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    Empire of Ivory
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    Empire of Ivory
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    Empire of Ivory
    Audiobook11 hours

    Empire of Ivory

    Written by Naomi Novik

    Narrated by Simon Vance

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Naomi Novik’s stunning series of novels follow the adventures of Cpt Laurence and his dragon Temeraire as they travel from the shores of Britain to China and Africa.

    Laurence and Temeraire made a daring journey across vast and inhospitable continents to bring home a rare Turkish dragon from the treacherous Ottoman Empire.

    Kazilik dragons are firebreathers, and Britain is in greater need of protection than ever, for while Laurence and Temeraire were away, an epidemic struck British shores and is killing off her greatest defence – her dragon air force is slowly dying.

    The dreadful truth must be kept from Napoleon at all costs. Allied with the white Chinese dragon, Lien, he would not hestitate to take advantage of Britain's weakness and launch a devasting invasion.

    Hope lies with the only remaining healthy dragon – Temeraire cannot stay at home, but must once again venture into the unknown to help his friends and seek out a cure in darkest Africa.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins Publishers
    Release dateMar 7, 2019
    ISBN9780008338909
    Unavailable
    Empire of Ivory
    Author

    Naomi Novik

    Naomi Novik is the acclaimed author of the Temeraire series and standalone fairytale fantasy Uprooted. She has been nominated for the Hugo Award and has won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, as well as the Locus Award for Best New Writer and the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel. She is also the author of the graphic novel Will Supervillains Be on the Final? Fascinated with both history and legends, Novik is a first-generation American raised on Polish fairy tales and stories of Baba Yaga. Her own adventures include pillaging degrees in English literature and computer science from various ivory towers, designing computer games, and helping to build the Archive of Our Own for fanfiction and other fanworks. Novik is a co-founder of the Organization for Transformative Works. She lives in New York City with husband and Hard Case Crime founder Charles Ardai and their daughter, Evidence, surrounded by an excessive number of purring computers.

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    Reviews for Empire of Ivory

