Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik

Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: April 30, 2013

Series:  Temeraire, #7

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Former Aerial Corps captain Will Laurence and his faithful dragon, Temeraire, have been put out to pasture in Australia—and it seems their part in the war has ended just when they are needed most. The French have invaded Spain, forged an alliance with Africa’s powerful Tswana empire, and brought revolution to Brazil. With Britain’s last desperate hope of defeating Napoleon in peril, the government that sidelined Laurence swiftly offers to reinstate him, convinced that he’s the best man to enter the fray and negotiate peace. So the pair embark for Brazil, only to meet with a string of unmitigated disasters that forces them to make an unexpected landing in the hostile territory of the Incan empire. With the success of the mission balanced on a razor’s edge, an old enemy appears and threatens to tip the scales toward ruin. Yet even in the midst of disaster, opportunity may lurk—for one bold enough to grasp it.

Our heroes are out of the Land Down Under! Because the Tswana have invaded Brazil intent on reclaiming their people kidnapped into slavery, Laurence and Temeraire and their very depleted crew have been reinstated into the Aerial Corps, and now, joined by Iskierka and Kulingile and their crews, they travel on a diplomatic mission to Brazil on the Allegiance, accompanied by their old friends Captain Riley and Arthur Hammond, the former ambassador to the Chinese. On the way, they meet a storm and disaster, leading to a close brush with death and capture by the French who are on their way to the Incan Empire. Iskierka befriends an Incan dragon, and the French feel threatened enough to abandon them on an island in the Pacific. When they finally reach the Incan Empire, they discover the Incan customs about dragons challenge all of their previously held beliefs. Here, Incan dragons are, like the Tswana dragons, caretakers of their people, but other dragons steal people too, hoarding them like men frequently do with Incan gold. Temeraire, Iskierka and Kulingile, since they are carrying men from the Allegiance, are met with high status. Iskierka's impulsiveness lands her in a battle over a man she's stolen and this eventually leads them to the Incan ruler. Through Iskierka's wiles, she proposes an alliance and an absurd marriage.

In the past, we've seen dragons owned as property, dragons as weapons, dragons as independent "people", and dragons as ancestors reborn, but a new attitude is one of dragons as herdsmen -- literally, herding men and whole families. This has intriguing consequences and spurs more philosophical talk amongst Temeraire and Laurence.

To the stoic sensibilities of the British, Iskierka's proposal of a marriage to Granby is preposterous. She even doesn't consider Granby's own wishes, which normally the dragons act with great care to their human partners. However, it is not as if Iskierka has ever behaved with sensibility and empathy towards her much chagrined captain. . . She frequently runs right over whatever advice he gives and stubbornly does what she wants, his will or no. But not this time. Granby finally asserts some authority and it's refreshing to finally see Iskierka getting a dose of humility and consideration. Though she is a wonderful dragon, her attitude can be insufferable!

Another conflict pops up as Iskierka attracts attention from a high-placed Incan dragon and there's talk of romance and eggs. Temeraire, consequently with Iskierka being allowed to be their representation to the Inca, gets a healthy helping of jealousy and confronts his irritation and feelings towards Iskierka, who has always wanted to have an egg with Temeraire. We will have to see if anything plays out in this thread in the next novel. (!!)

Speaking of romance, Demane and Emily Roland's affection has been noticed, and Laurence feels a sort of fatherly guilt at letting Emily, who without being the heir to Excidium, should possess a chaperone and proper gentlewoman etiquette. He pays for a chaperone to accompany them, and this is a sort of side farce in itself, as naturally, Roland wants nothing to do with feminine frippery and formalities. (I just love Roland.)

Lastly, the real reason they're in South America -- to stop/negotiate with the Tswana -- doesn't happen until the last quarter of the book. Most of the action is at sea, on an island, and through the Incan territory. I will say, this last bit is resolved with ingenuity though it feels rushed. There is also another former character spotting as the former Mrs. Erasmus pops up when they meet the Tswana.

