I conitnue to love this series, and am looking forward to finishing it. ( )

Third in the Temeraire series, Laurence and Temeraire are ordered home via Istanbul, to pick up a precious cargo. They set out on an epic overland journey from China, meeting feral dragons, and not a few unfriendly peoples and governments along the way.

A fast-paced, masterfully written continuation of the saga. This one doesn't hold up as its own story quite as well as the other two, but well worth reading to continue the story. Temeraire is a unique voice in fiction -- he is so innocent and guileless, but as he becomes more aware of the reality of the world and his own place in it (and his own abilities/power) the plot, as they say, thickens. This is not "mere" fantasy-fiction (which I have nothing against, incidentally) but a subtle political and social commentary wrapped in an irresistible package of adventure and alternate history at its utmost. ( )

It might have been just my mood, but I felt this was pretty boring. I had to force myself through the last half, because I found I really didn't care what happened to the main characters - no suspense. I knew they'd be OK. Those who die are bit parts, rarely thought of before hand & quickly forgotten afterward. The story line was rote. I actually guessed the route they'd take before they got there & I'm not that much of a historian. It was probably as well written as the previous novels, but just too much of the same for me to really enjoy. ( )

Summary: Laurence and his dragon Temeraire are still in China following the adventures of Throne of Jade when they receive an urgent message from the British Admirality: There are three dragon eggs that have been purchased from the Turkish Empire, and Laurence and his crew must retrieve them and bring them back to England. After an accident in port means they must make the journey to Istanbul over land, they must face the dangers of travel through the harsh deserts, only to meet with treachery at the Turkish court - because the Chinese dragon Lien has flown ahead of them. Lien blames Temeraire for her own master's death, and will do whatever it takes to bring him low... even allying herself with the French forces.

Review: A truth about myself that I learned long ago: I do not particularly enjoy reading about battles. Even if they're well-written, I just have a hard time visualizing large-scale battles, troop movements, maneuvers, etc., and so I typically just wind up skimming. This comes as somewhat of a hinderance, as epic fantasy and historical fiction (two of my favorite genres), both tend to feature big battles. And, as the Temeraire books are a hybrid of the two, it was really only a matter of time before we actually got to the battle parts of the Napoleonic war.

The first half, or even two thirds, of the book, is quite good - adventures in the desert, treachery, exotic locations, feral dragons, Temeraire being as charming as usual - all the good stuff. It's a little episodic and hence somewhat disjointed, but it moves along at a good clip and kept me interested. Unfortunately, the last part of the book is a lot more typical war stuff - troops moving here and there, supply issues, scouting and skirmishing and the dreaded big battles... and I'm sorry to say, I did find myself skimming. Totally a matter of personal preference, though; folks who enjoy battle scenes more than I do will probably find the land war an exciting addition. As for me, though, while it was still a fun read, I didn't like it quite as much as the previous two.

Recommendation: I still think the series as a whole is good for fantasy or historical fiction fans who are looking to branch out. While this volume hasn't been my favorite, I'm still looking forward to the rest of the series. ( )

http://olvasonaplo.freeblog.hu/archiv... ( )

While still a very good read, you can definitely tell that this book takes place in the middle of a series.

In this third book of the Temeraire series, Laurence and his dragon are ordered from China to Istanbul, to collect three dragon eggs that are about to be hatched. I wasn’t as engrossed in the plot this time, but still very much enjoyed the characterisation. ( )

Laurence and Temeraire are ordered to Turkey to claim some dragon eggs which are promised to England. Becalmed, they decide to make the voyage overland, despite the dangers.
I liked this a little more than Throne of Jade - although I liked to see the characters experiencing new places, I was glad they were on their way home Tharkay I'm as confused about as Laurence, though I was happy to see Granby get a dragon, particularly such an awesome one.

