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Temeraire #5
Victory of Eagles
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Deadly Education comes the fifth volume of the Temeraire series, as Will Laurence and Temeraire struggle to reunite and face the Napoleonic army on London's doorstep.“A story about friendship that transcends not only time and class, but species.”—NPRFor Britain, conditions are 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.Don’t miss any of Naomi Novik’s magical Temeraire seriesHIS MAJESTY’S DRAGON • THRONE OF JADE • BLACK POWDER WAR • EMPIRE OF IVORY • VICTORY OF EAGLES • TONGUES OF SERPENTS • CRUCIBLE OF GOLD • BLOOD OF TYRANTS • LEAGUE OF DRAGONS
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2008
About the author
Naomi Novik
64 books33.5k followersAn avid reader of fantasy literature since age six, when she first made her way through The Lord of the Rings, Naomi Novik is also a history buff with a particular interest in the Napoleonic era and a fondness for the work of Patrick O’Brian and Jane Austen. She studied English literature at Brown University, and did graduate work in computer science at Columbia University before leaving to participate in the design and development of the computer game Neverwinter Nights: Shadow of Undrentide. Over the course of a brief winter sojourn spent working on the game in Edmonton, Canada (accompanied by a truly alarming coat that now lives brooding in the depths of her closet), she realized she preferred writing to programming, and on returning to New York, decided to try her hand at novels.
Naomi lives in New York City with her husband and six computers. Her website is at naominovik.com
Naomi lives in New York City with her husband and six computers. Her website is at naominovik.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,485 reviews
June 12, 2018
With each book, I have a clearer understanding about what kind of series this is. I will never recommend this series to fantasy readers. If anything, I will recommend this series to historical fiction readers.
Yes, there are dragons, a completely fantastical element that is the focal point in the storytelling.
However, the dragons themselves have their own personalities and histories. The issues that occur in the story are military based and more in line with problems arising in historical fiction rather than in a fantasy story.
Having said that, as someone who adores historical fiction, I really enjoyed this instalment of the series. The story continues, and I found myself swept away by it, as well as by the words of Novik, who suits this genre of historical fiction.
My only complaint is that I wish there was an obvious distinction between the voices of Lawrence and Temeraire. If you gave me a passage from either, I would not be able to recognise who the voice belongs to. It wasn’t confusing as to whose thoughts we were following, but that distinction would have made for a much more enjoyable read.
I will be remiss not to mention how much I adore Temeraire. He is such a great character! He just might be my favourite dragon. And his relationship with Lawrence is so… darn… cute!
Yes, there are dragons, a completely fantastical element that is the focal point in the storytelling.
However, the dragons themselves have their own personalities and histories. The issues that occur in the story are military based and more in line with problems arising in historical fiction rather than in a fantasy story.
Having said that, as someone who adores historical fiction, I really enjoyed this instalment of the series. The story continues, and I found myself swept away by it, as well as by the words of Novik, who suits this genre of historical fiction.
My only complaint is that I wish there was an obvious distinction between the voices of Lawrence and Temeraire. If you gave me a passage from either, I would not be able to recognise who the voice belongs to. It wasn’t confusing as to whose thoughts we were following, but that distinction would have made for a much more enjoyable read.
I will be remiss not to mention how much I adore Temeraire. He is such a great character! He just might be my favourite dragon. And his relationship with Lawrence is so… darn… cute!
December 11, 2021
I've loved all of these book so far, but this one was my favourite. Excellent narration, as always.
February 6, 2017
Out of the five Temeraire book I've read, this is my 2nd favorite (after book 1). Every time I read one of these books I fall in love with Temeraire all over again - best dragon ever! Not much else to say about it a this point -if you're considering reading Victory of Eagles, you already like the series.
OH - PS - I love the narrator on the audiobook. He sounds exactly how I imagine Temeraire to sound.
OH - PS - I love the narrator on the audiobook. He sounds exactly how I imagine Temeraire to sound.
July 12, 2008
I made some pretty incredible noises when I opened this book and realized that I was getting TEMERAIRE'S POV -- but actually, oddly enough, that didn't end up being my favorite part of it! I wanted Temeraire's sections to be a little more distinct from Laurence's than they were, I think. I guess I'd just gotten so used to the idea that dragons think very differently from humans that I wanted that to be clearer in the narration.
Laurence's enormous pit of despair at being a traitor was pretty fantastically done, although it made for all kinds of sadness while reading -- and gyah, the bit where Jane was like, "So btw, Will, you could have been SUBTLE and still saved all those dragons instead of, like, BEING A HUGE DAMNED MORON," was really a slap to the face for Laurence and the reader both -- it really highlighted how great a job Novik did at the end of Empire of Ivory in making it seem as though there was no other choice for Laurence or for Temeraire than to act the way they did.
In happy news, I greatly enjoyed the dragons' total disdain for Harcourt and Riley's baby (and how it is always just "the egg", amazing), and also how Harcourt and Riley don't really know what they're doing with it, either. Riley is like, "It needs feeding ALL THE TIME. I don't understand!" and Harcourt is like, "You mean it WON'T be fine on a prison ship?!" AHAHA, OH DEAR. I was also FULL OF GLEE at the fact that Iskierka dragged Granby off to the ship to Australia. Poor Granby. Good thing he's got Laurence there, so they can have 972834 more years of UST that they are thoroughly incapable of acknowledging while Iskierka goads Temeraire into trying for an egg. OH HI PARALLELS.
Laurence's enormous pit of despair at being a traitor was pretty fantastically done, although it made for all kinds of sadness while reading -- and gyah, the bit where Jane was like, "So btw, Will, you could have been SUBTLE and still saved all those dragons instead of, like, BEING A HUGE DAMNED MORON," was really a slap to the face for Laurence and the reader both -- it really highlighted how great a job Novik did at the end of Empire of Ivory in making it seem as though there was no other choice for Laurence or for Temeraire than to act the way they did.
In happy news, I greatly enjoyed the dragons' total disdain for Harcourt and Riley's baby (and how it is always just "the egg", amazing), and also how Harcourt and Riley don't really know what they're doing with it, either. Riley is like, "It needs feeding ALL THE TIME. I don't understand!" and Harcourt is like, "You mean it WON'T be fine on a prison ship?!" AHAHA, OH DEAR. I was also FULL OF GLEE at the fact that Iskierka dragged Granby off to the ship to Australia. Poor Granby. Good thing he's got Laurence there, so they can have 972834 more years of UST that they are thoroughly incapable of acknowledging while Iskierka goads Temeraire into trying for an egg. OH HI PARALLELS.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2008
Can I give this six stars? It's the best book in the series since His Majesty's Dragon, and I've enjoyed them all.
No spoilers here, but I read this entire book with my heart in my throat. I came away thinking what an incredible commentary it was on how the right choice isn't necessarily the easy or popular one, and how making a moral decision can still exact an unbelievably high cost. I admire Novik so much for never taking the easy way out, for making her characters pay the consequences for their actions, and yet still leaving me both smiling and weepy at the end. I can't wait to see what happens next. Highly recommended.
No spoilers here, but I read this entire book with my heart in my throat. I came away thinking what an incredible commentary it was on how the right choice isn't necessarily the easy or popular one, and how making a moral decision can still exact an unbelievably high cost. I admire Novik so much for never taking the easy way out, for making her characters pay the consequences for their actions, and yet still leaving me both smiling and weepy at the end. I can't wait to see what happens next. Highly recommended.
