Naomi Novik's stunning series of novels follow the global adventures of Captain William Laurence and his fighting dragon Temeraire as they are thrown together to fight for Britain during the turbulent time of the Napoleonic Wars. British flyer Will Laurence and his extraordinary Celestial dragon, Temeraire, gratefully anticipate their voyage home from China. But before they set sail, they are waylaid by urgent new orders. The British Government, having purchased three valuable dragon eggs from the Ottoman Empire - ...
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Naomi Novik's stunning series of novels follow the global adventures of Captain William Laurence and his fighting dragon Temeraire as they are thrown together to fight for Britain during the turbulent time of the Napoleonic Wars. British flyer Will Laurence and his extraordinary Celestial dragon, Temeraire, gratefully anticipate their voyage home from China. But before they set sail, they are waylaid by urgent new orders. The British Government, having purchased three valuable dragon eggs from the Ottoman Empire - one of a rare fire-breathing Kazilik dragon, one of the most deadly breeds in existence - now require Laurence and Temeraire to make a more perilous overland journey instead, stopping off in Istanbul to collect and escort the precious cargo back to England. And time is of the essence if the eggs are to hatch upon British shores. A cross-continental expedition is a daunting prospect, fraught with countless dangers. The small party must be prepared to travel the treacherous Silk Road: navigating frigid mountain passes and crossing sterile deserts to evade feral dragon attacks and Napoleon's aggressive infantry. Barely surviving the poisonous intrigue of the Ottoman Court, the small British party's journey home is delayed once more. The Prussians muster their forces before them, barring their way, and Laurence and Temeraire become swept up in the battle against Bonaparte - trapped by politics as they learn that the British had promised to send their allies aid - but help is months overdue. The crew will also face unexpected menace, for a Machiavellian herald precedes them, spreading political poison in her wake. Lien, the white celestial dragon, absconded from the Chinese Imperial Court shortly after the humiliating death of her beloved princely companion. Fervently believing Temeraire to be the architect of her anguish, she has vowed to ally herself with his greatest enemy in order to exact a full and painful revenge upon everything and everyone the black dragon holds dear.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. 2007. Voyager. Hard Cover. Book-VG+. DJ-VG, protective covered. 9.5x6. 341pp. History takes flight as Naomi Novik skilfully layers the history of the Napoleonic War with breathtaking imagination. After their adventure in China, Capt. Will Laurence of His Majesty's Aerial Corps and his extraordinary dragon, Temeraire, gratefully anticipate their voyage home. But before they set sail, they are waylaid by urgent new orders. They must make a perilously overland journey in order to collect three valuable dragon eggs and escort them to England before they hatch.
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Seller's Description:
Fine in Fine jacket. Book. Signed by Author(s) First British edition, first printing, hardcover. Black cloth with metallic red titles on spine. Blue endpapers. 341 pages. Fine unread in a fine, mylar-covered dust jacket. SIGNED (signature only) by author on title page. The third novel in this excellent series.
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Seller's Description:
Fine in Fine jacket. Book. Signed by Author(s) Signed-By Naomi Novik On The Title Page. A British First Edition, First Printing. Book Is In Fine Condition. Boards Are Clean, Not Bumped. Fore Edges Are Clean. Interior Is Clean And Legible. Not Remaindered. Dust Jacket Is In Fine Condition. Not Chipped Or Crinkled. Not Price Clipped. Dust Jacket Is Covered By Mylar Brodart. Thanks And Enjoy.
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Seller's Description:
Fine in Fine jacket. Book. Signed by Author(s) Outstanding Copy-Signed By The Author On The Title Page. A-British-First Edition, First Printing. Book Is In Fine Condition. Boards Are Clean, Not Bumped. Fore Edges Are Clean. Interior Is Clean And Legible. Not Remaindered. Dust Jacket Is In Fine Condition. Not Chipped Or Crinkled. Not Price Clipped. Dust Jacket Is Covered By Mylar Brodart. Thanks And Enjoy.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine in Fine jacket. Book. Signed by Author(s) SIGNED by Naomi Novik on the Title page. Signature only. A First BRITISH edition, First printing. Book is in Fine condition. Boards are clean, not bumped. Fore edges are clean. Interior is clean and legible. Not remaindered. Dust Jacket is in Fine condition. Not chipped or crinkled. Not price clipped. Dust Jacket is covered by Mylar Brodart. Thanks and Enjoy. All-ways well boxed, All-ways fast service. Thanks.
I think the best thing about Naomi Novik's handling of this series is the way in which she avoids treating her characters like paper cut-outs to be plopped into a new situation for every book. Instead, each book has had a satisfyingly unique structure, so that it feels more like a continuous stretch of time since the beginning of the first book and not like a "this week, on Temeraire..." sort of set-up. The crew has departed China with orders to make a stop in Istanbul, and the plot here is not just a retread of the last two books with the setting changed to Turkey. It is building upon the longer story arc of the war with Napoleon's forces, and Novik never forgets that larger issue. Temeraire does not just conveniently drop his goal of equal rights for dragons, either, and Laurence must deal with his feelings on the subject. In this way the characters continue to be dynamic rather than static, and you actually feel like you're reading about people who have real thoughts in their heads. I even kind of liked being annoyed with Temeraire at times, because it felt more honest that he might occasionally act like a brat, being a youngish dragon and little regard for status quo. This third book also brings a return of the military aspect, with more battle scenes than we saw in "Throne of Jade," as more and more European countries fall before Bonaparte.
saphira
Apr 3, 2007
Can't wait for the next one!
3rd book in the series. Wonderful characters! Simply love the dragons. This story leaves you a little hanging at the end but there is a 4th book due out towards fall. Well worth the read.
