[Tinalles]

Okay, I'd like to welcome everyone to the inaugural thread of this book discussion group thingy. (That's the technical term.)

Our first book is His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik. Everyone's had a few weeks to get it and read it, so now I'd like to open the floor for comments and discussion! What did you think of the book? What did you like/dislike about it, and why?

Since this is our first go 'round, I'd just like to lay down one ground rule: Be Nice. No flaming etc. But given the character of the book and the group, I suspect there won't be any flame-wars (ah ha, I made a funny!) erupting over this one.

I'll make my own observations in a bit; I'd like to see what others have to say first. Take it away, people!
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Keeper of The Remnant Minuon (cognomen Lucy, the Eaten One) and the Emissary Caeli

[cvcdaisy3]

I hope the term "SPOILERS HERE" is understood by anyone in this thread?
good...


Anyone else bothered the whole time by why the Chinese gave Temeraire to the French, and then taken completely by surprise by the Celestial bit?

I also like who Andrew unknowingly becomes more and more 'rude' by his standards at the beginning of the novel...
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Dubbed Cube by Asa

[Spindrifter]

What, Temeraire's a Celestial? Nooooo! I KNEW I should have read the last ten pages!...

Umm, anyway.

I liked it a lot; the historical ideas weren't revised, just added to. And the manner in which the existence of dragons is never explained, simply assumed, is a great way of making them natural in an unnatural setting. Throws the reader off, a bit, but it's the better side of the compromise. I also liked how the somewhat obvious tropes were avoided; the plot twists really were somewhat unexpected, and the heroism is understandably reluctant.

I did kinda feel that the portrayal of dragons had more than a touch of Anne McCaffrey in it, but I guess I can live with that.

[Lady Calie]

i read it a while ago and i've been reading the 3rd so i hope i dont say anything to spoil them ><
I liked how she used historical context and changed it a bit to include dragons.
The Chinese giving Temeraire to the French comes back in other books ^^;;
I was taken back that he is a Celestial.
I love the rude part i found it funny. It and how Temeraire likes books i loved :3
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Your neighborhood cat,
Calie

[cvcdaisy3]

I know how it comes up in the next book (I'm also on the third), but, I was talking about my reaction to the FIRST book...

I also like the history bit... Novik kept the history, main battles, relations, ect, and just added to the tactics with dragons, not really taking anything away.
I know this style is used by many authors, but the dragons' sense of property and loyalty is well done.
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Dubbed Cube by Asa

[Tinu.]

I really loved the book and the historical context.
I did not think Temeraire was a celestial, though I did begin to have suspicions during that lovely battle scene.
I loved how tactless Temeraire could be - and just his comments about certain things, they gave me a few laughs.

It was a really great book, though - as sad as this may be - the dialog, and sometimes her wording, caused me to become very confused, so I had to go back and reread things several times. This is why I tend to avoid classics, I just can't get past the wording. I need to work on that. XD
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Keeper of Gaia and all the books on Earthsong

"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid."
~Einstein

[Asenath83]

I just fetched the first 4 books from the post office (got a boxed editition of the first three with a poster and book 4 from Amazon... sadly the seller didn't have book 5) and am already on page 116 and I have to say so far I can't agree very much with the negative comments on Amazon. I don't find the characters "flat" at all and Temeraire is far from "annoying" - his childishly innocent way of questionning and simplyfying things is quite charming. I also prefer things being revealed bit by bit to lengthy descriptions how things came to be the way they are. If you keep things reasonably simple the reader still won't get lost.
Will say more once I am finished but so far I think my money was well-spent.
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Dubbed Yosef by Asa.
Because Asenath was Yosef's wife.

Keeper of Zaebos' glasses.

[Tinu.]

I wouldn't say the characters are flat at all - quite the opposite in fact. They all seemed to be well developed, and I really liked that about it. If they had been flat and the book still had the lengthy descriptions, I wouldn't have finished it. I would have gotten bored.
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Keeper of Gaia and all the books on Earthsong

"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid."
~Einstein

[cvcdaisy3]

The characters are never fully developped, that's what the sequels are for.
I agree with Nu, this novel was relatively short and to-the-point without taking away all description.
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Dubbed Cube by Asa

[Spindrifter]

I might agree that the characters have a flatness to them- but as daisy says, that's what sequels are for. It's also somewhat in the nature of the main character to be a little flatter than usual; such is his society. Temeraire is anything but flat, though.

There's five? I thought it was only three... Yay!

[Lady Calie]

I thought there were only 3 as well xD

i like how fast paced the novels are and how she doesn't describe everything. When people do that it makes it harder for me to read.
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Your neighborhood cat,
Calie

[Tinalles]

There are four out now, and the fifth one comes out in July.
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Keeper of The Remnant Minuon (cognomen Lucy, the Eaten One) and the Emissary Caeli

[YatesOfYore]

I missed the boat on this one with my trip - I'll catch up on the next book!
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Keeper of Nanashi's Vambraces and the Amethyst Trees.

PS: Don't panic! I changed my username - I'm not an impostor!

[Tinalles]

I really do have lots to say about this book, but I've absolutely got to get this apartment thoroughly cleaned out today. (Mom's coming tomorrow, eep!)
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Keeper of The Remnant Minuon (cognomen Lucy, the Eaten One) and the Emissary Caeli

[Tinu.]