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History and travel: bingo two for two in a series (#History/Schmistory & Travel)

His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire #1) by Naomi Novik

Throne of Jade (Temeraire #2) by Naomi Novik

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I’m pretty behind on Bingo, so trying to catch up before it ends! Some quick reviews of two entries in a series I’ve been reading this year, both on audiobook: Temeraire (AKA His Majesty’s Dragon) and Throne of Jade, by Naomi Novik. Temeraire fits the History/Schmistory square, since it’s set in an alternate history, and Throne of Jade satisfies the requirements for Travel. This was the series Novik was known for before she delved into folklore fantasy with Uprooted and Spinning Silver. They’re difficult to compare, as they are stylistically very different. Objectively, I prefer her newer fare. But these books are […]

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10/19/2019 | 's CBR11 Review No:8 |

I finally tackle the Temeraire series (four months ago). #CBRBingo – And So It Begins

His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, #1) by Naomi Novik

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This is why I never DNF books. Well, that and the OCD (legit, not just using it facetiously). I had a hard time getting into this (I’ve had a hard time getting into several books the last couple of months–my brain is not wanting to cooperate with me). It took me what felt like weeks to get past the first thirty pages. And it’s not like what was there was bad, I just couldn’t engage myself in it for some reason. Novik styles the book as if it were really written by someone living in 1804, and the diction and […]

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Buy the following on Amazon and help our mission to stick it to cancer, one book at a time:

We pay for our website first, and then all proceeds above and beyond those fees are donated to the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink's name. Find out how else you can help support our mission.

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9/30/2019 | 's CBR11 Review No:75 |

How he trained his dragon

Temeraire by Naomi Novik

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Captain Will Laurence has spent his life in the Navy, and expects it to continue that way. However, being currently embroiled in the Napoleonic Wars, that life soon comes to an end – but not through death. Instead, having captured a French ship, Captain Laurence’s ship takes its cargo as a prize…a large dragon’s egg, whose inhabitant decides upon hatching that Captain Laurence will do nicely for a handler. In this alternate history, dragons that aren’t paired with handlers tend to go feral, therefore losing whichever country that claims it as their own a very valuable asset in the aerial […]

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6/19/2018 's CBR10 Review No:42 |

From the East to the West

Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik

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While the novels are all divided into three parts, in some the breaking points between the parts are much more obvious than others – for example, His Majesty’s Dragon basically divided as the initial time between Laurence and Temeraire, their military training, and their time on active combat duty.  For others, it was less clear and the stories bled over between parts a lot.  This novel almost feels like three novellas united in one book, but in a good way. After the mostly successful mission to Portugal, Laurence is not sure about how his solution will be received and decides […]

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1/31/2018 's CBR10 Review No:19 |

Now We Know What Would Have Happened if the Conquistadors Had Faced Dragons

Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik

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Fortunately after the slog that was the sixth novel in the series, Crucible of Gold has many of the elements that made the earlier novels so much fun – lots of interactions between different dragons and an introduction to another part of the world with some very well thought out analysis of how the presence of dragons would have affected global and local history. Over the past few novels, Napoleon has taken advantage of the Tswana dragons’ hatred of slavery and desire to get their people back by providing them transport to Brazil.  Since the Portuguese are one of the […]

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1/31/2018 's CBR10 Review No:18 |

In a land down under

Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik

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With the French pushed back in the last novel, it is now time for Laurence to face the consequences of his treason.  After Temeraire and Laurence are crucial to the British victory, rather than continued confinement, the government chooses to deport them to the penal colony of New South Wales, or Australia.  After all, Temeraire refuses to go back to the breeding grounds, and the government feels more comfortable sending a rebellious and politically minded dragon to a far away corner of the globe where he won’t be able to influence the rest of dragons and further disrupt the status […]

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1/30/2018 's CBR10 Review No:17 |

The French are Coming – Wait, What?

Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

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Laurence’s overarching character traits throughout the series have been his sense of duty, honor and morality (sometimes a bit stuffy and old-fashioned).  As a result, it was shocking but not out of character for him to make the decision he did in Empire of Ivory, and commit treason when the British government chose a course that conflicted with Laurence’s own sense of right and wrong.  Having seen the deadly effects of the dragon virus on the English beasts, and no longer considering dragons merely beasts such as cows or horses, but intelligent and developed beings, Laurence couldn’t stand by as […]

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1/29/2018 's CBR10 Review No:16 |

The moonlit wings reflect the skies that guide me towards salvation

Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik

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This time, the story kicks off right where the last novel ended, with Temeraire, the mercenary ferals and the remains of the Prussian army in sights of the English coast after their escape from the occupying French forces. However, there are no dragons to be seen, adding to the questions that have been building since the previous novel. It’s always hard to tell with series how much novelists plan ahead and know exactly where the broad strokes are going vs how much is figured out as they go. Novik has obviously been building up to this one with her references […]

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1/29/2018 's CBR10 Review No:15 |


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