League of Dragons (Temeraire)

This book was disappointing. It seemed that the plot was a stretch and race to get to the finish line (end of the series) by the author. Still enjoyable to read but not as exciting as the previous books in the series.

Anyone who loves fantasy and history must read this series. Naomi Novak's attention to details regarding real history as altered by her dragons is as elegant as it is magnificent. Her creativity is awe inspiring. I will be a lifelong fan.

This is the last book in the Temeraire series of novels - and it is a worthy, nay, excellent close to the series. Although I felt that the latest books, while enjoyable, had been somewhat less exciting than the first few, League of Dragons has all the interest and excitement of the best parts of the series. Novik does a great job of bringing together characters from throughout the series and more or less tying up loose ends, bringing it all to a satisfying conclusion. Perhaps the time dedicated to write Uprooted - another excellent book, unrelated to the Temeraire series - helped inspire her and give an extra impulse to the close of this marvelous story. I must admit to being tempted to go back and re-read the whole series now...

I went into this novel with great expectations, and Novik delivered exactly what I was hoping for. An amazing roller coaster of a ride that managed to conclude the saga in a highly satisfying way. This novel was the end that these amazing characters deserved. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the genre!

After getting the Chinese to commit a force to help Europe against Napoleon, the last book in the Temeraire series has Laurence and the dragon Temeraire involved in the war in Russia against Napoleon. The Russian dragons are a vicious, self-centered lot, more interested in garnering loot than in defeating Napoleon. While Temeraire is fighting in Russia, his dragon friends mount a campaign to bring equality to dragons in England. Laurence and Temeraire must find ways to combat Napoleon's influence on unaligned dragons. The Chinese dragons are needed to help cause Napoleon to retreat from Russia. Mirroring many historical occurrences the book is an interesting read.

I hate to say that this book actually did not meet my expectations and I don't say that easily because I love the series. I guess given that it was the last book in the series, I expected a larger finale. I don't want to give anything away, but there is no great battle between Lien and Remeraire which I sort of expected. It just wasn't as tight as the other novels and was not the finish I expected.

I devoured this book in about four hours and I keep wanting to go back and reread parts. A delightful experience, definitely gonna try and get my friends to read it.

Holy crow, what a good ending to the series.

Loved it. I was already a fan and just wanted to see the story concluded. So I wasn't particularly critical of the storyline or writing style. I've enjoyed this entire series. Really hope the movies are made.

An excellent conclusion to the world spanning Temeraire series. Novik's attention to and subversion of historical detail readily lends itself to an excellent series. Looking forward to further adventures of dragons in politics!

This and the book immediately preceding it (Blood of Tyrants) form a thoroughly enjoyable conclusion to the Temeraire series. There are a few other Black Powder books that ostensibly depict military hierarchies and engagements, and I find lacking. Novik blows them away for well believability and beautiful depiction.

A disappointing end to the series. The author seems to have run out of steam and progressed the story forward with several unexplained jumps agead in the story line and then threw things together for a "Happily Ever After" scenario. If you've made it through the prior 8 books, I guess it's worth reading to see how it all ends, but be prepared for mediocrity and disappointment :-(

A disappointing end to a stunningly good beginning of this series. The last 3 or 4 books just were not as good as the first 4. Temeraire is a brilliant character -- I hope Peter Jackson exercises his option and gets a green light on at least the first installment.

Profoundly disappoint. What could have been an epic series fell, and fell hard. The first three books were golden. The fourth good. Then an uneven long and gradual decline down. I kept picking them up in the hopes that the magic would be regained. It never was. This, the final book was better than Blood of Tyrants with its horrific amnesia storyline, and even better than the Crucible book set in Australia. But no, this was not a good book, it is a whimpering end to what should have been a classic series. I kept the first four volumes and the rest are going to goodwill.

I feel like anything I would have to say about the quality of the story would do a disservice to just how wonderful it is. I do not believe there is any series I could so wholly recommend as this one. No matter the age or inclinations of the reader.

Instead I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Naomi Novik. This series has been a favorite of mine since I first stumbled upon it some seven years ago and now I feel like an old friend has departed. Thank you for the lovely hours I've spent reading your series and the countless more I've spent pondering over every facet of your story and for spurring me to invest even more of my time in reading up on Napoleon and the wars he fought. I will forever cherish this series and I look forward to what you have in store next.

I wish you all the best.

I was so dissatisfied with the last three novels I was almost hesitant to purchase this one. I downloaded the sample first and the hook was set. This novel brings back the wondrous adventure and action of the first three novels and then goes beyond. It is bitter sweet that this is the last Temeraire novel, so well done and now none to follow? I hope that is not the case!

Napleonic conflict concluded with most loose ends tied together well. Draconic rights much improved.
Should Novik decide to extend thee series, I think that North America would be excellent location, India, Morocco possibly
as well. Would Incan dragons choose to immigrate to Europe for chance at larger
populations?

I just finished this book and I have to say I am quite satisfied with the end of the series. My main complaint is that this felt a bit rushed. There are parts of the story that we aren't given, that we would have gotten in the previous books. I would almost rather she had taken another year and fleshed out those parts more. However, after reading this whole series multiple times, I can say that I am satisfied with how she wrapped things up.