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by Kara at Friday, December 15, 2017

 Adult, crucible of gold, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire  4 People left their mark

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Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik

Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: June 7, 2011

Series:  Temeraire, #6

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Convicted of treason despite their heroic defense against Napoleon’s invasion of England, Temeraire and Capt. Will Laurence have been transported to a prison colony in distant Australia—and into a hornet’s nest of fresh complications. The colony is in turmoil after the overthrow of military governor William Bligh—aka Captain Bligh, late of HMS Bounty. And when Bligh tries to enlist them in his bid to regain office, the dragon and his captain are caught in the middle of a political power struggle. Their only chance to escape the fray is accepting a mission to blaze a route through the forbidding Blue Mountains and into the interior of Australia. But the theft of a precious dragon egg turns their expedition into a desperate recovery operation—leading to a shocking discovery and a dangerous new complication in the global war between Britain and Napoleon.

I was really excited to begin this book to see a glimpse of Australia, but the Australia of this time period is, frankly, miserable and messy. There's not much food or resources to be had, and not many good men to work since Australia was used as a penal colony. There has also been a coup for power, known as the Rum Rebellion of 1810, and two rival military groups are trying to gain control, thus trying to also influence their new Aerial Corps members to their side. Temeraire and Laurence have been accompanied by Iskierka (of her own will, naturally) and Granby and three dragon eggs, intended to found the colony's only dragons and airmen. One of the potential captains for the eggs is Rankin, who was in His Majesty's Dragon and ill-treated his old dragon to death. The first egg to hatch is that of the ferals and arrogant Caesar emerges, choosing Rankin on account of his family's status and wealth despite Temeraire's best efforts to convince him of Rankin's villany. Thus, when the temporary commander of the colony orders Laurence to make a pass to Sydney from the nearby mountains, Rankin, Caesar, and the two eggs accompany them along with men to dig and Iskierka and Granby. This task, and the underlying one of catching smugglers, leads them on a chase across all of Australia, especially when one of the eggs is stolen. 

I found this book to be a bit more of slog than the rest of them since they kept traveling constantly and running out of food, sinking into danger, and generally finding bad luck every which way, not to mention the quarrelsomeness of their company. It felt like the Oregon Trail where people are dying of dysentery left and right and treacherous mountain passes and little food mean possible cannibalism. Not that there was cannibalism exactly. It's just there was more chaos in command for both Temeraire and Laurence and despite their experience and talents, they just fell short. Add this to the fact that they're being gagged by the British government and reports of the war are getting steadily worse, and you feel downright depressed at the lack of action or progress. Another factor in this book is relations with China again and the idea of more conflict between governments over trade. Temeraire and Laurence have to discuss political bribery, which is a moral gray area for Temeraire and largely unknown to him. This dilemma was perhaps one of the most interesting details since heretofore Temeraire usually chooses the moral high ground. Other fun parts are the surprise of Demane, which I won't spoil, and the intrigue of the tiniest dragon egg. After finishing this one, I'm ready to get out of Australia and back to Temeraire and Laurence being regarded as heroes. Onward to Brazil and hopefully some good news!

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by Kara at Thursday, November 23, 2017

 Adult, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire, tongues of serpents  1 Person left their mark

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Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 376 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: May 19, 2009

Series:  Temeraire #5

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

For Britain, conditions are grim: Napoleon’s resurgent forces have breached the Channel and successfully invaded English soil. Napoleon’s prime objective is the occupation of London. Unfortunately, the dragon Temeraire has been removed from military service–and his captain, Will Laurence, has been condemned to death for treason. Separated by their own government and threatened at every turn by Napoleon’s forces, Laurence and Temeraire must struggle to find each other amid the turmoil of war. If only they can be reunited, master and dragon might rally Britain’s scattered resistance forces and take the fight to the enemy as never before–for king and country, and for their own liberty.

In the last novel, the British had contaminated Napoleon's dragons with the wasting disease, and Temeraire and Laurence recognized that this would spread to other countries and all dragons would die. Temeraire and Laurence made a choice to bring the cure to France's dragons though all of Britain would see this as betrayal and Laurence would lose everything and be branded as a traitor. Upon their return to Britain, Laurence and Temeraire were separated and have been sent to their respective fates: Temeraire to the breeding grounds and Laurence captive in a ship's brig to await his hanging.