July 13, 2008
So, at the end of Empire of Ivory, Laurence and Temeraire agree to commit treason to deliver a cure to a draconic plague to France -- Temeraire feeling that the lives of thousands of innocent dragons isn't worth victory of the war, and Laurence agreeing. Laurence then wishes to return to Britain, despite knowing he will be imprisoned or hanged for it, and Temeraire confined -- his own honor prevents him from staying in Europe, either as a French officer or a civilian. The book picks up several months later. Which I appreciate for two reasons. First, it give us a chance to see how dragons organize themselves on their own -- the breeding ground dragons are pretty much left to their own devices as long as they eat and mate and don't cause trouble. One of the dragons we meet, Percitia, is a mathematically inclined and quite clever dragon who refused to serve in the military because she didn't see the sense of getting shot up. Second, it gets to the interesting bit -- where Napoleon and Lung Tien Lien invade Britain -- quickly. Laurence, imprisoned on a ship, is presumed dead for a short while, long enough for Temeraire to be quite put out, and decide that he needs to fight Napoleon, and talks the rest of the dragons (ferals, captured dragons, some old retirees, and ones that just refused to fight) into forming their own flight to go fight.
Temeraire himself really shines here. He's forced to develop a sense of politics and leadership to negotiate with both other dragons and the human government and military. In Victory of Eagles he makes a lot more advances than I ever expected -- mostly because he points out that Napoleon was able to come so far because of giving dragons a reason to fight besides loyalty to their captains. Not to neglect Laurence, who is forced to go through a lot dealing with his own actions from Empire of Ivory -- questioning what honor and patriotism really mean. And even some of the secondary characters, such as Admiral Roland, get to play a role -- I'd love to see more interactions between her and General Wellsely/the Duke of Wellington, simply because the two of them quickly figured out the other was pretty damn good at their job, and developed a professional relationship, despite the fact Roland was a woman. (Thanks to Gentius, a veteran Longwings, we also got the story about how female Longwings captains got full rank. He told the story about how his first captain had left without the drunkard who had actual command, fought a tremendous battle, and then was commended by everyone, and finally got her proper rank.)
As for the end, I was quite pleased by it. It ended in a way that doesn't diminish what Laurence did in Empire of Ivory, but keeps our pair flying. Plus, this way, we might get to see new parts of the world -- I think Victory of Eagles is the first book since His Majesty's Dragon where we don't hardly leave Britain.
Temeraire himself really shines here. He's forced to develop a sense of politics and leadership to negotiate with both other dragons and the human government and military. In Victory of Eagles he makes a lot more advances than I ever expected -- mostly because he points out that Napoleon was able to come so far because of giving dragons a reason to fight besides loyalty to their captains. Not to neglect Laurence, who is forced to go through a lot dealing with his own actions from Empire of Ivory -- questioning what honor and patriotism really mean. And even some of the secondary characters, such as Admiral Roland, get to play a role -- I'd love to see more interactions between her and General Wellsely/the Duke of Wellington, simply because the two of them quickly figured out the other was pretty damn good at their job, and developed a professional relationship, despite the fact Roland was a woman. (Thanks to Gentius, a veteran Longwings, we also got the story about how female Longwings captains got full rank. He told the story about how his first captain had left without the drunkard who had actual command, fought a tremendous battle, and then was commended by everyone, and finally got her proper rank.)
As for the end, I was quite pleased by it. It ended in a way that doesn't diminish what Laurence did in Empire of Ivory, but keeps our pair flying. Plus, this way, we might get to see new parts of the world -- I think Victory of Eagles is the first book since His Majesty's Dragon where we don't hardly leave Britain.
August 26, 2015
Well, here we go. It definitely feels like we are getting close to the final stretch in this series. Victory of Eagles certainly has that “setting up for the endgame” feel to it, especially as the playing field starts to shift to equality, pretty much for the first time. England has always been reactive to Napoleon’s tactics and numbers, but we finally get a sense of strategy and forethought from our British military leaders (a nice switch).
Picking up shortly where Empire of Ivory left off, we see Laurence fully dealing with the fallout of his fateful decision that ended book 4. Utilizing the bond between captain and dragon to full effect, the British military is keeping Temeraire under wraps at a breeding ground, separated from Laurence, with the implicit threat of action against his captain should he misbehave in any way. It’s cruel but effective, shackling Temeraire as wells as any physical chains could. And because of this forced separation, we finally get…
…chapters from Temeraire’s point of view. I daresay that this has been a long time coming, and I am glad that we are finally at the point where we get to see things from his perspective. While Laurence was by no means a bad main character, the world definitely felt smaller due to only seeing things from his point of view. Temeraire has always been a rich and detailed enough character that he could stand on his own, and in Victory of Eagles he gets to do just that. Not that he hasn’t had a voice before, but now we are privy to his thought processes as well, some of which are downright amusing. It’s interesting to see the differences between the lifelong patriot Laurence, and the progressive leanings of his “British by association” dragon. “For King and Country” is the stance that has been instilled into the fiber of every British officer, which is a mindset that they stick to like glue even when the rules or expectations are outdated or useless. But Temeraire sees right through the social expectations and vagaries of command & politics, and just wants simple answers to his simple questions. He’s like a child, without a filter, unfazed (though frequently slightly confused) by the socio-political nightmare of a country at war. As such, his chapters stand as a good counterpoint to Laurence’s. We see things as they are, and then we see things as they could/should be. It’s an interesting dynamic that helps keep the narrative fresh. It must be said, however, that even though Temeraire is given his own chapters, Laurence still has the greatest character arc in this novel, as we see the consequences of his decisions start to make him hardened, bitter, and ultimately disassociated from everything around him.
Tharkay makes a return (yay!), but only in a small, albeit, pivotal role. Iskierka & Granby are back, and she’s just as feisty and egotistical as always (and he still at the mercy of her whims). We also get introduced to Perscitia, a new cross breed dragon who becomes sort of the logistician/tactician for our band of British misfits. She’s nearly as excitable as Iskierka, but with a focus on numbers and problem solving as opposed to pyromania. She’s fun, and a great foil to Temeraire, as they both think they are correct on all things mathematical. I hope we see more of her going forward, but I’m not going to hold my breath. This series definitely gives you some cool supporting characters to root for, and then pulls them away just as soon as you get comfortable with them. Or they may make a return, but in a much more diminished role that is ultimately disappointing. The rest of the established supporting cast are relegated to just a few sentences or paragraphs each.
The dragons finally get their voices heard in regards to their treatment, even though it’s done at about the worst possible time. But, given the British mindset towards dragons and military service in general, there probably wasn’t any other way for them to get some concessions. I’m glad we are moving forward on that front, as it’s now one of the central themes in the overarching story and definitely needed some kind of progress. It’s also amusing to see just how happy and full of themselves the dragons get with their new roles and responsibilities.
And, like I mentioned above, we finally get some NEW and EFFECTIVE tactics for combatting the French forces. Some wins for the home team have been sorely needed in this tale, as our heroes always seem to be effectively retreating or scoring only minor triumphs at best. So here have some actual victories in our Victory of Eagles, and it feels oh-so-good. It is also a much needed slap in the face to the British commanders, who haven’t realized until JUST NOW that maybe, just maybe, dragons have the best ideas for battling other dragons. Go figure…
So yeah, much ground is covered in book 5, both literally and figuratively. I didn’t like it as much as Empire of Ivory, but then I didn’t expect to. However, it feels like the stage is finally being set for the grand showdown that has been looming on the horizon since book 1. I’m excited, and a little impatient, to see what changes are in store after the closing of this latest installment.
