Book review
Feb. 19th, 2007 12:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
helionaThis book review is dedicated to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chelle86, because she specifically asked for it.
I have just finished reading Temeraire, by Naomi Novik. Here is the blurb on the back:
Set amid the turmoil of the Napoleonic wars, Temeraire is a thrilling tale of one of the most dramatic chapters of European history with a brilliant veneer of bold fantasy.
The war tearing Europe apart is not fought upon land and sea alone, for battalions also fill the sky. And the fiery death they bring has little to do with gunpowder - it comes from the very guts of the beasts they are flying: DRAGONS.
Weeks out of port at Madeira, a British vessel - the 'Reliant', commanded by Captain William Laurence - captures a French frigate. Within its hold lies a precious dragon egg. And it's close to hatching.
Once harnessed, a young dragon will accept no other master, so when the new-born ignores his chosen rider and approaches the Captain instead, Laurence's life is changed forever.
So that's the premise. Here's my review:
This book is fantastic. As I said in my previous post, I did stay up all night reading it, so it can't be half bad! You can't help but love the main characters of Laurence and Temeraire. Although sometimes the description of all the harnesses and things that go on a dragon to enable it to become a flying, killing machine are a little complicated and difficult to understand (although that could just have been from the late hour that I was reading at!), it doesn't detract from the story in any way. I got really into the story, and the way it's been written, which is sometimes a little unusual in that it harks back to the way of speaking in the Napoleonic wars. I think I was lucky in that I've seen the Hornblower series, which this book put me in mind of, so I had no trouble getting into the story and being engrossed in it.
I don't really have any complaints about this book. It's very unusual in that it takes place in our world, in our time (sort of!), and thus it makes it seems as though what is written actually happened! (After all, none of us was around for the Napoleonic wars, who's to say dragons weren't involved! *g*) It's just so different from the usual fantasy drivel that's poured out these days that I recommend just on that strength: it's a breath of fresh air in the staleness of the fantasy world. However, it's also a good read! *g*
So there you are,chelle86. :)
[ETA: I also noticed a note at the back of the book which mentioned Livejournal, so I've searched her out, and here is her Livejournal:naominovik. Needless to say, I've friended her!
chelle86, because she specifically asked for it.I have just finished reading Temeraire, by Naomi Novik. Here is the blurb on the back:
Set amid the turmoil of the Napoleonic wars, Temeraire is a thrilling tale of one of the most dramatic chapters of European history with a brilliant veneer of bold fantasy.
The war tearing Europe apart is not fought upon land and sea alone, for battalions also fill the sky. And the fiery death they bring has little to do with gunpowder - it comes from the very guts of the beasts they are flying: DRAGONS.
Weeks out of port at Madeira, a British vessel - the 'Reliant', commanded by Captain William Laurence - captures a French frigate. Within its hold lies a precious dragon egg. And it's close to hatching.
Once harnessed, a young dragon will accept no other master, so when the new-born ignores his chosen rider and approaches the Captain instead, Laurence's life is changed forever.
So that's the premise. Here's my review:
This book is fantastic. As I said in my previous post, I did stay up all night reading it, so it can't be half bad! You can't help but love the main characters of Laurence and Temeraire. Although sometimes the description of all the harnesses and things that go on a dragon to enable it to become a flying, killing machine are a little complicated and difficult to understand (although that could just have been from the late hour that I was reading at!), it doesn't detract from the story in any way. I got really into the story, and the way it's been written, which is sometimes a little unusual in that it harks back to the way of speaking in the Napoleonic wars. I think I was lucky in that I've seen the Hornblower series, which this book put me in mind of, so I had no trouble getting into the story and being engrossed in it.
I don't really have any complaints about this book. It's very unusual in that it takes place in our world, in our time (sort of!), and thus it makes it seems as though what is written actually happened! (After all, none of us was around for the Napoleonic wars, who's to say dragons weren't involved! *g*) It's just so different from the usual fantasy drivel that's poured out these days that I recommend just on that strength: it's a breath of fresh air in the staleness of the fantasy world. However, it's also a good read! *g*
So there you are,
chelle86. :)[ETA: I also noticed a note at the back of the book which mentioned Livejournal, so I've searched her out, and here is her Livejournal:
naominovik. Needless to say, I've friended her!
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-19 01:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-19 01:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 11:32 pm (UTC)Hee, thanks for reviewing it for me! Definitely one of the next books I'll be buying!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 11:33 pm (UTC)Excuse the typos, it's late XD
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-02 09:37 pm (UTC)