Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Del Rey (New York, 2007). 1st edition, 1st printing. 416 pages. $7.99.
Description
Tragedy has struck His Majesty's Aerial Corps, as an epidemic of unknown origin and no known cure is decimating the dragons' ranks. Only Temeraire and a pack of newly recruited dragons remain uninfected and must stand as the only means of airborne defense against France's ever bolder sorties. As Bonaparte's dragons harrow Britain's ships, Temeraire and his captain, Will Laurence, take wing to Africa in search of a cure for the deadly contagion.
User reviews
LibraryThing member cyderry
Temeraire and Laurence return from their travels to China and their battles along the way to find that the dragon fleet has all come down with a mysterious illness that is killing and incapacitating dragons small and large, quickly and slowly. Nothing that the dragon doctors try has prevented this
After their arrival in Capetown and Temeraire's remembrances of a special mushroom, the crew find a sample and sent to work testing to see if it works against the consumptive disease. As the test dragons begin to recover, Laurence and the crew head into the interior searching for more mushrooms.
This story is crammed with perilous adventures, characters that we have taken to our hearts, as well as a delicate handling of the issues of slavery, colonialism and biological warfare. It was fun to see the adventures evolve without the constant inclusion of military movements as in the previous installments. The beauty of the story and the relationship between Temeraire and Laurence draw the reader further and further into the tale and now toward the next installment. I can't wait!
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major catastrophe. Laurence notices that the symptoms resemble the illness that Temeraire suffered on his way to China. The aviators suspect that some of the food that Temeraire received in Africa aided his recovery, so Laurence and Temeraire head to Africa to search for the cure.After their arrival in Capetown and Temeraire's remembrances of a special mushroom, the crew find a sample and sent to work testing to see if it works against the consumptive disease. As the test dragons begin to recover, Laurence and the crew head into the interior searching for more mushrooms.
This story is crammed with perilous adventures, characters that we have taken to our hearts, as well as a delicate handling of the issues of slavery, colonialism and biological warfare. It was fun to see the adventures evolve without the constant inclusion of military movements as in the previous installments. The beauty of the story and the relationship between Temeraire and Laurence draw the reader further and further into the tale and now toward the next installment. I can't wait!
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LibraryThing member bigorangemichael
The fourth installment in the Temeraire series starts off slowly but ends with a bang and on a cliffhanger than almost made me glad I waited so long to read this one. (The fifth installment hits bookstores next week).
Lawrence and Temeraire reutrn from China to find Britian's dragon population
Temeraire, back from China and having seen the attitude show toward dragons there, comes back wanting to generate more respect for his dragon brothers and sisters. Lawrence's family induces him to use his new-found celebrity becuase of his work with Temeraire to become the front man for an anti-slavery movement with the British empire. Lawrence is not happy about this and only reluctantly agrees, seeing that the way the slaves are treated is much as how dragons are treated in his own country.
Temeraire is immune to the disease, leading to the hope that the African contintent contains a cure. Lawrence lead an expedition to find a cure and save the British fleet before Napolean invades.
And that's just the first half of the story. The first half of the novel seems a bit slow until you get to the second half and Novik begins reap what she's sown in the first half of the story. The last half of this book flew by in one sitting as Lawrence and Temeraire are forced to make a series of choices based on their conscience, leading to a lot of jaw-dropping moments and a genuine series-changing decision in the final hundred or so page. The book also ends on a cliffhanger, which Novik says was just where the story told her to stop and wasn't an attempt to sell more of her next story. I believe her because the central conflict of this story is over and to rush the consequences of decisions made here would be to short-change readers and fans.
It does, however, make for one of the best cliffhangers to a book I've read in a long time.
After two novels that while good, weren't quite as great as His Majesty's Dragon, Empire of Ivory is a return to form for this series.