As the final book of the series, I was Gravely dissapointed. Everything went way too fast, and skipped over substancial amounts of content.

The author tries too hard to tie all the loose ends and make a perfect happy ending. Rushes most things, disregards side plots entirely, and has a huge plot hole at the very end.

Great series, but the ending was rushed and highly unsatisfying.

I love this series and was able to check out the audiobook at my local libraries except this one. Too bad it was MP3 which didn't work on my home computer but did at the library. I'll donate after I'm done "re-reading' this is the final chapter and so sad to see its over. I really love the characters.

A wonderful end to a series that has enraptured my attention for years. I daresay I will miss awaiting for Temeraire and Laurence's next adventure-but I also cannot wait to revisit them as old friends

I ordered His Majesty's Dragon from the store in March, 2006, shortly after it was published. Since then, i've followed along with the series through high and low. Some of the books were, well, pretty bad, but the series itself was good enough that i powered through those to get to the next (which was often much better).

I was both sad and delighted to get my hands on this, the final Temeraire novel. Loath though i was to say goodbye to the series, i was also eager to see to what all the bloodshed and turmoil led.

I've been about halfway through this book for weeks now. I'm not just uninterested, i'm actively disinterested. Temeraire and Lawrence are mopier than they were in Australia. Iskierka has gone from strong-and-sassy to outright obnoxious. And a new character has been introduced, one who despite having a name of their own is only Scrappy Doo to me.

As they are written in this book, there is not a single character i care about. Lawrence just flops around bemoaning the change in station that began way back in book one. He very nearly fails my Sandwich Test (viz: if you replaced the character with a sandwich, would the story change). Temeraire just flops around wishing Dragons had it better, but he at least DOES things sometimes. These, the grand heroes of the series, reduced to this.

I'm not going to throw away my copy. I'm going to put it on the shelf and come back to it, maybe in six months, maybe a year. I can't give up on the series. But i really, really don't like this book.

League of Dragons is marketed as the last volume in Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series. Although knowing some Napoleonic history, there’s room for another, not to mention all the short stories and side-story novels that tend to be added to successful series. Napoleon has failed to conquer Russia, but he’s determined to recruit more dragons (many of whom are likely to be interested) and continue with his imperialistic plans. Like the rest of the series, this is really a historical novel with fantasy added rather than the other way around. The characters continue to grow, and the plot holds together although the ending is rather abrupt. On the whole, one of the stronger books in this uneven series.

Naomi Novik has spun a long tale, finally winding it to a mostly fitting conclusion with this volume. League of Dragons is divided up into 4 sections, beginning in Russia with a defeated Napoleon retreating from Moscow, thanks in large part to the efforts of William Laurence and his dragon partner Temeraire in the previous volume of the series. Nonetheless, the situation is still dire. They know Napoleon will regroup and return - and events will place them in opposition once more.

The danger of Novik's Napoleon is his genius for coming up with new strategies and tactics, and this is certainly true here. Aided and abetted by his own dragon, he's come up with a plan to win over dragons around the world under his banner, and it stands a good chance of succeeding. Yet he is not the only one capable of learning and innovation.

Laurence and Temeraire have been the heroes of the hour, adopted into the Chinese Imperial family, condemned in disgrace as traitors, exiled as criminals, survived excruciating journeys, been heroes again and again, and have always done their duty as they saw it. This is the volume that takes that tempering in the fires and sees it put to good use. The knowledge they have gained, the experiences they have been through, the connections they have made, it all comes together as Russia joins England, China and Prussia to bring Napoleon's campaign of conquest to a final halt - while they still can.

Novik throws in some twists and turns along the way. There's potential for more stories out of this alternate history fantasy she's crafted, but this is a decent stopping point. One of the better books in the series.

In real life history, Napoleon ended up exiled to St. Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic. For those who'd like to imagine the fallen Emperor of France and his dragon Lien in exile there, the BBC just published a travel article about it. At long last the island has air service. It's now possible to fly in and avoid a tedious journey by boat. The article is here:
[...]

League of Dragons, final installment in Naomi Novik's bestselling Temeraire series, came out over a month ago and no one is talking about it. Given the somewhat poor quality of the last few volumes, this is not necessarily surprising. Still, given the great buzz that surrounded the release of His Majesty's Dragon/Temeraire just a few years back, one would have thought that the conclusion would have created more of a stir within fantasy circles.

Like many people, I used to be a big fan of Naomi Novik and her signature Temeraire saga, and that from before the time the first volume was even published. Unfortunately, the proliferation of sequels whose pertinence seemed questionable sort of killed it for me. There were so many existing storylines to build on to bring back what made the novels so entertaining in the first place, but it was not to be. It is now quite evident that the decision to split this series into nine volumes when there was material for maybe five novels has hurt the overall quality of the books. Which is really too bad, for the Temeraire series used to be a winner.

Over the course of the last four installments, Novik seemed to have grown extremely complacent. It felt as though she was happy to offer simple, lackluster, often formulaic, and episodic works in style and tone that did very little to further the overall plot. Too often, these books felt like interludes while everything else in the greater scheme of things took place "off stage." To all ends and purposes, it appeared that Novik was milking this story all it was worth. Which explains why she could never recapture the magic that made the first four volumes such memorable reads.