(Taken from my journal Mar. 2007)

I just finished reading the third Temeraire book, Black Powder War. I have to say that the description at the back of the book is entirely misleading. There is no great betrayal, only many small ones otherwise known as life. Since my knowledge of the Napoleonic war is almost entirely from the British side of it, I have no idea how much history changed for Eastern Europe with the introduction of dragons into the offensive. I would say a lot, except Napoleon from the description actually used the exact same tactics he used without dragons (ie, dragons are helpful but he still managed his fantastic victories without them, they just took longer). I'm rather curious to see if there will be anyone at Waterloo in the end.

Other than that, I'm not all that enamoured of Naovik's tactic of giving us every.single.moment. of Lawrence and Temeraire's life. In some ways it works, but in others I feel as if we're just being given padding. This book was more a travelogue with only a basic plot like structure. It still read well and it was lovely to follow all the characters and their developments but I can't help feeling a little cheated that it took an entire book to get home.

Less explicitly about East vs. West than [b:Throne of Jade|14069|Throne of Jade (Temeraire, Book 2)|Naomi Novik|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166575829s/14069.jpg|2213322], I still felt as though this was a transitional novel, which is perhaps apt because it takes place on the journey back from China. Didn't enjoy it so much, mostly because I don't feel any strong connection to the actual Napoleonic Wars and am hungry for more about how Temeraire accomplishes social change re: the dragons' position in London. Looking forward to keeping on in the series; I want to know what happens! ( )

Less explicitly about East vs. West than [b:Throne of Jade|14069|Throne of Jade (Temeraire, Book 2)|Naomi Novik|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166575829s/14069.jpg|2213322], I still felt as though this was a transitional novel, which is perhaps apt because it takes place on the journey back from China. Didn't enjoy it so much, mostly because I don't feel any strong connection to the actual Napoleonic Wars and am hungry for more about how Temeraire accomplishes social change re: the dragons' position in London. Looking forward to keeping on in the series; I want to know what happens! ( )

The adventures of Captain Will Laurence and his dragon Temeraire continue in this third installment of the series. As they prepare to leave China, Laurence receives orders sending him to the Ottoman Empire to collect some dragon eggs, a sign of the proposed alliance between the Ottomans and the British. Laurence and Temeraire must undertake this perilous journey, only to encounter deception and treachery at the Sultan's court. Meanwhile, the Chinese celestial dragon Lien has vowed revenge on Temeraire for killing her master, and she offers her services to Napoleon's army. Laurence and Temeraire find themselves in the midst of heavy fighting in Prussia as they desperately try to get back to England before the dragon eggs hatch. I thought this book was exciting and well-written, just as the previous two books have been. Highly recommended!

http://allbookedup-elena.blogspot.com... ( )

Much better. Though I am not overly fond of the travels, seeing as it kinda beats the purpose (of the story being somewhere, seeing how things happen there), most of the character growth is done there, so I guess it's required.This is finally a war book, and finally a dragons' book, where we see how things are different due to dragons (beforehands it wasn't really so), even if the dragons are basically humans who are big and winged. So not really inhuman.Then again, it's probably intended, seeing as they are compared to slaves and humans all over.Better. ( )

I've put enough space between reading the books in this series, that it keeps things fresh. I like Laurence and Temeraire quite a bit, so reading of their adventures is always fun. This book is probably the slowest of the three, but that didn't deter me. In fact, I enjoyed the battle scenes, though sometimes they verged on confusion. But what I really liked was both the way Laurence interacts with Temeraire, but also how they both interact with the different types of dragons. This book was good, a nice middle section of the story. I will eventually keep reading the series, but for now, I like what Novik's done integrating dragons with the Napoleonic era. ( )

Novik does a great job again tying her fictional dragon corps into the Napoleonic War. The effects of the war outside of England are really felt in this volume, depicting some of the devastation taking place elsewhere, and seeing some non-British locations for the period written is really fascinating. Iskierka as a firespitter in both deed and personality is a great addition, though I do miss seeing the likes of Maximus and Lily. Still, Temeraire and Lawrence, and their camaraderie carry the day through this book, as they do through the others. ( )

The way back from China is a frustrating and frequently dangerous journey.

