League of Dragons

Last updated
League of Dragons
League of Dragons.jpg
First edition cover
Author Naomi Novik
Cover artist
  • Craig D. Howell (Del Rey hardback above)
  • Dominic Harman (Voyager trade paperback)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Series Temeraire
Genres
Publisher
Publication date
  • June 14, 2016 (US)
  • June 16, 2016 (UK)
Pages400
ISBN 978-0345522924
Preceded by Blood of Tyrants  

League of Dragons is the ninth and final novel in the Temeraire alternate history/fantasy series by American author Naomi Novik. [1] It was released by Del Rey Books on June 14, 2016. [2]

Contents

Plot

Napoleon’s invasion of Russia has been roundly thwarted. But even as Capt. William Laurence and the dragon Temeraire pursue the retreating enemy through an unforgiving winter, Napoleon is raising a new force, and he’ll soon have enough men and dragons to resume the offensive. While the emperor regroups, the allies have an opportunity to strike first and defeat him once and for all—if internal struggles and petty squabbles don’t tear them apart.

Aware of his weakened position, Napoleon has promised the dragons of every country—and the ferals, loyal only to themselves—vast new rights and powers if they fight under his banner. It is an offer eagerly embraced from Asia to Africa—and even by England, whose dragons have long rankled at their disrespectful treatment.

But Laurence and his faithful dragon soon discover that the wily Napoleon has one more gambit at the ready—one that that may win him the war, and the world.

Reception

Reviewing the novel for NPR, writer Jason Heller stated: "League of Dragons masterfully wraps up so many plot threads and loose ends that had built up throughout the previous eight books". [1] Publishers Weekly agreed, describing League of Dragons as a novel "packed with action and excitement, drawing the series to a delightful and satisfying close ..." [3] Kirkus Reviews was less enthusiastic in their review, stating: "Not the finest entry in the sequence, being slow to gather momentum and somewhat patchy, but overall a satisfying conclusion to a remarkable series." [4]

Related Research Articles

Temeraire or Téméraire may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Del Rey Books</span> Publisher

Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House and, in turn, by Penguin Random House. It is a separate imprint established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. It specializes in science fiction and fantasy books, and formerly manga under its Del Rey Manga imprint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naomi Novik</span> American writer

Naomi Novik is an American author of speculative fiction. She is known for the Temeraire series (2006–2016), an alternate history of the Napoleonic Wars involving dragons, and her Scholomance fantasy series (2020–2022).. Her standalone fantasy novels Uprooted (2015) and Spinning Silver (2018) were inspired by Polish folklore and the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, respectively; Novik has won many awards for her work, including the Alex, Audie, British Fantasy, Locus, Mythopoeic and Nebula Awards.

Temeraire is a series of nine alternate history fantasy novels written by American author Naomi Novik. The novels follow the adventures of Captain William Laurence and his dragon, the eponymous Temeraire, and reimagine events of the Napoleonic Wars with "an air force of dragons, manned by crews of aviators". His Majesty's Dragon, the first entry in the series, won the Compton Crook Award in 2007 and was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel the same year. Temeraire: In the Service of the King, an omnibus volume collecting the first three novels, won the Locus Award for Best First Novel in 2007. Temeraire was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Series in 2017.

<i>His Majestys Dragon</i> Novel by Naomi Novik

His Majesty's Dragon, published in the UK as Temeraire, is the first novel in the Temeraire alternate history/fantasy series by American author Naomi Novik. The story is set during an alternate-history version of the Napoleonic Wars, in which dragons not only exist but are used as a staple of aerial warfare in Asia and Europe. The dragons of the story are portrayed as sapient and intelligent, capable of logical thought and human speech. The series centers primarily on events involving Temeraire and his handler, Will Laurence.

<i>Throne of Jade</i> Novel by Naomi Novik

Throne of Jade is the second novel in the Temeraire alternate history/fantasy series written by American author Naomi Novik. It was published by Del Rey first in the United States on April 25, 2006, and was published in the United Kingdom in August 2007 by Voyager.

<i>Black Powder War</i> 2006 novel by Naomi Novik

Black Powder War is the third novel in the Temeraire alternate history/fantasy series by American author Naomi Novik. The novel was first published by Del Rey in the United States on May 30, 2006, and by Voyager in the United Kingdom in August 2007.

<i>Empire of Ivory</i> Novel by Naomi Novik

Empire of Ivory is the fourth novel in the Temeraire alternate history/fantasy series by American author Naomi Novik. Set in Africa, the novel follows William Laurence and his dragon Temeraire's search for a cure to the disease that has paralyzed the dragon community. Novik visited southern Africa in search of places in the fourth novel.