Picking up shortly where Empire of Ivory left off, we see Laurence fully dealing with the fallout of his fateful decision that ended book 4. Utilizing the bond between captain and dragon to full effect, the British military is keeping Temeraire under wraps at a breeding ground, separated from Laurence, with the implicit threat of action against his captain should he misbehave in any way. It’s cruel but effective, shackling Temeraire as wells as any physical chains could. And because of this forced separation, we finally get…
…chapters from Temeraire’s point of view. I daresay that this has been a long time coming, and I am glad that we are finally at the point where we get to see things from his perspective. While Laurence was by no means a bad main character, the world definitely felt smaller due to only seeing things from his point of view. Temeraire has always been a rich and detailed enough character that he could stand on his own, and in Victory of Eagles he gets to do just that. Not that he hasn’t had a voice before, but now we are privy to his thought processes as well, some of which are downright amusing. It’s interesting to see the differences between the lifelong patriot Laurence, and the progressive leanings of his “British by association” dragon. “For King and Country” is the stance that has been instilled into the fiber of every British officer, which is a mindset that they stick to like glue even when the rules or expectations are outdated or useless. But Temeraire sees right through the social expectations and vagaries of command & politics, and just wants simple answers to his simple questions. He’s like a child, without a filter, unfazed (though frequently slightly confused) by the socio-political nightmare of a country at war. As such, his chapters stand as a good counterpoint to Laurence’s. We see things as they are, and then we see things as they could/should be. It’s an interesting dynamic that helps keep the narrative fresh. It must be said, however, that even though Temeraire is given his own chapters, Laurence still has the greatest character arc in this novel, as we see the consequences of his decisions start to make him hardened, bitter, and ultimately disassociated from everything around him.
Tharkay makes a return (yay!), but only in a small, albeit, pivotal role. Iskierka & Granby are back, and she’s just as feisty and egotistical as always (and he still at the mercy of her whims). We also get introduced to Perscitia, a new cross breed dragon who becomes sort of the logistician/tactician for our band of British misfits. She’s nearly as excitable as Iskierka, but with a focus on numbers and problem solving as opposed to pyromania. She’s fun, and a great foil to Temeraire, as they both think they are correct on all things mathematical. I hope we see more of her going forward, but I’m not going to hold my breath. This series definitely gives you some cool supporting characters to root for, and then pulls them away just as soon as you get comfortable with them. Or they may make a return, but in a much more diminished role that is ultimately disappointing. The rest of the established supporting cast are relegated to just a few sentences or paragraphs each.
The dragons finally get their voices heard in regards to their treatment, even though it’s done at about the worst possible time. But, given the British mindset towards dragons and military service in general, there probably wasn’t any other way for them to get some concessions. I’m glad we are moving forward on that front, as it’s now one of the central themes in the overarching story and definitely needed some kind of progress. It’s also amusing to see just how happy and full of themselves the dragons get with their new roles and responsibilities.
And, like I mentioned above, we finally get some NEW and EFFECTIVE tactics for combatting the French forces. Some wins for the home team have been sorely needed in this tale, as our heroes always seem to be effectively retreating or scoring only minor triumphs at best. So here have some actual victories in our Victory of Eagles, and it feels oh-so-good. It is also a much needed slap in the face to the British commanders, who haven’t realized until JUST NOW that maybe, just maybe, dragons have the best ideas for battling other dragons. Go figure…
So yeah, much ground is covered in book 5, both literally and figuratively. I didn’t like it as much as Empire of Ivory, but then I didn’t expect to. However, it feels like the stage is finally being set for the grand showdown that has been looming on the horizon since book 1. I’m excited, and a little impatient, to see what changes are in store after the closing of this latest installment.
December 18, 2021
Another excellent adventure for Temeraire and Laurence in which we see both much diminished as they have to deal with the unintended consequences of their actions in Empire of Ivory. No exotic climes in this instalment ; just a grey British winter to endure as the French invade Great Britain.
Victory of Eagles is full of action and is a good deal grittier than the previous books, an aspect I really liked.
The characterisations of both Temeraire and Laurence were both really well done as Temeraire is forced to confront the consequences of his actions have had on Laurence .
Also, we get to see a darker side of Will,whose honour has been compromised and is forced into becoming a ruthless killer.
Very good indeed and probably my favourite of the series so far.
Victory of Eagles is full of action and is a good deal grittier than the previous books, an aspect I really liked.
The characterisations of both Temeraire and Laurence were both really well done as Temeraire is forced to confront the consequences of his actions have had on Laurence .
Also, we get to see a darker side of Will,whose honour has been compromised and is forced into becoming a ruthless killer.
Very good indeed and probably my favourite of the series so far.
October 26, 2024
El que más me gustó de la saga hasta ahora, aunque la serie en general es más ficción histórica que fantástico, a pesar de los dragones.
Una narración muy intensa y unas batallas estupendas, además de una caída en el descrédito por el acuse de traición. Temerario es una personalidad, pese a su gran inteligencia y cultura, de gran ingenuidad y le llevó todo el libro comprender, a duras penas, cómo una acción de gran nobleza, totalmente irreprochable en sí misma, puede ser también traición.
Fue tremendo cómo veía a su compañero y amigo sufrir, ir lentamente entendiendo el precio que realmente pagó por las andanzas del libro anterior, y su forma, de nuevo ingenua pero asombrosamente enternecedora de intentar consolarlo.
En general ha sido un libro guapísimo. GL (Restos de serie. Temerario)
Una narración muy intensa y unas batallas estupendas, además de una caída en el descrédito por el acuse de traición. Temerario es una personalidad, pese a su gran inteligencia y cultura, de gran ingenuidad y le llevó todo el libro comprender, a duras penas, cómo una acción de gran nobleza, totalmente irreprochable en sí misma, puede ser también traición.
Fue tremendo cómo veía a su compañero y amigo sufrir, ir lentamente entendiendo el precio que realmente pagó por las andanzas del libro anterior, y su forma, de nuevo ingenua pero asombrosamente enternecedora de intentar consolarlo.
En general ha sido un libro guapísimo. GL (Restos de serie. Temerario)
June 5, 2017
4.5 stars
There will be spoilers in this review for the last book in this series Empire of Ivory and the information the blurb on the back of this book provides.
After being left on a bit of a cliffhanger in the last book I was relieved to finally have time to read this and find out about the consequences of Temeraire and Laurence's so called treason of preventing the slaughter of thousands of enemy dragons through poison. Temeraire and Laurence spend about I third of this book separated and it was really fascinating to see as this is the first time you really see them act independently of each other and while I adore them together watching Temeraire really develop as a leader was a lot of fun. Experiencing things from his perspective was also a nice change of pace.
There is a good mixture of action and plot/character development in this novel, so there is alway something to keep you turning the pages. There were so many returning characters in this novel and it was lovely to see people that were left in England while Temeraire and Laurence have been travelling the world. And some that were less lovely to see but no less interesting for it.
There was also a lot of emphasis put on dragon rights in this novel and you get to witness people who haven't had much experience with dragons realizing that dragons are actually thinking and feeling creatures with minds and stubborn personalities of their own. Considering how this novel ended I'm very curious to see how this theme is developed in the next few books.
Overall it was a fun read that I devoured in about three days which is a record for me at the moment. I can't wait to move onto book 6 and see what is next in store for our dynamic duo.
There will be spoilers in this review for the last book in this series Empire of Ivory and the information the blurb on the back of this book provides.
After being left on a bit of a cliffhanger in the last book I was relieved to finally have time to read this and find out about the consequences of Temeraire and Laurence's so called treason of preventing the slaughter of thousands of enemy dragons through poison. Temeraire and Laurence spend about I third of this book separated and it was really fascinating to see as this is the first time you really see them act independently of each other and while I adore them together watching Temeraire really develop as a leader was a lot of fun. Experiencing things from his perspective was also a nice change of pace.
There is a good mixture of action and plot/character development in this novel, so there is alway something to keep you turning the pages. There were so many returning characters in this novel and it was lovely to see people that were left in England while Temeraire and Laurence have been travelling the world. And some that were less lovely to see but no less interesting for it.
There was also a lot of emphasis put on dragon rights in this novel and you get to witness people who haven't had much experience with dragons realizing that dragons are actually thinking and feeling creatures with minds and stubborn personalities of their own. Considering how this novel ended I'm very curious to see how this theme is developed in the next few books.
