kairosdreaming's review against another edition
3.0
So I love the dynamics of the Temeraire relationships. The lore of the dragons and rewriting of history to include them, the various details about the dragons themselves. It's a lot to like. That being said, this one was a bit slow going for me. All journey, little adventure, with a rush at the end.
We were introduced to our team in the first book; dragon and man, and a slew of side characters (human and dragon). Those, thankfully, are still present in this book, along with some new faces as well (although I can't say I really felt connected with any of them). If you haven't read the first book, it's not as critical as some series, but I do highly recommend it, as it will contain lore and backstory.
The biggest thing for me about this book was the pacing. The transport just took so long and was a bunch of back and forth without really super driving the plot. I still appreciated the detail and world-building, but for the excitement itself, there were only a few instances. Compared to the first book (and I know, I know, I didn't like the military jargon in that one), it was just kind of like reading conversational letters.
The dragon world itself I was glad to see built on though, and the comparison of the different cultures and their approach to relationships with dragons was interesting. Still a solid series, I look forward to reading the next.
Review by M. Reynard 2022
We were introduced to our team in the first book; dragon and man, and a slew of side characters (human and dragon). Those, thankfully, are still present in this book, along with some new faces as well (although I can't say I really felt connected with any of them). If you haven't read the first book, it's not as critical as some series, but I do highly recommend it, as it will contain lore and backstory.
The biggest thing for me about this book was the pacing. The transport just took so long and was a bunch of back and forth without really super driving the plot. I still appreciated the detail and world-building, but for the excitement itself, there were only a few instances. Compared to the first book (and I know, I know, I didn't like the military jargon in that one), it was just kind of like reading conversational letters.
The dragon world itself I was glad to see built on though, and the comparison of the different cultures and their approach to relationships with dragons was interesting. Still a solid series, I look forward to reading the next.
Review by M. Reynard 2022
mypatronusisajedi's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
3 stars - the story is fine, it's hard to tell some of the characters apart because their names sound very similar. The plot itself feels weak, story is moving very slowly. The writing is beautiful but I don't think it's enough to keep me interested and continue the series.
vickyramirezy's review against another edition
3.0
For so many assassination attempts, it felt as though nothing really happened.
yearofbluewater's review against another edition
3.0
This was not as good as the first book. Aw, that's a mean way to start a review. I enjoyed reading this! I like Novik's writing style; she makes reading a pleasure for its own sake even apart from the contents of the book. That was a good thing in this case, because nothing really happened for the majority of the page count. It's mostly discussions about politics and worrying and descriptions of food, which isn't bad, especially when written as skillfully as this was, but I'll be honest in saying that it didn't quite meet my expectations, which to be fair were quite high. To be fair, though, it's been a long time since I've read a series, and, seen as part of a longer arc, I can see why Novik made some of the choices she did.
So this may not have been as good as I hoped for, but I really liked reading it and I'm definitely planning to continue reading the series.
So this may not have been as good as I hoped for, but I really liked reading it and I'm definitely planning to continue reading the series.
andtheywerecocaptains's review against another edition
4.0
Well done and good storytelling. However, the author may want to consider having the audio book re-recorded to include a native Chinese speaker in addition to Simon Vance's work. Just saying.
mlinamman's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
justfoxie's review against another edition
4.0
The second book in the Temeraire series, it sees Temeraire and Laurence headed to China to appease the Emperor. It has a much slower pace than the first book, with most of it taken up by the sea journey. Once they get to China, the action picks back up and so does the character development, albeit rather predictably. The intrigue is not subtle, but by the time that matters the pace has picked up significantly and you are turning pages ferociously to find out what happens. Some awkward interactions are easy enough to gloss over. Still, it is not quite as polished as the first book is, but still very readable and ultimately enjoyable.
mtbutler's review against another edition
3.0
Book #2 continues the story of Temeraire and his Captain, Laurence, on their way to China to resolve the issue once and for all where Temeraire belongs. The book kept my interest although I thought when the main issue was resolved abruptly. I enjoyed the descriptions of China.
thelunaarchives's review
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75