Blood of Tyrants

June 3, 2013
Novik’s eighth and penultimate alternate history novel (after Crucible of Gold) opens with series hero Laurence shipwrecked and taken prisoner in Japan in an extended tribute to Shogun. His reunion with Temeraire, his dragon companion, is awkward, as Laurence has suffered a head injury and entirely forgotten the past several years. As Laurence struggles to regain his health and memories, they journey to Temeraire’s native China for some court intrigue, then fly to Russia to confront Napoleon’s invading army. While each episode works well on its own, the ties between them are tenuous, leading to a less satisfying whole. Surprisingly, the amnesia plot is the highlight of the book; Laurence reflects movingly on how very strange his life has become, while often-self-absorbed Temeraire is humbled by Laurence’s sacrifices on his behalf. Despite the fast pace, Novik does fit in some interesting scenery, with glimpses of a Japan ruled by dragons and Temeraire’s discovery that dragons can be as corrupt and oppressive as any man. Fans will mostly find their appetites whetted for the series conclusion. Agent: Cynthia Manson, Cynthia Manson Literary Agency.

Starred review from July 1, 2013
Eighth and penultimate entry (Crucible of Gold, 2012, etc.) in Novik's historical fantasy series that presents the Napoleonic wars as a global conflict whose armed forces include intelligent dragons. Washed ashore alone in Japan, William Laurence finds he has no memory of the last eight years. He recalls captaining a royal navy vessel, but, puzzlingly, he wears an aviator's green jacket. As the guest, or prisoner, of a local lord who serves Lady Arikawa, he finds that he can speak Chinese--a fact that makes the isolationist Japanese all the more suspicious. Laurence escapes, but, oddly, Lady Arikawa--she turns out to be a powerful dragon--makes no great effort to recapture him. Assisted by Lady Kiyomizu, a boozy water-dragon with a taste for Shakespeare, Laurence makes his way to Nagasaki, the only Japanese city that permits foreigners, where he's reunited with his companions, including his dragon partner, Temeraire, but his memories still stubbornly refuse to return. Some officers of the Aerial Corps, an astonished Laurence discovers, are women; even more surprising, he learns that he's an adopted son of the Chinese emperor and that his mission is to persuade China to join an alliance against Napoleon. Unfortunately, the Chinese court is riddled with traitors, and the British are suspected of involvement in the opium trade. Meanwhile, backed by an alliance with the powerful Incan empire, Napoleon has invaded Russia. Novik has a firm grasp of 19th-century styles, sensibilities and manners. Her fantasy extrapolations of real history are both charming and realistic. She writes vivid action prose with a good feel for the fog of battle. Best of all, the dragons are characters as fully realized as the humans. A first-class entry in a remarkable and appealing series; this one's mostly independently intelligible, though newcomers will want to start from the beginning.

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July 1, 2013

Washed up on the shores of Japan after a shipwreck, Capt. William Laurence has no memory of his mission nor does he remember his intelligent dragon mount Temeraire. Instead, he finds himself in a precarious position, especially as the Japanese desire to limit their contact with Europe. The penultimate novel in Novik's beloved series (His Majesty's Dragon) takes dragon and aviator to the brink of Napoleon's campaign into the Russian interior after an exploration of the mysterious lands of the Far East. VERDICT Novik combines dragons--a popular theme in fantasy--with period history to achieve a brilliantly realized re-creation of military history laced with the fantastic. Series fans as well as followers of the similarly timed Napoleonic sea novels of Patrick O'Brian should appreciate this well-crafted historical fantasy.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2013
At the end of the seventh Temeraire novel, Crucible of Gold (2012), we left Captain William Laurence and his bonded dragon, Temeraire, about to embark for China after achieving a victory of sorts for Britain by short-circuiting French influence in Africa and the New World. At the beginning of Novik's penultimate novel, Blood of Tyrants, Captain Laurence recovers from shipwreck to find himself aloneand with no memories of Temerairein Japan. Back on the transport ship, Temeraire is determined to look for Laurence, despite the objections of petty officers and Japan's peculiar diplomacy. Laurence's and Temeraire's appearance in the island nation might make new enemies for Britain, for the relations between the Far East powers are hardly the best.Matters are not helped by Laurence's amnesia. Meanwhile, back in Europe, Napol'on has determined to invade Russia. Novik's plots and characterizations get more intricate and plausible with each novel. This one, especially when Temeraire has to deal with his captain's memory loss and the possibility that Laurence might wish to marry, is an excellent example. Also, the buildup to the invasion of Russiaand its outcomeis most thoroughly original. Novik's re-creation of much of world history based on the existence of intelligent dragons has been so well crafted that all eight books in the series are highly recommended. However, the novels are best read in order, or the reader could miss something vital.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)