Overall it was a fun read that I devoured in about three days which is a record for me at the moment. I can't wait to move onto book 6 and see what is next in store for our dynamic duo.
July 30, 2019
4.5 Stars 🌟
August 28, 2016
The circumstances were not ordinary. Laurence was a man already dead in law.
After the way things ended in the last book for Laurence and Temeraire, I was a bit scared for them in the beginning of this one. This series proves that it’s not necessary to have romance as the main relationship between the characters in order for the story to be interesting.
Friendship is an interesting relationship to explore in the books especially when it is between a human and a dragon. There was nothing more heartwarming than seeing Temeraire and Laurence always thinking about the other no matter where they were, close or apart and always worrying about the others comfort first.
Temeraire gave a low joyful cry and curled around him tightly and said, Oh, Laurence; I shall never let anyone take you from me again.
It was so great witnessing the way Temeraire keeps growing as a character with every book, the trip to China clearly has changed him for the better. Now that he has experienced a different way of living for the dragons and is able to compare it to the way he lives, Temeraire began to actively fight for a better way of living for himself and his friends and it was a very important moment when he had to stand alone and make difficult decisions.
But he was quite alone. He trembled, but there was no use being cowardly; there was no-one to help him, and he must decide.
With each new dragon that we meet there is something new and peculiar we will experience when we follow them in their everyday life.
Perscitia with her war tactics shows how one can contribute to a battle without fighting, as always each dragon has something new to be perplexed about with human behavior be it a newborn child, who compared to dragon eggs can’t stop crying or a bookworm with her unusual reading behavior.
Men like to be unhappy sometimes, he offered. My second Captain would come sit under my wing with a book and weep over it, most evenings. I thought at first she must be wounded, but she told me not to fret at all, she liked to do it; and the next morning she would be right as rain again.
I think the dragon who got the most attention in this book is none other than Iskierka, who with her feistiness and big ego manages to annoy almost everyone including Temeraire. Their banter is always so funny to read and I don’t know about anyone else but i ship them, their different characters would make an interesting couple and Temeraire’s experience would help tone down a bit Iskierka.
I have decided that you may give me an egg.
Oh! Temeraire said, swelling with indignation, how very kind! I am to be honored, I suppose.
Well, I am much richer than you are, she said, and also I can breathe fire, so you ought to be.
I really hope to see more of them together in the next book.
January 14, 2012
Rating: 3* of five
Series books always run a big risk: They can feel "phoned in" or less than exciting to the writer; or they can feel place-holder-y, like the book is a bridge to the next one in the series, without an obvious and unique place in the series's created universe. A little of both happens here.
I wasn't in any way doubting that Novik would take me back into Temeraire's alternative Earth with dispatch; she certainly did that. This is a writer who knows what mood she wants to create and how to create it. She also knows her history, and brings characters to life who fit into that history, whether based on fact or wholly imagined. So why complain?
Because the trip to Africa, from the previous book, feels contrived; the characters who join Tewmeraire's family there are virtually ignored here. Because the actions of the British government are presented as faits accomplis and then the action starts, in what feels to me like a very unrooted in the series's reality fashion. Because the entire book is a search-in-progress; half the book, grudgingly okay, but the WHOLE THING?! Asking too much of my patience, Ms. Novik.
So three stars based on your excellent world-building, exciting writing, and a hope for the future.
Series books always run a big risk: They can feel "phoned in" or less than exciting to the writer; or they can feel place-holder-y, like the book is a bridge to the next one in the series, without an obvious and unique place in the series's created universe. A little of both happens here.
I wasn't in any way doubting that Novik would take me back into Temeraire's alternative Earth with dispatch; she certainly did that. This is a writer who knows what mood she wants to create and how to create it. She also knows her history, and brings characters to life who fit into that history, whether based on fact or wholly imagined. So why complain?
Because the trip to Africa, from the previous book, feels contrived; the characters who join Tewmeraire's family there are virtually ignored here. Because the actions of the British government are presented as faits accomplis and then the action starts, in what feels to me like a very unrooted in the series's reality fashion. Because the entire book is a search-in-progress; half the book, grudgingly okay, but the WHOLE THING?! Asking too much of my patience, Ms. Novik.
So three stars based on your excellent world-building, exciting writing, and a hope for the future.
September 29, 2014
I enjoyed this installment of the Temeraire series, but I had to take a big break after book 4. This is the type of series that gets a little repetitive if you try to read the whole series at once, but it is still a great series that takes you to many different places in the world in the time of Napoleon. It is wonderful how well the fantasy element fits in with the history!
April 16, 2017
As you might notice, I quickly got addicted to this series! Just finished book 5 - and especially enjoyed this one! Not 80% of travel again, but real progress for both of our main characters and crews - if the progress might not be for the good, it is another thing completely...
It really was a step up again from the last two books, and I bought book 6-9 right away too now.
It really was a step up again from the last two books, and I bought book 6-9 right away too now.
June 30, 2017
Victory of Eagles is the fifth book in the Temeraire series. I really enjoyed this one, at least as much as the first book. Unlike the fourth book, there weren’t any niggling annoyances to distract me from a story that I had been otherwise enjoying. There was a small change in the storytelling format that I particularly loved.
I’m going to put the rest of my review within spoiler tags so I can freely discuss some things in more detail.
I’m going to put the rest of my review within spoiler tags so I can freely discuss some things in more detail.
November 8, 2015
This book is the 5th one in the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. I found this a very enjoyable series. The little dragon is all grown up and working some things out on his own. His attachment to his human is still binding and very sweet. Speaking of his human, I really like Lawrence. Even with his British stiffness, he is easy to like and flexible to a certain extent. I think his personality plays well off of the other humans and even the dragons.
October 21, 2015
A stellar tale. Some fantastic battle scenes. And Laurence becomes a more real character, IMHO, as the consequences of his actions catch up with him.
March 18, 2023
So I am giving this 4 stars not because I love the battle scenes, but I just wanted to keep reading in spite of them. Plus, of course, as annoying as I find her, Iskierka helps provide some humour and she's back in this book-not a spoiler because of where this is set.
The blurb tells you what this will be about, so no point in reiterating that stuff for a GR only review. Since anyone can check and see that there are more books in this series and who is in them, it's not a spoiler to say that once Will & Temeraire are united things are rather different than before due to Will's conviction and things that Temeraire does prior to their reunion (those parts are spoilers, IMO). Unlike IRL, in this alternative history Napoleon was able to invade England thanks to dragon power (again, read the book for details, but that much is in the blurb) and so England has to try to beat the French on their own soil, which is no mean feat thanks to the great numbers of dragons France has with them.
The blurb tells you what this will be about, so no point in reiterating that stuff for a GR only review. Since anyone can check and see that there are more books in this series and who is in them, it's not a spoiler to say that once Will & Temeraire are united things are rather different than before due to Will's conviction and things that Temeraire does prior to their reunion (those parts are spoilers, IMO). Unlike IRL, in this alternative history Napoleon was able to invade England thanks to dragon power (again, read the book for details, but that much is in the blurb) and so England has to try to beat the French on their own soil, which is no mean feat thanks to the great numbers of dragons France has with them.
December 8, 2018
Another excellent installment, and a good in-betweener sort of book; Laurence and Temeraire spend the majority of the book dealing with the consequences of their actions in Empire of Ivory. Lien did make for a spectacular arrival toward the end, and Iskierka is unfortunately becoming something of an insufferable little brat. I adored her in Black Powder War and Empire but she truly seems to be wearing on Granby, which I'm not pleased about because I love him and he deserves all the good things. The interwoven real historical figures are always fun. Looking forward to this Australia trip in the next one, with or without Iskierka.
January 31, 2022
This book is 1/3 delight, 1/3 anxiety, and 1/3 'god, war is so stupid'.
