Giving History Wings
By Amy Turner
Have you ever had a good, long look back over history and thought to yourself “This is cool, but what it really needs is a good dose of dragon”? Naomi Novak did, and bought us the gem that is ‘Temeraire’.
By Amy Turner
Have you ever had a good, long look back over history and thought to yourself “This is cool, but what it really needs is a good dose of dragon”? Naomi Novak did, and bought us the gem that is ‘Temeraire’.
Temeraire is set during the Napoleonic War, fought with a combination of nautical, infantry troops and the addition of an Arial Corps comprised of aviators and their dragons. It follows the story of Captain Will Laurence, who has been at sea since the age of twelve, working his way up from a deckhand to become the captain of his own vessel. He has a beautiful fiancee, society’s esteem and a seemingly golden future.
But Will’s life is about to get so much more complicated. France having declared war, and Britain having answered the French gunfire with their own, has meant the British Navy bears a heavy weight. Defend their country at all cost. But the war is not going well, and it seems Britain can do nothing but wait as Napoleon plans to invade.
After capturing a French ship, Laurence finds himself in possession of a dragon egg bound for the Emperor himself. His discovery may just tip the balance of the war, as dragons are an invaluable resource for their ability to counter attack France’s airborne attempts on the British. The British Navy may be the superior force on the oceans, but France controls the sky by outnumbering the British aviators.
For this reason, one of Laurence’s men must relinquish all hope of a normal life, tame the beast and join the aviator’s cause.
But when the dragonet rejects the young crew member assigned to him, and imprints himself on Laurence, the horrified captain’s world is spun into disarray. Gone is his beautiful fiancee, his social standing, and gone is his golden future as he becomes the constant companion and trainer of the fighting dragon, Temeraire.
An incredibly rare Celestial dragon, Temeraire was bred by the Chinese for intelligence and beauty. Unlike the British dragons, they have not been bred for fighting, but Temeraire’s persistence pays off when he accidentally discovers what will possibly make him Britain’s most prized aerial weapon.
Alternative histories are dicey things, either the author sticks too closely to the original for the story to take on a life of it’s own or the history included is so tokenistic it seems to have no relevance to the plot. Naomi Novak however, balances fantasy, history and politics in book that can be enjoyed by anyone. Nelson’s naval manoeuvres are complimented by aerial attacks from French dragons, and all the while the politics of war are constant undercurrents determining life and death.
It has been described as ‘Master and Commander, but with dragons’ and if you enjoyed Christopher Paolini’s Eragon this would be the perfect book to add to your reading list along with The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Riley. Also, make sure you keep an eye out for Temeraire in cinemas, as Peter Jackson, director of both the hobbit and the Lord trilogies has obtained the rights to this book so we may soon have a cinematic debut in the not too distant future.
If you have read Temeraire and have anything to add make sure to let us know below, and include any suggestions you have for other good reads!
But Will’s life is about to get so much more complicated. France having declared war, and Britain having answered the French gunfire with their own, has meant the British Navy bears a heavy weight. Defend their country at all cost. But the war is not going well, and it seems Britain can do nothing but wait as Napoleon plans to invade.
After capturing a French ship, Laurence finds himself in possession of a dragon egg bound for the Emperor himself. His discovery may just tip the balance of the war, as dragons are an invaluable resource for their ability to counter attack France’s airborne attempts on the British. The British Navy may be the superior force on the oceans, but France controls the sky by outnumbering the British aviators.
For this reason, one of Laurence’s men must relinquish all hope of a normal life, tame the beast and join the aviator’s cause.
But when the dragonet rejects the young crew member assigned to him, and imprints himself on Laurence, the horrified captain’s world is spun into disarray. Gone is his beautiful fiancee, his social standing, and gone is his golden future as he becomes the constant companion and trainer of the fighting dragon, Temeraire.
An incredibly rare Celestial dragon, Temeraire was bred by the Chinese for intelligence and beauty. Unlike the British dragons, they have not been bred for fighting, but Temeraire’s persistence pays off when he accidentally discovers what will possibly make him Britain’s most prized aerial weapon.
Alternative histories are dicey things, either the author sticks too closely to the original for the story to take on a life of it’s own or the history included is so tokenistic it seems to have no relevance to the plot. Naomi Novak however, balances fantasy, history and politics in book that can be enjoyed by anyone. Nelson’s naval manoeuvres are complimented by aerial attacks from French dragons, and all the while the politics of war are constant undercurrents determining life and death.
It has been described as ‘Master and Commander, but with dragons’ and if you enjoyed Christopher Paolini’s Eragon this would be the perfect book to add to your reading list along with The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Riley. Also, make sure you keep an eye out for Temeraire in cinemas, as Peter Jackson, director of both the hobbit and the Lord trilogies has obtained the rights to this book so we may soon have a cinematic debut in the not too distant future.
If you have read Temeraire and have anything to add make sure to let us know below, and include any suggestions you have for other good reads!