Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik

Disclaimer the first: I’m a sucker for historical fiction.
Disclaimer the second: I’m a sucker for dragons.
Disclaimer the third: I’m incredibly ignorant of the Napoleonic Era
Disclaimer the fourth: I’m realizing now how poor my public school education was — I only know history as discrete events, not as a proper timeline across place at one time. I’m working to fix this but it’s slow going. [If you know of better timeline links please let me know]
Disclaimer the fifth: I “know” Naomi. In that I TA’d for her four out of the five times I was a TA. We’ve not kept in touch and I wish I was as “well read” (however poorly that still is) when we “knew” each other and interacted. One class had assignments to code Harry Potter spells.. I nodded and smiled and graded students based on their coding expertise (or lack thereof). I knew nothing of Harry Potter until I graduated in ’01. *sigh* opportunities missed..

Now to the book.

I tried to wait to read this book until the term was fully over. It kept beckoning to me as I had enjoyed the first three books. This past weekend I could not resist any longer and cracked open the blue cover and began to read. I finished over dinner this evening. Quite a few other things happened in that time period (work, sleep, &c) but in between the front and back covers I’ve been re-immersed in the world that is Temeraie and a Napoleonic England with dragons. It is one that I did not want to end. While keeping in mind the disclaimers above and my incredible ignorance on everything, I feel that Naomi has continued her world and I was swept in and do not wish to leave. From the plot to characters; all of the imagery, I see and enjoy. I felt that I knew and could (albeit socially awkwardly for many reasons) converse with the characters. They often surprised me with an action or two, then in the next scene reassured me by fitting the personality I knew. Often Laurence pissed me off by being the proper “British gentleman” that he is, fretting about women’s honour and the like, but at the same time he swept me off my feet by being that sort of man. I want to know more about Harcourt and Roland and greatly cheered them. It should surprise no one that the women and their choices interested me.

In all, Naomi has crafted a wonderful read and I look with impatience to book 5.

I really fear writing more on this book as I don’t want to give any spoilers. It isn’t that large of a roller coaster that you can’t guess where things may but it does end a bit suddenly.