The latest installment and book #8 of the Temeraire series. I’ve had some ups and downs with this series, but I think this one was one of the better ones.

It was long though and I ended up staying late trying to read some of it as well. It’s separated in three parts with the first one being rather annoying as I tried to rush through it. An amnesia plot is used which is boring. The second part takes place in China which is good. Throne of Jade was a nice book and Temeraire’s lover returns. The third part was basically War and Peace in setting and tone, but thankfully not length. More brutal and grim war settings.

I think Novik is improving. Laurence continues to develop and this novel had more of the characters I liked. The ending was a cliffhanger, but a darker one. In any case, I only need to wait five months until the release of book #9 which is apparently the last book in this series. I am finally glad we are coming to an end, but not sure how Novik will end it since there are so many threads and plots to tidy up.

Read January 2-3, 2016.

This book was better than the last and much more to the speed of the earlier books. It had Temeraire and friends go to South America. That was particularly fascinating actually. There was a lot of action and a lot of death. The world building was fascinating. I have given up almost all hope of any romance in this series, but at least there were far less annoying characters. Need more dragons. Can’t ever have enough dragons in this series.

Onwards to the most recent installment of the series which mans I can reluctantly move on from this series. I’m actually not looking forward to the break. I have had a nice month with Temeraire and Laurence.

Read December 31, 2015 – January 1, 2016 on Kindle.

Happy New Year!

This was my least favourite of the novels so far.

While this novel was still fine to read and not as boring as some other books I’ve read this year, it was not as interesting as the others in the series. Most of the book was spent in the wilds of Australia. Frankly, it was boring reading about the excursion. I do not enjoy reading about going thirsty in deserts. Usually, the action in these novels picks up at the half way mark, but I felt the actual plot did not begin into at least three quarters of the way through. Even then, it felt more like political filler than actual plot and character development.

Speaking of characters, there were are lot of annoying ones. These books do have some amusing and interesting cast of characters. I have liked a lot of the supporting characters when Laurence has irked me. Since the last novel, I’ve grown more use to Laurence, so he and my other favourites (Temeraire, Granby, Roland) helped me through the long passages. However, there were many annoying characters including the new dragons and various random British characters. I know this is not a romance series and in war, there are lots of jerks, but goodness, even the dragons were annoying in this novel. That’s not a good sign.

Of course, all this makes me want to read the next book more in the hopes things actually pick up.

This was my 42nd read of 2015 which means that I achieved my modest reading goal this year in some part thanks to this series. Wonderful!

Read December 29-31, 2015 mostly on Kindle and a bit on hardcover.

My friend told me that this book dragged a bit for her. This book departed from the usual pattern of the first four books.

There was less widespread international travel, and after the half way mark, the book continued to become more grim. Before, the novels would work closer to their climax. While that happened here, the buildup was a decidedly grim one.

This novel was quite bleak and dark times. This novel’s war reached a critical point in the book’s alternate universe. I liked that Novik did not hold back to the horror of the situation even though I found it depressing at times too.

It was not all bad. This is the novel with the most perspective from Temeraire and I hope that continues. I think Laurence’s character developed as well; he is definitely more hard. I did feel for him. I continue to like the supporting characters as well. I still wish for both Will and Temeraire to get more regular, romantic pairings. Ah, well. It’s probably not meant to be in this series.

Onwards to the next novel. It’s been a ripping good time to read this during the holidays.

Read December 26-27, 2015 on Kindle.

An interesting and engaging graphic novel about an artist and art. It started with a depressing and self-pitifying protagonist. There lots of lows, but as it reached the end, there were some wonderfully rendered and expressive moments in this novel.

I particularly enjoyed David’s relationship with Harry. I liked those moments the most. While I liked Meg, I found that the author – as did David – treat her more as a muse rather than a fully, fleshed out character. She had too many shades of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. I wanted to know more about her truly.

Overall, a good graphic novel and I enjoyed the themes of art and life.

Read December 26, 2015.

I am halfway through this series now. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a series this long. Even with taking breaks with other books and taking my time, this has been a long experience.

My usual issues with the series and Novik’s writings continues: Laurence is still stuffy, plot picks up much faster after half way point, and not enough female characters. However, this novel made up for it by being much more suspenseful and interesting because of the African plot. The book was much darker as a result since it dealt with the slave trade and the ending is a true cliff hanger. On a lighter note, there was a small romance plot, but it only made wish this story had a stronger romance. Of course, none could eclipse the central relationship between Temeraire and Laurence.

I would have immediately started Book 5 if my Kindle’s battery didn’t need recharging at home.

Read December 25, 2015 on Kindle.

Book #3 in this series, and I’m still not in love with Will Laurence.

The pacing in this novel is better than the last one’s long sea journey. I found the overland trip interesting and the novel covered Central Asia, Turkey, Austria, and Prussia. However, reading the Napoleonic Wars for three books is making me tired. It feels longer than War & Peace at this point.

I do enjoy this series, but I am finding myself dissatisfied with Laurence’s continued stuffiness. He is a good Captain, but sometimes, his incessant conservatism is annoying. With the last book and this one, they have introduced an enemy. It’s a female albino dragon whom I find myself more sympathetic with than anything. I find the characterization of the enemy lacking because I don’t really see their motivations and hatred for the protagonists. I wish there more and better written female characters in this novel.

The novels are still addictive adventures. Onwards to the next book.

Read December 19-20, 2015.

This series is distracting because I want to read it all in one go. I even stayed up past my bed time and lost sleep reading the ending.

As hinted by the end of the last book and this title, Termeraire and Laurence go to China in this novel. The first half of this book dragged for me as they spent all of on the long sea voyage. When they finally got to China, it was a lot more interesting to me. The world building and alternate history of China was well done and I though Novik even wore the Chinese politics almost as well as the many historic fiction Chinese dramas I’ve written. Fights for the throne were common and more so with dragons no doubt.

I really liked Termeraire interacting with the Chinese dragons and how he very much is a “young man” in this book when he was more of an impulsive yet keen child in the last book.

While I find Laurence a good character overall, I did have a few moments where I felt like rolling my eyes at him. He really can be very stuffy. He’s given to less formality than he was before, but there was not enough direct and straight forward characters in this book to complement him. It was also more of a male dominated novel than the first time; I yearned to read more about the female dragons and female companions.

Still good stuff and I went to bed thinking about having a dragon like Termeraire as my companion. I will however read other books because I’ll blitz through this series if I’m not careful.

Read December 6-7, 2015 on Kindle.