A Napoleonic Flight of Dragons
The Napoleonic era was a time of testing for both England and France. The Continent was swept by the military genius of the French Emperor and held at bay from England’s door only by sheer virtue of the Channel and the might of the Royal Navy. This was the era of Nelson. Warfare had rules, officers had their high society, and everything was held in check by social expectations, regulations, duty, and honor.
Now add into this mix a dragon in much the same aspect as jet-fighters or bombers.
The rules are different when you’re dealing with an intelligent beast with the ability to breath fire, spit acid, or rake a man to shreds with his claws. It’s a bit hard to maintain discipline when the dragon will have a word or two with those that displease it and has a personality of its’ own.
For Captain Will Laurence, transferring from the Navy to the Royal Air Corp. with a captured prize-of-war dragon named Temeraire changes his whole world. Gone is the prospects of a naval captain with many a prize under his belt. Gone is the society to which he was accustomed. (Where will a dragon go when you’re in London to see an opera? It can’t very well perch on Parliament.) Gone is the woman he would have married. All Laurence has is his dragon and the Corps.
The characters are creative and compelling; human and dragon alike. All have strong dynamic personalities that are likeable without being unrealistic or pandering to the reader for sympathy. Those cast as villains are more than just foils to Laurence and Temeraire; they have their own reasons and desires and are hardly one dimensional. Each dragon has its’ own temperament and personality rather than being background characters and just ‘mounts’. Likewise, the supporting cast is very realistic in motivation and action and easily identified with.
Novik creates a seamless fantasy world where dragons are both old and new, accepted and feared, and an everyday part of life. They’re woven into the history of the world casually enough to feel natural without coming across as blasÃ?©. The technology and the culture are adapted so that the inclusion of dragons seems almost effortless. It’s neither shoved at the reader nor handed off without as much as a thought to the incorporation.
The level of thought and research that has gone into these novels is amazing. Those who’ve ever come across Flight of Dragons by Peter Dickenson will recognize some of the ‘mechanics’ involved. Each dragon has a breed and a history equal to that of a pedigree dog or thoroughbred race-horse. It’s also clear that Novik has done her research into british military practices and histories to ensure the details come across as accurate.
Three books span the series thus so far; His Majesty’s Dragon, Throne of Jade, and Black Powder War. Dealing with warfar, politics, and society of the era, the trio of novels are in paperback currently and span about 400 pages each; adding appendixes and graphic sketches of the dragons in question.
I’ve found nothing but praise for Naomi Novik and this creative new blend of alternative historical fiction. It’s much more engaging and natural than the Pern series and not as overly gung-ho and hoo-ah as the John Ringo military fiction. For those who enjoy military fiction and fantasy, this is a perfect blend of both