Lawrence and Temeraire reutrn from China to find Britian's dragon population
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suffering a terrible plague that is weakening and threatening to kill them. The problem is complicated by Napolean's attempts and threats to cross the channel and invade the heart of the British Empire. Temeraire, back from China and having seen the attitude show toward dragons there, comes back wanting to generate more respect for his dragon brothers and sisters. Lawrence's family induces him to use his new-found celebrity becuase of his work with Temeraire to become the front man for an anti-slavery movement with the British empire. Lawrence is not happy about this and only reluctantly agrees, seeing that the way the slaves are treated is much as how dragons are treated in his own country.
Temeraire is immune to the disease, leading to the hope that the African contintent contains a cure. Lawrence lead an expedition to find a cure and save the British fleet before Napolean invades.
And that's just the first half of the story. The first half of the novel seems a bit slow until you get to the second half and Novik begins reap what she's sown in the first half of the story. The last half of this book flew by in one sitting as Lawrence and Temeraire are forced to make a series of choices based on their conscience, leading to a lot of jaw-dropping moments and a genuine series-changing decision in the final hundred or so page. The book also ends on a cliffhanger, which Novik says was just where the story told her to stop and wasn't an attempt to sell more of her next story. I believe her because the central conflict of this story is over and to rush the consequences of decisions made here would be to short-change readers and fans.
It does, however, make for one of the best cliffhangers to a book I've read in a long time.
After two novels that while good, weren't quite as great as His Majesty's Dragon, Empire of Ivory is a return to form for this series.
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LibraryThing member atimco
The stakes are always high in Naomi Novik's Temeraire books, but they rarely seem more critical than in the fourth installment, Empire of Ivory. While in Austria, Temeraire and Laurence had been puzzled and disappointed by the failure of the twenty promised dragons from the British Aerial Corps.
Somehow Temeraire seems immune to the disease; most likely because of something he ate while abroad. So he and several of the sickest dragons sail with their crews to Africa, where they hope to find the cure. But it proves elusive, and the interior of Africa is a dangerous place for a small British crew. But the "savages" there are hardly as savage as the British government, as Laurence and Temeraire discover on their return, and they must make a decision that will change not only their own lives but the course of nations.
This story ends on a serious cliffhanger, a real turning-point in the unfolding of the tale, but oddly enough, I've been disinclined to pick up the next book. Perhaps it is the extent of the immersion I'm putting off—these books really do interfere with one's priorities—or perhaps I am spinning them out to make them last longer. In any case, I will be starting Victory of Eagles soon, and I hope Novik doesn't end that one on a cliffhanger too!
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Arriving home in England, they learn the reason: a terrible sickness has spread among the dragons, and it has already killed many. There is no known cure, and the aviators must watch helplessly as their beloved dragons slowly succumb. And the international consequences will be dire, once the rest of the world learns that Britain is practically defenseless aerially. Somehow Temeraire seems immune to the disease; most likely because of something he ate while abroad. So he and several of the sickest dragons sail with their crews to Africa, where they hope to find the cure. But it proves elusive, and the interior of Africa is a dangerous place for a small British crew. But the "savages" there are hardly as savage as the British government, as Laurence and Temeraire discover on their return, and they must make a decision that will change not only their own lives but the course of nations.
This story ends on a serious cliffhanger, a real turning-point in the unfolding of the tale, but oddly enough, I've been disinclined to pick up the next book. Perhaps it is the extent of the immersion I'm putting off—these books really do interfere with one's priorities—or perhaps I am spinning them out to make them last longer. In any case, I will be starting Victory of Eagles soon, and I hope Novik doesn't end that one on a cliffhanger too!
