Tuesday, 6 August 2024 08:25 pm
Book Review: Empire of Ivory
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deckardcanineThus far in my progression through the Temeraire series, each novel has focused on a different geographic region. As you may have guessed, this fourth one spends a long time in Africa. I doubt the pattern continues for all nine volumes.
When Captain Laurence and Temeraire return to Britain for the first time since they left in Book 2, the situation is worse than they'd heard: A flu epidemic has infected most of the dragons. None are recovering yet, and some (thankfully none whose names meant anything to me) have died. Temeraire turns out to be uniquely immune, and he and Laurence recall that he'd had the symptoms temporarily while rounding the Cape of Good Hope. Now they and several sick dragons head to the area in hope of finding whatever cured him, before Napoleon discovers how weak Britain has become.
I haven't felt this sorry for dragons since, well, Book 3. Things are also, unsurprisingly, more disgusting than ever before. I'm reminded of how the Harry Potter series kept getting darker. Even the victories hardly feel worth celebrating.
The dangers go beyond illness and typical (for Naomi Novik) dragon-based warfare. Heroes have to venture further into "the Dark Continent" than any European who's escaped to tell about it yet. A few unfriendly real-world animals come into play, but of greater concern are the native humans, who have their own special connection to dragons -- and don't believe Laurence's claim to abolitionism. Indeed, one chief hopes to outdo Napoleon in conquering Europe.
As with the depiction of Chinese people earlier, I got a little worried about racial offense herein, but I think it's fair enough for what they likely would have been like in an alternate 19th century. I take interest in a Black reverend and his brave wife, who don't stick around as long as I would have liked. The more long-term cast additions are two poor boys who help in the hunt for the cure. I wonder how they'll fit in later.
A subplot concerns Laurence still coming to grips with how the corps handles relationships. He wants to marry Jane Roland, but she declines because of their difference in rank. He also wants to talk a dragon captain into marrying the ship captain who knocked her up (or however they'd say it in the stilted fashion of the setting), despite Laurence spending much of the story at odds with him.
EoI ends on arguably a new low note. For once, I'm glad I read the sneak preview of the next book, Victory of Eagles. It holds some promising developments. Whether I ever finish reading the series remains to be seen, but I do plan to continue, probably in another two years.
Up next is Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George. This looks happier.
When Captain Laurence and Temeraire return to Britain for the first time since they left in Book 2, the situation is worse than they'd heard: A flu epidemic has infected most of the dragons. None are recovering yet, and some (thankfully none whose names meant anything to me) have died. Temeraire turns out to be uniquely immune, and he and Laurence recall that he'd had the symptoms temporarily while rounding the Cape of Good Hope. Now they and several sick dragons head to the area in hope of finding whatever cured him, before Napoleon discovers how weak Britain has become.
I haven't felt this sorry for dragons since, well, Book 3. Things are also, unsurprisingly, more disgusting than ever before. I'm reminded of how the Harry Potter series kept getting darker. Even the victories hardly feel worth celebrating.
The dangers go beyond illness and typical (for Naomi Novik) dragon-based warfare. Heroes have to venture further into "the Dark Continent" than any European who's escaped to tell about it yet. A few unfriendly real-world animals come into play, but of greater concern are the native humans, who have their own special connection to dragons -- and don't believe Laurence's claim to abolitionism. Indeed, one chief hopes to outdo Napoleon in conquering Europe.
As with the depiction of Chinese people earlier, I got a little worried about racial offense herein, but I think it's fair enough for what they likely would have been like in an alternate 19th century. I take interest in a Black reverend and his brave wife, who don't stick around as long as I would have liked. The more long-term cast additions are two poor boys who help in the hunt for the cure. I wonder how they'll fit in later.
A subplot concerns Laurence still coming to grips with how the corps handles relationships. He wants to marry Jane Roland, but she declines because of their difference in rank. He also wants to talk a dragon captain into marrying the ship captain who knocked her up (or however they'd say it in the stilted fashion of the setting), despite Laurence spending much of the story at odds with him.
EoI ends on arguably a new low note. For once, I'm glad I read the sneak preview of the next book, Victory of Eagles. It holds some promising developments. Whether I ever finish reading the series remains to be seen, but I do plan to continue, probably in another two years.
Up next is Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George. This looks happier.