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    League of Dragons
    League of Dragons
    League of Dragons
    Audiobook12 hours

    League of Dragons

    Written by Naomi Novik

    Narrated by Simon Vance

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Naomi Novik delivers the final adventure in a New York Times bestselling series that has won fans of Napoleonic-era military history, Anne McCaffrey's Pern novels, and Patrick O'Brian's seafaring adventures. Since His Majesty's Dragon, Captain William Laurence and his fearless dragon, Temeraire, have been battling Napoleon and his armies . . . and now the time has come to stop him for good.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJun 14, 2016
    ISBN9781494587383
    League of Dragons
    Author

    Naomi Novik

    Naomi Novik is the acclaimed author of the Temeraire series and standalone fairytale fantasy Uprooted. She has been nominated for the Hugo Award and has won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, as well as the Locus Award for Best New Writer and the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel. She is also the author of the graphic novel Will Supervillains Be on the Final? Fascinated with both history and legends, Novik is a first-generation American raised on Polish fairy tales and stories of Baba Yaga. Her own adventures include pillaging degrees in English literature and computer science from various ivory towers, designing computer games, and helping to build the Archive of Our Own for fanfiction and other fanworks. Novik is a co-founder of the Organization for Transformative Works. She lives in New York City with husband and Hard Case Crime founder Charles Ardai and their daughter, Evidence, surrounded by an excessive number of purring computers.

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    Reviews for League of Dragons

    4/5

    237 ratings26 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I want more logistics and political machinations. Over all a relatively satisfying end to a delightful saga
    • 4/5
      A well put ending to a wonderful series. I hope she explores more in the future
    • 5/5
      I adored this series. Honestly, the story could get very off track and strange at times but my love of the characters made me not mind at all. The final book gave them a finish I was perfectly happy with and made me incredibly sad that it was over. I will definitely keep this on my list of favourites and will definitely reread them, likely many times over.
    • 4/5
      Wow. The series is over. This was a series that I began to like more and more the longer I read it. It's an evolution of character development over a long time period. I enjoyed seeing it and the more it evolved the more my esteem of the whole series went up. It's had it's ups and down and at times it seemed to just drag by. This last installment was full to the brim of action and battles. I do feel like there were a few loose ends not taken care of, but perhaps a novella will be written later on or something. Overall, a great addition to the fantasy genre and a great read for anyone who enjoys fiction about dragons.
    • 3/5
      Disclaimer: this review is written for both followers of the series and those who have not read a book yet, with that said some of the smirky remarks might go over your head but I suggest you read the series and then it will make sense. I mean come on, its only a nine book series…lol, is that my witty sarcasm coming out??This is the ninth and final book of the Temeraire series. Napoleon has been denied victory in Russia and is being hotly pursued, but through the use of subterfuge he safely escapes into France. Which as you can guess is both disheartening and enraging to not only the men and dragons fighting this war but personally to Captain William Laurence and his dragon companion Temeraire.Unfortunately for them winter has come and both man and dragon are having a very difficult time staying warm and keeping their spirits up. All the while news is coming in regarding Napoleon and his efforts of regrouping in France; it is not looking good for anyone. Temeraire has taken efforts in his own claws in order to create some unity among whatever dragons he can, and for a dragon his efforts are extraordinary. It is a wonderful thing to see how he has truly grown throughout the series.The dragons from the breeding grounds have roused themselves, shocked right?, and they bring a report that Lien is back and is seeking to find Temeraire and Iskierka’s egg so that she can smash it. Whaaat?! Threatening an egg? Hmmm, sounds like something that maybe could give a cause for dragons to unite behind?? Temeraire had left the egg in China, waiting to hatch, so leaving Laurence to recuperate after his…oh wait, that’s a spoiler…Temeraire is going after his egg.Back is Tharkay, searching for Temeraire with distressing news. His crossbred egg has actually indeed been egg-napped. Hmmm, game changer for Temeraire as he is now focused on finding his egg at all costs….Napoleon who?? Going back to meet up with Laurence and send out scouts in hopes to find his egg’s location, Temeraire is stuck thinking the worst but hoping for the best.After some time, the feral dragons (I did say that didn’t I? Wondering how that came about? Sorry, no spoilers here…☺️) bring a sighting of what they think is the dragon Temeraire is searching for. So an ambush is attempted but wait, is that, no way..yes, it is Iskierka and she is also searching for her egg. So united Temeraire and Iskierka set off to find their future hatchling but nothing goes according to plan because a trap had been set and their emotions blind them to their actions and….well you are just going to have to read the book because the rest is way to dense of a plot to give you any details without being a spoiler.This novel is a final wrap up that includes many of the characters that you would want to see back. The book is split into four parts and you will have closure to the end of this series. I personally found the writing to be full of filling and I wish that it were less dense with descriptive talks or being overly descriptive about the situation at hand. Just not for me but some people do enjoy that style of writing and if that is you, get this book or better yet start with book one and work your way to number nine. Happy Reading!
    • 4/5
      After the brutal losses of the Russian winter, Napoleon evades capture and retreats to France where he is soon cooking up a whole new dragon army that will be ready to cast it's dark shadow upon Europe in only a year or so. Worse than that, he has held a gathering of all dragons in order to induce them to make war against their own country for him. He has divided the world neatly into parcels and promised certain areas to certain dragon if they will only rise up and take it for themselves.The war quickly becomes a war of hearts and minds and Lawrence and Temeraire must convince harnessed and feral dragons alike to join the cause. All the countries of Europe are seeing the writing on the wall and are quickly making concessions to their beasts to avoid conflict. But will the world unite in time to finally defeat Napoleon once and for all?Some of the later books in the series have been a bit tedious, but despite my better judgement, I like them. The characters are all so charming, quirky, and lovable. I cannot help rooting for them and this conclusive volume left me quite satisfied that all my friends are properly settled. A pleasant conclusion to one of my favorite premises.