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LibraryThing member beserene
Novik's series picks back up in this fourth volume as Temeraire and Captain Laurence travel to Africa, seeking a cure for a deadly dragon plague. The new locale provides another intriguing version of dragon-integrated society, with details of cohabitation and hierarchy that catch the reader's
Temeraire's perspective is consistently well-drawn in its alien naivete; it serves as an effective foil to the historical detail of the novel, as Temeraire questions the actions and attitudes of imperial Britain and its citizens. In this book, Laurence more often finds himself in agreement with the dragon's sense of honor and moral right, so we see an interesting shift in their relationship as well, which culminates in the dramatic events toward the end of the novel (which I shan't give away, but which have serious repercussions for the remainder of the series).
Fantasy, especially in the alternate history mode, often has the luxury of historical wish fulfillment. The culmination of the African adventure here, while brutal, presents an interesting extrapolation of conflict raised to the next level by the availability of force, in this case dragons. I like that Novik does not fall back on wholecloth stereotypes in presenting African tribal life in contrast to European colonial structures, showcasing some of the complexity of the situation even while the novel obviously condemns the imperial mindset. For the reader, immersed in the perspective of actual history, the novel takes on a tone of righteousness during the resolution that alleviates the sense of brutality and emphasizes the justice of the imagined situation. Obviously I'm leaving out the details here, so as not to spoil anything, so this explanation might not make much sense, but I think it is a really interesting way for a fantasy writer to usefully condemn a particularly shameful part of European history even though most of her characters are immersed in the European imperial perspective.
If the previous paragraph bored you, fear not -- the novel won't. There is plenty of action and adventure to be had. Temeraire sees, and fights, new and wonderfully described species of dragons; traverses jungles to save Laurence; and discovers that elephants make mighty good eating. The emotional range of the novel takes us from heartbreak to joy to horror to shock and round about again. It also restores the more focused narrative that the previous novel had lost, so it feels swift in pace and solid in plot. You can't go wrong with a "quest for the cure" model, really, and Novik puts the structure to good use.
Overall, a very satisfying contribution to the series, that will feel to many readers like the whole is back on track.
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interest. Africa in the 1800s also gives Novik an opportunity to amp up her social and political commentary, as Temeraire tries to negotiate the world of colonialism. Temeraire's perspective is consistently well-drawn in its alien naivete; it serves as an effective foil to the historical detail of the novel, as Temeraire questions the actions and attitudes of imperial Britain and its citizens. In this book, Laurence more often finds himself in agreement with the dragon's sense of honor and moral right, so we see an interesting shift in their relationship as well, which culminates in the dramatic events toward the end of the novel (which I shan't give away, but which have serious repercussions for the remainder of the series).
Fantasy, especially in the alternate history mode, often has the luxury of historical wish fulfillment. The culmination of the African adventure here, while brutal, presents an interesting extrapolation of conflict raised to the next level by the availability of force, in this case dragons. I like that Novik does not fall back on wholecloth stereotypes in presenting African tribal life in contrast to European colonial structures, showcasing some of the complexity of the situation even while the novel obviously condemns the imperial mindset. For the reader, immersed in the perspective of actual history, the novel takes on a tone of righteousness during the resolution that alleviates the sense of brutality and emphasizes the justice of the imagined situation. Obviously I'm leaving out the details here, so as not to spoil anything, so this explanation might not make much sense, but I think it is a really interesting way for a fantasy writer to usefully condemn a particularly shameful part of European history even though most of her characters are immersed in the European imperial perspective.
If the previous paragraph bored you, fear not -- the novel won't. There is plenty of action and adventure to be had. Temeraire sees, and fights, new and wonderfully described species of dragons; traverses jungles to save Laurence; and discovers that elephants make mighty good eating. The emotional range of the novel takes us from heartbreak to joy to horror to shock and round about again. It also restores the more focused narrative that the previous novel had lost, so it feels swift in pace and solid in plot. You can't go wrong with a "quest for the cure" model, really, and Novik puts the structure to good use.
Overall, a very satisfying contribution to the series, that will feel to many readers like the whole is back on track.
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LibraryThing member souloftherose
This is the fourth book in Naomi Novik's historical fantasy series set during the time of the Napoleonic wars and they really do need to be read in order.
