Black Powder War: Temeraire, Book 3

It gets a bit long in the descriptions, but I really enjoyed the story. Makes me want a dragon of my own.

Characters, imagination, relationships

Being within feet of Napoleon - and not killing him

His vocal resonance underlined the sheer delight of the language.

It made me intensely sympathetic with the characters, and want to see more.

The comparison between the treatment of dragons in China and England is a mainspring that powers the book, given additional power by the character of the dragons themselves.

Novik has created a truly wonderful story. The cast is marvelous, the scenery is rich, and the premise is both captivating and refreshing.

However, the pacing feels more like a slightly episodic long form fantasy than it does a series. "His Majesty's Dragon", the first book, was a bit more conventional. It had a fairly symmetrical plot arc and a thoroughly rousing conclusion battle.

However, "Throne of Jade" was rather more ponderous (as it no doubt would have been for Laurence and Temeraire, sailing to the other side of the world and becoming embroiled in lengthy diplomatic tangles). It also didn't have nearly as cinematic an ending, though still a good one.

"Black Powder War" is similar. They spend a lot of time traveling over vast tracts of fairly barren land, and it doesn't happen very fast. There are several great aerial battles, but what could properly be called the climax is actually not a fight at all. Some might find this disappointing, but I feel that she is taking the time truly do the story the justice it deserves. And that is more exciting than a bit of token action.

I have recently become more accustomed to books like "Wheel of Time" and "The Way of Kings", than to short form fiction. And when the Temeraire series is viewed as a single story of multiple volumes rather than a set of connected, but independent, stories, the arc and pacing feel more natural. Certainly the two books following "His Majesty's Dragon" are slower. However, they are also deeper. Novik takes the time to really delve into the world she is giving us, as well as into the characters with which she has populated it so wonderfully.

As always, Simon Vance is brilliant. His narration is at once subtle and captivating.

Yes, the books flow from one to the other

I heard parts first on the serius satalite book readio. Was really intersting listening to it on the way to work. Was interesting listening to how a dragon can fight. Also all the different kinds of dragons in one squad.

I have two. Tameraire and Captain Lawrence

I am hooked. I need to find out more on the adventures that Tameraire and Capain Lawrence are experiencing.

Simon Vance as narrator does not disppoint and the series by Naomi Novik is very good!

LOVED some of the new characters we meet in this book! I enjoyed the places they traveled too and the challenges they faced. One of my favorite books in the entire series and the narrator is a pleasure to listen to as always.

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, and the narration is just as strong in this third outing, but I have to say I found this one to be a bit dull. It does pick up towards the end, just in time to make me want to listen to the fourth book, but I'm not sure I want to use a credit on it, since this one turned out to be such a disappointment. The story moved so slowly and uninterestingly that my mine kept wandering and I'd miss huge chunks of it.

I just finished the fourth and am about to get the fifth. I've been listening to them back-to-back, something I don't usually do for this long a series of books. I'm waiting to see what Tremaraire and Will Laurence will get up to (and into) next. All of the characters - human and dragon alike - are complex and well written. The battle scenes are great and the Napoleonic wars have never been so interesting! Adding to all of it is Simon Vance's exemplary narration. He makes me happy to be listening to, rather than reading, these books. Well done!

Naomi is really getting her stride now. Thakay (or however his name is spelled, I'm not sure and don't have the hardcopy) is great fun, especially for anyone with a warm place in their heart for rogues. The new little dragon is hilarious. Lien, the white dragon, and Napoleon are great additions and the Prussians feel very real.

At last, the story of the Napoleonic wars in a world with dragons continues. I enjoyed the story from beginning to end. I especially like the battle/action scenes. I look forward to listening to the fourth book, Empire of Ivory.

Simon Vance is a narrator who grows on you. I strongly recommend everybody to check out the other works he narrated, and he has narrated a lot.