Things do seem the lowest of the low for our two heroes. Still, with a war on, Temeraire is the most valuable dragon in their arsenal, and things don't quite pan out to the expectation. This book is where Temeraire begins to shine separate of Laurence. When he believes Laurence is dead, he wins the allegiance of the dragons at the breeding grounds and takes them to war against Napoleon, who has launched a campaign on British soil. However, the dragons are also acting without military orders. Laurence, who has only been called to duty since the war needs Temeraire, must act as Temeraire's representative (once reunited) for the canny dragon has made himself a commander, with dragons and militia under his orders. Temeraire begins to grasp the chain of command and the hurdles resulting while also confronting the outcomes, bringing a better understanding of what Laurence has done for him in choosing treason to make the moral choice. Finally, with Temeraire's military rise, he uses this newfound power to command respect from the men and bargain for dragon rights, though we have not yet fully seen how this will play out.

Laurence, too, has his own inner battle, finding he readily accepts martial consequences of his actions for himself but not for many others it has affected. This is a subtle conflict, and Laurence chooses safeguards to prevent this from occurring again under his command by withholding their true orders from the other captains and crew. This obedience to orders to save his companions further complicates matters, though, as their orders goes against his moral code. And after everything Laurence has suffered, we finally see this take a noticeable toll on him through Temeraire's observation.

 Despite the separation and chaos of this novel, I really enjoyed the character development and the opportunities for Temeraire to both lead and learn, mostly without Laurence's guidance or influence. I still like Laurence, and with him so miserable, it would be nice to see him afforded a bit of happiness soon. I don't see how this is likely with them headed to Australia, but I guess I will have to keep reading!

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by Kara at Thursday, October 19, 2017

 Adult, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire, Victory of Eagles  Leave your mark

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Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik

Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: September 25, 2007

Series:  Temeraire #4

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Tragedy has struck His Majesty’s Aerial Corps, whose magnificent fleet of fighting dragons and their human captains valiantly defend England’s shores against the encroaching armies of Napoleon Bonaparte. An epidemic of unknown origin and no known cure is decimating the noble dragons’ ranks–forcing the hopelessly stricken into quarantine. Now only Temeraire and a pack of newly recruited dragons remain uninfected–and stand as the only means of an airborne defense against France’s ever bolder sorties.
Bonaparte’s dragons are already harrowing Britain’s ships at sea. Only one recourse remains: Temeraire and his captain, Will Laurence, must take wing to Africa, whose shores may hold the cure to the mysterious and deadly contagion. On this mission there is no time to waste, and no telling what lies in store beyond the horizon or for those left behind to wait, hope, and hold the line.

This is possibly the most anxiety-ridden book so far in the series as all of Britain's dragons except Temeraire are in danger of being wiped out by an aggressive epidemic. With the war still ongoing, the only defense keeping Napoleon out without the dragons is the Navy, and even then, with Napoleon's and Lien's ingenious tactics, war could soon come onto British shores. Leaving the willful Iskierka and Arkady's band of ferals (with the translation help of Tharkay and Granby) to defend all of Britain from Napoleon by air, Temeraire and his cohort must travel back to Africa in hopes of finding a cure for the draconian disease.

Book 2, Throne of Jade actually introduces quite a bit that surfaces in this novel. Quick recap: on route to China, Temeraire took suddenly ill, but with the help of the Chinese cooks who were unafraid to use whatever means to feed him as possible, they managed to find something that cured his illness. That same illness spread to Britain and amplified (Temeraire not having the illness long enough to observe the full scope and devastation of the disease), and now all the British dragons face wasting decay and death. The cure, thought to be an odd, smelly mushroom, is virtually unknown and thus, their search is made 1,000x harder by the language barrier, unknown name and unknown description over all the continent of Africa. Having traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, Temeraire's and Laurence's job is to find that cure and test it on their friends, Lily, Maximus etc. (his wingmates from previous novels) before sending it back to Britain.

Laurence and his fellows bring with them two former slaves: Joseph Erasmus, an African missionary and his wife Hannah, and their two young daughters. Since they are onboard the Allegiance with Captain Riley again, this brings up another key theme/conflict from Throne of Jade: slavery and human rights/dragon rights. Though slavery is condemned by Laurence (and Temeraire), it still exists in Britain and other countries and upheld in British law though there has been a movement for some time to abolish it. Riley's family are slave owners, and this creates tension between the naval officers and Laurence and some of his airmen. Slavers have been increasing their raids of African villages from the coast and moving inward. While they are in pursuit of the mushrooms and harvesting a large cache, Laurence and some other captains and crew, including the newly pregnant Catherine Harcourt and former slave Hannah Erasmus, are captured by African natives. Here they directly see the effects slavery has had on the African villages and their dragons, and though Laurence is against it, they still must pay the price for being associated. It forces everyone, human and dragon alike, to confront their perceptions of slavery, and even Britain suffers the devastating consequences in the end. Will our heroes make it out of Africa alive? I couldn't predict any part of the way this ended (!), and I'm sure the mind-blowing outcome will come into play in a later novel.