One of the things I enjoy about this series is the way that Novik highlights the issue of equality throughout the books and in Empire of Ivory
One of the details of Novik's fantasy world is that one particular breed of dragons will only accept female handlers. This caused a bit of a problem in the 18th/19th centuries and so the dragon corps have long had to accept women being captains in the corps. This means Novik can bend history to create some strong female characters in fairly exciting roles and there are several amusing scenes where you watch other parts of the military trying to cope with a woman not 'knowing her place'.
I think my only (minor) complaint is that it's too easy for the reader to decide who is right with the issues of equality. It's obvious to the reader that women are just as capable of men, that human slavery is morally wrong and that the dragons should be treated more as equals of their human teams when the dragons as intelligent as a lot of humans. I think what I'm saying is that I would like there to be more of a grey area. These issues (male/female equality and the issue of human slavery) were not clear cut to people of the time however obvious the 'right' answers might be to us today. I would like there to be something in these stories to challenge me more on a personal level.
Having said that, this series has been great fun so far and after the cliffhanger ending of book 4 I am longing to see what happens to Laurence and Temaraire next. 4.25 stars
One of the things I enjoy about this series is the way that Novik highlights the issue of equality throughout the books and in Empire of Ivory
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this theme was even more prominent. Part of the plot involves time spent on the African continent and the issue of human slavery highlights the similar issues surrounding the military's use and treatment of sentient, intelligent dragons who enjoy discussing problems of higher mathematics as essentially glorified war horses. One of the details of Novik's fantasy world is that one particular breed of dragons will only accept female handlers. This caused a bit of a problem in the 18th/19th centuries and so the dragon corps have long had to accept women being captains in the corps. This means Novik can bend history to create some strong female characters in fairly exciting roles and there are several amusing scenes where you watch other parts of the military trying to cope with a woman not 'knowing her place'.
I think my only (minor) complaint is that it's too easy for the reader to decide who is right with the issues of equality. It's obvious to the reader that women are just as capable of men, that human slavery is morally wrong and that the dragons should be treated more as equals of their human teams when the dragons as intelligent as a lot of humans. I think what I'm saying is that I would like there to be more of a grey area. These issues (male/female equality and the issue of human slavery) were not clear cut to people of the time however obvious the 'right' answers might be to us today. I would like there to be something in these stories to challenge me more on a personal level.
Having said that, this series has been great fun so far and after the cliffhanger ending of book 4 I am longing to see what happens to Laurence and Temaraire next. 4.25 stars
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LibraryThing member TheLostEntwife
Naomi Novik steps up the story in EMPIRE OF IVORY - while in previous novels Temeraire and Captain Laurence travel to places such as China; where dragons are treated with respect to Istanbul; where dragons are feared.
Now we view them in South Africa - as ancestors to an ancient tribe. But why are
Instead of the typical strategy and war that I've come to expect of the Temeraire novels this book deals with an epidemic among the dragons. They are sick and dying and there is one cure that can be given to them, a cure which has its roots in Africa.
Laurence is treated with more harshness than he has been in the past in EMPIRE OF IVORY and the politics of slave-trading come to a fevered high point in this story.
It's fascinating to me to see how the characters grow in these books and with the ending of the story it seems that Naomi Novik has finally made that step into cliff-hanger territory. I cannot imagine reading this book and having to wait months until the next one was put out.
This was the most fun I've had since EMPIRE OF JADE and I am looking forward to picking up VICTORY OF EAGLES.
Now we view them in South Africa - as ancestors to an ancient tribe. But why are
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Laurence and Temeraire in Africa? That is exactly what makes this book so incredibly fascinating. Instead of the typical strategy and war that I've come to expect of the Temeraire novels this book deals with an epidemic among the dragons. They are sick and dying and there is one cure that can be given to them, a cure which has its roots in Africa.