    4/5

    74 ratings57 reviews

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    • 3/5
      This books starts in the middle. The problem is that it is the middle of last book, not this one. I have nothing against series per se, but I prefer the book in a series to be read without having to reread the last one. The first twenty or so pages didn't belong in this book, and dragged the book as a whole down. When it gets started it is all right. But at it end it stop ah, let me guess - about 20 pages from the end, and that is as annoying as the beginning.Verdict: All right - except the misaligned 20 pages, which is a major annoyance.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book but it was still too militaristic. Too many detailed descriptions of battles for me that required me to plot things out so that I could figure out who was where and what they were doing. I LOVED LOVED LOVED the ending however as it seemed to be getting back to what was so moving in the first book. I can't wait to read the next in the series (I have it at home all ready) but I am also a bit intimidated because Temeraire and Laurence are separated and need to get back together after being separated ...... well, don't want to have any spoilers, but I'll let you know how it compares to the rest of the books.
    • 3/5
      I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, but am not enjoying the later volumes as much. This book sees aviator Laurence and dragon Temeraire journeying to Africa. It is interesting to see how Novik imagines Africa in the early 1800s, in this alternate world where dragons exist. But for most of the book I just didn’t have the same connection to the characters, nor the same level of concern with their dilemmas. Developments in the final section of the book, however, did remind me of the reasons why I was drawn to this series in the first place, and I am keen to see where Novik goes from here ...
    • 4/5
      In the fourth book in the Temeraire series, Laurence and Temeraire must travel to Africa in search of a cure for an epidemic wreaking havoc amongst England's dragons.While this book was still enjoyable, I found it somewhat uneven. I continue to appreciate Novik's take on the early 19th century, the deeper themes amidst the entertaining atmosphere, and, of course, the dragons... but there were times when my attention lagged. I think the pacing was a little off; some things happened a tad too quickly, while others were drawn out just a bit too much, and there were times when the tension waned.But still, when it was on it was on. I especially appreciated the deeper issues Novik's tackled here. She dips into the notion of freedom once again, this time with some small emphasis on the slave trade. Draconic rights come to the forefront. Laurence continues to examine how his perspectives have changed during his time with the Corps; quite topical, given the societal upheavals that characterized this time period. Everything was interesting and thought-provoking, if perhaps a little thin in a few places.And the last fifty pages... as others have mentioned before me, this is the point when things really get good. Laurence and Temeraire must make an extremely difficult choice, and they act in the only way these two characters possibly could. It's great stuff, and I can't wait to see where it leads in Victory of Eagles.
    • 4/5