So why continue reading this series? Considering that it has been losing steam with every new release, God knows that I've been quite reticent to give each new Temeraire book a shot. It is with no great enthusiasm that I sat down to read League of Dragons, true. But a part of me wanted to know how it would end, and there was always the chance that Novik would return to form and close the show in spectacular fashion. After a slow and rather boring start, Blood of Tyrants picked up speed in the second portion of the novel and continued to move the overall story arc forward with each new chapter. Finally (but was it too late to save the series?), we saw various storylines coming together, revelations were made, and with winter settling over Russia readers knew that the endgame had come. For the first time in a number of years, I was actually intrigued and looking forward to discover just how Naomi Novik would bring this series to a close.

Alas, although it is better than many of its predecessor, League of Dragons failed to recapture the magic that made the first couple of Temeraire installments such unforgettable reads and turned out to be more or less bland and unispired. Definitely "meh" as far as I'm concerned. Sadly, it's the sort of finale that will leave many a reader indifferent. As a matter of course, it's not like we didn't see it coming. But it is a major disappointment to see a series that was brimming with so much potential end in such an uninvolving manner.

Here's the blurb:

The final adventure in the New York Times bestselling Temeraire series that started with the beloved His Majesty’s Dragon which has won fans of Napoleonic-era military history, Anne McCaffrey’s Pern novels, and Patrick O’Brian’s seafaring adventures.

The deadly campaign in Russia has cost both Napoleon and those allied against him. Napoleon has been denied his victory…but at a terrible price. Lawrence and the dragon Temeraire pursue the fleeing French army back west, but are demoralized when Napoleon makes it back to Paris unscathed. Worse, they soon learn that the French have stolen Termeraire and Iskierka’s egg. Now, it is do or die, as our heroes not only need to save Temeraire’s offspring but also to stop Napoleon for good!

The good thing about League of Dragons being the final installment in the series was that it couldn't possibly turn into yet another uninspired travelogue chronicling Laurence and Temeraire's journeys around the world. Indeed, all the disparate threads introduced in every book come together at last, setting the stage for the final showdown against Napoléon.

Japan notwithstanding, I've always loved the author's depiction of the various locales the characters visited. With an historian's eye for details, Novik's depiction of China, Australia, the Inca Empire, Brazil, etc, made for an evocative narrative. She has always excelled at that, and this book is no different. Although worldbuilding plays a very minor role in this one, Novik's prose continues to give life to an arresting imagery.

The characterization, which was decidedly subpar in the last two volumes and left a lot to be desired, is much better this time around. For the most part, the problem stemmed from the fact that the supporting cast brought little to nothing to the tale. But with the endgame in sight, so many familiar faces make appearances and plotlines are resolved that this was my favorite aspect of the novel. A new dragon is also part of the story, one that creates a number of complication for Temeraire, Laurence, and their allies.

Problem is, for those readers who, like me, have stuck with this series for a decade, chances are you'll be disappointed, and even feel a little cheated. It's been a very long journey and we have been waiting for a long time to witness the culmination of a panoply of plotlines. And even though League of Dragons does offer closure in various forms for many of those storylines, others are inexplicably ignored or glossed over. Chief among them the long-awaited showdown between Lien and Temeraire, which is not part of the narrative. Given that fans have been waiting for this moment since the second volume, I truly felt cheated that Novik simply elected to skip to the aftermath and rob readers of the grand battle they have been eagerly expecting for years.

I'm pleased to report that the pace is rarely an issue in this one. While the last five books were plagued by filler material that often slowed the rhythm and bogged down the narrative, League of Dragons is more fluid in that regard. Mind you, there is some filler between the covers, but nothing that really hurts the reading experience.

And then, you reach the end. And it's okay. Not good. Not bad. Just the end. Truth be told, I was expecting much more of a pay-off. Granted, it is exactly the kind of ending that makes sense and can be woven to fit into true history. And yet, I was expecting something more. Something that would pack a punch. Something that would elevate the Temeraire series to another level. After all, the first four books revitalized the genre. Sadly, in the end, Naomi Novik wasn't able to write a grand finale that lived up to the expectations generated by the earlier volumes. The magic is long gone, lost along the way as unnecessary sequels featuring filler instead of killer material kept being published. Very few fantasy series showed this much potential early on. Hence, it is regrettable to see this one end in such an unremarkable fashion.

Not everyone likes high fantasy and Victorian-era discourse, but I find it rather refreshing. I am a Novik novice. That said, when a producer recommended the series some time ago because of a similar fantasy project I'm working on, I meant to pick up the series as soon as my reading queue got a little shorter. When I saw the series in my Vine queue, I snapped it up like Temeraire grabbing meat and treasure.

This is the final novel in the Temeraire saga, so you might expect I would be rather lost with all the mentions of the various dragons and characters (I recommend checking out the Temeraire Wiki). However, this is one of those rare instances in which, having read the finale, I felt as if I'd read the whole series. This is because Novik has a way of providing backstory and history without spoon-feeding it. The dialogue is gorgeous, especially the dragons'--Temeraire is of course my personal favorite, but Ning, his hatchling, steals the show. As with Anne McCaffrey's Pern and Christopher Paolini's Eragon, the humans manage to be at least as compelling as the magical creatures rather than just props. Women (the officer Emily Roland and her admiral mother, the female dragons, the historical Empress Anahuarque) have a strong role in this alternate history. And for anyone who's read books about Napoleon (who is not the short Corsican general portrayed in popular culture), the details of the British/Russian campaigns against him are perfectly realistic.

The co-star, Laurence, must have been named for T.E. Lawrence, because his championing of dragons' rights and his straddling both the dragon and human cultures make him a pioneer and a most dangerous man. One of the best fantasy books I've read in some time!

About five years ago, I read the first six of Novik's Temeraire series, utterly charmed by the re-imagining of the Napoleonic Wars with dragons involved. Three years ago, I read the seventh and eighth book - and kicked myself the whole time about not refreshing my memory more before starting. So, now, while reading the ninth and presumed series finale, I have taken the time to brush up on the previous books - though I did not take the time to re-read them all again. And I am glad that I did! Unlike the eighth book, Blood of Tyrants (Temeraire), Laurence's amnesia doesn't work to better re-cap the previous actions. This one starts right up after the events that concluded that book, and doesn't really pause in its action at all until the end!

But, I must say, as a series conclusion, this book isn't all that satisfying. Yes, it's exciting and packed with action and cameos from across the series, but it doesn't do much to fulfill a sense of justice by its end. The villains don't receive punishment that is particularly balanced to their actions, and it just doesn't really feel like a final ending. I hope that Novik is merely taking a break from the series, and hopes to one day return to these characters - I know I am not ready to say goodbye to them! I have also heard that the film rights have reverted back to the author, which is also disappointing, because I think that so much about these books would be so absolutely visually stunning! I will keep my fingers crossed that this is not truly the end!

I wasn't ready for this series to end in 2016 and honestly, I wasn't ready for it to end now either. But the audiobook was available from my library and I wanted closure. I did read the wiki for the previous book to quickly refresh my memory since it'd been so long.

Everything I wanted and expected. I LOVE Temeraire so, so very much. He the social justice warrior of my heart. I wanted to shout "DRAG HIM" when he takes down imperialist BS. My notes are basically shouting about the dragons with lots of exclamation points. But here's the other notes I made between all that:

--Aw, Tem with PTSD. Poor baby :(
---JANE!!!
--The sex scene was adorable TBH.
--Really devastated and sad for it to end, but it was concluded perfectly, brilliantly.
--Jumps between Part 2 & 3, and Part 3 and 4 were discombobulating, especially when I was so used to this series describing each step of the way.
--Dragonling threw me for a loop. Part of me liked her better as an egg, but she's intelligent, cunning, and a good spice up. It's too bad Tem is outshined in the manipulation and maneuvering by the female relatives of his, lol.
--Good job stepping up Lawerance! He's making moves.
--OMG, Tem trying to clean - lol!.
--Tem's rivalry with Lien basically evaporates and was really disappointing.
--If ONE thing changed towards the end, I would've turned coat for Napoleon as well TBH.
--Aww Tharkey.

I missed the previous two books, but I got the gist from this one. By now Captain Laurence and dragon Temeraire have been around the world to every then-known continent and seen the dragons living there, many of which reappear in this tale. The previous book clearly was set during Napoleon's march on Moscow and the Russian winter has seen him off; now we take up the tale in bitter cold as the Russian dragons, badly treated like Asian elephants, are flown after the Emperor and his escort, straggling back to France.

The nice part is that Temeraire and fire-dragon Iskierka have produced an egg (why not a clutch?) which will be guarded in their absence (unlike the dragon queens of Pern they go absent) and does hatch during the book. The hatchling is not immediately grabbed and harnessed. It seems extremely unlikely that any side should have allowed such a precious asset to escape them. Like seeing an aircraft carrier drifting by and thinking 'leave it, someone will claim it sometime.' I especially could not see this being the case in wartime. Laurence has been obsessed with doing his duty; his duty would have been to secure the precocious and dangerous youngster for Britain.

Speaking of Laurence and duty, he fights a duel. The author must not know that it was not allowed for senior ranks to fight duels, nor for anyone to challenge them to a duel or accept their offer of a duel. Artistic licence can be pleaded but it's obvious that this could destroy a chain of command and sabotage an army or navy very fast. All the enemy would have to do is pay or convince infiltrators to keep challenging officers to duels by insulting their parents or kings. The story doesn't even require this duel as a plot point; and Laurence's recovery serves only to introduce a young peasant woman - for whose modesty he then feels responsible, though a officer would not feel responsible for poor people's reputations - who is then never seen again. Laurence tolerates dangerous insubordination and mutiny from officers under him (eh? One had a sword at his throat), and similarly for no reason I could see, is appointed to command the Aerial Corps in the final battles of the Napoleonic wars. What happened to the rest of the Aerial Corps, and how did those hardened admirals feel about being supplanted by a globetrotting traitor?

