Empire of Ivory

Simon Vance is a terrific choice to narrate this series, in which Naomi Novik takes a piece of history (Europe in the era of Napoleon) and adds dragons, creating an interesting mix of epic fantasy and historical fiction. Besides giving effective voice to the sometimes petulant dragon Temeraire, Vance is superior in his portrayal of the honorable Captain William Laurence of Britain. This is the fourth book in this series, and it finds dragon and rider traveling the world looking for a solution to a problem facing many of the dragons in Britain. Even though this novel does not stand alone, fans will enjoy this book as a lead-in to the next. S.D.D. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

August 20, 2007
In Novik's earlier fantasies (His Majesty's Dragon
, etc.), readers soared to Europe and Asia on the wings of an intriguing premise: How would the Napoleonic Wars have played out if dragons not only existed, but participated in the war effort? The fourth part of Novik's engrossing answer sweeps readers off to Africa, where the cure to the disease that has decimated England's dragon forces may be found. The African adventures of British captain Will Laurence, his dragon Temeraire and their bedraggled band of aerial corps make up the book's latter half, which showcases Novik's knack for weaving dragons and dragon lore into a vivid, well-researched historical tapestry. In Africa's wild interior, dragons shepherd and feed from elephant caravans while protecting the native villagers. This protection includes waging war against England's slave-seeking colonists, a clash that Laurence and his band may not escape unscathed. Novik fills the conflict's lead-up with lengthy meditations on dragon civil rights and England's abolition movement, making for a fitful, pedantic first half. But most will find the richness of Novik's developing world—and characters—to be worthy compensation for the slow start.