      This review contains spoilers for this book and earlier books in the Temeraire series.After finally making their way home from China, Laurence and Temeraire find that the cold which was said to be spreading among the British dragons during Throne of Jade has turned out to be a full scale (and fatal) epidemic. After it is discovered that Temeraire is immune, it is guessed that he was cured by something he encountered off the coast of Africa in the early stages of the disease. Laurence, Temeraire, and several sick dragons with their crews set off for in search of the cure.This is the book which has convinced me not to be disappointed in the way Novik has gone with this series. I have wondered what more typical operations for the aviators at war would be like (after all, Laurence and Temeraire were really only involved in normal affairs of the corps briefly during His Majesty's Dragon), but I have decided that I am happy with what I have been given instead.I do wonder how Laurence's fortunes can possibly be restored in Victory of Eagles (and isn't that a depressing title). I can't help but think of Jack Aubrey, kicked out of the navy for several books, but his criminal sentence was lighter, and he was innocent, so that an impressive action as a privateer was enough to get his rank restored. Laurence's situation at the end of this book is far worse. Will there be a general uprising of the dragons unless he's put back in his former position? I can't imagine what else could help him.
    • 4/5
      Much more interesting and exciting than the preceding couple of books, with a mission into Africa to boot. I've always liked how this series takes the reader to faraway places and this time Lawrence and Temeraire are off to find a cure for a dragon disease that's ravaging across the country and crippling the forces of the Aerial Corps.I'm reading these books now more for the adventures rather than for the dragon battle scenes or the growing friendship between Lawrence and Temeraire, though those factors continue to feature strongly in the stories. I also like how the aviators have a different culture than the rest of the military, especially in how they view women in the service and in how they throw a lot of social norms to the wind. As a relative newcomer to that world, Lawrence is still in the process of learning all of this and it's often funny to read about his awkwardness and confusion.The book ends in a cliffhanger of sorts. The bond between Lawrence and Temeraire has not been tested like this before, and I'm looking forward to see how all that pans out in the next book.
    • 4/5
      With the fourth Temeraire book, Empire of Ivory, Ms Novik one again picks up the pace and elevates the book to a higher level than the previous installment. Empire of Ivory has a more meat to it than the previous offering. The colonial mindset of the 19th Century British Army is subject of much wrath here as is the slave trade. Just in case the reader missed the subtlety of the subplot, Temeraire makes quite a point of comparing European Dragons’ plight to the Africans being taken into slavery by the slave traders.Integral to the plot, Ms Novik introduces a culture previously unknown to these Europeans, a nation of Africans that are ruled by a Dragon and who regard the Dragons as their ancestors. A very nice flight of fantasy that brings out the best of the author’s writing, even though the recounting this nation is very dismal as Captain Laurence and his crew have been captured by these people and he is without Temeraire.A new Dragon has been introduced, a hatchling, that for now serves as a very nice comic relief. Unless I miss my guess, however, I think this Dragon will be growing in importance as the full series progresses. There are also several other plot twists introduced in this story that leaves me wanting the next in the series.Dragon lovers will appreciate the antics of the newer Dragons and feel the loss of the Dragons that succumb to the illness spreading through their ranks. Alternate history fans will appreciate the way Napoleon is portrayed and military uses Dragons are put to. Fantasy readers will enjoy the details of the Dragon Village life. Altogether, this adds up to a very enjoyable four star read.
    • 4/5
      Huh -- though this alt-history (Napoleonic Wars, with dragons!) series started from essentially a no-changes baseline, things are diverging more and more. (Spoilers follow.)

