History takes flight in the second book of Naomi Novik's deliciously addictive series which captures the Napoleonic period perfectly and skillfully layers the timeline with imagination by adding a Dragon Air Force to the battle for England.
Captain William Laurence of the British Air Corps and his dragon, Temeraire, begin their slow voyage to China, fearful that upon landing they will be forced to part by Imperial decree. Temeraire is a Celestial dragon, the most highly-prized of all draconic breeds; famed for their intelligence, agility and most of all for the Divine Wind -- their terrible roar capable of shattering the heavy timbers of war ships, shattering woodland and destroying other dragons mid-flight.
Temeraire's egg was captured and claimed by the British at sea, but he was meant to be the companion of the Emperor Napoleon and not captained by a mere officer in the British Air Corps. The Chinese have demanded his return and the British cannot refuse them -- they cannot afford to provoke the asian super-power into allying themselves with the French -- even if it costs them the most powerful weapon in their arsenal and inflicts the most unimaginable pain upon Laurence and his dragon.
Reviews for the Temeraire series
“These are beautifully written novels: not only fresh, original, and fast-paced, but full of wonderful characters with real heart.”-Peter Jackson
“Enthralling reading–it’s like Jane Austen playing Dungeons & Dragons with Eragon’s Christopher Paolini.”–Time
'Novik won me over with her first novel, the combination of military history, sympathetic characters, and engaging style makes this series great, intelligent fun' The Times
“So realistic that it drowns disbelief . . . first-class in every respect.”–Booklist (starred review)
“A gripping adventure full of rich detail and the impossible wonder of gilded fantasy.”- Entertainment Weekly
'Plenty of intrigue, swordplay, exotic locations, plausible invention. In short a treat' Telegraph
“A thrilling fantasy . . . All hail Naomi Novik.”–The Washington Post Book World
Author Biography
Naomi Novik is the acclaimed author of His Majesty’s Dragon, Throne of Jade, Black Powder War, and Empire of Ivory, the first four volumes of the Temeraire series, recently optioned by Peter Jackson, the Academy Award-winning director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. A history buff with a particular interest in the Napoleonic era, Novik studied English literature at Brown University, then did graduate work in computer science at Columbia University before leaving to participate in the design and development of the computer game Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide. Novik lives in New York City with her husband and six computers.
