His Majesty's Dragon

, #1

by

Paperback, 356 pages

English language

Published April 2006 by Del Rey Books.

ISBN:
978-0-345-48128-3
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
884920766
ISFDB ID:
180809
Goodreads:
28876

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4 stars (3 reviews)

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.

4 editions

reviewed His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik (Temeraire, #1)

Not my thing after all

4 stars

The origin story of the dragon Temeraire, captured from the French by the captain of an English ship, William Laurence. The person who drew the short straw is rejected as a rider by Temeraire, and Laurence becomes the rider in his place, but must give up his career in the navy. Training and battles in the dragon air service follow.

It is well-written, but the extended treatment of the proper relationship between riders and dragons was not interesting enough for me to want to seek out the sequels. People who like tales of manners will find this more enjoyable.

avatar for puercomal

rated it

4 stars

Subjects

  • Great Britain. -- Royal Navy -- Officers -- Fiction.
  • Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815 -- Fiction.
  • Ship captains -- Fiction.
  • Dragons -- Fiction.

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