      ...

      The slave trade is ended early, and with more apparent finality, when dragons raze the Slave Coast (along with Johannesburg), and a buildup of forces described at the end of this book point to Napoleon invading England very soon, having already conquered the rest of Europe (including Russia). The title of the next book, Victory of Eagles, suggests that they'll be successful, too. A pleasant surprise, though not too pleasant for the heroes of the stories.
    • 5/5
      Simon Vance's superb narration make the Temeraire series even more enjoyable than reading the novels. The series is highly entertaining and just plain fun to listen to as audiobooks.
    • 4/5
      I think this is the best in the series since the first one. The plot of this one was much more involving--more personal and less political, you could say.
      I loved the dragons in Africa. I want to know more about them.
      Also, the ending had a really great cliffhanger. I thought what Laurence did was completely in character, and it sets up an interesting conflict for the next volume.
    • 3/5
      Continuing on in the Temeraire series, with this relatively long-winded instalment. It has a very slow build, with so much pompous speech that cannot help but be a little gobsmacked when suddenly, about halfway through, the well-laid plans of Laurence and his company suddenly and violently goes to hell. However, after that brief flurry of excitement, we are thrown once more into tedious political manouverings and overblown speeches. I ended up skim-reading the end bit, because it seemed to promise more of the same. Novik has a nice writing style, that is relevant to the era (Napoleonic era) but sometimes the language is over-convoluted and frustratingly slow to get to the point.

      Another thing I will note is the astounding amount of typos - random speechmarks at the end of sentences they shouldn't be, or missing from places they should. Lost periods. Words that were around the wrong way or missing altogether. I have never seen such a poorly editted professionally published novel, which makes me wonder if I somehow managed to obtain an advance proof or something - although nothing on the cover indicates that is so.

      All in all, the whole Napoleonic War with dragons concept was an awesome idea, but has been drawn out to the point where it has lost its originality and has shifted into tedium.
    • 4/5
      Novik's series picks back up in this fourth volume as Temeraire and Captain Laurence travel to Africa, seeking a cure for a deadly dragon plague. The new locale provides another intriguing version of dragon-integrated society, with details of cohabitation and hierarchy that catch the reader's interest. Africa in the 1800s also gives Novik an opportunity to amp up her social and political commentary, as Temeraire tries to negotiate the world of colonialism. Temeraire's perspective is consistently well-drawn in its alien naivete; it serves as an effective foil to the historical detail of the novel, as Temeraire questions the actions and attitudes of imperial Britain and its citizens. In this book, Laurence more often finds himself in agreement with the dragon's sense of honor and moral right, so we see an interesting shift in their relationship as well, which culminates in the dramatic events toward the end of the novel (which I shan't give away, but which have serious repercussions for the remainder of the series). Fantasy, especially in the alternate history mode, often has the luxury of historical wish fulfillment. The culmination of the African adventure here, while brutal, presents an interesting extrapolation of conflict raised to the next level by the availability of force, in this case dragons. I like that Novik does not fall back on wholecloth stereotypes in presenting African tribal life in contrast to European colonial structures, showcasing some of the complexity of the situation even while the novel obviously condemns the imperial mindset. For the reader, immersed in the perspective of actual history, the novel takes on a tone of righteousness during the resolution that alleviates the sense of brutality and emphasizes the justice of the imagined situation. Obviously I'm leaving out the details here, so as not to spoil anything, so this explanation might not make much sense, but I think it is a really interesting way for a fantasy writer to usefully condemn a particularly shameful part of European history even though most of her characters are immersed in the European imperial perspective.If the previous paragraph bored you, fear not -- the novel won't. There is plenty of action and adventure to be had. Temeraire sees, and fights, new and wonderfully described species of dragons; traverses jungles to save Laurence; and discovers that elephants make mighty good eating. The emotional range of the novel takes us from heartbreak to joy to horror to shock and round about again. It also restores the more focused narrative that the previous novel had lost, so it feels swift in pace and solid in plot. You can't go wrong with a "quest for the cure" model, really, and Novik puts the structure to good use. Overall, a very satisfying contribution to the series, that will feel to many readers like the whole is back on track.
    • 5/5
      Temerarie and Cpt. Laurence travel to the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa to try to find a cure for an infectious disease that the dragons have caught. Novik really brings Africa to life, I was wincing in sympathy when the characters would get stuck with the 3 inch acacia thorns. There's a more overt linking of dragon and human slavery in this novel, and I love how incidents from previous books are called back into play. The integrated dragon city at Victoria Falls was fascinating, especially as compared to the one they visited in China.
    • 5/5
      Temeraire and Laurence return to England to find disturbing news: the entire aerial corps has been affected with a disease. Dragons are sick and some have died - for the rest, it's only a matter of time. The feral dragons, Izkierka, and Temeraire are set to patrol duty until they realize that they know the cure, and set out to Africa to find it.The alternate world in which Napoleonic wars occur with dragons expands even further and now we get a sense of the slave trade. The story takes a few twists and turns that I don't want to give away. Seeing the intricacies of this world and its players unfold is the fun in this book. There isn't as much banter - things are getting much more serious - and Temeraire's questioning and black-and-white view of the world tests Laurence's logic and his understanding of duty.
    • 4/5
      A quick read, like the others, and like the 3rd, has an annoying "episodic" nature. I'm too used to books which have a tidy beginning and a tidy end, rather than these serialized types with an opening that you come into suddenly and an end that leaves you thinking that half the book is missing. Aside from that, the book was a satisfying read in that the adventure was a fun one. Novik's way of insinuating dragons into tribal Africa was creative (dragon ancestors!) and the descriptions of the places and the peoples both were colorful.
    • 4/5
      I was reluctant to read this one, having skimmed the back page and seen the word "execution". If you can't get your hands on the next book immediately, like me, it is a cruel, cruel cliffhanger.