Delight: As much as I don't want Temeraire to ever be sad, and therefore am opposed to him being separated from Laurence, I really loved getting his POV in this book and getting to see him interact exclusively with other dragons. Not only does this broaden the portrayal of dragons as a whole, but it's fertile ground for him to develop and advocate for ideas of draconic rights, and with the gloves (talon sheaths?) off, make himself FAR more of a problem for the British social order than they ever expected. By halfway through the novel he's basically created a union of some 60-odd dragons, and there's just something about them which makes their negotiating tactics very effective...
This is also the installment in which Temeraire is officially and completely done with the Government as a whole, and has no compunctions about letting them know:
Anyhow, all this to say that I love him.
Anxiety: Hello Laurence, it's all your fault. I mean my anxiety throughout the book, of course, not any of the things which Laurence thinks are his fault. He spends a good chunk of it trying to be a Model Prisoner, because he feels terribly guilty about heading off Britain's attempted war crimes and thinks he owes it to his country to Suffer About It. I... have an issue with this, because a) I wholeheartedly think the choice he made at the end of Empire of Ivory was the right one, even if (as other characters point out) it could have been accomplished with less melodrama; and b) he, albeit unintentionally, takes this guilt out on Temeraire, who neither deserves nor understands it, and frankly if my cat hadn't been sitting on my lap enforcing stillness I might have had to put the book down for a day or so before I could push through the beginning of Part 3.
I don't have a ton of sympathy for Laurence's feelings of guilt, which is partly because I have strong opinions about my own country's history of war crimes. I get that his feelings are complicated by a personal history of military service, and by the feeling that he has in a real way betrayed specific friends who suffer in the battles afterwards... but the fact is that, as a character whose personality is marked by a sense of obligation to others, he would have felt just as guilty if not worse if he had done nothing. Thankfully, Tharkay calls him out on it:
I am beginning to understand why people ship them.
On the topic of 'war is stupid' I don't have much to say, because I feel like that's self-explanatory. Especially wars started for the sake of territorial expansion just seem like a pointless waste of time and resources, which could be better spent on improving people's lives than ending them.
I feel like this review has ended up being more 'reaction' than true review, but that happens sometimes. I did enjoy the book, obviously, but I'm most excited to have finished it because now I get to move on into the half of the series that I neglected to read as it was coming out, and I have NO idea what to expect.
Delight: As much as I don't want Temeraire to ever be sad, and therefore am opposed to him being separated from Laurence, I really loved getting his POV in this book and getting to see him interact exclusively with other dragons. Not only does this broaden the portrayal of dragons as a whole, but it's fertile ground for him to develop and advocate for ideas of draconic rights, and with the gloves (talon sheaths?) off, make himself FAR more of a problem for the British social order than they ever expected. By halfway through the novel he's basically created a union of some 60-odd dragons, and there's just something about them which makes their negotiating tactics very effective...
"I beg your pardon," Temeraire said to the poor man, who trembled violently as the dragon's head lowered near, "but if you are part of the ministry, I should like a word, myself. We would like to vote, please, and also to be paid."
This is also the installment in which Temeraire is officially and completely done with the Government as a whole, and has no compunctions about letting them know:
"If I had done as I was told," Temeraire said, "you should have sixty less dragons, and Lefebvre would have a good deal more food, and tomorrow Napoleon would likely beat all of you for good. So that is a very stupid thing to say. Whyever ought I do as I am told?"
Anyhow, all this to say that I love him.
Anxiety: Hello Laurence, it's all your fault. I mean my anxiety throughout the book, of course, not any of the things which Laurence thinks are his fault. He spends a good chunk of it trying to be a Model Prisoner, because he feels terribly guilty about heading off Britain's attempted war crimes and thinks he owes it to his country to Suffer About It. I... have an issue with this, because a) I wholeheartedly think the choice he made at the end of Empire of Ivory was the right one, even if (as other characters point out) it could have been accomplished with less melodrama; and b) he, albeit unintentionally, takes this guilt out on Temeraire, who neither deserves nor understands it, and frankly if my cat hadn't been sitting on my lap enforcing stillness I might have had to put the book down for a day or so before I could push through the beginning of Part 3.
I don't have a ton of sympathy for Laurence's feelings of guilt, which is partly because I have strong opinions about my own country's history of war crimes. I get that his feelings are complicated by a personal history of military service, and by the feeling that he has in a real way betrayed specific friends who suffer in the battles afterwards... but the fact is that, as a character whose personality is marked by a sense of obligation to others, he would have felt just as guilty if not worse if he had done nothing. Thankfully, Tharkay calls him out on it:
"There are authorities to choose from," Tharkay said, "to suit any action, if you like; I prefer to keep the choice a little closer."
It seemed to Laurence the most miserably solitary existence imaginable, isolated by more than distance or even disdain. "How do you bear it? The choice, and all the consequences thereof, alone-"
"Perhaps use has reconciled me; or," Tharkay said dryly, "perhaps I simply have less natural inclination to hold myself responsible for the sins of the world, rather than for my own."
I am beginning to understand why people ship them.
On the topic of 'war is stupid' I don't have much to say, because I feel like that's self-explanatory. Especially wars started for the sake of territorial expansion just seem like a pointless waste of time and resources, which could be better spent on improving people's lives than ending them.
I feel like this review has ended up being more 'reaction' than true review, but that happens sometimes. I did enjoy the book, obviously, but I'm most excited to have finished it because now I get to move on into the half of the series that I neglected to read as it was coming out, and I have NO idea what to expect.
February 15, 2018
Recenzia completă se poate citi pe blog: https://andreeapandelea.blogspot.ro/2...
„A fost un volum exploziv, plin de acțiune, de tensiune și de frică, în care mult așteptata luptă cu Napoleon Bonaparte pe pământurile Angliei a început; de fapt, ca să o spun pe aia mai dreaptă, faptul că turnura pe care a luat-o povestea la finalul volumului – legată de ce s-a întâmplat cu acesta –, mă cam sperie pentru ce se va întâmpla în cartea viitoare, cel puțin. Spun asta, deoarece, în ciuda faptului că a fost un volum foarte sângeros, cu multe morți și dureros în anumite privințe, siguranța că nu a fost toată puterea lui Bonaparte aruncată în acea bătălie, mă înfricoșează. [...]”
„A fost un volum exploziv, plin de acțiune, de tensiune și de frică, în care mult așteptata luptă cu Napoleon Bonaparte pe pământurile Angliei a început; de fapt, ca să o spun pe aia mai dreaptă, faptul că turnura pe care a luat-o povestea la finalul volumului – legată de ce s-a întâmplat cu acesta –, mă cam sperie pentru ce se va întâmpla în cartea viitoare, cel puțin. Spun asta, deoarece, în ciuda faptului că a fost un volum foarte sângeros, cu multe morți și dureros în anumite privințe, siguranța că nu a fost toată puterea lui Bonaparte aruncată în acea bătălie, mă înfricoșează. [...]”
August 8, 2008
Naomi Novik continues her winning alternative history series with Victory of Eagles. For those fantasy fans who have not read any of her books, you should venture to the local library and get into the books because they are a wonderful combination of history and fantasy.
In the last novel in this series, Laurence and Termeraire (his dragon) discovered a cure for an epidemic that was killing all of the dragons. Laurence brought a cure back to England but the lords decided in a little smallpox idea to infect their enemies the French dragons. Laurence and Temeraire gave the cure to the French dragons.
In this new novel, Temeraire has been sent to the breeding grounds while Laurence is imprisoned on a brig in the harbor. Laurence is only alive to keep his dragon in line. As those who have read prior books know, the dragons are used by the British as slave soldiers. In this story the French under Napoleon invade England and Laurence and Temeraire are united again to fight for England and thwart the invasion. The authors take on the battle between Wellington and Napoleon is great, and her story moves crisply along. Laurence cannot escape the fact that his conduct was judged treasonous and takes a harrowing mission from Wellington in the war.
