of Sail, and that in itself is a prohibitive barrier for most well-adjusted people.
All the same Novik's rigorous attention to the setting—to historical and military customs, and to crafting a believable and intricately realized vision of an alternative history—elevate this book in comparison to its generic contemporaries.
Then again, I am a woman who watches multi-hour YouTube videos about Pterosaur phylogeny, so you might not want to take my word for it. All I'm saying is that if Novik were to release a reference book explaining in painful detail the skeletal articulation of her various dragon species, I would be the first to buy it.
I suppose it also helps that all of Novik's characters are well-realized and compelling. There are a ton of them in this book, and it's remarkable the degree to which Novik is able to articulate each of their respective personalities and beliefs in a few sparse lines of dialogue.
Temeraire is easily one of the most likeable characters in any book I've read, and his relationship with Laurence is of course what underpins this whole thing.
It is really is a testament to this book that you'll have forgotten how refreshing it feels to actually like a book's characters until you've read it, and then you'll never want to go back.
Your mileage might vary most with the plot, however.
His Majesty's Dragon is identical in structure to Top Gun—the characters spend 90% of the book in flight school and then have a single fight at the end.
Now I, for one, love Top Gun, and Novik manages to preserve the essence of what makes that story work (the understanding that the Navy is, all told, kind of gay) to a historical context 180 years prior and also with dragons. Dudes rock.
Also William Laurence is my little meow meow babygirl. If he were alive today I would make him play Armoured Core and try to forcefem him.
The Bottom Line is: The AO3 lady cooked hard.
Trying to explain to people the idea that in this book the various continental empires of the Regency period co-exist with dragons and, moreover, use them as capital ships, can be a little trying on their willingness to suspend their disbelief.
Like, the best way to get into this franchise is to already be really autistic about the Age of Sail, and that in itself is a prohibitive barrier for most well-adjusted people.
All the same Novik's rigorous attention to the setting—to historical and military customs, and to crafting a believable and intricately realized vision of an alternative history—elevate this book in comparison to its generic contemporaries.
Then again, I am a woman who watches multi-hour YouTube videos about Pterosaur phylogeny, so you might not want to take my word for it. All I'm saying is that if Novik were to release a reference book explaining in painful detail the skeletal articulation of her various dragon species, I would be the first to buy it.
I suppose it also helps that all of Novik's characters are well-realized and compelling. There are a ton of them in this book, and it's remarkable the degree to which Novik is able to articulate each of their respective personalities and beliefs in a few sparse lines of dialogue.
Temeraire is easily one of the most likeable characters in any book I've read, and his relationship with Laurence is of course what underpins this whole thing.
It is really is a testament to this book that you'll have forgotten how refreshing it feels to actually like a book's characters until you've read it, and then you'll never want to go back.
Your mileage might vary most with the plot, however.
His Majesty's Dragon is identical in structure to Top Gun—the characters spend 90% of the book in flight school and then have a single fight at the end.
Now I, for one, love Top Gun, and Novik manages to preserve the essence of what makes that story work (the understanding that the Navy is, all told, kind of gay) to a historical context 180 years prior and also with dragons. Dudes rock.
Also William Laurence is my little meow meow babygirl. If he were alive today I would make him play Armoured Core and try to forcefem him.
The Bottom Line is: The AO3 lady cooked hard.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Blood, War
Minor: Sexism, Torture, Murder, Classism
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism