Roan Davidson
Scribe
Just finished. I'll give it a three-star review on Goodreads. Great concept, a decent story--but I've no interest in reading the rest of the series. I enjoyed it, but it didn't draw me in enough to keep going.
It's my favorite part of the story. I like the curiosity and the father/teacher/friend role works.1. What are your feelings about the relationship between Laurence and Temeraire?
Way too wordy for my taste. It distracts from the story in my opinion. I don't eschew wordiness in reading, but it must add something. It reads as if Novik missed the mark for what she was trying to do & I think others were right. She's trying to pull off a sense of British propriety with the language. It just doesn't work for me.2. What do you think of Novik's style?
I'm not sure yet. Outside of his relationship with Temeraire, I really don't know much about him, at least not enough to care yet.3. Do you like Laurence as a main character? Why or why not?
Yes. I like his character the best. It's the natural curiosity of a child within the mature mind of a dragon. This level of curiosity is what makes Temeraire the most interesting character. How does he view a world others take for granted?4. Do you like the way Temeraire acts (kind of blunt and curious is my interpretation)?
Yes. I like the mystery of Temeraire's breed too. There's some uncertainty with his capabilities and how he'll stack up to other dragons.5. What do you think about the different breeds of dragons? Does this make you more interested to see what other kind of dragons might be in the novel?
As mentioned above, the relationship. Outside of that I like the concept as a whole. I'm looking forward to seeing the full conflict. However, I'm hoping the writing style doesn't make me quit before I get there. I don't find myself eager to read the next chapter.6. What are some good points you've found about the novel so far?
Just the overbearing wordiness really. I suppose I'd like to be a bit closer to the POV too. He feels too distant for me to care what happens to him.7. What some complaints or concerns you have about it so far?
1. What are your feelings about the relationship between Laurence and Temeraire?
2. What do you think of Novik's style?
3. Do you like Laurence as a main character? Why or why not?
4. Do you like the way Temeraire acts (kind of blunt and curious is my interpretation)?
5. What do you think about the different breeds of dragons? Does this make you more interested to see what other kind of dragons might be in the novel?
6. What are some good points you've found about the novel so far?
7. What some complaints or concerns you have about it so far?
What did dragons do before humans? They are capable of thought, of communication, and of reason. Yet they have subjected themselves to humans because...
The whole "dragons going feral if they don't accept a rider" doesn't sit with me well. They learn communication through the shell. Does that mean they forget it, and their self-awareness, if they don't choose a human? Why isn't there a dragon language? Why don't they have an identity all to themselves, instead of adopting their rider's?
Going back to the feral dragon gripe. A dragon outlives a human. When the human dies, the dragon adapts, by free will, another rider. You see the dragons have free will when Temereraire chose Laurence. Free will. The ability to act for yourself. Yet, if they don't chose a human, suddenly they are little more than wild dogs kept for mating? Why won't they just fly away?
And why would they kill each other to further the agenda of their riders? Because, when the egg cracked, the first thing they saw was a human face? And that eliminates all sense of identity? I have a hard time believing that, especially at discovering just how intelligent Temeraire is.
And for anyone who is an evolutionist, what about the fittest ruling the resources? Dragons are the most dominating species in this world. Why did they just let the pesky humans crawl on their backs and tell them what to do? Why didn't they just keep them fore livestock, breed them, and eat them?
No. The dragon you're referring to had a rider.
The relationship between Laurence and Temereraire is too much. I'm trying to find a better way of describing it, so bear with me.
And as a bonus: Am I the only one whose edition of the book doesn't have a Table of Contents? I went back to see where Part II began and ended for the sake of making a few questions and just had to flip pages until I found the dividers. What's up there, Del Rey?
1. What do you think of the worldbuilding with regards to this as an alternate history?