Fresh and original, this novel is better than the last three in the series maybe because the war scenes are good or maybe because it settles various plot lines. I am eager to read the next.
In the last novel in this series, Laurence and Termeraire (his dragon) discovered a cure for an epidemic that was killing all of the dragons. Laurence brought a cure back to England but the lords decided in a little smallpox idea to infect their enemies the French dragons. Laurence and Temeraire gave the cure to the French dragons.
In this new novel, Temeraire has been sent to the breeding grounds while Laurence is imprisoned on a brig in the harbor. Laurence is only alive to keep his dragon in line. As those who have read prior books know, the dragons are used by the British as slave soldiers. In this story the French under Napoleon invade England and Laurence and Temeraire are united again to fight for England and thwart the invasion. The authors take on the battle between Wellington and Napoleon is great, and her story moves crisply along. Laurence cannot escape the fact that his conduct was judged treasonous and takes a harrowing mission from Wellington in the war.
Fresh and original, this novel is better than the last three in the series maybe because the war scenes are good or maybe because it settles various plot lines. I am eager to read the next.
January 10, 2023
I enjoyed this one. The conflict of Laurence's moral choices vs orders is super interesting and enjoying watching the fall out but obviously hating a bunch of people for being such dicks.
In this one, Laurence is sentenced to death after commiting treason against England (England deserved it). However, to control Temeraire they keep him alive and then all of it becomes pretty quickly moot when Napoleon invades.
We got separate perspectives in this one since Laurence and Temeraire were separated and I actually liked it a lot. Temeraire has a perspective that feels more modern and isn't as bogged down by propriety and loyalty to England as Laurence so it's refreshing.
We also stayed in England which was different but meant we could have a lot of our favorite characters around for most of the story. It was nice to get them back even if they are mostly gone again in the next book.
The war strategy was really interesting to me. They say that the most important part of war is supply chains and this book is really probably an over analysis of that but I found it super interesting.
Anyways, liked this one.
In this one, Laurence is sentenced to death after commiting treason against England (England deserved it). However, to control Temeraire they keep him alive and then all of it becomes pretty quickly moot when Napoleon invades.
We got separate perspectives in this one since Laurence and Temeraire were separated and I actually liked it a lot. Temeraire has a perspective that feels more modern and isn't as bogged down by propriety and loyalty to England as Laurence so it's refreshing.
We also stayed in England which was different but meant we could have a lot of our favorite characters around for most of the story. It was nice to get them back even if they are mostly gone again in the next book.
The war strategy was really interesting to me. They say that the most important part of war is supply chains and this book is really probably an over analysis of that but I found it super interesting.
Anyways, liked this one.
September 1, 2024
Imagine you had a dog you loved very much, and who you would do anything for. Then that dog asked you to commit treason against your country.
This may be my favorite book in the series since Throne of Jade. Another installment of Laurence (justifiably) having an ongoing moral meltdown and Téméraire just vibing so long as they’re together. This really is historical fiction, but as a fantasy reader I’m enjoying it. The dragons (or characters, really) make me interested in the war.
This may be my favorite book in the series since Throne of Jade. Another installment of Laurence (justifiably) having an ongoing moral meltdown and Téméraire just vibing so long as they’re together. This really is historical fiction, but as a fantasy reader I’m enjoying it. The dragons (or characters, really) make me interested in the war.
July 20, 2016
Second review: September 7, 2015
Not going to write a lot here, because I covered most of it in my review of 4 years ago, below.
Victory of Eagles is a lot of fun because Temeraire takes it into his head to form his own little dragon corps and even request a rank. That’s cool for many reasons. First, he wrests some acknowledgement of dragon sapience from Government. Second, Temeraire discovers that having rank is not all fun and games. Wellesley gives him quite the dressing-down about taking responsibility for one’s subordinates’ actions after Iskierka rushes off.
One of the ongoing perks of this series is the way that Temeraire and Laurence misunderstand each other’s worlds. We see more of that from Temeraire’s side this time in his conversations with the other dragons. Gentius is confused by his first captain’s propensity for reading romances. The dragons are all about accumulating shiny things, which is hilarious to me but deadly serious for them. And Temeraire also just doesn’t understand Laurence’s dedication to this idea of honour and how it was necessary to return to Britain to face punishment, even execution, instead of fleeing somewhere more welcoming, like China.
This book features some major battles and extensive departures from established history. (You would think Britain’s Aerial Corps would help them win the Napoleonic Wars faster, but Napoleon actually has the upper hand for most of this book!) However, I’d argue that this is all interesting historical background. The majority of Victory of Eagles is, as I outlined above, about Temeraire and Laurence’s relationship. Both have now stepped into the other’s world a little bit.
Of course, by the end we’re back on a ship, bound for the wild and uncharted frontier of Australia. That’s exciting! I haven’t read Tongue of Serpents before, so it will be brand new for me. We’ll see how Temeraire and Laurence negotiate this brave new world, and whether Temeraire can continue the struggle for dragon rights.
First review: February 10, 2009
I haven't read book 4 yet, but one of the advantages of Naomi Novik's writing is that this is the sort of series where skipping a single book won't harm your enjoyment of a subsequent volume. As long as you keep up with the major plot points (there was a dragon virus; they found a cure in Africa; Laurence and Temeraire shared it with France as well as Britain and are now traitors for it), it's easy to sink your teeth into Victory of Eagles.
Both Temeraire and Laurence were broken at the end of the last book, apparently. Temeraire is consigned to a "retirement" covert while Laurence serves some time on a naval vessel, each being held against the other's good behaviour. Laurence is condemned to hang (although we, as the faithful readers, know at this point that such an event would never come to pass!). Temeraire, as usual, is having trouble comprehending the strange nature of nationalism and the military judicial system. His reactions to the other dragons who live in the covert are humourous. Indeed, the improvements he makes to his own cave are a catalyst that results in Temeraire forming his own "aerial corps" of dragons. Composed of retired fighters, tamed dragons who have never fought, and feral dragons, Temeraire convinces them to join him with promises of treasure and improvements in their quality of life.
Novik knows enough of her history to have fun with altering it to suit her purposes. The book begins with Napoleon establishing a foothold in England and proceeding to attempt to quell the countryside and obtain the resources required for feeding his sizable corps of dragons (one of the very few complaints I'd make about this book is the amount of space it devotes to concerns about feeding dragons). Admiral Nelson hasn't died at Trafalgar, but actually dies in the battle at the climax of this book instead--a casualty of a tsunami created by Lien's use of the divine wind. Lien herself plays a rather minor role in this book.
Perhaps more plot-driven than character-driven, Victory of Eagles still contains great moments for both of the main characters. As an "outsider", Temeraire can make brutal observations of the folly of humanity. At the same time, he does or says some things we would find questionable or even unacceptable. Laurence, meanwhile, continues to wrestle with his conflicting statuses--both traitor and potential saviour. Novik has much fun pitting one against the other; they act as each other's foils while remaining allies against those who would rend them apart.
I disliked very little about this book. Parts of it were slow. As I mentioned above, Novik devotes an inordinate amount of time to matters of food and obtaining enough livestock to satisfy the dragons. I'm willing to forgive her, however, since it is an important plot point, so perhaps it's better to stress it rather than understate its importance and risk criticism for glossing over such a potential plot hole.
Fans of the Temeraire series will enjoy this book. It isn't the best of the series, in my opinion, but it's still entertaining. For those new to Temeraire's series, I would naturally recommend reading the first book first--you will be a little confused if you skip all the books before this one!
My reviews of Temeraire:
← Empire of Ivory | Tongues of Serpents →
Not going to write a lot here, because I covered most of it in my review of 4 years ago, below.
