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Temeraire
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
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Summary
Naomi Novik’s stunning series of novels follow the 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.
As Napoleon's tenacious infantry rampages across Europe and his armada lies in wait for Nelson's smaller fleet, the war does not rage on land and water alone. Squadrons of aviators swarm the skies - a deadly shield for the cumbersome canon-firing vessels. Raining fire and acid upon their enemies, they engage in a swift, violent combat with flying tooth and claw...for these aviators ride dragons.
Captain Laurence is a satisfied man with a respectable commission aboard the ship Reliant. His career is born from a love for the sea, and he takes his duty very seriously.
Months before the battle of Trafalgar, on patrol in the Atlantic, the Reliant takes a small French frigate, storm damaged and possessing a fierce crew unwilling to surrender as easily as they should. On board Laurence finds a dragon egg - a great prize, as England is in sore need.
Having spent months on a slow journey from Asia, the egg hatches. A sinewy newborn emerges from the fragmented shell, ignores his harness bearer, approaches Laurence and changes his life.
Hatchling dragons must be put in a harness immediately, otherwise the dragon young become hard to control - fit only for the breeding colonies. The person chosen to first harness the beast must be an aviator, for the dragon will accept no other captain. The life of an aviator is not a desirable one; reviled by fashionable society, they live hard, lonely lives bound to duty, and they frequently die young. Laurence must now join them; duty demands it, though his heart is broken.
But, more astonishing than the dragonet - named Temeraire by Laurence - are the documents found with him, documents addressed to Napoleon from the greatest, most skilled dragon breeders in the world: the Chinese.
The dragon Temeraire was meant for the Emperor Napoleon himself and promises to grow into no ordinary creature.
Critic reviews
"I took a jaundiced view of dragon books until Novik won me over with her first novel. the combination of military history, sympathetic characters, and engaging style makes this series great, intelligent fun." (The Times)
"Plenty of intrigue, swordplay, exotic locations, plausible invention. In short a treat." (The Telegraph)
"These are beautifully written novels, not only fresh, original and fast-paced, but full of wonderful characters with real heart." (Peter Jackson)
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What listeners say about Temeraire
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Kindle Customer
- 26-01-24
A mix of sharpe and eragon - what’s not to love?!
Naomi Novik is a genius. This is gripping from the very first minute and I couldn’t put it down. I love Temeraire so much as a character, he is just so funny and likeable. He and Lawrence just make the best team, and getting inducted into the world of the Air Corps has been ridiculously good fun. Not only could I not put this one down, in the space of a fortnight I’ve already gotten onto number four! Must be one of my favourite series ever.
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- Ricardo Moore
- 12-03-19
ripping good yarn
ripping good yarn. a great adventure, like a combination of Sharp's Rifles meets Game of Thrones
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4 people found this helpful
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- Orion
- 20-01-19
Finally!
I have been emailing for Audible to make this series available.
I have read the first four novels before I had an accident that left me visually impaired and dyslexic.
So it is nice to revisit the first four and looking forward to the rest.
Now I just need them to put on books by Stephen Hunt and the Thomas Covenant theologies by Stephan Donaldson.
Oh I forgot the Boris Akunin detective books set in Prussia after the revolution
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1 person found this helpful
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- Zara
- 24-04-20
Fantastic, absolutely loved it!
It is a well written book with great characters and narrated brilliantly by Simon Vance.
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- Julia 13
- 19-01-20
Magical and Uplifting.
This is a gem of a series. The first book in particular is a joy but the next two (that's how far I've got so far) are refreshing to listen to as well. The richness of the vocabulary is just magical and the story and the relationship between Temeraire and his Captain are both uplifting. In fact, he's a breath of fresh air to all he meets but the politics of the humans gives us all something deep to think about.
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- Anonymous User
- 20-11-20
Some of the best fantasy I've ever read
well.. the best fantasy I've ever listened** to. took me until the seventh book to realize Lawrence is actually spelled Laurence, but that's besides the point.
This series has it all. I'm at loss for words. Just buy it, you won't regret it I promise.
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- Lewis
- 29-01-20
Truly amazing!
I absolutely loved this, placing fantasy in a historical setting worked well!
Great character development.
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- Ross H
- 06-05-20
Omg what a book
I wasnt sure what to expect here or whether i would like this, but i absolutely loved it. Boneparte and the French revolutionary wars but with dragons? Amazing! Def getting the next one
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- chris knight
- 18-07-19
brilliant story
love this story, my favourite books, performed well although the characters aren't how they sounded in my head when I read it. the ear quickly adapts and you follow along on a whirlwind ride
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- Simon
- 09-12-18
Dragon-infused Napoleonic War!
When you look at the ingredients that Naomi Novik has stirred into her Termeraire pot it simply shouldn't work. Yet somehow not only does it work but it does so beautifully. Just as Novik's magnificently described dragon battles stretch the laws of physics in ways that would have Newton himself pelting her with apples so her mixing of dragons with the Napoleonic wars may have fantasy and military history purists trying to throttle her with the hair they've just ripped from their heads! But I don't think she worries too much about the purists!
The way that she infuses her dragons and their aviators into the real historical events of the period is stunning because somehow it's easy to accept that it was dragons more than fire ships that scattered the Spanish Armada! Not long through the book somehow this anachronistic RAF feels natural especially imbued as it is with the stoical stiff upper-lipped mannerisms of the time. Somehow Novik brings her wonderful dragons into the period while channeling the spirit of the Battle of Britain, it's heroic stuff.
The lead character or rather lead human character, Laurence, wouldn't be out of place of course in a Hornblower or Thomas Kydd novel though through his impeccable gentlemanly manners there is just a spark of a certain Captain Sharpe that rises to the fore as one particular villain is brought summarily to book! If among all these historical shenanigans there is a genuine core to this book it is the beautifully detailed relationship between Laurence and Temeraire who proves to be something a bit special even among his fellow dragons. There is genuine warmth which will give these books a much wider appeal than one containing just the more military and bloodthirsty aspects.
Simon Vance is a very successful match for Novik's writing. He brings the nobility to Lawrence and a lot of that relationship warmth and character to the varied cast making this a surprisingly good package. I wasn't originally going to try this series but on the recommendation of a friend I did and that's something I'm very glad about. The second book is due out on the 3rd January and I suspect will do much to chase away any post new year blues!
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16 people found this helpful