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Naomi Novik - League of Dragons: I found much of this series plodding - the ideas are excellent, the execution not so much. The same goes for this final installment. #cursorybookreviews #cursoryreviews ( )

While I was / am happy that I got to read another Temeraire book this one was my least favorite of all of the books.
I just found it so boring compared to all of the previous books. I finally perked up when an egg was hatched as I loved the new dragon's personality and then even that mostly went away.
I think what I love most about these books are the interactions with the dragons and yet this book was 65-70% war and strategy on how to win the war.
I'm happy with the ending. ( )

I was almost gonna give this four stars, because I thought a certain character had been dumped in a ditch somewhere, but then they appeared during the last few pages so I was content. I actually really enjoyed that ending, it was a good place to finish the series in, as well as setting things up for the future so you know what the characters will be up to.

I did want to see the final confrontation, [spoiler]Temeraire and Laurence against Lien and Napoleon[/spoiler] but I didn't feel completely cheated without it either, so that complaint will not lower my rating for the book. It was a good read and that's all I want. This series is definitely one of my all-time faves! ( )

No doubt about it—this was a solid 5. I'm sad it was the last book of the series, but I'm glad she had such a strong ending. The battles were well-plotted, and the characterization of both major and minor players (both human and dragon) was as thorough as it was entertaining. How I will miss these relationships—Laurence and Temeraire; Granby and Izkierka;Laurence and Tharkay;Laurence and Granby, etc.
The continual reminder of the act which happened so many books ago, and which has made life so difficult for our Laurence and Temeraire, is always wrenching but drawn very realistically. This is how it would be for them.
After the wonderful characters, that's what I've loved most about this series—how realistic she made a story about dragons. Her thoroughness with the different breeds and cultures has never been over-explanatory or dull. It's just worked into the plot so seamlessly the whole history seems perfectly plausible—an aerial corps of dragons with their captains and crews in every country's militaries during the Napoleonic wars—here's how it would be. It's a fantasy that feels like a history—Novik pulled it off beautifully.
I don't re-read much anymore, but this series is on the to-be-re-read pile for sure. I will miss these characters, this world, too much to stay away. ( )

I can't help but be disappointed. The first 3/4 is just terrific and reminded me of the earlier books in the series where anything seemed possible with the creativity surrounding the dragons, the Napoleonic Wars and changes to society based around that idea.

But since about book 5 or 6 the series just sort of lost me. I rarely outright disagree with an author's story/plot choices, but this is going to be one of those times. Laurence and Temeraire's relationship is one of the driving forces of the plot, but somewhere along the way Laurence becomes a complete wet blanket (the amnesia in book 8 is tiresome) and many of the threads I wanted to see the story follow just get shut off.

As a series, I think it's wasted potential and nowhere near the quality of the first book or something like Uprooted. I felt the same way about Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell - another alternate history fantasy novel around this time period/setting. Great idea, but I didn't love the direction and it went on for too long.

Still, I did enjoy the series overall (3500 pages, I better have!). The banter between dragons is hilarious, some of the action scenes are absolutely incredible, Novik is a wizard when it comes to dialogue and Temeraire is an unforgettable character. ( )