Most of this tale is occupied with flying across country, feeding dragons, chatting among dragons, planning and engaging in battles. But the battles are astonishingly truncated, only one or two described at any length, and in her jumping from mid-scene to mid-scene the author omits to show the whole point of the story and the series- the defeat of Napoleon. Neither he nor his dragon Lien are shown being personally attacked and surrendering. No dramatist or film maker could leave such a scene out of the narrative.

I don't buy that all dragons would readily translate their hoards of shiny metal to a bank account. Sorry, no. That's for writerly convenience but goes against all dragon nature and evolution. Some of the dragon nature aspects are really well done, the author building on her earlier books. Europe seems suddenly overrun with feral dragons, even in lands which have killed off wolves, lynxes, aurochs and bears. What do they all eat?

The final step towards dragon emancipation is nice, but I don't see it occurring in a land where women are still second class citizens. Speaking of women, Laurence renews his romance with Jane, but never refers to it again and rebuffs the lady's offer - I think we all wanted him to have a nice happy life after his travails. The author is entitled to treat her characters as she sees fit, of course.

So a mixed read for me. I enjoyed the story and action, but a lot of it doesn't hold up (to my picky mind) and it would have helped if I'd read the books about the Inca and Russian characters. If you're sad at having finished this series, don't despair, you can read next 'A Natural History of Dragons' which similarly looks at dragons around the world in a historical fantasy series setting.

This is the 9th and final book in the Temeraire series. The action picks up shortly after the events that ended "Blood of Tyrants." It should go without saying, but don't start the series with this book. There is no recap or review of what has happened in the previous books -- it is presumed that the reader has read most if not all of the books in the series.

This was not my favorite book in the series, but I think the author did a good job of pulling together the alternate history Napoleonic Wars plus the personal events going on in the lives of the characters. Readers who hope for a lot of air battles with the dragons are likely to be disappointed, though there are a few good ones.

For me the most interesting part of the book was the dragon rights discussions. I am sad to see the series end.

Novik creates an alternate history of Europe where dragons are common and Napoleon's forces attempt to take over the world. She explores the internal political struggles between rulers and military forces as allies fight for rule of the world. Novik incorporates wonderful historical details that adds authenticity to her world view. Her writing really shines when it comes to setting. She captures the feel of Russia’s climate, the frigid chills of their northern land.

Although character's were well defined, they didn't go through much transformation. Their reactions appeared immediate rather then transformative. This may be attributed to this being the end of a long series at #9. Since the character's arch was not emphasized, our understanding of war strategies becomes enhanced. This is another area that Novik shines. Her background in gaming clearly come through. Novik seems to have fun playing with language. Similes and alliteration are sprinkled throughout the story, which always makes reading fun.

This being the last book in a nine book series it's difficult at times to remember what has transpired before now. Unfortunately none of the normal tricks are used to keep you up to speed as to how people fit in the story or dragons. The clear and simplest way to solve this is to read the series over again before each book but most of us ain't got that kind of time. So we rely on small passages to bring us back up to speed. These books just don't enjoy those even if you're asking seeing a character again for the first time in 5 books, which means a lot has happened since then.

Also, there is a duel with a minor Russian character in the book that comes out to mean nothing. We spend a chapter or two with this fellow and then he's gone. Kinda pointless but overall I enjoyed the book though the series lost some steam around book 6.

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

Every time I’ve read one of the books in this series, I’ve been delighted, and League of Dragons is no exception. The hard part will be explaining why without spoiling any of the tension-filled moments.

Which brings me to the aspect of this book I loved the most. There’s an ongoing tension between those who refuse to recognize the dragons as people and those who are happy to manipulate that shortsightedness, but what draws the most attention to this fact is the dragons themselves. It is wonderful how Novik brings the dragon mentality to play here. It’s not how most humans think, but neither is it so distant that I couldn’t understand it. A purely alien perspective that nevertheless offers clarity and humor to many moments in the story. The descriptions here were often flowery and focused on appearances, which would often lead me to skim. Instead, they offer a fascinating insight into the dragon perspective.

Another part I appreciated was the portrayal of Napoleon himself. From what I know of the history, this portrayal is rather accurate to the man’s true nature despite the introduction of dragons and the many ways that changes each encounter. He’s an interesting person with many likeable characteristics that do not in any way excuse his warmongering and expansionist mentality.

However, while he’s cast the villain, League of Dragons does not paint the “heroes” with a saintly brush either, giving a glimpse into the complexities of any war where even the side I would agree with commits acts that are heinous and without reason. Laurence (the main character along with his dragon Temeraire) is at the heart of this complexity. He is the one person everyone needs and everyone loves to hate…well, not everyone.

He is both a strong tactician and strategist, but where this could have won him every accolade, he adds to it a firm moral sense that gets him in trouble. Many of the troubles he faces in League of Dragons are a direct consequence of his actions in previous books along with his somewhat unique position as the adopted son of the Chinese emperor.

So, yes, this is right in my sweet spot with culture clash, diplomacy, and even well written battle scenes that were interesting enough to keep me from skimming, all wrapped up in an alternate history of an era that interests me. Sociology plays a big part in this novel, as much as politics, and it offers many nuggets for those wanting to gain a better understanding of the twists of government and self-interest.

