jesssika's review against another edition
5.0
From the beginning you know that Laurence is a good guy with the right intentions. He is onboard as a Captain and the story begins with his ship overtaking a French one. They win and on board they discover a dragon egg locked away. Laurence takes it back to his ship and they wait until it finally hatches. The dragon chooses Laurence and he names him Temeraire. From there they go and await orders. Laurence gives up his Captain title in the Navy and his possible future with Edith to join and become the Captain in the corps with Temeraire. Together they learn how to maneuver and go to fight when necessary.
The characters are awesome to meet. You find those that are in the background and you get enough details about them to recognize and understand them. The development of Temeraire is very well written. Things don���������t always come in magic and you watch as the dragon learns flying eating hunting fighting reading etc. You even see where it gets frustrated with the monotonous routine he gets into. Watching these characteristics develop and grow brings the story to life. Your heart breaks for Levitas and you want to knock the crap out of Rankin. Laurence even goes through his own struggles that you can easily follow without being weighed down by too much detail. Definitely a great read
The characters are awesome to meet. You find those that are in the background and you get enough details about them to recognize and understand them. The development of Temeraire is very well written. Things don���������t always come in magic and you watch as the dragon learns flying eating hunting fighting reading etc. You even see where it gets frustrated with the monotonous routine he gets into. Watching these characteristics develop and grow brings the story to life. Your heart breaks for Levitas and you want to knock the crap out of Rankin. Laurence even goes through his own struggles that you can easily follow without being weighed down by too much detail. Definitely a great read
walking_library's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
kallypso's review against another edition
4.0
The dragons in this really make it for me. They're just so charming. This is a really fun bit of alternative history and I look forward to seeing how it progresses throughout the series.
neilsef's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Every now and again you come across a book that is both enjoyable and engaging but is also delightfully charming, and this is one of those books.
The story is set in the Napoleonic era with the dialogue, descriptions and general style all reflecting that, which took a little getting used to, but it is this that gives it its charm.
The relationship between Captain Laurence and Temeraire is very well portrayed and one of the highlights of the novel is watching this relationship develop.
The concept of having an alternative history where Dragons exist and have been both domesticated and cross-bred to produce different breeds that can be used for specific aerial rolls is fascinating, and one that works wonderfully in this setting.
There are several action scenes in this novel, with the best being towards the end, but primarily character development is the mainstay, and this is done exceptionally well.
If you like well-written characters and Dragons then this is the book for you.
The story is set in the Napoleonic era with the dialogue, descriptions and general style all reflecting that, which took a little getting used to, but it is this that gives it its charm.
The relationship between Captain Laurence and Temeraire is very well portrayed and one of the highlights of the novel is watching this relationship develop.
The concept of having an alternative history where Dragons exist and have been both domesticated and cross-bred to produce different breeds that can be used for specific aerial rolls is fascinating, and one that works wonderfully in this setting.
There are several action scenes in this novel, with the best being towards the end, but primarily character development is the mainstay, and this is done exceptionally well.
If you like well-written characters and Dragons then this is the book for you.
kristinrose's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hissingpotatoes's review against another edition
2.5
I liked the bond between Laurence and Temeraire, and the humor at the expense of Laurence's propriety. However, I could not get into the main plot of the war.
bookslikegranola's review against another edition
3.0
Fun, but a meandering plot and stuffy main character make this a bit not for me.
It’s the napoleonic wars, but with intelligent dragons as an air force. Navy captain Will Laurence captures a french ship with a soon to hatch dragon egg and his life goes upside down. The premise was fun and overall the story clipped along delightfully, it just wasn’t fully for me. Will is both a stuffy english man but a decent soul who is palatable for the modern reader, which didn’t always work for me. He’d encounter a woman dragon rider, be momentarily thrown, and then power through immediately, which felt too convenient for me. Also, the ramifications of the premise didn’t feel fully explored to me (why are dragons’ intelligence a secret, why are woman dragon riders a secret, etc.), which made the fantasy elements sometimes feel like set dressing rather than a well crafted story. The story has excellent character interaction, and I totally understand why its so beloved, it just was only okay for me. I don’t think I’ll continue the series.
Recommended if you want dragon, alternate history napoleonic war with strong characters.
opheliablack's review against another edition
3.0
Please note; my star rating on any book is completely subjective and limited to the label for each star.
1 Star I didn’t like it
2 Stars It was okay
3 Stars I liked it
4 Stars I really liked it
5 Stars It was amazing!
If I do actually have something to say about a book other than what my enjoyment factor was, I will write a review and share my thoughts. If I say I didn’t like a book but there wasn’t anything about it that I thought needed to be shared, then that’s it, I just didn’t like it.
If you’d like to start a discussion about a book or you’d like an actual review, ask any question you like and I’ll be happy to try and comply/respond.
Additional note; I do not feed the trolls. If you don’t have something constructive to say, or if you can’t say it in a respectful way, you won’t get a response from me. Ever.
1 Star I didn’t like it
2 Stars It was okay
3 Stars I liked it
4 Stars I really liked it
5 Stars It was amazing!
If I do actually have something to say about a book other than what my enjoyment factor was, I will write a review and share my thoughts. If I say I didn’t like a book but there wasn’t anything about it that I thought needed to be shared, then that’s it, I just didn’t like it.
If you’d like to start a discussion about a book or you’d like an actual review, ask any question you like and I’ll be happy to try and comply/respond.
Additional note; I do not feed the trolls. If you don’t have something constructive to say, or if you can’t say it in a respectful way, you won’t get a response from me. Ever.
clairethedestroyerofgalaxies's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.5