3.5 stars - while book 2 was a drag and had me questioning continuing with the series, this book returned to what I enjoy about this series! Some new dragons joined the mix that have me very intrigued.

I liked this volume more, in spite of the more developed military sections - Tharkay & Iskierka make for great additions to the cast of characters. I'm much more excited to continue the series (though I still plan to take a break and read a few different books first).

3.5 Stars 🌟

I'm a bit late on this review, so I will keep it simple. Is this book as charming as the previous two? Why, yes it is. Is this book as good as the previous two?Not so much. Is this book entertaining?That depends on your idea of entertaining. If you want to read something in the realm of historical fiction, which is slow moving and more concerned with wordplay than anything else, this is the book for you.However, if you want something that has more of a fantasy element, then I would suggest you l...

This series is a goddamn delight. It's very rare for me to read more than one book in a series, simply because I have lots of author friends and I want to experience their works. Usually I read book one and move on to the next, simply because of time limitations (I will grow old and someday die with a huge to-be-read pile sitting on the nightstand next to my death bed, because people are rude and keep writing good books). Novik's Temeraire series, however, has taken over my iPhone for running, w...

TEMERAIRE IS BACK, BITCHES! So yeah, my worries about this series going downhill after Throne of Jade were completely unnecessary!A few mindblowingly awesometacular things Black Powder War brough to this series:-Tharkay. That is all. Tharkay alone is enough reason to read this series. Without spoiling anything about him, I can pretty much guarantee that you will find Tharkay, in and of himself, mindblowingly awesometacular.-The trip around the world was way, way better executed in this book. It

Black Powder War has a definite "middle of a series" flavor about it--not unlike trying to read one of the Aubrey-Maturins. It reads a lot more like a series of unrelated episodes than one big plot. But as with Patrick O'Brian, if you think about it as one big ongoing story, that makes it less jarring! Plus, there's lots more goodness here with Novik's dragons, interesting glimpses into how more cultures besides Britain treat their dragons, and some new and entertaining characters both human and...

After reading the series, I've decided Captain Riley is incompetent, bigoted, and immature, and I question Laurence's people-reading skills in promoting him to captain. (view spoiler)[ Fire aboard ship? Two fires, in two books, both of them very serious? Sailors falling 15° off course? A malcontent crew? And Laurence knew how he felt about slaves! (hide spoiler)]I'm learning more about the Napoleonic War from this series, despite the fictional dragons. It's a pretty decent alternate history, ro

Plotwise, I didn't like this one as much as the first 2 books in the series. It was a bit weak and it dragged at times. But it had charm! The interaction between different races of dragons, the bond between Temeraire and his crew, the description of wild dragons after their first taste of cow...these were truly wonderful. And Temeraire's new little friend, tiny and fierce and absolutely adorable is the star of this book! For her sake alone, this whole part of Temeraire's journey is entirely wort...

An excellent addition to the series and probably my favourite so far.

Sadly, the third book in the Temeraire series just wasn't quite in the same league as the two previous entries. Part of this is likely due to over-exposure, since I am reading them in succession with no breaks, and the other part is that this tale feels a lot like a transition piece (the pause, obligatory plate stomp, and then the windup before the pitch). Which is fine, as the journey to China took so very long in book 2, and to have a repeat journey on the way back in the very next book would

21/6/2017Trigger warnings: lots and lots and LOTS of animals get slaughtered and fed to dragons. Deaths by falling. War. Dragon masturbation. That one's not a trigger warning so much as a heads up because it's freaking weird. Anyway. I stand by pretty much everything I said last time. I think I found the pacing a little slower this time around? I liked the second half but I don't think I *loved* it?? That said, Iskierka is fucking fabulous and I love her. 21/5/2012Plot summary: Temeraire, his ca...

A fascinating journey with a rousing finish. (Also amusing how easily one takes England's side; down with the tyrant Napoleon!)

I'm still enjoying this series, but I think the spark, that initial sense of magic and wonderment I first felt when I read His Majesty's Dragon, has faded. I believe the ongoing war against Napoleon and the action-filled aerial dragon battles are meant to be the focus and highlight of these books, and that unique premise certainly sets this series apart from much of the other fantasy offerings out there. But if I'm to be completely honest, while reading this third book, I found myself constantly...

I read this book a week or more ago and forgot all about a review. See, I'm losing it! I didn't love this one as much as the first two but anything with Temeraire & Laurence is still great ♥

Be glad and rejoice, my Little Barnacles, for I am no longer going to write never-ending crappy non-reviews of all the books I read!All you have to know about this book/series is: ① It is light and cute and fluffy and I love it ergo my reputation is ruined but I don't give a shrimp what you Silly Arthropods think so there. QED and stuff.② Temeraire and Laurence are MINE. DUH. ③ Napoleon sucks. ④ Temeraire and Laurence are MINE. DUH.⑤ Sneaking into Other People's Harems (OPH™) will always get you...

This was another foray into the foreign culture and politics of the Napoleonic era, this time exploring first Istanbul and the Turkish people and then moving north to the crushing military defeat suffered by the Prussians at Napoleon's hands.I'm sorry to say I think the author fell prey to her own fascination with the military history of the time and lost sight of what the reader's personal interests might be. The second part of the book, the Prussian campaign, dragged considerably. The endless

Mini Review: Another enjoyable installment in the Temeraire series. The military angle became a little more prominent in this book, but I didn’t mind it as much as I might have in most other circumstances because of one important thing: no matter what else is going on in the story, Novik never forgets to keep the dragons at the center of attention. She always brings it back to them, highlighting the novelty and fun, and I’m certain that’s why I’m always engaged during sections that would be a de...

Fantastic! On to the next!

So much joy! This part had great highlights and trying to hide that I mostly mean introducing a new character (two, to be exact) is not what I mean would be a fat lie. One would be too big of a spoiler to talk about while the other is there quite quickly to entertain the readers with his specific charm. My sister said he was written exactly the way so that everyone and their mother were supposed to fall for him while reading and well, it’s working, I guess. For me and for some members of the cas...