In case it wasn’t clear, I loved the way the dragon perspectives are well thought out, as well as how they learn and adapt, but the same can be said for the human circumstances. Laurence is not the only one to be put in an awkward position because of the choices he’s made, and there are several points where actions, even well meaning ones, have unintended consequences, again speaking to the complexity of the narrative.

League of Dragons offers characters you will grow to love and hate; cultural and loyalty conflicts that put both people and dragons in awkward positions; and an intricate narrative that never lets you settle into a comfort zone for long before adding some new twist. Definitely worth the read and ample demonstration of why my sister and my sons have been after me to read the whole series for years.

P.S. I received this novel from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What is the future for Laurence and Temeraire? None of the other reviewers have mentioned this, but dragons are very long-lived. At some point late in the 19th c., Laurence will die, and Temeraire will probably visit his friends and family in China. Can we imagine the united dragons of v. 9 continuing their quest for legal rights and recognition, and also perhaps preventing the excesses of colonialism? The series itself tries to accommodate to that goal already, but the Africans and Incans weren't the only ones who experienced this in the century following Napoleon. Then, what about the advances in technology of warfare? Very difficult to think of these same dragons - now middle-aged - flying into World War I? The series itself is so gripping, so well-done, that it invites these speculations.

A fond farewell to this series, the sort where you feel perfectly satisfied of them moving on from that last page to a solid and fulfilling future. I’ve read every book in this series (some twice) and while it has been uneven, this final volume is serving to remind me what I loved about it all in the first place. What a truly unique series this has been, placed right in the midst of a very pivotal part of European history, with the additional conceit of the culture having and always having had, dragons. Novik’s dragons are so very much their own beings, each voice and personality is instantly recognizable through all the books. Strong personalities all! Her dragons have much to commend them, and we might all wish to have such loyal friends looking out for our best interests. The humans are equally well realized, and I loved and hated them variously, in full measure! As each species, human and dragon, becomes aware of the potential each has, or has been denied them by ignorant custom, change starts to foment for the betterment of all eventually. And a better ending to the end book I could not have wished for either, a settled but not dull future ahead for the long beleaguered pair (Temeraire and Lawrence) and in a scene of tranquil domesticity, a parting gift from Novik, with Lawrence’s nephews forming the first innocent connections and relationship with Temeraire at Wollaton Hall, left me tearing up realizing one of them some distant day, might be his companion or captain. Really, one of the strongest books in this series. If you’ve read the others, don’t hesitate with this, it is a prize!

As the saga of Captain Laurence and Temeraire comes to the conclusion, we find them on the battlefield fighting Napoleon and his troops. The author does a good job of finishing off the plot but leaves the book open ended, so that there may or may not be another adventure awaiting the characters that the reader has come too know and think of as dear friends.

Naomi Novik has written a wonderful compilation of adventure, disillusionment, honor, loyalty, distress, trust, and love in this fantasy tale. I enjoyed all of these on audiobook. Simon Vance narrated all 9 books and he makes the listener feel like they are sitting in a livingroom hearing an adventurer tell his life stories.

I highly recommend this story series for anyone one who loves fantasy, adventure, and fun! I will miss these characters and wonder what might come next for them as the author leaves us with a tantalizing concept at the end of the book.

I'm rounding up from 2.5 stars. When you wait so long for a book to come out and then have it be so lackluster - heavy sigh. I think Novik really made an error by either dropping some previous characters from this storyline or only mentioning them briefly. I really wanted to read more about Emily Roland, Sapo and his brother (plus the dragon Kugilie). Also Lily and her captain. I think for the ending novel, there should have been more to the storylines of these minor characters or interactions between them and Lawrence. I agree with another reviewer that Lawrence didn't feel very developed as a character. I've always found him to be a little too poker up his backside regarding honor and felt he was a little too sanctimonious at how the war ended - for goodness sakes, just be glad the war ended and maybe even be a little admiring of how it was accomplished. Temeraire comes off a little bit more complex, but not as interesting as past books. What made past Temeraire stories interesting was the odd, humorous, interactions between Temeraire and the minor characters whom you develop an affection for over the past books. I was glad to hear about Ferris and Tenzing, but wanted to hear more.

As it was, I got to about 2/3 and then just started skimming the rest of the book to find out how it ended - not a cliffhanger exactly, but it did feel like a "to be continued" type of feeling. I can only hope that while Novik has stated on her website that this is the final novel, there will be short stories featuring the further adventures of Lawrence and friends.

I hate to see this series end. But, if it had to end, this book leaves the story and our heros in reasonably good shape and in a decent spot. Given the constraints set out up front - that the author needed to bring this series to a close in a single book of publishable size - I think the author did an excellent job.

The reason I did not give the book 5 stars is just that the author crammed so many things into so few pages. Again, given that this was to be the final book, I understand it and think it was probably necessary, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it. Unlike previous books, which were fairly linear and complete descriptions of the action, this book was discontinuous, with new chapters not necessarily starting where and when the last chapter ended. It was handled well, and the reader could easily fill in the missing events in their own minds, but still, I kind of missed the missing pieces.