I only made it halfway through this book the first time around, and I realized this time that it's because the middle section is all about war and battles. All these books are about war, of course, and there are battles in all of them, but His Majesty's Dragon is really about Temeraire's youth, Throne of Jade is about traveling to distant lands and seeing new and amazing sights. Black Powder War really is about war. I skimmed a lot of the middle so I could get past it and get on to the end. I really liked the end. ( )

#3 in the Temeraire historical fantasy series that mingles the Napoleonic wars with fantasy and the inclusion of dragons into the mix. Laurence and Temeraire are dispatched to retrieve three dragon eggs from Istanbul, and must go overland due to a devastating fire aboard their ship while it was docked in China. The journey is fraught with peril, and when they finally arrive, it’s to discover that the ambassador is dead and his main assistant has apparently scarpered with the money that was to be paid to the Sultan for the dragon eggs. Virtually held prisoner while the city is obviously preparing for war, Laurence attempts to investigate as much as he can while under guard, and eventually the whole company is in for a huge surprise when they finally meet the Sultan only to find that Lien, the Chinese dragon whose rider was killed in the last book, sitting behind the Sultan’s throne. This is not good news, as she harbors much hatred for Laurence and Temeraire and indeed all things British. The small company then decides to abscond with the eggs that had been purchased and escape and much more adventure ensues. I enjoyed this book more than the last one—which was almost entirely at sea—because I really do prefer solid ground to “naval stuff.” Looking forward to the next in series, which is sitting on my TBR making quiet noises to be read already. LOL ( )

a couple christmases ago, i received the first three books in what appears to be the ever-expanding temeraire series (namely: his majesty's dragon, throne of jade and black powder war) by naomi novik . i was through the first two books a scant few days into january, which should go a ways toward telling you how much i enjoyed them. :) the series is a reworking of the napoleonic wars (from britain's perspective) with the addition of an air force of the draconic variety. the friend who gifted it described it as suffering somewhat from 'magical pony syndrome' (a la our favorite, mercedes lackey again!) - this is true, but not in a terrible 'oh my god knock it off already lessa we know you rock' sort of way. :) (in general, despite the obvious parallels, the series does not feel particularly derivative of mccaffrey; it's a clever and unique new take on dragons and novik deserves kudos for the idea alone). the historical setting is very well limned (and yes, it's a fave period of mine and thus i'm biased), and the characters traipse all over the place, so you see more than england. novik also handles the military tactics with a very sure hand from my perspective of 'someone who does not know a danged thing about military tactics' - which means she might not either, but she makes it sound like she does. the characters are generally a little flat, but the setting is excellent (my main draw here). plot is better in the first book than in the latter two, but the series is ever expanding so who knows how it could develop? very well written; my main complaint is that she tends to transition rather abruptly - sometimes i'd like to have a few more details between point A and point B. quite possible this is more her editor's design than her own; also something i am particular bad at in my own attempts at fiction writing, so i admire it regardless. overall verdict - pretty fluffy, but tons of fun; a very good quick read for a grey yucky sort of day. i recommend reading in a fancy armchair by the fire with port and chocolate at your disposal; it's appropriate to the setting (and really, when is port and chocolate NOT a good idea?). ( )

I was intrigued to find while reading the reviews that most people either said it was the best book in the series (so far) or the worst. I believe I fall into the former category. After the dismally slow-paced second book, this third installment made some movements towards literary merit. There were finally some slightly more "gray" situations and characters. The plot rolled along fairly well as Laurence and Temeraire move from setting to setting. Several people didn't seem to like the actual war aspect of this novel, but I personally didn't find it very overbearing. I also liked that there were actual tangible villains in the novel, where the first one was lacking and the second had unexciting, secretive ones.

