Temeraire by Naomi Novik, Book 5: Victory of Eagles

The Temeraire series is nine books long, and is currently being reprinted in three three-book omnibus volumes, which might lead you to think it a trilogy of trilogies (as is true of, for example, The Expanse). This is especially true because the first three books came out in rapid succession in the same year. But while there is at least one embedded trilogy in the series, it's actually books three through five. In book three, Black Powder War, Napoleon had steamrolled through continental Europe and the British dragons were weakened by disease; in book four, Empire of Ivory, Laurence was disgraced and separated from Temeraire; these cliffhangers are largely resolved by the end of book five, Victory of Eagles, which would work as a stopping point, though it also leaves a hook for more adventures.

This seems like a canny move on Novik's part; beginning her plot trilogy with the last book of a trilogy in terms of release sequence mean the people who picked up the first trilogy have to keep on going!

Victory of Eagles: Book Five of Temeraire
by Naomi Novik

Originally published: 2008
Acquired and read: November 2024

Anyway, having found the stuff about searching for the cure in Empire of Ivory a bit dull, I really enjoyed this one. Novik switches up the formula a bit; while the previous books were all told in third-person limited perspective for Laurence, this one makes Temeraire himself a viewpoint character for the first time, which is great. There are lots of intense, grueling sequences of the kind that Novik really excels at (and made Black Powder War such a good read) as the French slowly take Britain, and the British do their best to push back. Laurence's moral forthrightness has some good implications here, and I liked his reunion with Temeraire a lot. There's also some good stuff about what we're willing—and unwilling—to do in the desperation of war. Wellington appears as a minor character here, and he's excellent; Novik cleverly weaves some echoes of real history into her alternative one, especially with Nelson. Of course I love all the stuff about Laurence's stiff moral code, how could I not? Overall, I really enjoyed this one, my favorite since the first book.

I have sometimes been a bit skeptical about Novik's alternative history, to be honest. Why would all of European history basically be the same with dragons up until the 1800s, but begin diverging then? But most non-European countries seem to have quite different histories in this timeline. Obviously, this has to be the case, or you don't get 1) the fun premise of "Napoleonic War with dragons" or 2) any suspense. But her approach pays off here; because Napoleon didn't invade England in our history, it just feels utterly wrong when he is able to do so here, allowing the readers to experience the same alienation and estrangement as the characters. It's just not right that Napoleon should be in England. You feel this just like Laurence does, even if for a different reason.

Every ten months I read an installment of Temeraire. Next up in sequence: Tongues of Serpents