Naomi Novik: Throne of Jade
Throne of Jade is the second book n the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik.
This is a pretty interesting series, it's basically an alternate history of the Napoleonic Wars where dragons exist and are used as the air force in battle. The series begins with His Majesty's Dragon when the English capture a French vessel in battle which just happens to have an unhatched dragon's egg in the cargo hold. Throne of Jade starts with the Chinese politicians claiming ownership of Temeraire since he was given to the French as a gift and then stolen by the English. Members of both sides then journey aboard a ship to China where the English politicians are trying to befriend the Chinese as a means to win the war with the French. Lawrence wants to keep Temeraire in England but feels he's being used as a bargaining chip by politicians on both sides.
The book starts off strong, much like the first one, but then lags a bit through the middle. The trip to China took far too long for my taste, they don't arrive until about 3/4 through the book, but once they're in China the pace livens up again and the book finishes strong.
I think my favorite parts are the descriptions and interactions of the various dragons. Perhaps that's why my interest dropped during the middle section when the group is basically alone on the ship. The character and personality of the dragons really come alive when you see them interacting in their daily routines.
This is a pretty interesting series, it's basically an alternate history of the Napoleonic Wars where dragons exist and are used as the air force in battle. The series begins with His Majesty's Dragon when the English capture a French vessel in battle which just happens to have an unhatched dragon's egg in the cargo hold. Throne of Jade starts with the Chinese politicians claiming ownership of Temeraire since he was given to the French as a gift and then stolen by the English. Members of both sides then journey aboard a ship to China where the English politicians are trying to befriend the Chinese as a means to win the war with the French. Lawrence wants to keep Temeraire in England but feels he's being used as a bargaining chip by politicians on both sides.
The book starts off strong, much like the first one, but then lags a bit through the middle. The trip to China took far too long for my taste, they don't arrive until about 3/4 through the book, but once they're in China the pace livens up again and the book finishes strong.
I think my favorite parts are the descriptions and interactions of the various dragons. Perhaps that's why my interest dropped during the middle section when the group is basically alone on the ship. The character and personality of the dragons really come alive when you see them interacting in their daily routines.
Comments