Publishers Weekly
★ 04/11/2016
Novik’s ninth draconic alternate history of the Napoleonic wars concludes the series with a bang. It opens where 2013’s Blood of Tyrants left off, with Napoleon’s staggering losses in the Russian winter of 1813. The allied forces are demoralized by Napoleon’s escape back to France, but nothing could have provoked the English dragon Temeraire more than the news that his egg has been stolen from China—where it was left in trust—and may well be destroyed by his grave enemy, the Chinese celestial dragon Lien. Only once the safety of his egg is assured will Temeraire turn his keen intelligence and unique perception to the problem of Napoleon’s regrouping forces, and to thwarting a scheme to turn the feral dragons of the continent against the allies. This thrilling installment is packed with action and excitement, drawing the series to a delightful and satisfying close with plenty of twists, misadventures, and aerial combat along the way. Agent: Cynthia Manson, Cynthia Manson Literary. (June)
From the Publisher
Praise for His Majesty’s Dragon and the Temeraire series
“These are beautifully written novels—not only fresh, original, and fast paced, but full of wonderful characters with real heart. [The Temeraire series] is a terrific meld of two genres that I particularly love—fantasy and historical epic.”—Peter Jackson
“A terrifically entertaining fantasy novel . . . Is it hard to imagine a cross between Susanna Clarke, of Norrell and Strange fame, and the late Patrick O’Brian? Not if you’ve read this wonderful, arresting novel.”—Stephen King
“A splendid series . . . Not only is it a new way to utilize dragons, it’s a very clever one and fits neatly into the historical niche this author has used.”—Anne McCaffrey
“Just when you think you’ve seen every variation possible on the dragon story, along comes Naomi Novik. Her wonderful Temeraire is a dragon for the ages.”—Terry Brooks
“Enthralling reading—it’s like Jane Austen playing Dungeons & Dragons with Eragon’s Christopher Paolini.”—Time
“A completely authentic tale, brimming with all the detail and richness one looks for . . . as well as the impossible wonder of gilded fantasy.”—Entertainment Weekly (Editor’s Choice, Grade: A)
“Novik has accomplished something singular with her Temeraire series. . . . At its heart, it’s a story about friendship that transcends not only time and class, but species.”—NPR
“[Naomi Novik] is soaring on the wings of a dragon.”—The New York Times
“A thrilling fantasy . . . All hail Naomi Novik.”—The Washington Post Book World
“An amazing performance . . . [I] was immediately hooked by the writing, the research and the sheer courage of the whole enterprise.”—Chicago Tribune
“Novik’s influences run the gamut from Jane Austen to Patrick O’Brian, with a side trip through Anne McCaffrey. Her books are completely involving and probably addictive, their central conceit explored in clever detail with a great deal of wit and historical insight.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“Something new and quite wonderful . . . The Temeraire trilogy could well be this year’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.”—BookPage
“A superbly written, character-driven series . . . What keeps one turning the pages is the urge to find out what happens next to Captain Laurence and Temeraire, characters who win one’s heart from the beginning. Bravo!”—Booklist (starred review)
Library Journal
05/15/2016
Although Napoleon's invasion of Russia has been checked, low supplies and roaming feral dragons mean a bitter victory for Captain Laurence, dragon Temeraire, and their allies. Chasing the French armies west, Laurence and Temeraire fail to capture Napoleon as he returns to Paris. Worse news arrives: the French have stolen Temeraire and Iskierka's egg from China. Still dealing with the aftermath of Laurence's treasonous actions (giving the cure for a draconic illness to the French), it is an uphill battle as Laurence and Temeraire fight for their country, their lives, and finally to stop Napoleon. VERDICT This series finale would not be complete without visits from familiar figures from previous books (Her Majesty's Dragon; Blood of Tyrants) and plenty of battle scenes. Novik's fans won't be disappointed.—KC
SEPTEMBER 2016 - AudioFile
Simon Vance returns for the ninth and last book in this series, set during the Napoleonic Wars as Napoleon retreats from Moscow. Captain William Laurence and his dragon companion, Temeraire, are in the middle of it. The collaboration of Russia with Britain, China, and others in the war and the interaction of the dragons with the French provide the perfect opportunity for Vance to draw on his vast store of accents for both humans and dragons. Vance sets off at a strong pace and maintains it for the duration, whether in fast-paced dialogue or more reflective private conversations between Laurence and Temeraire. Vance is as expressive with dragon characters as he is with human ones. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2016-03-30
Ninth, and last, of the Temeraire historical fantasy series (Blood of Tyrants, 2013, etc.), reimagining the Napoleonic Wars in a world where humans coexist with intelligent dragons. Napoleon's invasion of Russia has been foiled. Following his adventures in the Far East, Capt. William Laurence and his dragon partner, Temeraire, assist the Russian forces to harry the retreating French—but Napoleon escapes to Paris, where he plots a counterstroke. While raising new human armies, he promulgates a remarkable political document granting any dragons that will fight for him—including the ferals who owe allegiance to no government—autonomous territories and humane treatment. This offer proves a powerful enticement, especially to dragons from Russia (historically treated with great cruelty) and Britain (where attitudes range from callous indifference to outright hostility). Even worse, from Laurence's viewpoint, Napoleon has stolen the egg of Temeraire (whose weapon is the Divine Wind, a rock-shattering roar) and Iskierka, his fire-breathing mate, knowing that the egg is enormously precious to them and that they will go to any lengths to recover it. So it should be a simple matter to lure Laurence and the dragons into a trap. One of the great pleasures of this long, sometimes uneven, but always fascinating series is the way Novik meticulously and patiently accumulates details of the various types of dragon, each having its particular aspect, talents, and behaviors, and the spectrum of attitudes humans hold toward them. Though employing a modern vocabulary, the early-19th-century writing style precisely captures the rhythms, manners, and sensibilities of the period. The action prose is vivid and immediate, especially when adopting a dragon's perspective. You feel that, given the existence of dragons, the alternate history the author envisions might well have come to pass. Not the finest entry in the sequence, being slow to gather momentum and somewhat patchy, but overall a satisfying conclusion to a remarkable series.
