Empire of Ivory [Mass Market Paperback]

I must admit, I haven't been this thrilled over a fantasy series since, oh, it must be the early 1990's. But ever since the first book in Naomi Novik's series about an alternate Earth where the Napoleonic Wars have taken to the skies, I've been hooked. Enough to where I dived right into the latest release as soon as it landed on my doorstep (after, of course, finishing what I had in hand first).

I simply had to know what happened next!

Picking right up where Black Powder War left off, this novel opens with a literal bang, as Temeraire with the pack of feral dragons are fighting off a French raiding party off the coast of Scotland. After a year abroad dealing with wandering in deserts, thrust into the middle of a battle with Napoleon, and discovering a foe that is more than a match for Temeraire, all that the dragon and his gallant companion, Captain Will Laurence are looking for is a well-earned rest.

But dire news is awaiting them on the ground. A mysterious illness has swept through the coverts of England and Scotland, striking down dragons and their crews alike. Only a few have managed to survive, and worst still, if the French were to discover that England is virtually undefended, all could be lost. Temeraire is fortunate enough to be unaffected by the disease, but even a Celestial dragon can't protect all of Britain...

Now with several old friends, Temeraire and Laurence are off to Africa to find an elusive cure in a desperate bid against time. Arriving in Capetown, in southern Africa, isn't without a few twists either -- Laurence discovers that his friendship with the new Captain of the Allegiance is shattered beyond repair when an African freedman and his family join them, with an intent to be missionaries. Other complications are in store as well, as Laurence finds himself questioning the role of colonialism and slavery, scattered among the hunt for the elusive cure.

But once they find that vital ingredient, trouble decends quickly as Laurence, Catherine Harcourt, Emily Roland and the others find out that Africa isn't nearly as primitive as they think. A fabulous kingdom lays in its heart, protected by dragons who have forged a unique bond with their people, and other surprises await.

New characters are introduced as well, and one that I enjoyed in particular is Mrs. Erasmus, the missionary's wife, who is to play quite a role in the upcoming story. Intriguing too are the two young boys that Laurence and Temeraire encounter as well with their very talented dog. It's a feature that I like about Novik's story so far, that she can take our preconcieved notions and twist them entirely into something new, without making it all too unbelievable.

She also isn't shy about showing bigotry and racism in all of their ugly twists. While happily, she doesn't dwell overly long on this, they do play an important part in the story, and when the novel builds to the climax where Laurence is questioning the morality of his superiors, the reader is going to find themselves wondering how all of this is going to be resolved. What this does, naturally, is to make the characters of Laurence and Temeraire all the more interesting, and keeps them from the trap that engulfs too many novelists -- that of making their heroes a touch too perfect.

By gum, I love it when authors get gutsy and daring with their work. The only real downside to this story is that I'm going to have to wait until 2008 when the next novel is due to be released. And I suspect that I'm not going to be the only reader left wondering what will happen next. For those who like their adventure novels to be packed full of thrills and a breakneck pace, this is one that you can really sink your teeth into. Be warned that several scenes in this novel are rather brutal in the content, and Novik isn't shy about character death either. I also urge the reader to go back and read the series in order if they haven't yet -- there isn't any sort of synopsis or guide, and a great deal of the interplay and knowledge relies on what happens in the first three books.

Four and half stars, boldly rounded up to five.

Heartily recommended.

I have really enjoyed this series, and I liked this book a great deal. It ends with one heck of a cliffhanger. It has been taking a lot of hits in reviews because of that, and I have to admit my reaction when I got to the end was "How long am I going to have to wait to find out what happens?" But - don't let the cliffhanger keep you from snapping up this book.

One of the things I have liked best about the series is Temeraire's personality. He's altruistic and childish, brilliant and naive, in equal measures and very straightforward, never hesitating to speak his mind when he thinks some wrong needs to be righted. He thinks people should pay attention to his arguments because they are Right, not because he's a dragon the size of a battleship who could do them considerable harm if they cross him. A major sub-plot running through all the books is the maturing of his understanding of how the world works, and how to make changes in a world that's not perfect. It's both a loss of innocence and a coming of age thing and Novik does a nice job of handling it.

Will Laurence, on the other hand, is a mature Naval Officer when we meet him. He's not jaded, but he's seen the way the world really works, which is different than the way it should work, and just accepts that difference as a fact of life. He is a good person, but very much a man of his time, and there are some things he just does not question. Temeraire's idealism has been breaking down some of his assumptions about the way the world should be, and the power people have to changes things, from the very start of their friendship. That comes to a head at the end of the book, which is what leads to the cliffhanger.

Because of the major psychological jump Laurence makes at the end of the book, the cliffhanger is the perfectly correct emotional break point for the plot.

Am I steamed I have to wait to find out what happens- Yes.
Do I think the cliffhanger ruins the book - Not at all.

This was an excellent light read, and much more of the world was explored.

The issue is that Naomi Novik bit off a pretty hard cliffhanger. While her attempted style is to have some of the traditional taste for cliffhangers a la Dickens et al, I believe she unintentionally escalated the tension. People are best advised to wait for the next book first before purchasing this book.

The ending wasn't a bad place to stop, on face. The novel, though, had really changed character. Novik changes this from a parallel history with dragons to a much more alternative history axis. A major battle was dragged 15 years into the past, changed ethnic groups, and changed the pyhhric nature of the battle into a kind of massive Pearl Harbor. Also, the British does something that is different from the normal pace of the Napoleonic Wars, and well, there is now some thought as to how this will end.

It's not as if it hasn't always been a truly alternative history. Spain is a weak power, apparently having only control of Mexico. We don't really hear anything about the southern colonials, even though we hear about Halifax and the Dakotas. The Qing Empire doesn't exist, and more of a extended Ming empire is still around. The Incas are still around. So around the edges, this isn't a kind of magical version of history, like Harry Turtledove's rendition of WWII.

So in effect Novik has gotten her novel going to breakneck speed (and a very good ride it is!), only to crash at the end...

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 76 reviews  4.2 out of 5 stars