Laurence is treated with more harshness than he has been in the past in EMPIRE OF IVORY and the politics of slave-trading come to a fevered high point in this story.
It's fascinating to me to see how the characters grow in these books and with the ending of the story it seems that Naomi Novik has finally made that step into cliff-hanger territory. I cannot imagine reading this book and having to wait months until the next one was put out.
This was the most fun I've had since EMPIRE OF JADE and I am looking forward to picking up VICTORY OF EAGLES.
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LibraryThing member mummimamma
This books starts in the middle. The problem is that it is the middle of last book, not this one. I have nothing against series per se, but I prefer the book in a series to be read without having to reread the last one. The first twenty or so pages didn't belong in this book, and dragged the book
Verdict: All right - except the misaligned 20 pages, which is a major annoyance.
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as a whole down. When it gets started it is all right. But at it end it stop ah, let me guess - about 20 pages from the end, and that is as annoying as the beginning.Verdict: All right - except the misaligned 20 pages, which is a major annoyance.
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LibraryThing member starstorm
I'll start out by saying that these are really fun books, especially if you're a fan of historical fantasy. Novik conveys the period and culture perfectly through her characters and dialog, and I find the dragons--especially Temeraire--absolutely charming, even if it seemed odd at first that they
That said, the reason this and the previous volume (Black Powder War) didn't get a higher rating from me was because of a bit of a pacing issue in the middle of each where the story just didn't seem to be moving along. I kept going (though very tempted to skim), and things did eventually pick up again.
All in all, this series is a worthwhile read if you're looking for something fairly light but with nice character development.
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spoke aloud. That said, the reason this and the previous volume (Black Powder War) didn't get a higher rating from me was because of a bit of a pacing issue in the middle of each where the story just didn't seem to be moving along. I kept going (though very tempted to skim), and things did eventually pick up again.
All in all, this series is a worthwhile read if you're looking for something fairly light but with nice character development.
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LibraryThing member seekingflight
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, but am not enjoying the later volumes as much. This book sees aviator Laurence and dragon Temeraire journeying to Africa. It is interesting to see how Novik imagines Africa in the early 1800s, in this alternate world where dragons exist. But for
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most of the book I just didn’t have the same connection to the characters, nor the same level of concern with their dilemmas. Developments in the final section of the book, however, did remind me of the reasons why I was drawn to this series in the first place, and I am keen to see where Novik goes from here ... Show Less
LibraryThing member dlrichar
While not as good as Throne of Jade, the second and best of the Temeraire series, Empire of Ivory is still a page-turner with depth. Temeraire and Laurence journey through Africa and confront a civilization in which Africans view dragons as their ancestors. In their efforts to find a cure for the
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fatal illness that is plaguing England's dragons, Temeraire and Laurence and their crew find themselves in mortal danger from this African civilization. As the book ends, Novik causes her heroes to make a moral decision that will leave them in a no-win situation and motivate the reader to turn to the next and newest of the series, Victory of Eagles. Show Less
LibraryThing member juniperSun
Since I hadn't read the first 3 books of the series, I was a bit at a loss in the first few chapters as to why I should care if the Prussians were being killed by French. However, the relationship between Laurence and Temraire was delightful, as was the playing out of this alternate history.
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Laurence was quite the honourable gentleman, and the ending respects his choices. Show Less
LibraryThing member silentq
Temerarie and Cpt. Laurence travel to the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa to try to find a cure for an infectious disease that the dragons have caught. Novik really brings Africa to life, I was wincing in sympathy when the characters would get stuck with the 3 inch acacia thorns. There's a
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more overt linking of dragon and human slavery in this novel, and I love how incidents from previous books are called back into play. The integrated dragon city at Victoria Falls was fascinating, especially as compared to the one they visited in China. Show Less
LibraryThing member lauranav
Another great installment. The author doesn't spend time explaining what's come before, so best to read them in order. This book takes on Africa. The dark continent has swallowed plenty of explorers and settlers, but Laurence and Temeraire are searching for a cure, before all the dragons in England
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die. Many adventures, more on the dark practice of slavery, and the morality of winning a war at great cost. Excellent read! Show Less
LibraryThing member jen.e.moore
I suppose that is the only way Laurence would commit any kind of treason at all. Oh, my dear.
