rschectman96's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
valhecka's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sbauer378's review against another edition
5.0
Fair warning, despite being mentioned in the description, we don't reach Russia until 70% of the way through. I was initially going to give this 4 stars for the China portion of the book, since it seemed kind of out of nowhere. But the angstyness of Laurence not remembering who he is and then only to recall once he sees Tharkay? Hell fucking yeah, that's what I'm talking about.
fencewalker's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
rcd229's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
leseratte97's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
righteousridel's review against another edition
2.0
Blood of Tyrants starts with a trope I detest: amnesia. I hate this literary technique as its solution is often at the convenience of the author, after which everything is back to normal. All the action in the meantime is drama for the sake of drama, and rarely has any lasting impact because everyone accepts that the patient wasn't themselves. As such, I'm naturally biased to dislike this novel.
Sadly, Blood of Tyrants doesn't get any better. Like previous novels, too much time is wasted travelling. We get yet another side-quest to explore and learn a new land... that of Japan. What culture and history is teased with little permanent effect, as the closed-off nation has no impact to the plot. Only 20% of the novel is about the legendary Patriotic War, and of course with so little page count, it's rushed and incomplete.
Naomi Novik has continued to mimic the events of actual history, and Napoleon's march into Russia occurs just like before, except this time with dragons. Where before, I praised, now I criticize. We are well into a decade of deviations and I detest the idea that the march of history hasn't changed. Not only is it lazy writing, but it also minimizes the impact that Lawrence and Temeraire have wrought with their egalitarian attitudes towards the treatment of dragons. The author has unleashed Empires within Africa and South America, and allied them with Napoleon! To continue pretending the European theatre would continue in its manner is honestly difficult to believe.
With only a single book remaining, I will finish the series, but I'm not convinced that the author has the courage and creativity to follow through on the plots she's set into motion in this alternate history world. Pity. It started so well.
I don't understand why Napoleon is still the villain. I do not find any of the British alliance characters (or governments) sympathetic. Their treatment of dragons is universally horrendous, and the author doubles-down by making Russia into something near Bond-villain. That Temeraire and Lawrence continue to fight against Napoleon is an exercise in terrible logic, with every excuse (of a tyrant whose desires cannot be sated) is lame compared to the horror of the existing regimes. That the supporting Chinese army (almost all dragons) hasn't revolted surprises me.
I also felt that the so-called subterfuge of the Chinese court to be amateur hour. Our heroes are incredibly stupid and didn't sniff out treachery throughout the White Lotus plotline despite all the obvious hints. The author failed similarly back in Throne of Jade, so really, she should avoid writing intrigue. Her idea of those plots requires protagonists to be universally dense and ignorant.
Given that Tswana and the Inca are allied with Napoleon, the Chinese are wrecking trade with the use of sea serpents, and the British took a vicious loss of seapower thanks to Lien, I don't see why the British manage to maintain their network of alliances per our world's history. I am deeply disappointed that upon revealing these parts of the world, the author is unable to weave any of their impact into the actual war. From a military perspective, Napoleon has two additional continental powers as well as sentient dragons instead of enslaved dragons. From a moral perspective, Napoleon is not only spreading liberalism and republicanism world-wide, but also the abolition of slavery of Africans AND Dragonkind. Meanwhile, the traditional Colonial powers have no colonies.
Alternate histories work because they remain internally consistent. In her hurry to explore how superior non-European cultures would be in their treatment of an equal intellect in dragons, Naomi Novik has undermined foundational requirements for the rise of European powers, as well as the balance of power during the Napoleonic Wars. Pity that she didn't realize this.
Sadly, Blood of Tyrants doesn't get any better. Like previous novels, too much time is wasted travelling. We get yet another side-quest to explore and learn a new land... that of Japan. What culture and history is teased with little permanent effect, as the closed-off nation has no impact to the plot. Only 20% of the novel is about the legendary Patriotic War, and of course with so little page count, it's rushed and incomplete.
Naomi Novik has continued to mimic the events of actual history, and Napoleon's march into Russia occurs just like before, except this time with dragons. Where before, I praised, now I criticize. We are well into a decade of deviations and I detest the idea that the march of history hasn't changed. Not only is it lazy writing, but it also minimizes the impact that Lawrence and Temeraire have wrought with their egalitarian attitudes towards the treatment of dragons. The author has unleashed Empires within Africa and South America, and allied them with Napoleon! To continue pretending the European theatre would continue in its manner is honestly difficult to believe.
With only a single book remaining, I will finish the series, but I'm not convinced that the author has the courage and creativity to follow through on the plots she's set into motion in this alternate history world. Pity. It started so well.
Spoiler
The following is in spoiler tags, and I say so since some Goodreads clients may not respect it. You've been warned:I don't understand why Napoleon is still the villain. I do not find any of the British alliance characters (or governments) sympathetic. Their treatment of dragons is universally horrendous, and the author doubles-down by making Russia into something near Bond-villain. That Temeraire and Lawrence continue to fight against Napoleon is an exercise in terrible logic, with every excuse (of a tyrant whose desires cannot be sated) is lame compared to the horror of the existing regimes. That the supporting Chinese army (almost all dragons) hasn't revolted surprises me.
I also felt that the so-called subterfuge of the Chinese court to be amateur hour. Our heroes are incredibly stupid and didn't sniff out treachery throughout the White Lotus plotline despite all the obvious hints. The author failed similarly back in Throne of Jade, so really, she should avoid writing intrigue. Her idea of those plots requires protagonists to be universally dense and ignorant.
Given that Tswana and the Inca are allied with Napoleon, the Chinese are wrecking trade with the use of sea serpents, and the British took a vicious loss of seapower thanks to Lien, I don't see why the British manage to maintain their network of alliances per our world's history. I am deeply disappointed that upon revealing these parts of the world, the author is unable to weave any of their impact into the actual war. From a military perspective, Napoleon has two additional continental powers as well as sentient dragons instead of enslaved dragons. From a moral perspective, Napoleon is not only spreading liberalism and republicanism world-wide, but also the abolition of slavery of Africans AND Dragonkind. Meanwhile, the traditional Colonial powers have no colonies.
Alternate histories work because they remain internally consistent. In her hurry to explore how superior non-European cultures would be in their treatment of an equal intellect in dragons, Naomi Novik has undermined foundational requirements for the rise of European powers, as well as the balance of power during the Napoleonic Wars. Pity that she didn't realize this.
zcall13's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
turrean's review against another edition
3.0
My absolute favorite part of this series is how Novik produces different versions of human-dragon interaction whenever she shifts the setting. Readers got to see a variety of possible iterations, including Russian, Chinese, British, Incan, and others. I am generally impatient with "main character has amnesia" plots; though in this case it did highlight the substantial development of conscience in the main character regarding the treatment of dragonkind in his own culture. I'll be sorry to see this series end.
priya_haha's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25