This one made me laugh, cry, and bite my nails with anxiety since there are a plethora of awful possibilities just waiting to happen... Onward to more reading!

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by Kara at Thursday, October 12, 2017

 Adult, Del Rey, dragons, Empire of Ivory, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire  Leave your mark

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Black Powder War by Naomi Novik

Black Powder War by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: May 30, 2006

Series:  Temeraire #3

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

After their fateful adventure in China, Capt. Will Laurence of His Majesty’s Aerial Corps and his extraordinary dragon, Temeraire, are waylaid by a mysterious envoy bearing urgent new orders from Britain. Three valuable dragon eggs have been purchased from the Ottoman Empire, and Laurence and Temeraire must detour to Istanbul to escort the precious cargo back to England. Time is of the essence if the eggs are to be borne home before hatching.

Yet disaster threatens the mission at every turn–thanks to the diabolical machinations of the Chinese dragon Lien, who blames Temeraire for her master’s death and vows to ally herself with Napoleon and take vengeance. Then, faced with shattering betrayal in an unexpected place, Laurence, Temeraire, and their squad must launch a daring offensive. But what chance do they have against the massed forces of Bonaparte’s implacable army?

This third novel is very much an epic as it is mostly journeying across Asia and Europe (more so than most of the other novels so far). They've managed to appease China in having Laurence adopted as the Emperor's son and sealed good relations with England in the process, and now they must return as England calls for Laurence and Temeraire to escort three dragon eggs from Istanbul home. Temeraire and his crew, along with a slippery guide named Tharkay, travel across deserts and rice paddies of inland China through unknown territories to Turkestan, facing starvation, attacks, and finally betrayal.

At the forefront of this novel is the idea of dragon rights and better conditions for what most other countries see as beasts or property. When Temeraire decides to return to England, he is filled with righteous fire and determined to bring better conditions to his dragon friends. Having seen some of the luxuries in China, they bring back cooks and other Chinese ideas like his decorative dragon claw sheaths, pavilion plans, and sand tables for writing. On their journey though, they must trust their safety to Tharkay, which is in some ways problematic as he keeps disappearing and after the secrets in China, Laurence is wary of more danger. They also encounter a large band of feral dragons, led by Arkady, who wish to see the Sultan of Istanbul and have great battles and stories such as Temeraire tells. When they arrive in Istanbul, they face a mess as their allies have conflicting stories than their instructions. Here they discover that Lien has preceded them across Asia to align herself with Napoleon and turn the Sultan against them. Desperate to return to England and help in the war after having learned of other defeats, Laurence and Temeraire must decide to do things their own way without guidance. Here their bond grows even stronger as they have only themselves and their crew to rely on with the communications silent. Here their honor, choices, and unorthodox kindness to their allies are key game changers in their long journey home, especially in a war that dragon intelligence has altered drastically.

I loved the new characters and setting in this novel, though it does seem like it's a wonder that any of Laurence's crew survives. There is one super heartbreaking moment in this novel that made me cry, but there are lots of great moments too, like finally getting to see Granby having more opportunities. The brush with historical characters is exciting, though I had to do a bit of research about Napoleon and the Prussian royalty. Like always, there is quite a big cliffhanger that drives you on to the next novel. Review coming soon!

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by Kara at Thursday, October 05, 2017

 Adult, black powder war, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire  Leave your mark

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Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: April 25, 2006

Series:  Temeraire #2

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

When Britain intercepted a French ship and its precious cargo–an unhatched dragon’s egg–Capt. Will Laurence of HMS Reliant unexpectedly became master and commander of the noble dragon he named Temeraire. As new recruits in Britain’s Aerial Corps, man and dragon soon proved their mettle in daring combat against Bonaparte’s invading forces.

Now China has discovered that its rare gift, intended for Napoleon, has fallen into British hands–and an angry Chinese delegation vows to reclaim the remarkable beast. But Laurence refuses to cooperate. Facing the gallows for his defiance, Laurence has no choice but to accompany Temeraire back to the Far East–a long voyage fraught with peril, intrigue, and the untold terrors of the deep. Yet once the pair reaches the court of the Chinese emperor, even more shocking discoveries and darker dangers await.