However, after three books I think I've finally put my finger on why I don't like the author's voice very much, next to her writing style itself. She only knows how to use Laurence to tell the story. Temeraire is her soapbox character that she can use for social commentary and Laurence is the vehicle for the story. Now this may seem obvious, since he is the main character. However, he has all the well-thought out lines and all the well-described action and quirks. On top of that, he rarely makes mistakes in his thinking and he almost always does the right thing which is boring. Other authors manage to write first or third person novels and still manage to spread out the attention and development amongst the characters. It's almost like 1) Ms. Novik doesn't know how to write for multiple characters or 2) she really doesn't like any of the other characters. This is a very limited way to write a book, let alone a series.

But anyway, to end on a positive note I did think this one was much better and I'll continue reading the series since they're fairly digestible. ( )

The weakest of the Temeraire novels so far, covering the long, slow journey from China to Europe. Picks up as the travelers enter Napoleon's sphere of influence, especially with glimpses of notable and interesting historical figures. ( )

The third book in the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. Continues where the second book left off with Laurence and Temeraire in China. They are soon ordered to retrieve three dragon eggs from the Turkish Empire (including a fire-breather, Yes!), but it seems no-one told the Turks. More cool dragon stuff, feral dragons, new languages, and a special appearance by a short French guy, who is now teamed up with the evil albino dragon Lien. Fourth one’s next. ( )

This is one of my favorite dragon series, and I read a lot of dragon books! The story is brilliantly written and put together. Book three was my favorite so far. ( )

If His Majesty's Dragon is Patrick O'Brien crossed with Pern, and Throne of Jade is Hornblower crossed with Dinotopia, then Black Powder War is the Napoleonic Wars - with Dragons!

No, really, this book has far fewer speculative fiction elements than the previous books in the series, and I do think that in order to truly enjoy it, you'd have to already be fond of historical adventure and war novels. For the first part of the book Temeraire was the only dragon around, and for the second half much of the tension derives from the ways in which dragons are *not* important, as Laurence and company cross Eurasia overland only to put their own concerns aside as they get swept up in Prussia's defeat by Napoleon.

That said, I do have affection for adventure and war novels. The general grinding misery of one defeat after another, famine, destruction, cold, and boredom is an unfortunate symptom of writing a historical novel set during a real war, and Novik's genius for character shines through it - Queen Louise in her riding gear, Napoleon shining on the hilltop, and the wonderful new characters of Tharkay, Arkady, and Izkierka who left me anxious to read more (luckily, I have book four sitting right here too.) ( )

Best yet of the Temeraire Series - the Fuse for the where the series goes next!

Though not as multi-layered, the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik has captured and held my attention much the same way as the Honor Harrington series by David Weber did when I first started reading it. Ms. Novik has created an original series set in a world where dragons exist without having to introduce magic or telepathy as well to make the story work. These are no fantasy novels, but alternate history novels of a world where dragons exist and have become the air force of the late 18th century and early 19th century.

In Black Powder War, the third book of the series, we pick up just about right where The Throne of Jade left off – with William Laurence and his dragon Temeraire in China ready to return home to England. But, an accident aboard the Dragon Carrier HMS Allegiance has left them stranded for a couple of months awaiting repair when a messenger arrives from Turkey with new orders for Laurence and Temeraire: secure three dragons eggs recently acquired from the Sultan and return them to England with all haste. Thus begins their adventure across China, the Persian Empire, and the heart of Asia to reach Turkey before the carrier ever could with its current repairs in progress. But, this adventure includes more than trek in the footsteps of Marco Polo and the Silk Road; as they reach Turkey all is not as it should be, and Laurence’s solution drops him, Temeraire, and their crew into the heart of someone else’s war…a war that is actually very close to home.

As with the previous two books in this series, Black Powder War continues to develop the cast of characters, introduces new characters, and most importantly continues to see Temeraire grow older, wiser, and more unique than most of his dragon peers. Also, Ms. Novik continues to do a great job of weaving this universe full of dragons into the history of the world as we already now it.

I highly recommend this series – defiantly start with book one, His Majesty’s Dragon. When you finish these first three books, you will be waiting in anticipation for the forthcoming book four just as I do. ( )