His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Assistant
Genre: Fantasy, Alternate History
Suggested Age: Pre-teens, Teens, Adults
What is this Book About? It is the time of the Napoleonic Wars and William Laurence is a British naval captain whose crew wins a sea battle against a French frigate carrying precious cargo; a dragon’s egg. It’s soon discovered that the egg will hatch before they make it back to port. Dragons must be bonded with a human aviator, a life-long partnership. When the dragon unexpectedly chooses Captain Laurence to be his aviator partner, his promising naval career must end and his new journey in the Aerial Corps begins. Laurence and the dragon, dubbed Temeraire, set off to the training grounds. They cause a bit of a stir because they are both unconventional additions to the Corp, Laurence being a naval officer and Temeraire being a rare Asian breed of dragon. Betrayal and an unexpected invasion attempt by Napoleon’s forces draw Laurence and Temeraire into service sooner than expected. Will the aviators and dragons of the Aerial Corp be able to save Britain?
My Review: Fighting Napoleon with dragons! I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one and was pleasantly surprised. It was a relatively quick listen (since I am a dedicated audiobook reader) and it seems perfect for pre-teens or anyone who would enjoy a 19th century how-to-train-your-dragon-type story. It does take itself seriously, so no juvenile joking around. This book was light on blood, guts, and romance; some of each, but it’s pretty mild. As a first venture into alternative history, I liked it. I will definitely recommend it to my pre-teen son.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Clever, Prim, Quaint
Give it a Try if You Like: Eragon, Dragon Rider, How to Train Your Dragon
Rating: 4/5
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.