In this second Temeraire novel, things start off with quite a bit of conflict as a delegation of the Chinese has come to claim Temeraire back. The dragon nor Laurence will have any of it, but some British military leaders persist until Temeraire gets upset and instead attempts to kidnap Laurence to protect him.

After some discussion Laurence and Temeraire are sent together with an English naval ship and the Chinese delegation to return to China to salvage the diplomatic situation, especially before the Chinese decide to support Napoleon, believing the English have insulted them and stolen apurpose the egg housing Temeraire. While on the ship, strange things keep happening, and Laurence suspects the Chinese prince Yongxing will try everything in his power to get Laurence out of the way and keep Temeraire. Why? Because only royalty is supposed to be allowed as companions to Celestials, which they've discovered Temeraire is, and Laurence is absolutely deemed unworthy of the greatest dragon breed in existence. There is a lot of murky diplomacy and politics, action and death, and the tension between the naval officers and airmen doesn't help matters, especially when no one trusts the Chinese. Still, overtures are made to the Chinese to encourage an alliance and goodwill, though these seem to create more issues than help matters.

One of the new debates in this novel is the rights of dragons--are they animals/property or are they individuals? In China, dragons are treated much differently than in the Western European powers that we've been introduced to so far like Britain and France. Especially Celestials like Temeraire, dragons are treated with respect and occasionally like royalty. They can choose their own companions, find a trade, read, write, walk freely about the city and pay their own debts. In seeing China, Temeraire and Laurence confront much of their preconceived notions, and must decide what they believe. Temeraire also finds out about his family, and how much he stands to gain in staying in China. Furthermore, it remains to be seen how the Chinese will even allow Laurence to be with Temeraire, especially when it seems like there is a plot to either be rid of Laurence or instate a prince as his companion. It is a test of their bond, especially since Laurence faces unknown dangers and risks and must return to England to fight in the war, with or without his dragon. I am loving this series, and am reading it as fast as I can borrow the ebook...

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by Kara at Thursday, August 31, 2017

 Adult, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire, Throne of Jade  2 People left their mark

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His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: March 28, 2006

Series:  Temeraire, #1

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.

When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future–and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

I've been recommended to read this book by a few sources as it's been on quite a few "Best of..." fantasy lists for series. I also read Uprooted by the author a few years ago and absolutely loved it. It obviously is somewhat of an older title, but I'm happy to have discovered it. I knew if this book was being compared as Jane Austen plus dragons, I had to read immediately! I am glad I did. I can't wait to read the second (and I'm just waiting for my hold to come in before starting it too).

While some readers might be expecting similarities to other novels about dragons, the closest I can see that bears resemblance is in Harry Potter as each region has a few different types of dragons that are native to the area. This is where the comparisons cease, however. Temeraire himself is a very unique dragon. Dragons are bonded to their handler at hatching, and if not harnessed by this handler, they have a risk to become feral. When Temeraire hatches, instead of allowing his handler to be chosen for him, he sort of chooses himself, walking right up to our hero Will Laurence and talking to him, thereby making it Laurence's immediate task to be his handler and harness him. Temeraire also has excellent speech and reasoning capabilities, popping out of the egg like some small professor-ish dragon, a Doogie Howser dragon. This is exceedingly rare, as most dragons known at that time either require lengthy effort to have such reasoning skills (learned with age) or simply are not capable of the quick thinking that Temeraire displays. Laurence and Temeraire's relationship is comparatively more like two gentleman smoking cigars around a fire discussing politics and mathematics and other logic games than a mentor/mentee or parent/child relationship even while the dragon is relatively young.

Another bit that bears some getting used to is the language in the book. It really does read more stiffly and with genteel decorum much like Austen's novels rather than include more contemporary language. Since it has this boundary, there are some slight crossovers in the world that have to be addressed from Austen's regency period to cover some modern ideas. For instance, Laurence has to explain about whores to Temeraire and dress down some young boys for their actions. There are also women avaitors flying dragons who wear men's clothing and for all manner of purpose are addressed as men rather than 'lady' or 'miss' so-and-so like they would have been in proper society. All in all, it's very entertaining, and I'm quite keen to read the next, Throne of Jade.