    • 4/5
      I can't help but be disappointed. The first 3/4 is just terrific and reminded me of the earlier books in the series where anything seemed possible with the creativity surrounding the dragons, the Napoleonic Wars and changes to society based around that idea. But since about book 5 or 6 the series just sort of lost me. I rarely outright disagree with an author's story/plot choices, but this is going to be one of those times. Laurence and Temeraire's relationship is one of the driving forces of the plot, but somewhere along the way Laurence becomes a complete wet blanket (the amnesia in book 8 is tiresome) and many of the threads I wanted to see the story follow just get shut off. As a series, I think it's wasted potential and nowhere near the quality of the first book or something like Uprooted. I felt the same way about Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell - another alternate history fantasy novel around this time period/setting. Great idea, but I didn't love the direction and it went on for too long. Still, I did enjoy the series overall (3500 pages, I better have!). The banter between dragons is hilarious, some of the action scenes are absolutely incredible, Novik is a wizard when it comes to dialogue and Temeraire is an unforgettable character.
    • 3/5
      Novik winds up her epic of intelligent dragons, cultural differences and a re-envisioned Napoleonic war. Things look bad when Napoleon tries to recruit dragons worldwide with promises of civil rights and assigned territories. Lawrence and Temeraire continue to battle his troops while diplomacy and the plans of other nations lead to a final outcome.
    • 4/5
      A string, if not entirely satisfying end to the series. I really wavered between 3 and 4 stars on this but ultimately, the writing won.
    • 4/5
      Napoleon has been at his trickiest -- he has found a way to bring the dragons over to his side. He holds out the promise of equal rights to the dragons. But his past and politics are the end of him.
    • 2/5
      The story became quite disinteresting so I gave up after 100 pages.
    • 4/5
      Laurence and Temeraire continue with the Russians after giving Napoleon a huge defeat, but the brilliant strategist makes it back to France. Then Temeraire and Iskierka discover that their egg has been stolen by the French, and might be in danger. This ninth and final book in the series is a satisfying end. This sprawling series has brought us all across the world - the only continents not visited by our characters are North America (which is nonetheless mentioned) and Antartica. Several characters make a reappearance here as the final denouement between Napoleon's forces and all others comes to a head. Several of the battles were disconcertingly off screen, with new chapters starting the action afterwards and looking back, or somewhere in the middle, a narrative decision I can't quite figure out. That aside, I really enjoyed seeing how everything came together in the end.
    • 4/5
      This is the last book in the Temeraire series, which is set in the Napoleonic era and imagines that the nations of the world have an airforce... of dragons. The whole series is a delight, a perfect mash-up of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin novels with a touch of Jane Austen and a whole lot of dragons and their affiliated fantasy trope. Though the series as a whole is a little uneven, it holds up to rereading very well, which I can attest to since I keep rereading it every year. Yeah, it's a favorite. I've read this last installment twice now and I find it to be a satisfying end to the series, though of course I wish we could spend more time and more books with these delightful characters. Those who were perhaps put off with the priggishness of our main character, William Laurence, in the first book or so would hardly recognize him by this last volume; one of the joys of the series has been to see our POV characters evolve. Novik does a wonderful job showing how the forces of the fantasy elements she has added would shape not just the world but the people (and dragons) within it, and here we see the culmination of that character development as the partnership between Laurence and Temeraire has reached its maturity, following the logic of the world but also the individual loyalty and intelligence that Novik brought forward consistently since book one. It's nice to see such steady, well-rounded character development in books that are situated in the context of war. Speaking of war, this book still features its fair share of aerial combat and dragon-back warfare, action sequences which fire the imagination and propel the reader through sometimes-dense prose (though I enjoy Novik's writing style, not everyone does). It also showcases, more than ever, the social implications surrounding dragons as a part of global society. I love seeing the dragons put themselves forward and Temeraire and his friends are, as always, both charming and compelling. Overall, a worthy close to a series that no fan ever wanted to end.
    • 3/5
      Rather on the light side, Wm. Lawrence makes his way to Admiral by being in the Tsar’s favor and due to no treachery of his own captures Napoleon after being captured by him. Ning hatches as a seasoned and cynical creature - how was and is Temeraire so simple? Sort of rushed through with too much told from after the incidents with incursions as if whenever NN hit a narrative difficulty she just jumped past it and rear view mirrored it. This is the last one and though I often found WL & T tiresome, I shall miss them.
