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  • Temeraire

  • By: Naomi Novik
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (149 ratings)

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Temeraire

By: Naomi Novik
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Publisher's 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.

©2006 Naomi Novik (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

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)

What listeners say about Temeraire

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A Dragon and a Gentleman

The story is wonderfully written and only enhanced by Simon Vance’s performance. I can’t wait till the next book is released.

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An awesome story

I love the communication between the dragons and their handlers! It’s hard to imagine how large the different dragons are.

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great book

I loved the language, great story, only the great finale seemed a little too hastened

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excellent

Very well written and captivating throughout. I highly enjoyed this book and look forward to exploring more of Naomi's work.

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Winsome!

Read it or have a listen - great book and even better audiobook with excellent narration by Vance. This is a winsome series with this first book starting it all - what an adventure with this beautiful beloved dragon and his Captain traversing the dangerous world at war on a path to freedom!

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quiet

so this book is very very good. I love the relationships. the only bad thing is that's the audio is just quiet enough to be annoying.

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Cracking good read!

Loved every second!
Loved reading the books - and thoroughly enjoyed the audible version. Smoothly voiced - all characters believable and engaging.

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Well written well read

was a real joy this book. i remember reading this story when it first came out but didnt finish it due to life events. glad i came back to it.

as the title indicates this is wepl written and well performed by the narrator who really brought the story alive.

this a good twist with a merging of two interesting genres alternatove history and fantasy to create a very unique sort of story. the Napoleonic wars are an era that does not get mucg attention anymore which is a shame as it is an interesting peroid of history.

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compelling

thoroughly engaging. Very good narration too. I found it hard to stop listening at many points.

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brilliant!

i loved this so much from the very first chapter that i brought the entire series! so well written and narrated that i could hardly stop listening.

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