Upcoming Release: Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik

Whilst I have been a little disappointed with the last couple of Temeraire books, I am still invested enough in the series to be excited at the prospect of the seventh book, Crucible of Gold, which is released this week.

Here is the trailer for the book






If you would like to read more about our thoughts on this series, click on this link!

Are you still reading the Temeraire series? Excited at the prospect of this book?

Upcoming Release: Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

Having previously done a Cover Story and a Spotlight on Naomi Novik, I think it is fair to say that a couple of us here at Historical Tapestry are fans of Naomi Novik and her Temeraire series. set in the UK during the Napoleonic Wars and featuring a dragon Air Corps as part of the nation's defences. We are therefore very interested in the upcoming release which is Victory of Eagles. This is the fifth instalment in the series, and excitingly for the author at least, the first in hardcover.

Naomi Novik’s triumphant debut, His Majesty’s Dragon, introduced a dynamic new pair of heroes to the annals of fantasy fiction: the noble fighting dragon Temeraire and his master and commander, Capt. Will Laurence, who serves Britain’s peerless Aerial Corps in the thick of the raging Napoleonic Wars. Now, in the latest novel of this dazzling series, they soar to new heights of breathtaking action and brilliant imagination.

It is a grim time for the dragon Temeraire. On the heels of his mission to Africa, seeking the cure for a deadly contagion, he has been removed from military service–and his captain, Will Laurence, has been condemned to death for treason.

For Britain, conditions are grimmer still: Napoleon’s resurgent forces have breached the Channel and successfully invaded English soil. Napoleon’s prime objective: the occupation of London.

Separated by their own government and threatened at every turn by Napoleon’s forces, Laurence and Temeraire must struggle to find each other amid the turmoil of war and to aid the resistance against the invasion before Napoleon’s foothold on England’s shores can become a stranglehold.

If only they can be reunited, master and dragon might rally Britain’s scattered forces and take the fight to the enemy as never before–for king and country, and for their own liberty. But can the French aggressors be well and truly routed, or will a treacherous alliance deliver Britain into the hands of her would-be conquerors?

Victory of Eagles is released in the US on 8 July and in the UK on 7 August. I am definitely looking forward to reading it!

Cover Story: Temeraire Series by Naomi Novik

The fourth book in Naomi Novik's Termeraire series hits stores officially on September 25th! After the little peek found in the end of Black Powder War, I am sure everyone is very excited to find out what happens next! For those of you that have not read the series yet, go out and get a copy of His Majesty's Dragon. It is a book about dragons and the Napoleonic Wars!

Now, which covers do you like?

These are the U.S. covers:

These are the UK paperbacks:

And, then there are these, the UK mass-market paperbacks:


And then there is this one, which is UK hardcover:

Spotlight On: Temeraire series by Naomi Novik

WANTED

Daring young adventurer to take on a challenging role, fighting old Boney. Must be willing to take risks, wish to visit exotic locales, show exceptional leadership, and be willing to be scorned by society. Females welcome......Navy types need not apply.

Or so might have read the advertisements looking for new members of the Royal Air Corps.

Captain William Laurence is a reluctant recruit to the Air Corps - he is after all a navy man through and through, captain of his own ship, and definitely on his way up! Captain Laurence and his shipmates engage with a fierce battle with a French navy ship which surprises him seeing as the enemy seems to be starved and there doesn't appear to be any treasure on board. At least, it seems that way until they find a dragon's egg, very close to hatching. Given the state of Britain's own dragon breeding program, and the value of any dragon's egg, this is a major find. When the dragon is hatched he is supposed to bond with his designated handler, a man who has "volunteered" to completely change his life and his career pate, but the dragon, who we come to know as Temeraire, has very different ideas, and bonds to an unwilling Laurence.

In the first book, which could be published under the title His Majesty's Dragon or Temeraire depending on where you live, we read the story of how Laurence and Temeraire come to be together, and how they learn all about being a member of the Air Corps together.

The second book which is called Throne of Jade, follows Laurence and Temeraire as they travel to China to find out about Temeraire's beginnings in a land where dragon's are very much part of every day life.

The third book, Black Powder War, starts in China, and is the story of the journey back to England, with various adventure's along the way, including some very dangerous times in Istanbul.

On the left is the US cover for the fourth book, Empire of Ivory, which will have some action at least set in India. Empire of Ivory is due out in September this year. (All the covers above are the US covers, whilst the ones below are the UK covers).

Naomi Novik posted on her blog last week that the fifth book in the series now has a name - it is going to be called Victory of Eagles and the book will be out in June 2008

Novik has done a fantastic job of taking known historical battles and events and then just tweaking the events by adding in the Air Corps, of which the various types of dragons are an integral part. The books are entertaining on many, many levels and well worth a read.

Interested in reading some reviews?

You can read Kailana's reviews at the following links:

His Majesty's Dragon
Throne of Jade (apparently I seemed to have skipped reviewing this book)
Black Powder War (review forth-coming)

and Marg's reviews:

Temeraire (His Majesty's Dragon)
Throne of Jade
Black Powder War