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by Kara at Thursday, August 03, 2017

 dragons, Fantasy, his majesty's dragon, historical fiction, naomi novik, Review, temeraire  2 People left their mark

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A Knight of the Kingdoms by George R. R. Martin

Almost a hundred years before there was a Ned Stark or Robert Baratheon, a simple hedge knight and his squire made their way through the Seven Kingdoms.  Their encounters with the high born and commoners alike left their mark on the land as well as this unlikely pair.

The Tales of Dunk and Egg, as they are most commonly known among fans of A Song of Ice and Fire series from George R. R. Martin, chronicle these events in a way that only Mr. Martin can.  Primarily seen from the point of view of Ser Duncan the Tall, readers are treated to a sort of history lesson of the Seven Kingdoms after the Blackfyre Rebellion.  If not much of that means anything to you but, you like knights, castles and magic, this book may interest you.

This is a story set in a fictional world that closely resembles the Medieval Period, that is, if that period had know real fire-breathing dragons and magic.  This book is an excellent jumping on point since it doesn't require any fore-knowledge of the series.  The reader gets to see a still young kingdom as it gets its feet under it.  The collection of stories are so well placed together, it's hard to realize that this is an anthology.

Through these stories, we get to really know Dunk and Egg from the beginning of their companionship.  We even get to learn a bit more about some of the Great Houses of Westeros as well as some of the lessor ones.  If you are a fan of the series, it's satisfying to finally meet some of the characters hinted at in the series.

This is an excellent addition to the series of A Song of Ice and Fire and the type of additional material I hope we get from George R. R. Martin.  It is very entertaining even if the language and violence puts this one deep into the PG13 rating.

 

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by Tynga at Wednesday, October 28, 2015

 A Song of Ice and Fire, Bantam Dell, dragons, George R.R. Martin, Knights, Purchased, Review  1 Person left their mark

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Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

Inheritance is the fourth (and final) book in the Eragon series, so I can't guarantee that there won't be spoilers for the first three books in this review.  I can promise no spoilers for Inheritance.

Eragon has come a looooong way from his humble beginning in Eragon!  From a poor farm boy who knew little of his family to a dragon rider leading the Varden (sp?) against Galbatorix.  As you can imagine, Inheritance is fraught with tension.  Everything has been leading to this final battle to defeat Galbatorix and return freedom to Alagaesia.  Christopher Paolini does NOT disappoint!

Rather than structuring Inheritance to be nothing more than a large, lengthy battle, Christopher Paolini opens with battle preparations.  The reader is present for the birth of Rorin's child, and goes on an adventure with Eragon and Saphira to gain more recruits for the Varden.  We continue to see growth and strength in characters.  For instance, Naswadda (sp?) is really put to the test in the first half of the book.  I know, I know:  no spoilers!  But I can say that the reader will see forgiveness in action, and there will be a time when the line between black and white, right and wrong, becomes a little fuzzy and gray.  I love that about these books:  none of the characters are 100% good or bad.  Even the hero of the story, Eragon, has his flaws.

Of course ultimately, this series is (like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings) an allegory of the ancient tried and true fight between good and evil.  Even flawed, there is never any question that the Varden are the "good guys" and Galbatorix is the "bad guy."  So even with their small flaws, the reader never questions whether Eragon is "good" or "bad;" he always has the best of intentions.

As is probably predictable, a large chunk of the middle of the book is the battle.  It's intense!  While I think that many readers will guess at the ultimate outcome, none of the individual characters' fates is guaranteed, leaving readers on the edge of their seats.

The language in these books is just beautiful.  Poignant and almost lyrical, with heavy undertones of Tolkien.  But never, ever dull or pedantic.  There are sweeping descriptions of setting that never feel overly long, and are well spaced between dialogue and action.

And finally, a note on the narration, as I listened to this book on CD.  Gerard Doyle does a FANTASTIC job.  I do believe he's the same narrator as on the other books, and I do like continuity in narrators in audiobook series.  And his reading is so excellent.  The cadence isn't too fast or too slow.  And he does a really cool, deep, gravelly voice for the dragons!

A great end to a great series!  I've already re-added the books to my tbr list to re-read in the future.