    • 5/5
      A fitting finale to the Temeraire series.In many ways, satisfying even. Completion. Maybe not exactly as predicted or everything wanted, but fitting and makes sense for the storyline and characters.But, oh my, am I sorrowed to see this series end. I'm not sure what else I can say that wouldn't be a spoiler or endless fangirl gushing.I will be missing Laurence and Temeraire. The series ended with them settling into a new chapter of their lives ( not at all a cliffhanger but clearly lives go on); maybe someday the author will pursue that.
    • 5/5
      I am sad that this is the last book in the Temeraire series. Maybe Naomi Novik will consider writing more about Temeraire in the future. After all, dragons live a very long time. There must be many more stories that can be told even if Napoleon has been banished from Europe.Yes, this final book has Temeraire and Laurence (now an Admiral) in on the defeat and capture of the Emperor Napoleon. Before that comes about, however, Napoleon captures the egg that Temeraire and Iskierka had made and left with the Chinese when they went off to fight Napoleon in the last book. The two chase after the egg and end up in Napoleon's dragon egg nursery where there are thousands of eggs being readied to be added to Napoleon's forces. The egg hatches just as Temeraire and Iskierka are attempting to whisk it away. The resulting dragonet has qualities of both parents which means she can breath fire and the Divine Wind. She also has a mind of her own and her help in defeating Napoleon is not a foregone conclusion. Ning is never going to take anyone's counsel, not even her progenitors, and she is firmly determined to choose her captain from among the world's rulers. Will it be the Crown Prince of China, Napoleon's son or the English Prince of Wales? Time will tell but Ning will be quiet until she has assessed all the pros and cons.So, this is a bittersweet occasion for me. I didn't want the series to end but I thought it was a satisfactory way to conclude this charming fantasy.
    • 3/5
      This was the final installment of the adventures of Captain Laurence and his celestial Dragon, Temeraire. It is sad to think that Temeraire is no longer fighting against the injustices aimed at the dragons in this alternative Napoleonic history. The battles told and the friendships forged make one wonder why that aren't such magnificent creatures in our world. Ah, but books can bring so much to life!I hank the author Naomi Novik for his wonderful series, and wish her success with her future writings - I will be checking them out!
    • 4/5
      Note: Some minimal spoilers for previous books.This is the ninth and concluding volume of Novik’s historical fantasy series set during the English/French Napoleonic Wars, with each side mustering aerial forces made up of dragons and their navigational teams. The saga in particular centers around the naval captain Will Laurence, who unexpectedly becomes an aerial captain of a dragon, whom Laurence named Temeraire (pronounced, according to the author, as Tem-uh-rare).In this book, we learn of the final battles against Napoleon, and of how the dragons came to terms with their new numbers, as well as with their new relationship to mankind.I wondered how Novik would conclude her long series, and it was no doubt inevitable that she would end it with Napoleon’s exile to St. Helena. Many other issues are similarly “resolved” but for the most part I was somewhat disappointed in them. Ning, the hatchling from the mating of Temeraire and Iskierka, is a bit of a terror, which I suppose must be imagined, considering the mother, but she did not seem to have any of the redeeming qualities of Temeraire. And whereas the immediate fate of Laurence and Temeraire is laid out, there are open questions about the rest of their crew, their friends, and about Laurence’s future with anyone aside from Temeraire; I did like the windup of the relationship with Tharkay, however.In all, I felt this book was a bit of a disappointment. It wasn’t totally disappointing, of course; one is glad, after all the previous books, to get back together with “old friends” and see how they are faring. But the action was a bit slower than other books, and I must admit I shared with Temeraire the desire to see Laurence with some hatchlings of his own.Evaluation: Much from previous books is brought to a satisfactory conclusion in this last of the series. Nevertheless, one can't help but be sad to see the series come to an end.
    • 3/5
      Wrapping up the wonderful story of Lawrence, now an Admiral, and Temeraire, we rejoin them as they chase Napoleon back to France. Word has reached them however, of an enormous collection of dragon eggs waiting to be hatched behind French lines. How do they expect to feed and train all those creatures? Warfare these days is much simpler since large engines of war do not have a sense of pride or love of trinkets. And dragons sure do have a love of trinkets. Temeraire uses this to bring ferals and other dragons together to finally bring an end to Napoleon.It has been an interesting ride and I wish that I had been in a frame of mind to appreciate it more. I seem to have had enough of the bickering creatures and battle scenes.
    • 5/5
      This was an excellent finale to the series. Although I would love to see Temeraire as a member of Parliament. But I read somewhere that this was the final book, so I guess I won't find out what happens to all these characters, human and dragon alike. This was was very suspenseful book and sometimes I couldn't put it down when I needed to. The characters are always sharply drawn and the military scenes well described.
