I’m usually wary when it comes to alternate history novels. You know the kind. Stories that propose questions like "What if the South won the Civil War?" Or "What if Commodus was slain before he could rule the Roman Empire?" So when I read the back cover of this book in an attempt to learn more about it, I was somewhat reluctant to read it once I found out that it was an alternate history of the Napoleonic Wars (especially considering how much I loathed the previous alternate history novel that I read regarding that time period). But my friend DS had suggested it in the hopes that I might like it. So I purchased it and left the store.
The book sat in my “To be read” stack at home while I read through a few other tomes. Finally I picked it up and began reading it. In the beginning, it was somewhat slow and I was half tempted to set the book aside for a different book, but I soldiered on. Thankfully, I did. After the first couple of chapters, the book became much more entertaining and interesting. I was charmed by the dragon Temeraire’s curiosity and logic as well as the honorable Captain Laurence’s efforts to teach Temeraire while adjusting to a new way of life that didn’t involve the British Navy. They were the types of characters that I love to read about.
It turns out that this was the first book of a new saga. The next two books of which are already available (they were all released in the spring of 2006). But while this novel focuses primarily on the training that Temeraire and Laurence received in the British Aerial Corps as well as their first few military battles, it is a complete book. Unlike some other book series that I could name, whose novels all segue into the next part, there is a definite beginning, middle, and end to this novel. And that was very refreshing (though I have already begun reading the next book in the series).
Novik approached the dragons in a manner that was different from any other fantasy books that I’ve read. They were written in part like dogs (with their steadfast loyalty to the human they bonded to), in part like ships (with their abilities to carry people on them into battles and execute various maneuvers), and in part like humans (by showcasing their ability to speak as well as the way that they interacted with humans and other dragons). It was intriguing to see the dragons portrayed as intelligent beings, on par with humans (and in some cases exceeding them) with regard to intellect. Yes, I’ve read The Hobbit, but Novik’s dragons behaved NOTHING like Smaug. There were also numerous breeds (some of which we were informed of). But despite all of the details that Novik put into the make-up of the dragons, there was no magic in this book. No wizards, sorceresses, spells, hexes or any other instances of magic. This saga is all about dragons and how they existed during the Napoleonic Wars. And I’m ok with that. That twist makes it interesting.
The only problem that I had from the book (aside from the slow start) was a minor technical issue. Novik’s chapters are too long for my taste. I’m used to chapters that run from ten to twenty pages, not thirty to forty pages. Now, there were pauses in the middle of each chapter, so I was able to take a break without completely losing my place. But I would have preferred smaller chapters. It’s a minor nit-pick, but I had to mention it because it kept crossing my mind as I read the book. Beyond that, it was a truly entertaining read and I’m looking forward to reading the next few books in this series.