LibraryThing member flourishing
I should have learned to expect more form Naomi Novik than a standard tale of "darkest Africa," but I still came into this fearing the worst. Never mind. It isn't so much that this is some kind of remarkable work of anti-racist fiction - it isn't - as that it's a rollicking good adventure story
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that deals with Africa in an non-stereotypical way.Besides... I still kind of want a dragon. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jvstin
Empire of Ivory is the fourth novel in Novik's series, after His Majesty's Dragon, Throne of Jade and Black Powder War. Like all of the books in this series, the action follows fairly closely on the heels of the previous novel. And like all of the previous novels save the first, reading the novels
In a nutshell, this is an alternate world/alternate history set in a 19th century where men are learning to breed and tame dragons for use in the military. Napoleon is still threatening to conquer Europe and his machinations have, ironically, brought the egg of, and later the hatched egg of a powerful Chinese dragon, Temeraire, to the hands of the English, and the bonding of Temeraire to Captain Will Laurence. Formerly a naval officer, the novels, at their best, have explored his "culture shock" in the dragon corps.
In this fourth novel, after reverses on the continent against Napoleon's army, the English are licking their wounds and dreading a cross-Channel invasion when a new wrinkle and complication occurs--a strange, debilitating illness which is devastating the entire dragon corps of England. The loss of the dragons would leave England at the mercy of Napoleon's forces.
The only clue is that Temeraire had a brief illness of his own on his journey to China (in Throne of Jade), and recovered while in South Africa. And so, in the search for a cure to save England's dragons leads Temeraire and Laurence into the dark of Africa...
I think I mentioned in previous reviews that I felt that Throne of Jade and Black Powder War did not recapture the magic and deft touch that His Majesty's Dragon did. Novik seemed to take the wrong lessons from the success of that first novel, and so the second and third novels, while not bad novels, just didn't hit on all the cylinders the first one did.
This fourth novel, while still not quite capturing the magic of His Majesty's Dragon, seems to be more more in the vein of the first novel, and less of the problems of the second and third novels. The characters develop, we do get some travelogue, we get development of the history and politics of the world, and things occur. Pacing is good, and at 400 pages, the novel is of a goodly and not-padded length to tell the story it wants to tell.
And it ends with an obvious cliffhanger. The actions Laurence and Temeraire take at the end of the novel are shocking and surprising on face value, but they grow naturally from the events starting in the first novel. Novik does not break the character. Indeed, if the characters did not take their actions, that would have been a betrayal of their characters.
I enjoyed it, and look forward to the MMPB version of the fifth novel, Victory of Eagles.
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that come before it is essential to understanding what is going on.In a nutshell, this is an alternate world/alternate history set in a 19th century where men are learning to breed and tame dragons for use in the military. Napoleon is still threatening to conquer Europe and his machinations have, ironically, brought the egg of, and later the hatched egg of a powerful Chinese dragon, Temeraire, to the hands of the English, and the bonding of Temeraire to Captain Will Laurence. Formerly a naval officer, the novels, at their best, have explored his "culture shock" in the dragon corps.
In this fourth novel, after reverses on the continent against Napoleon's army, the English are licking their wounds and dreading a cross-Channel invasion when a new wrinkle and complication occurs--a strange, debilitating illness which is devastating the entire dragon corps of England. The loss of the dragons would leave England at the mercy of Napoleon's forces.
The only clue is that Temeraire had a brief illness of his own on his journey to China (in Throne of Jade), and recovered while in South Africa. And so, in the search for a cure to save England's dragons leads Temeraire and Laurence into the dark of Africa...
