Tongues of Serpents
A dazzling blend of military history, high-flying fantasy, and
edge-of-your-seat adventure, Naomi Novik’s Temeraire novels, set in an
alternate Napoleonic era in which intelligent dragons have been
harnessed as weapons of war, are more than just perennial
bestsellers — they are a worldwide phenomenon. Now, in Tongues of Serpents, Naomi Novik is back, along with the dragon Temeraire and his rider and friend, Capt. Will Laurence.
Convicted
of treason despite their heroic defense against Napoleon’s invasion of
England, Temeraire and Laurence — stripped of rank and standing — have been
transported to the prison colony at New South Wales in distant
Australia, where, it is hoped, they cannot further corrupt the British
Aerial Corps with their dangerous notions of liberty for dragons.
Temeraire and Laurence carry with them three dragon eggs intended to
help establish a covert in the colony and destined to be handed over to
such second-rate, undesirable officers as have been willing to accept
so remote an assignment — including one former acquaintance, Captain
Rankin, whose cruelty once cost a dragon its life.
Nor is this
the greatest difficulty that confronts the exiled dragon and rider:
Instead of leaving behind all the political entanglements and
corruptions of the war, Laurence and Temeraire have instead sailed into
a hornet’s nest of fresh complications. For the colony at New South
Wales has been thrown into turmoil after the overthrow of the military
governor, one William Bligh — better known as Captain Bligh, late of HMS
Bounty. Bligh wastes no time in attempting to enlist Temeraire and
Laurence to restore him to office, while the upstart masters of the
colony are equally determined that the new arrivals should not upset a
balance of power precariously tipped in their favor.
Eager
to escape this political quagmire, Laurence and Temeraire take on a
mission to find a way through the forbidding Blue Mountains and into
the interior of Australia. But when one of the dragon eggs is stolen
from Temeraire, the surveying expedition becomes a desperate race to
recover it in time — a race that leads to a shocking discovery and a
dangerous new obstacle in the global war between Britain and Napoleon.
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Naomi Novik
Naomi Novik is a name that resonates deeply within the world of fantasy, known for her ability to blend the fantastical with rich, immersive storytelling that challenges the boundaries of the genre. With an imagination as vast as the worlds she creates, Novik has become one of the most celebrated voices in contemporary speculative fiction, captivating readers with tales that balance intricate world-building with deeply human characters.
Born in New York City, Novik's early love for history and mythology found its natural outlet in her writing. Her passion for fantasy was sparked by childhood stories of dragons, magic, and adventure. It’s no surprise, then, that her debut novel, His Majesty's Dragon, introduced the world to one of the most distinctive dragon-centric tales in modern fantasy. Set in an alternate history where dragons serve as military assets during the Napoleonic Wars, the book became an instant favorite, hailed for its originality and its mix of history, adventure, and the enchanting presence of dragons. Novik's work is marked by her seamless blend of the historical and the fantastical, using both to illuminate complex themes of power, loyalty, and sacrifice.
Temeraire
A British naval captain and a fighting dragon named Temeraire form one of the most popular partnerships in recent fantasy history. Set during the Napoleonic era, as Napoleon's forces are capturing more and more territory on the European mainland, the series follows the heroic efforts of Britain's Aerial Corps to protect their island home.
Temeraire consists of nine primary books, and includes two additional books that complement the series but are not considered mandatory reads. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