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by Tynga at Thursday, April 09, 2015

 Action amp; Adventure, Christopher Paolini, dragons, Eragon, High Fantasy, Library, Listening Library, Review, young adult  2 People left their mark

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Light My Fire by G.A. Aiken

Honestly, I can't get enough of this author. Writing under the pen name G.A. Aiken for this Dragon Kin series, Shelly Laurenston knows exactly how to add humor to paranormal romance. The witty characters, the impossibly funny situations and the odd character traits add so much to her novels. It's almost like she writes sitcoms in the form of books! Although I haven't read all the books of this dragon series, it does feel like they're getting better and better as the series goes on.

Probably because I haven't read all the Dragon Kin books, I was a little loss at times with the story line. There are so many characters in this book that it felt overwhelming to keep track of all of them. It's almost as if the author wanted all her previous main characters to be featured in this story. And because this is the seventh book of the series, that probably means at least six other couples, plus their children... That makes for a lot of characters to keep track of, although it did concentrate mostly on the main characters, Celyn the Charming and Elina Shestakova. I loved how these two clashed at first because of their different views on life. Celyn is used to an imperialistic life where he's captain of the dragon Queen's Guard and his cousin are royal dragons. As for Elina, she was raised in the harsh Outerplains where they live as nomads, and survive by raiding one village after another. She lives in a matriarchal society where women take many husbands, depending on how strong and good a soldier they are. As for Celyn, he would satisfied with just Elina since he seems to be falling for her, and only her, after being forced to work together.

I think this Dragon Kin series is turning out to be more than what it originally started out to be. Politics play a major role in this book  and a cult-like religion with its "one true god" is starting to spread everywhere, brainwashing people into hate and war. The dragon royals are the first targets of this "new religion" and Celyn will stop at nothing to help his kin and prove his worth. The Southland humans and dragons would definitely benefit from other alliances to defeat their common enemy but reaching out to the Outerplain tribes may not be the best idea, as Celyn and Elina soon find out.

Since politics and geography now play more of a role in this series, I really hope some day a map of the wonderful world G.A. Aiken created will be published. As much as an author may be good at describing his or her fantasy world, I'm a visual person who needs to see the big picture. Personally, I think there's even more potential for this series. The author barely skimmed the surface of the story of the "abominations", what many people call the half-dragon, half-human offspring. Obviously their parents don't see them as abominations but they do have some pretty wicked talents that would make a pretty epic battle scene.

Overall, I really enjoyed LIGHT MY FIRE because of the hilarious character interactions, the steamy romantic scenes and the overall crazy situations. Gena Showalter and J.R. Ward fans would definitely enjoy the more recent Dragon Kin novels. In my opinion, this series is definitely getting better so don't judge this series from it's earlier releases. This fantasy world obviously has potential and I can't wait to see what else the author will come up with!

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by Tynga at Monday, December 08, 2014

 Dragon Kin, dragons, Fantasy, g.a. aiken, Kensington, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Publisher, Review, Zebra  Leave your mark

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Infinite by Jodi Meadows

I think it was time to finish reading this trilogy. For some reason, when I don't want a series to end, I hold off on reading the last book. INFINITE is the bitter-sweet ending to Jodi Meadow's debut trilogy and while I enjoyed how it all came together, I don't think I'm fully satisfied with this ending. I think I came in with too many expectations and the novel kind of fell short. I absolutely loved the first book, INCARNATE, but I have to say this third book is my least favorite of the series.

The mythology Jodi Meadows created captivated me from the very beginning of book 1 because it felt mysterious. It probably felt that way because we didn't know much about it. Truthfully, now that all is revealed in this last installment, everything seems far-fetched and labored. It's almost as if the author didn't plan this far ahead and needed an ending, and simply wrote what first came to mind. In most of the novel we see the main characters travelling to the far reaches of their homeland. The constant walking and wandering in hopes of finding a way to stop Janan, the antagonist, is treacherous to read. I simply had a hard time getting through this part of the novel.

Also, while travelling, it felt like Ana, the main character, just wanted to see how many species she could communicate with. Everyone is afraid of being burnt by the sylph? No problem, let's just try to talk to them when they approach and hopefully not burn to death. You're found with a couple of centaur kids and their herd thinks you've kidnapped them? That's okay too because you can put a smile on and listen to music as their parents come to get them. The dragons are big and scary but you absolutely think they can understand you, even if your boyfriend has been eaten or killed by them 35 times in the last thousand years. Ana's quest to befriend every creature seems immature, and the way she takes chances doesn't resonate with me. You don't confront dragons for the first time by calling them names and throwing rocks at them, especially if they can kill you with one bite or one stomp. That is definitely not the definition to making friends. And sorry Ana. You can't blame that on you're weird, unique and tormented childhood.