Victory of Eagles is a lot of fun because Temeraire takes it into his head to form his own little dragon corps and even request a rank. That’s cool for many reasons. First, he wrests some acknowledgement of dragon sapience from Government. Second, Temeraire discovers that having rank is not all fun and games. Wellesley gives him quite the dressing-down about taking responsibility for one’s subordinates’ actions after Iskierka rushes off.
One of the ongoing perks of this series is the way that Temeraire and Laurence misunderstand each other’s worlds. We see more of that from Temeraire’s side this time in his conversations with the other dragons. Gentius is confused by his first captain’s propensity for reading romances. The dragons are all about accumulating shiny things, which is hilarious to me but deadly serious for them. And Temeraire also just doesn’t understand Laurence’s dedication to this idea of honour and how it was necessary to return to Britain to face punishment, even execution, instead of fleeing somewhere more welcoming, like China.
This book features some major battles and extensive departures from established history. (You would think Britain’s Aerial Corps would help them win the Napoleonic Wars faster, but Napoleon actually has the upper hand for most of this book!) However, I’d argue that this is all interesting historical background. The majority of Victory of Eagles is, as I outlined above, about Temeraire and Laurence’s relationship. Both have now stepped into the other’s world a little bit.
Of course, by the end we’re back on a ship, bound for the wild and uncharted frontier of Australia. That’s exciting! I haven’t read Tongue of Serpents before, so it will be brand new for me. We’ll see how Temeraire and Laurence negotiate this brave new world, and whether Temeraire can continue the struggle for dragon rights.
First review: February 10, 2009
I haven't read book 4 yet, but one of the advantages of Naomi Novik's writing is that this is the sort of series where skipping a single book won't harm your enjoyment of a subsequent volume. As long as you keep up with the major plot points (there was a dragon virus; they found a cure in Africa; Laurence and Temeraire shared it with France as well as Britain and are now traitors for it), it's easy to sink your teeth into Victory of Eagles.
Both Temeraire and Laurence were broken at the end of the last book, apparently. Temeraire is consigned to a "retirement" covert while Laurence serves some time on a naval vessel, each being held against the other's good behaviour. Laurence is condemned to hang (although we, as the faithful readers, know at this point that such an event would never come to pass!). Temeraire, as usual, is having trouble comprehending the strange nature of nationalism and the military judicial system. His reactions to the other dragons who live in the covert are humourous. Indeed, the improvements he makes to his own cave are a catalyst that results in Temeraire forming his own "aerial corps" of dragons. Composed of retired fighters, tamed dragons who have never fought, and feral dragons, Temeraire convinces them to join him with promises of treasure and improvements in their quality of life.
Novik knows enough of her history to have fun with altering it to suit her purposes. The book begins with Napoleon establishing a foothold in England and proceeding to attempt to quell the countryside and obtain the resources required for feeding his sizable corps of dragons (one of the very few complaints I'd make about this book is the amount of space it devotes to concerns about feeding dragons). Admiral Nelson hasn't died at Trafalgar, but actually dies in the battle at the climax of this book instead--a casualty of a tsunami created by Lien's use of the divine wind. Lien herself plays a rather minor role in this book.
Perhaps more plot-driven than character-driven, Victory of Eagles still contains great moments for both of the main characters. As an "outsider", Temeraire can make brutal observations of the folly of humanity. At the same time, he does or says some things we would find questionable or even unacceptable. Laurence, meanwhile, continues to wrestle with his conflicting statuses--both traitor and potential saviour. Novik has much fun pitting one against the other; they act as each other's foils while remaining allies against those who would rend them apart.
I disliked very little about this book. Parts of it were slow. As I mentioned above, Novik devotes an inordinate amount of time to matters of food and obtaining enough livestock to satisfy the dragons. I'm willing to forgive her, however, since it is an important plot point, so perhaps it's better to stress it rather than understate its importance and risk criticism for glossing over such a potential plot hole.
Fans of the Temeraire series will enjoy this book. It isn't the best of the series, in my opinion, but it's still entertaining. For those new to Temeraire's series, I would naturally recommend reading the first book first--you will be a little confused if you skip all the books before this one!
My reviews of Temeraire:
← Empire of Ivory | Tongues of Serpents →
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2016
In which Temeraire receives lessons both formal and informal about how to be a leader from Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, whom in our own pages of history we know also as the Duke of Wellington.
What is it about Wellington that makes him such a compelling character when he shows up in the pages of a real world/fantasy novel? He is a vivid personality in his limited screen time in a book like Jonathan Strange and here he shows up in the fifth book of the Temeraire series as well, maybe not characterized exactly the same, but no less vivid. In the middle of a stodgy apparatus that doesn't respect the potential contributions of dragons and a Government that is contemplating surrender to an invading Napoleon - an invasion of England seeming to replace, in this world, the Peninsular War in which Wellington got his fame - Wellington is the one leader who says, "Ah, screw this Napoleon guy, let's figure out how to beat him." And then he does so, of course, in part with the help of Laurence and Temeraire, because Wellington, since he's Wellington, is willing to make use of dragons in a new way, though of course all the while he's grumbling and threatening Laurence, who is technically maybe kind of supposed to be executed for treason.
Things, as always, are a bit more complicated than that. After all, Laurence and Temeraire start of the book not even in the same place. Laurence is detained in London, having been busted out of the Aerial Corps for going along with Temeraire's defiance in stealing the mushroom cure and flying it over to France before their dragons could be sick. Thus, for the first time, the series shifts to Temeraire's POV for a time, and we get half from Laurence and half from Temeraire during the whole of the book.
It's a good way to keep things fresh as this series starts to enter a different phase. Up until now, we've had only Laurence's thoughts and Temeraire's statements to go on, and now the addition of the dragon adds new perspective to the whole of the story. There has been a lot of Laurence trying to understand what drives Temeraire, and now we get to see Temeraire's slow realization of exactly how much Laurence has given up for his sake. Sometimes this involves hilarious misunderstandings and other times it's really touching, like Temeraire's complete confusion over how Laurence has no money because it was all seized after a lawsuit brought by slave traders - Temeraire having liberated some slaves in Africa in the previous volume.
Through Temeraire, we get an idea of what drives dragons. Not only the ones who are somewhat civilized, but also the more wild ones who are in the breeding ground when Temeraire opens. Sometimes I think this series gets a little too bogged down with so many groups of dragons (a bit like Wheel of Time's many, many Aes Sedai in that way) but the group Temeraire rallies and turns into a dragon militia is interesting. It never quite goes beyond subtext, but there's something of the classic Hobbes "state of nature" vs. man (or dragon) coming together to form a society. Do the dragons want to be civilized? Should they be? Is it right to have these beautiful creatures turned into instruments of warfare in which they are assisting in killing their fellow dragons?
In this way, the world-spanning journey of the previous books is important. The subject of what to do with dragons in England is of greatest interest to the series at large, but it was significant to see how things are handled in other places first. I mean, all of this is there in the background. If you just want to read about descriptions of battles involving dragons, there's plenty of that too. And it remains cool to see all of the little dragon world-building touches - like Maximus showing up in the same place as a different Regal Copper companion of Temeraire and the two of them are totally about to fight until Temeraire gets involved. Or the venerable old Longwing Gentius, who's been through three captains (service that seems to have stretched him back into the 1600s,) getting all excited and feeling young about going into battle again. And the curious English dragon who doesn't want to fight at all but seems to have a very keen tactical mind.
Everything to do with dragons and breeding remains complete slapstick, down to firebreathing Iskierka hilariously telling a disturbed Temeraire, "If you are able to do so-and-so, I will let you give me an egg." The nature of Temeraire's exact objection here is never quite explored, Is it weird for a dragon to be propositioned by another dragon he spoke to when she was still in her egg? Is dragon 'shipping a thing that happens? These two certainly have some "opposites attract" going on.
