I've wanted to review this book for a while now, but I was waiting for a chance to re-read it so it would be fresh in my mind for the review. Even the second time around this book is an engaging read.
World-Building: Awesome
Characterization: 3D and very sympathetic
Plot: Page-turner
The tale starts out with a British sea-captain, Laurence, who is engaged in battle with a French frigate. He notices that the French are either sick or starving and finds it strange that the French captain even attempted a struggle at all. The reason for this is soon revealed: a dragon egg. Although he doesn't know too much about Britain's Aerial Corps Laurence does know that they need this egg badly and resolves to do everything within his power to make sure it gets to England safely.
Unfortunately, they're a few weeks away from port and the egg is about to hatch. They can't risk it going feral so someone on Laurence's ship must give up his position in the navy and make a bond with a newly hatched dragon so that it will allow him to place a harness on it. The Sailors don't much like the prospect, as the Aerial Corps is not viewed with much respect in their society, despite the important role that it plays. They draw lots to decide who will shoulder this heavy duty, but it turns out that the newly hatched dragon has ideas of his own...
What makes this tale special is the setting that Novik used. She doesn't just give us dragons, she gives us dragons in the Napoleonic era and they aren't something new or unique, not a one-off-wonder, they're an established part of the world. What develops from this is a gripping adventure that reminds me of the adventures of Horatio Hornblower. I particularly love the way the dragons are used in battle, which is, again, reminiscent of ships in that era. It's focused on the relationship between Laurence and the Dragon Temeraire and Laurence adjusting to the new society of the Aerial Corps, which is much easier and less formal than the society of Sailors. And as the story progresses the reader learns more and more about Dragons, especially Temeraire, and the way they fit into this society.
It's a very well-written tale and a very entertaining one. The last time I read it a couple of years ago I couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel and I devoured I think three or four, possibly five of the books. It's a long series, with an eighth book coming out in a few months and a planned ninth book to conclude the series with the end of the Napoleonic Wars, but this first book stands well on it's own as a complete story. I did find, when I got to the third or fourth book a couple of years ago that they got a little less exciting as I went along and felt slightly drawn out and repetitive, but you're sure to enjoy the first book at least!
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