    • 4/5
      A satisfying end to a great seriesThe last book in the Temeraire series, but I'm glad I stuck with it through all these years. Wonderful world building and I love Temeraire, almost as much as Will Laurence does. And omg, he ended up living with Tharkay, and he calls Tharkay by his given name. Be still, my heart.
    • 4/5
      The Temeraire series has been a mixed ride. The first few books were fantastic and really enjoyable. But then there was a bit of a dip. But I really enjoyed the final book of the sequence. There's no doubt that Ms Novik can write. If anything the final book seemed "short" as if she wanted to wrap it up quickly. But the war came to an end and Temeraire and Lawrence found a place they could call home.
    • 5/5
      A suitable and satisfying final volume. Sad to say goodbye to these characters, but I've enjoyed the ride tremendously.
    • 5/5
      The final book of Temeraire needs to get a lot done, and it does, sometimes by skipping past battles and skirmishes that we didn’t necessarily need to read about (though battle fans will probably miss them) and just having Laurence and Temeraire discuss the outcome. With Napoleon bolstered by the Chinese Imperial Tien and an alliance with the Empress of the Incas, one key question is whether even the great Russian generals January and February can prevent his ultimate conquest of Europe. Another is whether dragons should help or hinder him, since his treatment of dragons is far better than other European nations’, a fact of which Temeraire is increasingly sensible. The happy ending is a little contrived, but given what it took to get there, it’s hard to begrudge either Laurence or Temeraire their laurels, and the coincidences are certainly no worse than that found in Austen or a Hornblower book.
    • 5/5
      ***This book was reviewed for San Francisco Book Review (hardcopy), and for NetGalley (ebook)***League of Dragons heralds the end of Novik’s stunning Temeraire series. Laurence and Temeraire, along with their crew, and a host of Russian dragons, pursue Napoleon as he retreats to France after a decisive route on the part of the allied nations. Brutal weather chases defenders and invaders alike as a Russian winter begins to sink its claws into the land. Dragons and humans begin to succumb to the below freezing temperatures. Novik described these conditions, wrought, no doubt, by the global 'Little Ice Age', in such a manner that I felt I was there. Like the previous books, large swathes of time and space are crossed. Laurence survives the Russian campaign, only to end up captured by the French, along with Granby and Iskeirka. Yet, Napoleon still respects Laurence and treats him as an honoured prisoner, more a guest really. Nice though it be, a gilded cage is still a cage, and the prisoners manage to escape. Temeraire and Laurence have more adventures and battles. The book’s end sees the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, with Bonaparte’s exile. Napoleon is a favourite historical personage of mine, and this book, and the series as a whole, gives a new perspective. He is ambitious, certainly, yet a sympathetic character nonetheless. I devoured this book. I love this series and was so bummed this was the last book. When I finished, I sat in a kind of stupefied state that I get when a really grand series comes to its inevitable denouement. I've enjoyed this most marvelous journey with Temeraire and crew over the years. I would so love to see these turned to movies. Indeed, from the first, I've always pictured Laurence as Russell Crowe a lá the Master and Commander movie, and Granby to me has always been Christian Bale, as he was in the movie Equilibrium. I will miss the sweet anticipation of new Temeraire adventures, yet there is a certain satisfaction that the series is ended, and I can revisit as often as I desire. The long waits are over (now if only GRR Martin would wrap up the Song of Ice and Fire series before I die of old age….)Though set on an alternate world, one with dragons, the tone and voice of the story remind me of Patrick O’Brian’s 'Master and Commander series. I felt fully immersed in the language and customs of Temeraire’s time. Novik does a brilliant job of bringing this era to life. One thing I really love about the entire series is the dragon politics that develop because of Temeraire’s different personality, and his egg upbringing. This intensifies after his visit to China, where dragons and people interact in a very different manner. Dragons in China are regarded as people, as sentient beings with intelligence, which just seems logical to me. I also love all the varied dragon types encountered over the years, and making appearances in this spectacular finale.????? Highly recommended if you enjoy dragons! And alternate world fiction. And dragons!! Or historical fiction/fantasy, especially of the Napoleonic War. Did I mention DRAGONS!?
    • 5/5
      The final Temeraire book brings the series to a rousing and completely satisfying conclusion. Napoleon's forces have been driven back from Russia, hard-set by the freezing winter. But the allied forces are weak and scattered, and Napoleon has plans to raise thousands more dragons and recruit all the dragons of the world to his cause. With the shabby treatment of dragons in Britain and Russia, his proposed Compact is very appealing to many. Prospects for those opposing Napoleon look grim.The final shape of Europe is not what it is in our timeline, but then it couldn't be.Highly recommended for fans of the series.