I think I mentioned in previous reviews that I felt that Throne of Jade and Black Powder War did not recapture the magic and deft touch that His Majesty's Dragon did. Novik seemed to take the wrong lessons from the success of that first novel, and so the second and third novels, while not bad novels, just didn't hit on all the cylinders the first one did.
This fourth novel, while still not quite capturing the magic of His Majesty's Dragon, seems to be more more in the vein of the first novel, and less of the problems of the second and third novels. The characters develop, we do get some travelogue, we get development of the history and politics of the world, and things occur. Pacing is good, and at 400 pages, the novel is of a goodly and not-padded length to tell the story it wants to tell.
And it ends with an obvious cliffhanger. The actions Laurence and Temeraire take at the end of the novel are shocking and surprising on face value, but they grow naturally from the events starting in the first novel. Novik does not break the character. Indeed, if the characters did not take their actions, that would have been a betrayal of their characters.
I enjoyed it, and look forward to the MMPB version of the fifth novel, Victory of Eagles.
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LibraryThing member Shrike58
The moments of glory for Will Laurence and his friends and associates have been coming at longer and longer intervals and this book continues the trend with a vengeance. By the end of this installment in her epic, Ms. Novik will have detonated some very big bombs that will apparently leave Captain
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Laurence impaled on the conflicting demands of duty, of integrity, and of humanity; how she resolves the tragedy of it all will be very interesting to see. It's also the case that this story is becoming more than a rerun of the Napoleonic wars with dragons, as her history really starts to go off the rails. Show Less
LibraryThing member jerm
The fourth book in the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. When last we left Laurence and Temeraire they were in Europe, now they’re headed home to England. But as soon as they arrive, they discover that almost all of the English dragons have come down with a horribly fatal disease. All of them
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except Temeraire. Now they must travel to Africa to search for a cure for the disease, before Napoleon takes advantage of their condition. Not only this but Temeraire’s desire for dragon equality and fair treatment rears its head again, and may end up costing them more than they could imagine. Show Less
LibraryThing member melannen
I could say a lot about this book - especially about the way she dares to write a Victorian-style "adventure in darkest Africa" with open eyes - but I'm just going to stick with the image that stole my heart:
Seven dragons, curled up miserably together on the deck of a sailing ship running down the
Seven dragons, curled up miserably together on the deck of a sailing ship running down the
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slave coast, and *independently deriving non-Euclidean geometry*. For the fun of it. Show Less
LibraryThing member saltypepper
Novik has been dealing with race, culture and gender in all of these books with more or less success. I gritted my teeth through various parts of the second book and its literal "dragon lady" stereotype, but when I came to the noble, dignified black missionary and his wife, and the deepest, darkest
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Africa complete with evil tribesmen I had to stop reading. Novik may be trying to deal with the stereotypes as they existed at the time, but I just couldn't stomach it any more. Show Less
LibraryThing member Caspettee
Empire Ivory is the fourth book in the series and if you have not read the first three then I highly recommend you do before reading this book. The series continues on from one book to the other and is an alternate history of the Napoleonic war with Britain.
In this book we see the return of
A fantastic read with good pacing of the action and story line. I enjoy Iskerinda and was a little disappointed that she did not get more "book time" in this one. However we got to be reunited with some old friends. I was fascinated to see the affects of slave trading and dragons being separated from their pilots being explored in this book.
My only criticism is that the middle of the book did seem to slow a bit and almost had an end type feel to it. However bare with the author she knows what she is doing and the story takes an amazing twist from there on in.
I can not wait for the next book.
In this book we see the return of
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Temeraire and Laurance to England where they discover a deadly dragon flu has gripped the Arial corps. The only dragons left to defend England is Temeraire, the unpredictable ferals lead by Arkandy and the volatile Iskerinda. Temeraire is sent on a mission to Africa to find the cure which is more dangerous then previously imagined.A fantastic read with good pacing of the action and story line. I enjoy Iskerinda and was a little disappointed that she did not get more "book time" in this one. However we got to be reunited with some old friends. I was fascinated to see the affects of slave trading and dragons being separated from their pilots being explored in this book.