So, bottom line, if you are a fan of the series, you will almost certainly like this book, aside from the disappointment of it being the final one. And you will likely be reasonably (but not entirely) satisfied with where the story ends.

My apologies dear readers, I did not know that this was book 9 of a series when I selected it.
However, the book is strong enough to stand on it's own and the author seamlessly brings
the reader into her world.

What delighted me was unexpectedly finding humor and I was quite surprised when it happened.
I wish I could share that moment with you, but that would be a spoiler.

As a newcomer to Novik's work, I found her vision of dragons fascinating and rather tickled at some
of the characteristics she gave them, for example: hoarding treasure.

Overall this was an epic story, and I certainly am interested in reading the preceding books, but there
was something off about the ending.

I was reading an ARC, so perhaps my copy of the book was faulty, but it seemed as though there was
a part of the ending that was missing. Just a paragraph or two, and it would have made better sense.

Regardless, the book was still a worthy read and I would recommend it.

As a devoted fan of dragons, I first dove into this series completely blind in regards to British history and solely interested in finding what M.S. Novik's take on dragons would be. I have now come out of it with not only a strong love for her dragons, who I will dearly miss, but with a strong desire to read about the Neapolitan wars. Given I am rarely a history buff, this is a huge achievement. I also want to give long overdue praise to M.S Novik for not only providing an engaging look into military live in Great Britain but also transporting us other parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia without failing to let each location demonstrate its own character. I sincerely thank the author for this series and wish her good luck with her future projects.

A fitting conclusion. This is the strongest of the last 4 books in the series. I found the ending satisfying, quiet, and consistent with both the external circumstances and the development of our heroes (though Temeraire evolves more than does Laurence--who stays self-effacing to a fault).. The plot is episodic; the interim battles more interesting than the last (to avoid spoilers, I'll just say that it's not Waterloo). But it moves along and ties up important loose ends.

League of Dragons (Temeraire, #9)
by Naomi Novik

The War has ravaged the world as Napoleon has bled the continent of men and dragons, his failed attempt at taking Britain, his conquest of Europe has lead to a retreat into Russia. Napoleon has turned the feral dragons into a force of confusion and desolation and Temeraire and Laurence have much to do to repair the damage. This is a difficult time in their world, in their friendship and in their mission. Their opinion of the treatment of the dragons in Europe will make their alliances stronger. The greatest challenge is in the birth of Temeraire’s egg.

This is a great step in the series that will make the world change on the turn of a dragon’s wing.

Synopsis: In the final entry of the Temeraire series, after Napolean and the French army have been routed from Russia, Laurence and the rest of the British dragonriders struggle through a bitter winter pursuing them in an attempt to finish the emperor’s ambitions once and for all; meanwhile, the eponymous dragon and his mate Iskierka must rescue their precious egg, which has been stolen by Napolean and the evil dragon Lien.

What I thought: The author does a good job of wrapping up the series, but I didn’t find this entry as gripping as some of the earlier novels. However, as a whole, the series is so strong that it’s on my Hugo Best Series longlist.

The 19-year old grabbed this one before I got to it, after rereading the entire rest of the series in one week. He loved the writing, as we've loved all the books. But it was his feeling that Ms Novik rushed to pull all the plot strands together and finish off the series. He thought she could have really gone one book more.

For those who aren't familiar with the series, think Aubrey and Maturin meet How to Train your Dragon--the ingenious conceit is that the British Navy includes dragons and their riders. It's been a wonderful ride.

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!

*Thank you to Del Rey & NetGalley for this ARC of League of Dragons*

As the ninth and final installment in the Temeraire alternate history plus fantasy epic series, this novel vindicates Laurence's advocacy for the better treatment of dragons everywhere as his and his dragon Temeraire's efforts bear fruits and put them in the best position to push back against Napoleon's deviously hatched battle plan. But can he and Temeraire build a strong enough multi-nation alliance of humans and dragons in the short span of time they have?

One of the better novels in the well-imagined series, this installment has good plot twists and battle scenes, and an intriguingly interesting new dragon named Ning!

Alternative history can be fascinating and this series is one of the best. I can see this being a gateway series for young readers who want something different, getting them hooked on reading. It is hard to realize that it is the last and we will not have another. Temeraire has deserved his rest, however. A future without dragons in the military will be boring but there will be readers new to the series who will discover it from the first and not have to wait between volumes.

I loved this series. Devoured all nine books in about six weeks. Sadly, this final book was a great disappointment to me. I think that it left many loose ends, that there were lapses in logic, and that it could have used a firmer editing hand. I actually felt that the author was tired of writing this series and so just ended it.

As the ninth and final installment in the Temeraire alternate history plus fantasy epic series, this novel vindicates Laurence's advocacy for the better treatment of dragons everywhere as his and his dragon Temeraire's efforts bear fruits and put them in the best position to push back against Napoleon's deviously hatched battle plan. But can he and Temeraire build a strong enough multi-nation alliance of humans and dragons in the short span of time they have?

One of the better novels in the well-imagined series, this installment has good plot twists and battle scenes, and an intriguingly interesting new dragon named Ning!

