I'm not sure where I heard about these books--possibly on the Creatures 'n Crooks website, since they're having Naomi Novik in for a visit in July. (I can't wait!) Anyway, there are actually four books currently, but I didn't have room for all of the graphics. The fifth book is coming out in July.
I was blown away by His Majesty's Dragon. I think it's the best dragon series since Pern (and yes, my middle school friends, I have read Eragon). She even has a quote from Anne McCaffrey on the front of the third one--don't know if you can see that in the graphic. In fact, it's a lot like Pern with the dragon riders, and the egg hatchings, and the relationship between dragon and rider. However, it's historical fantasy fiction, and it's set in the time of the Napoleonic wars, with dragons used on both sides in the war. I thought that was a tremendously clever idea, and even though I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't remember much from that era of history (Waterloo and Lord Nelson, and that's about it), I'm finding it incredibly engaging.
I think I read the first three in a week, and now I'm trying to ration the fourth one for myself. I have all this homework to do for a teaching class I'm taking, and once I start reading, I know the homework, the housework, and the caring-for-the-children work is going to go straight out the window. (Sure, you can play Nintendo!) So I'm speaking to myself very sternly about it. I'm having a hard time, though, because the books always have an excerpt of the next book at the end, and something completely and thoroughly horrible is happening in book four. I want so desperately for everything to be all right that I want to just get there right now.
I really like it when I discover a series that has a bunch of books already published so that I can read merrily along without waiting for the next one. I tend to devour quickly, which is bad for long term memory of the finer points. (Thank goodnes J. K. Rowling is queen of the catch-up clues!) The bad thing is, of course, that then it's over so quickly. Plus I also don't end up spending a lot of time reflecting on the books, which I'm forced to do while waiting for new ones. Still, I have done some reflecting on these, simply because I like them so much.
So far, the second one is my least favorite. (Funny, the second Harry Potter and the second Lord of the Rings are my least favorites, too.) The main reason I like it less is because I thought the climax was unsatisfactory. After a great deal of thinking about it, I decided it was the most logical climax to have, but it was over in barely a sentence. You blink, you miss it. That made me irritated because there was A LOT of build up. Plus Temeraire spent a great deal of time being sulky in this book, and there were a couple things that seemed out of character or obvious. I won't say what, though, because it was still quite enjoyable, and I don't want to ruin any of it for you.
Anyway, I am right now neglecting homework I was planning on doing, and that's just to type this. It's not even for reading more Temeraire books! So I have to go.
(PG-13: mild language, some not particularly graphic dragon violence, allusions to sex--but in a gentlemanly way!)
