His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, Book 1) | 
 enlarge | Author: Naomi Novik
Publisher: Del Rey
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
Buy Used: $0.56
You Save: $7.43 (93%)
New (47) Used (43) Collectible (4) from $0.56
Avg. Customer Rating:  177 reviews
Sales Rank: 30980
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 0345481283
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780345481283
ASIN: 0345481283
Publication Date: March 28, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.
When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future–and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 172 more reviews...
 Boarding Party Away! November 6, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The concept was interesting and had potential. I liked most of the character development and interaction. The first section of the book was fine up to and including when Laurence met the first "real" dragon rider - a courier with a dragon of limited intelligence.
Then dragons started showing up with crews in the dozens with guns and cargo nets and tents and chain armor and boarding parties and carrying hundreds of tons of weight between 4 dragons. It was horrible. I can handle standard fantasy type dragons that can fly and carry a person or two - that's well established in fantasy and sci-fi literature. But the inconsistency within this novel killed me. Sometimes the dragons had limited strength and endurance and sometimes they were much much much stronger.
Then there were the boarding parties. How ridiculous is that? Not only can the dragon fly into battle with thousands of pounds of people weapons, cargo and armor but the crew can hop willy nilly from one dragon to the next! Why don't the dragons just flip upside down? Why would you want your dragon slowed down with all the weight and wind resistance? A faster more nimble dragon would be able to tear apart one that is loaded down to the point of imbecility.
I gave it a two instead of a one because I did find some redeeming features, but I wish I hadn't wasted my time on it.
 Exciting Fantasy Set During the Napoleonic Wars October 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you've admired the writing of Patrick O'Brian and are also a devout fan of fantasy, then you'll enjoy "Her Majesty's Dragon", the debut novel in a best-selling fantasy series written by fellow Brunonian Naomi Novik. Royal Navy Captain Will Laurence stumbles upon a mysterious dragon egg in the hold of a newly captured French frigate at the height of the Napoleonic Wars. It's a discovery that will forever change his life, forcing him to leave Navy service for the Aerial Corps. He forms a strong emotional bond with a young dragon immediately upon its hatching from that egg. Together Laurence and the young Temeraire will start a literary friendship that will remind readers of O'Brian's Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin in it emotional richness, if not in its intellectual depth. Novik has a fine eye for detail and keen ear for dialogue, telling her vivid tale in language that would have earned ample praise from the likes of O'Brian and from those familiar with both the Royal Navy and British culture during the Napoleonic Wars. `Tis truly a most elegant blend of historical fiction and fantasy, skillfully woven by a superb prose stylist and story-teller.
Gift given! September 8, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
While I really like this book, I wanted to share what happened when I bought this book as a gift for a friend. My friend like this book so much that after reading it, she went out and bought the next three books.
You take a risk when you attempt to mix history with fantasy August 7, 2008
0 out of 5 found this review helpful
Bottom Line: Try before you buy
When I bought this book, I had no idea what it was about...other than it had dragons in it..
I start reading it, and soon discover I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around pairing the Napoleonic Wars and ships at sea with dragons. It didn't make any sense to me, and it didn't feel believable at all. I didn't get past the first couple of pages.
Frankly if she had written the book, without the history in it, I might have believed it more... If the story is strong enough, it shouldn't need the history in it.. Or if she used the history (i.e. time period) but made the fiction part like what was going on at sea from the perspective of the ship's crew (characters she created) without infusing the unrealistic fantasy of dragons in it, that would have been better as well.
She took a risk, and for me as a reader, it didn't pay off.
For historical fantasy, The Mists of Avalon is much better.
As for fantasy with dragons, Lorna Freeman (Boderlands series), and Melanie Rawn (Dragon Prince)..and of course there's Harry Potter.
For other fantasy, not set in present day, I'd recommend Winterbirth, and The Blade Itself series.
An Exciting Surprise! August 1, 2008
I picked this up as it looked intriguing, I am always ready for a good dragon tale.... This caught my attention form the first pages. Novik does a splendid job with her characters. History has always interested me, but I know very little about Nelson, Trafalgar or Napoleon. I have only read this one book, but plan on getting the rest. I am hooked!
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