Alternative history can be fascinating and this series is one of the best. I can see this being a gateway series for young readers who want something different, getting them hooked on reading. It is hard to realize that it is the last and we will not have another. Temeraire has deserved his rest, however. A future without dragons in the military will be boring but there will be readers new to the series who will discover it from the first and not have to wait between volumes.

I loved this series. Devoured all nine books in about six weeks. Sadly, this final book was a great disappointment to me. I think that it left many loose ends, that there were lapses in logic, and that it could have used a firmer editing hand. I actually felt that the author was tired of writing this series and so just ended it.

The ninth (and maybe the final tale) of the Napoleonic wars on an Earth with dragons, starts with Temeraire and Capt. William Laurence fighting with the Russians to drive the French forces out of Russia. But it will take a League of Dragons (hard from Del Rey) to finally confront the Emperor and force him to resign. Nebula Award winner. Naomi Novik provides a rousing tale of air war with dragons, along with dragon politics for a fun tale set in a really great series. Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press

This is suppose to be the end in this series but we will see as there are some things left unanswered. I will have to read several of the other books that I haven't read yet. This book is somewhat of a satisfying finish except for unanswered questions I mentioned before. There are some really amazing fight scenes. And the relationship between the dragon and his friend is very great. I would recommend if you have read some of the series already and like dragons. Great book.

Temeraire is finally going to see the defeat of Napoleon and his white dragon in this book, and find an honorable retirement with the prospect of a political career in his future. The meticulous historical research that has gone in to the entire series makes it well worth the reading. I have greatly enjoyed the entire series along with this culminating book.

I dislike writing reviews, however this series of 9 books was outstanding. All nine are very well written and fast moving. I was surprised by the uniqueness of the stories, believable. There was very little repeated in the series so I recommend reading them in the order written.

This has been a somewhat uneven series, but the author ends on a high note. This concluding book helps make this a worthwhile series. It's better if you've read previous volumes before this one. It's possible to read and enjoy as a stand alone, but why would you? I strongly suggest starting at the first and read through to this one.

An exciting return. I think this is one of the stronger books on the series. The characters were awesome as always and the plot invaded my dreams. This is one of those "just one more chapter. Why is the sun coming up?" kind of books.

I really enjoyed the series as a whole, and yet ... I don't know ... somehow, I guess I was hoping for more at the end. It all just felt a little anticlimactic, after all the ups and downs and dealings with Napoleon. I enjoyed the story as part of the series, very much, but as the final book, knowing that everything is wrapped up now, it felt a little disappointing.

I love the Temeriare novels because of the interactions between the dragons and the interactions between the dragons and humans. This book seemed so much more about battles and tactics than the other books in the series. It seemed more like a book on war where dragons happened to be used instead of a book about dragons who happened to participate in a war.

Temeraire has been wrapped up nicely with a grand finale to all the characters I've grown to love and hate. I'm sad to see it go, and I wish it had gone on a little bettr note. This just doesn't have the same story-telling feel that pervious books in the series do.

Kind of a bland letdown.
Temeraire is facing some sort of melodrama over telling Laurence something he needs to know, HAS to know, and knows anyway, and this apparently takes up so much time that the battles get glossed over It felt rushed, like that paper you hand to the teacher on the last day the project is due.

The final book in the fantastic Temeraire series of nine books now. (This is not the book to start reading, start with His Majesty’s Dragon). Fans of the series have had many ups and downs, with some books taking a rather dark and dismal tone.

However, this book hearkens back to the first book in the series, which was absolutely amazing.

Plenty of dragons here, lots of their planning, talking and somewhat childlike behavior. This is the best part, I think.

Imaginative, a sort of alt-history, very readable.

I feel like nothing really happened in this story. There was no grand finale; it just ended. I've really enjoyed this series, though, and it's really one long continuous story, so I won't be too hard on this one individual book.

This addition to the series is a good read, I enjoyed it and the character's development, I thought the hatching from the egg was very arrogant

I had heard this was supposed to be the end of the series which would make me sad

I didn't expect to really enjoy this, because it's the last one and I'm sad there won't be any more, but it's an excellent closing chapter. Also maybe a slight chance of more? All my favorite characters show up and the battle scenes are excellent.

Extremely rewarding ending to an excellent series. Edge-of-your-seat tense despite the audience knowing historically what must happen, hitting all the right emotional beats, everyone was in character and their eventual fates plausible and satisfying.

The final novel in the Temeraire Dragon series is overlong and never really gets rolling.

I loved this series --- the early novels --- but it has gone on a bit too long and the story-telling (although this is a hefty read) has run out of steam. I urge readers who enjoy good fantasy novels to read the first couple of novels in this series and enjoy watching how Dragons were used during the Napoleonic Wars. Great imaginative fiction that has ended with a fizzle.

Finally Temeraire and Admaral Laurance have been acknowledged for their services to Dragons and humans for both human treating of ferrel dragons. They have finally earned the respect of their nation Britain and their fellow citizens. This last book hint of them going into politics to serve dragons better in Britain. I have enjoyed this series of Temeraire novels and I hope that you'll enjoy it as much as I have.