VICTORY OF EAGLES
October 26th 2008 23:22
VICTORY OF EAGLES
Temeraire's Fifth Adventure
Naomi Novik
Temeraire's Fifth Adventure
Naomi Novik
In a world similar to but not quite our own Napoleon has invaded England ... using dragons! In this world sometime in the far past humans domesticated enslaved or made a partnership with many dragons (this varies form country to country) by incubating the eggs taken from wild dragons and imprinting and harnessing the hatchlings.
Most dragons tolerate this because it saves them the trouble of guarding feeding raising and educating their young and besides humans now have gunpowder and cannon, weapons that can kill dragons.
While in China and the Far East dragons are honored partners and have their own aristocracy paralleling that of humans in Britain dragons were regarded by most as little more than domesticated animals that can talk and serve the military as aerial transport and couriers.
Temeraire is a dragon of Chinese Celestial breeding intended as a gift for Napoleon to seal an alliance but his egg hatched on a British navy ship and his partner is now William Laurence.
In their last adventure both became accused of treason. Will is prisoner on a anchored hulk . Temeraire has been sent to the breeding grounds in Wales where dragons who rejected harnessing or have retired are confined by the promise of regular feedings and the knowledge if they stray off the grounds they will be shot.
Fortunately for Temeraire and Britain the younger smaller dragons who can pass themselves off as Winchester couriers often sneak off the grounds and visit the nearest courier depot for gossip and news and his friend Moncey brings him news of Napoleon's invasion.
Temeraire thinking Will to be dead forms an independent dragon militia and ventures to war battling for Britain and the rights of dragons to become citizens like his Chinese relatives who he visited in a previous adventure (Throne of Jade) instead of beasts of burden .
Will however out on parole faces the contempt of most of his fellow officers who regard him as a dangerous radical and has to find Temeraire and the other escaped dragons.
Read about Temeraire's latest adventures, military and political, and find out how Lien a female Celestial who serves Napoleon finds a new and terrible use for the Divine Wind.
Iskierka is her usual mischievous self making trouble for both sides along with the Pamir ferals. Tharkay is back. We meet Perscitia who is obsessed with mathematics and science even by dragon standards.
Australians fans rejoice. In his next adventure Temeraire along with Will , Granby, a clutch of eggs, and the fiery and fire breathing Iskierka will be journeying to the colony of New South Wales!
Our library seems to be gotten in its copy before the major bookshops so watch out for the Xmas release of this book. The edition I read has yet another splendid cover illustration by Andrew Davidson, this time of dragons soaring over 18th century London. American readers may be seeing a different cover.
Whichever you get to borrow or buy ENJOY!
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