<i>Victory of Eagles</i> Novel by Naomi Novik

Victory of Eagles is the fifth novel in the Temeraire alternate history/fantasy series by American author Naomi Novik. The series follows the actions of William Laurence and his dragon, Temeraire.

Red Hen Press is an American non-profit press located in Pasadena, California, and specializing in the publication of poetry, literary fiction, and nonfiction. The press is a member of the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, and was a finalist for the 2013 AWP Small Press Publisher Award. The press has been featured in Publishers Weekly,Kirkus Reviews, and Independent Publisher.

<i>Tongues of Serpents</i> Novel by Naomi Novik

Tongues of Serpents is the sixth novel in the Temeraire alternate history/fantasy series by American author Naomi Novik. This installment follows William Laurence and his dragon, Temeraire's adventures in Australia.

<i>Crucible of Gold</i> Novel by Naomi Novik

Crucible of Gold is the seventh novel in the Temeraire alternate history/fantasy series by American author Naomi Novik. This installment features the adventures of William Laurence and his dragon, Temeraire, in South America.

<i>Blood of Tyrants</i> 2013 novel by Naomi Novik

Blood of Tyrants is the eighth novel in the Temeraire alternate history/fantasy series by American author Naomi Novik. It was first published by Voyager Books in August 2013. This installment features the adventures of William Laurence and his dragon, Temeraire, in Japan, China, and Russia, as they attempt to muster up new allies in the year 1812.

Rachel Aaron is an American author of fantasy and science fiction.

<i>Uprooted</i> (novel) Novel by Naomi Novik

Uprooted is a 2015 high fantasy novel by Naomi Novik, based on Polish folklore. The story tells of a village girl, Agnieszka, who is selected by the local wizard for her unseen magical powers. Together they battle the nearby forest, the Wood, as it seeks to take over the land. The book has been warmly welcomed by critics and other fantasy authors, who have praised the portrayals of both Agnieszka and the Wood. It won the 2015 Nebula Award for Best Novel, the 2016 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and the 2016 Mythopoeic Award in the category Adult Literature. It was nominated for the 2016 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

Fonda Lee is a Canadian-American author of speculative fiction. She is best known for writing The Green Bone Saga, the first of which, Jade City, won the 2018 World Fantasy Award and was named one of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time by Time magazine. The Green Bone Saga was also included on NPR's list, "50 Favorite Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of the Past Decade".

Rebecca F. Kuang is a Chinese-American fantasy writer. Her first novel, The Poppy War, was released in 2018, followed by the sequels The Dragon Republic in 2019 and The Burning God in 2020. Kuang released a stand-alone novel, Babel, or the Necessity of Violence, in 2022. Kuang has won the Compton Crook Award, the Crawford Award, and the 2020 Astounding Award for Best New Writer, along with being a finalist for the Nebula, Locus, World Fantasy, The Kitschies, and British Fantasy awards for her first novel.

<i>Jade Legacy</i> 2021 fantasy novel by Fonda Lee

Jade Legacy is an 2021 fantasy novel by Fonda Lee published by Orbit and the sequel to Jade War, released on November 30, 2021. It is the third and final novel in The Green Bone Saga, which began with Jade City, and follows the surviving players from the end of Jade War as they plot a path for peace between nations and within Janloon's competing tribes, The Mountain clan and No Peak Clan, over jade distribution. Jade Legacy won the 2022 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel and the 2022 Aurora Award for Best Novel.

<i>The Last Graduate</i> Fantasy novel

The Last Graduate is a 2021 fantasy novel written by American author Naomi Novik following Galadriel "El" Higgins, a half-Welsh, half-Indian sorceress, who must survive to graduation while controlling her destructive abilities at the fabled school of black magic, the Scholomance. It was published by Del Rey on September 28, 2021 and is the second of The Scholomance trilogy. The first book of the series, A Deadly Education, was released on September 29, 2020.

<i>The Rabbit Hutch</i> 2022 novel by Tess Gunty

The Rabbit Hutch is a 2022 debut novel by writer Tess Gunty and winner of the 2022 National Book Award for Fiction. Gunty won the inaugural Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize and the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize for the novel.

References

  1. 1 2 Heller, Jason (14 June 2016). "Temeraire And Laurence, At Peace At Last In 'League Of Dragons'". NPR . Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  2. Speakman, Shawn (10 May 2016). "League of Dragons". NaomiNovik.com. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  3. "Fiction Book Review: League of Dragons by Naomi Novik". Publishers Weekly . 11 April 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  4. "League of Dragons: From the Temeraire series, Vol. 9". Kirkus Reviews . 30 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2021.

"League of Dragons". Fantastic Fiction. 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2022.