Another issue I had a hard getting over is the seemingly everlasting batteries in the SEDs, which are either a large smart phone or a small tablet. The characters are gone for weeks on end, with no electricity but these devices seem to last forever. Personally, I have to charge my phone every night, especially if I use it to listen to music all day and all night long. It's just a quirk I had a hard time dealing with because unless I missed the explanation that said it was solar powered or something,  it's just not realistic. (If someone can prove me wrong and point out to me why these devices never "die", please let me know!)

One thing Meadows did right however, is create bad guys that are easy to hate. Those who worship Janan have almost created a religion surrounding this attention seeking god-like character. It feels very real how this "religion" becomes fanatical when some leaders preach constant hate for Newsouls, humans that are born without being reincarnated. The hate and the aggression is very scary and resonates with current affairs where some Islamic extremists go to the extent of killing those who are different and those who can't be converted. (Please note I'm making this comparison but I don't want anyone to take offense. I'm aware the two situations are completely different.) Another positive aspect is that Ms. Meadows knows how to write a good kissing scene. While there might have been a bit too many in this novel and they got repetitive, I have to admit the relationship between Ana and Sam is, as always, exceptional.

Overall, I think I'm in the minority when I say this book wasn't all that great. The epilogue was "okay", even though I did have one samll issue with it, which I'm not going to mention because that would mean a major spoiler. I kind of expected it to end this way, but I just wanted to be wowed! Regrettably,  I wasn't. I'm still glad I've read this series because it was a wonderful ride, for the most part. For a debut trilogy, it was a huge undertaking. I think Jodi Meadows has a wonderful writing future ahead of her and I think we can only expect her work to get better in time. I look forward to her next series, which comes out in early 2015.

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by Tynga at Sunday, September 14, 2014

 dragons, Fantasy, HarperCollins, incarnate, Jodi Meadows, Katherine Tegen Books, New Soul, Phoenix, Purchased, Review, Romance, sylph, young adult  5 People left their mark

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Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

I've wanted to read Seraphina for ages and I'm so glad that I finally had the chance to read this. Rachel Hartman has created one of the best fantasy books ever and I absolutely fell in love with the world she created. This isn't your typical fantasy book by any standard, in fact Seraphina breaks all the typical molds we associate with fantasy books.  I can't stop obsessing over Seraphina and this quickly skyrocketed to my favorites shelf.

I listened to the audiobook of Seraphina and it was a nearly perfect reading experience. Though Seraphina clocks at 13 hours (a length I normally wouldn't be patient enough to), it never really feels as if it's a long book. I was so eager to continue listening to this audiobook all the time and I was extremely engaged by both of the narrators. Both narrators had extremely distinct voices that really spiced up my reading experience. I'd highly recommend listening to the audiobook of Seraphina and one can only hope that both narrators will return to narrate book 2.

The plot of Seraphina builds up very slowly, but the wait is completely worth it.  Hartman not only delivers an action-packed story, but also one that will raise questions in readers' minds how we treat so-called "under-class citizens". The harsh way the dragons are portrayed was an interesting take and it provided for an interesting story. Seraphina doesn't ever try to be like other fantasy novels ever and it really goes above and beyond the fantasy genre. I haven't enjoyed a fantasy book this much since I read Graceling by Kristin Cashore years ago and I'm very excited to see where Hartman takes readers next.

Hartman has some of the most gorgeous, lyrical prose that I've ever read and each page sparks with passion and beauty. This book is just so well-written and Hartman's writing style is a bit reminiscent of Kristin Cashore and Leigh Bardugo. I can't stress enough how amazing of a writer Hartman is and I'm dying to read something else that she's written.

Seraphina is fantasy at it's finest, Rachel Hartman has written a smart, extremely entertaining fantasy novel that will appeal to readers of all ages. Rachel Hartman has succeeded with Seraphina and it is one of the few novels that actually live up to the hype. Seraphina is beautifully written and it's one of those books that I would love to reread over and over again. Waiting for Shadow Scale is going to be extremely painful.

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by Tynga at Wednesday, March 05, 2014

 Action amp; Adventure, dragons, Fantasy, Fantasy amp; Magic, Library, Rachel Hartman, Random House, Review, young adult  Leave your mark

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