My only criticism is that the middle of the book did seem to slow a bit and almost had an end type feel to it. However bare with the author she knows what she is doing and the story takes an amazing twist from there on in.
I can not wait for the next book.
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LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
OK, this is more like it. These events are directly related to the dragons, and didn't happen in our world (at least, I never heard of anything like the disasters in Africa!). Temeraire's actions and reactions, and those of the other dragons, ring true to me in this story (as they didn't quite in
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Jade), and there's not such a feeling of inside jokes as there was in Black Powder War. Exciting events, cultural dissonances, physical and non-physical culture clashes, a reasonable danger and a reasonable (if desperate) effort to solve it. This one's as good as the first. Show Less
LibraryThing member WintersRose
While not as good as Throne of Jade, the second and best of the Temeraire series, Empire of Ivory is still a page-turner with depth. Temeraire and Laurence journey through Africa and confront a civilization in which Africans view dragons as their ancestors. In their efforts to find a cure for the
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fatal illness that is plaguing England's dragons, Temeraire and Laurence and their crew find themselves in mortal danger from this African civilization. As the book ends, Novik causes her heroes to make a moral decision that will leave them in a no-win situation and motivate the reader to turn to the next and newest of the series, Victory of Eagles. Show Less
LibraryThing member macha
slow start, but once it got going there were things i just had to love. not as good overall as Jo Walton's Tooth and Claw, but stuff like the trip into the heart of Africa, the detail on the dragons themselves, the changing mores in the field (on slavery, on women) made for a sprightly and
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interesting read. and the non-Euclidean dragon mathematics created on the fly because Euclid's premise so amused them? priceless.... in short, guess i'll have to read them all. Show Less
LibraryThing member xicanti
In the fourth book in the Temeraire series, Laurence and Temeraire must travel to Africa in search of a cure for an epidemic wreaking havoc amongst England's dragons.
While this book was still enjoyable, I found it somewhat uneven. I continue to appreciate Novik's take on the early 19th century, the
But still, when it was on it was on. I especially appreciated the deeper issues Novik's tackled here. She dips into the notion of freedom once again, this time with some small emphasis on the slave trade. Draconic rights come to the forefront. Laurence continues to examine how his perspectives have changed during his time with the Corps; quite topical, given the societal upheavals that characterized this time period. Everything was interesting and thought-provoking, if perhaps a little thin in a few places.
And the last fifty pages... as others have mentioned before me, this is the point when things really get good. Laurence and Temeraire must make an extremely difficult choice, and they act in the only way these two characters possibly could. It's great stuff, and I can't wait to see where it leads in Victory of Eagles.
While this book was still enjoyable, I found it somewhat uneven. I continue to appreciate Novik's take on the early 19th century, the
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deeper themes amidst the entertaining atmosphere, and, of course, the dragons... but there were times when my attention lagged. I think the pacing was a little off; some things happened a tad too quickly, while others were drawn out just a bit too much, and there were times when the tension waned.But still, when it was on it was on. I especially appreciated the deeper issues Novik's tackled here. She dips into the notion of freedom once again, this time with some small emphasis on the slave trade. Draconic rights come to the forefront. Laurence continues to examine how his perspectives have changed during his time with the Corps; quite topical, given the societal upheavals that characterized this time period. Everything was interesting and thought-provoking, if perhaps a little thin in a few places.
And the last fifty pages... as others have mentioned before me, this is the point when things really get good. Laurence and Temeraire must make an extremely difficult choice, and they act in the only way these two characters possibly could. It's great stuff, and I can't wait to see where it leads in Victory of Eagles.
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Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2007-09-25
Physical description
416 p.; 4.2 inches
ISBN
9780345496874