What is it about Wellington that makes him such a compelling character when he shows up in the pages of a real world/fantasy novel? He is a vivid personality in his limited screen time in a book like Jonathan Strange and here he shows up in the fifth book of the Temeraire series as well, maybe not characterized exactly the same, but no less vivid. In the middle of a stodgy apparatus that doesn't respect the potential contributions of dragons and a Government that is contemplating surrender to an invading Napoleon - an invasion of England seeming to replace, in this world, the Peninsular War in which Wellington got his fame - Wellington is the one leader who says, "Ah, screw this Napoleon guy, let's figure out how to beat him." And then he does so, of course, in part with the help of Laurence and Temeraire, because Wellington, since he's Wellington, is willing to make use of dragons in a new way, though of course all the while he's grumbling and threatening Laurence, who is technically maybe kind of supposed to be executed for treason.
Things, as always, are a bit more complicated than that. After all, Laurence and Temeraire start of the book not even in the same place. Laurence is detained in London, having been busted out of the Aerial Corps for going along with Temeraire's defiance in stealing the mushroom cure and flying it over to France before their dragons could be sick. Thus, for the first time, the series shifts to Temeraire's POV for a time, and we get half from Laurence and half from Temeraire during the whole of the book.
It's a good way to keep things fresh as this series starts to enter a different phase. Up until now, we've had only Laurence's thoughts and Temeraire's statements to go on, and now the addition of the dragon adds new perspective to the whole of the story. There has been a lot of Laurence trying to understand what drives Temeraire, and now we get to see Temeraire's slow realization of exactly how much Laurence has given up for his sake. Sometimes this involves hilarious misunderstandings and other times it's really touching, like Temeraire's complete confusion over how Laurence has no money because it was all seized after a lawsuit brought by slave traders - Temeraire having liberated some slaves in Africa in the previous volume.
Through Temeraire, we get an idea of what drives dragons. Not only the ones who are somewhat civilized, but also the more wild ones who are in the breeding ground when Temeraire opens. Sometimes I think this series gets a little too bogged down with so many groups of dragons (a bit like Wheel of Time's many, many Aes Sedai in that way) but the group Temeraire rallies and turns into a dragon militia is interesting. It never quite goes beyond subtext, but there's something of the classic Hobbes "state of nature" vs. man (or dragon) coming together to form a society. Do the dragons want to be civilized? Should they be? Is it right to have these beautiful creatures turned into instruments of warfare in which they are assisting in killing their fellow dragons?
In this way, the world-spanning journey of the previous books is important. The subject of what to do with dragons in England is of greatest interest to the series at large, but it was significant to see how things are handled in other places first. I mean, all of this is there in the background. If you just want to read about descriptions of battles involving dragons, there's plenty of that too. And it remains cool to see all of the little dragon world-building touches - like Maximus showing up in the same place as a different Regal Copper companion of Temeraire and the two of them are totally about to fight until Temeraire gets involved. Or the venerable old Longwing Gentius, who's been through three captains (service that seems to have stretched him back into the 1600s,) getting all excited and feeling young about going into battle again. And the curious English dragon who doesn't want to fight at all but seems to have a very keen tactical mind.
Everything to do with dragons and breeding remains complete slapstick, down to firebreathing Iskierka hilariously telling a disturbed Temeraire, "If you are able to do so-and-so, I will let you give me an egg." The nature of Temeraire's exact objection here is never quite explored, Is it weird for a dragon to be propositioned by another dragon he spoke to when she was still in her egg? Is dragon 'shipping a thing that happens? These two certainly have some "opposites attract" going on.
March 17, 2022
Once again, we begin with Laurence and Temeraire separated, and even though they saved all the dragons in the last book, now they're convicted traitors, separately imprisoned. But when Napoleon arrives on British soil, even Laurence and Temeraire fight.
This is our first book with Temeraire POV chapters, and they're very satisfying. Temeraire's efforts to organize the dragons in his breeding ground into a fighting force and efforts to find Laurence are a new window into this world. Seeing how the dragons arrange things among themselves when the Corps or other human influence doesn't exist is fascinating.
But the tone of this book is pretty grim in a lot of ways. There are big consequences to what Laurence and Temeraire did, and lot of this book see Laurence struggling to come to terms with what they did, and deciding whether or not he regrets it. Temeraire also begins to understand the full extent of Laurence sacrificed. For even though they're not imprisoned, Laurence is a social pariah and has been stripped of rank, money and his crew.
But there's a lot of battles, supply chain wrangling, and Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington) stomping around as he bullies the general staff into the defence of Britain. The pace thunders along here, and it's all pretty exciting.
This is our first book with Temeraire POV chapters, and they're very satisfying. Temeraire's efforts to organize the dragons in his breeding ground into a fighting force and efforts to find Laurence are a new window into this world. Seeing how the dragons arrange things among themselves when the Corps or other human influence doesn't exist is fascinating.
But the tone of this book is pretty grim in a lot of ways. There are big consequences to what Laurence and Temeraire did, and lot of this book see Laurence struggling to come to terms with what they did, and deciding whether or not he regrets it. Temeraire also begins to understand the full extent of Laurence sacrificed. For even though they're not imprisoned, Laurence is a social pariah and has been stripped of rank, money and his crew.
But there's a lot of battles, supply chain wrangling, and Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington) stomping around as he bullies the general staff into the defence of Britain. The pace thunders along here, and it's all pretty exciting.
January 24, 2018
This novel shows that a great set-up a great novel makes. The excellent, game-changing ending of the previous novel dictates the repercussions here and it's as good as expected, or maybe even better.
The best Temeraire novel by far, Victory of Eagles takes those elements of the previous novels that really worked for me (characterisation, conflict of values, honour versus pragmatism, dragons being adorable) and adds unprecedented depth to the characterisation by making the characters face hard choices and terrible situations. Temeraire gains new maturity, and Laurence new depth, and on top of that the terror of warfare is finally addressed more fully. Considering the previous treatment of war in Temeraire novels, which seems light and almost nonchalant in comparison, the Napoleonic invasion allows Novik to truly shine and stretch her wings, metaphorically speaking. This post-treason Laurence is a much more interesting Laurence. And his interactions with Tharkay and their growing affection were a particular highlight. I literally squeed several times - not what I'd expected from these novels.
I look forward to more from Laurence and Tharkay, Iskierka and both Rolands. Not so much Riley and Australia, but what can you do.
The best Temeraire novel by far, Victory of Eagles takes those elements of the previous novels that really worked for me (characterisation, conflict of values, honour versus pragmatism, dragons being adorable) and adds unprecedented depth to the characterisation by making the characters face hard choices and terrible situations. Temeraire gains new maturity, and Laurence new depth, and on top of that the terror of warfare is finally addressed more fully. Considering the previous treatment of war in Temeraire novels, which seems light and almost nonchalant in comparison, the Napoleonic invasion allows Novik to truly shine and stretch her wings, metaphorically speaking. This post-treason Laurence is a much more interesting Laurence. And his interactions with Tharkay and their growing affection were a particular highlight. I literally squeed several times - not what I'd expected from these novels.
I look forward to more from Laurence and Tharkay, Iskierka and both Rolands. Not so much Riley and Australia, but what can you do.
May 15, 2017
When Laurence and Temeraire are separated, Temeraire assumes a commission of his own. The introduction of Temerarie's PoV is only briefly disorientating; it is, on the whole, a great addition, because this book is all about consequences--of the recent cliffhanger, but also of Laurence's actions throughout the series, and to see them from without, via a character unaware of that complicated social and moral position, is especially effective. It also keeps this book from becoming too dour--so too does the breadth of the action and progression of the war. This is almost too neat a book, in the way that reoccurring characters and ongoing arcs tie into the plot, but that would be my only complaint; I loved it, I found it necessary and well-realized and, if less pointedly feel-good than other series favorites, then perhaps more substantial.
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