      This book has much fewer battle scenes than the previous book, and isn't focused as much around the war, although several important events happen to do with the war. Temeraire and Laurence return home in triumph only to find that a contagion has swept through the dragons in Britain. It was referred to in the previous book, and some things about the previous book are explained by it, which I thought was pretty good, although Novik isn't bad at continuity anyway and this is obvious stuff. Rather than be hailed as heroes and relax for a bit, they have to go in search of a cure for the other dragons.

      I was glad that the women return to having a more prominent place in this book, particularly Catherine Harcourt. I was somewhat less pleased with the fact that she does cave and get married, when she gets pregnant, which isn't really in line with what the Corps think of it. I was glad, though, that Laurence's qualms about unmarried women having children remained. Such values are an important part of his upbringing and the era, so that makes sense.

      The themes of the slave trade continued, too. It was good to see repercussions of it in their relations with other countries.

      I'm of mixed feelings about the end. Of course I'm glad that Laurence and Temeraire do the honourable thing, both in going to France and returning, but I'm sad that they have to and I wonder what will come of it.
    • 4/5
      While not as good as Throne of Jade, the second and best of the Temeraire series, Empire of Ivory is still a page-turner with depth. Temeraire and Laurence journey through Africa and confront a civilization in which Africans view dragons as their ancestors. In their efforts to find a cure for the fatal illness that is plaguing England's dragons, Temeraire and Laurence and their crew find themselves in mortal danger from this African civilization. As the book ends, Novik causes her heroes to make a moral decision that will leave them in a no-win situation and motivate the reader to turn to the next and newest of the series, Victory of Eagles.
    • 4/5
      While not as good as Throne of Jade, the second and best of the Temeraire series, Empire of Ivory is still a page-turner with depth. Temeraire and Laurence journey through Africa and confront a civilization in which Africans view dragons as their ancestors. In their efforts to find a cure for the fatal illness that is plaguing England's dragons, Temeraire and Laurence and their crew find themselves in mortal danger from this African civilization. As the book ends, Novik causes her heroes to make a moral decision that will leave them in a no-win situation and motivate the reader to turn to the next and newest of the series, Victory of Eagles.
    • 4/5
      In terms of both theme and action, this book seems more like a direct sequel, and a worthier follow-up, to Throne of Jade than the rather pointless Black Powder War. Back in England, Laurence and Temeraire discover the fighting dragons have been devastated by an unknown plague. Since Temeraire seems to have survived it, he and others of his consort are dispatched back to Africa to try and find the cure. There they encounter several African tribes and yet another societal relationship between humans and dragons. This book is particularly strong in the parallels it draws between human slavery and the English treatment of dragons. As usual, it is weakest in Novik's attempt to extrapolate the effects of the Aerial Corps' sexual equality on the rest of Regency society. It also suffers from undercharacterization, particularly of the Rev. and Mrs. Erasmus, who turn out to be pivotal figures in the book's middle section. However, the ending, wherein Laurence is forced to make several hard choices, is extremely powerful and affecting.
    • 4/5
      Fourth book, and stil flying high. Empire of Ivory sees Laurence and Temeraire off to Africa, where they must find a cure for a dreadful disease wreaking havoc on England's dragons. Once again Naomi Novik treats us to a story that is both a rollicking good adventure while also examining key issues of the day: here, slavery and colonialism come to the fore.There were whole sections of this book that made me laugh out loud: I'm greatly enjoying the antics of the new dragons introduced in the last volume, and Temeraire's own wittiness continues to amuse. I also quite like the way Novik's brought in different cultures and allowed us to view how differently each group treats the dragons among them.While the series of long treks seems unlikely to hold up for much longer, what happens at the end of this volume gives a good opportunity for something different in any event ... I can't imagine I'll be able to wait very long before I pick up the next volume.
    • 5/5
      This fourth instalment shares the Temeraire traits of episodic adventures, a slow-building plot and a rush of blood at the climax, but is back to the levels of emotional engagement that made Throne of Jade such a joy for me – albeit with even fewer quiet moments for feelings to recover. It beat me to an emotional pulp and ended on a cliffhanger (be warned: you will not want to be left without book 5 to hand when you finish).Excellent stuff - between the emotional rollercoaster and the unflinching side-eye at colonialism, slavery, politics and the agency of women in this alternate history, this is probably my favourite Temeraire to date.Full review.
    • 5/5
      Naomi Novik's fourth outing into the world of Temeraire may very well surpass all three previous novels in humor, dramatic stakes, scale, and the flat-out "whiz bang" of it all.Something is sickening and killing the dragons of the British Corps, and the British must scramble to a)hide this fact from Napolean, and b)find a cure before the entire corps is decimated.Novik once again ties together threads dealing with Temeraire's crusade against injustice, as well as increasing evidence that Temeraire is not the lone dragon with intellectual capabilities. She also tackles the English slave trade and concurrent abolitionist movement. Weighty stuff, indeed. Coupled with the toughest cliff-hanger yet (perhaps of any book I've ever read), this book is both a giddy joy-ride and a suckerpunch rolled into one.I'm actually MORE hooked than I was, so I can only count this book as a success.
    • 4/5
      Novik once again produced an enjoyable adventure, on par with the rest of the series. The exploration of the African continent and culture is exciting and fresh. As an action, adventure story these books are very good, but not for someone looking for complex plot, politics, or magic. With the glimpse of French culture and the influences Lien is having there at the end of this book, it obvious that there is still a great deal to be explored and great opportunities for the character development of Temeraire and Laurence.The writing is good, the story is good, and after the fourth book I am still dying to read more!
    • 5/5
      The Temeraire series is not just another dragon story nor even "Patrick O'Brian with dragons" as much as I love O'Brian. Naomi Novik introduces new moral issues with every book. In Empire of Ivory, a mysterious respiratory disease is killing the dragons of the British Aerial Corps, and Will Lawrence and Temeraire must journey to Africa in search of a cure. Issues of slavery and colonialism play a part, and it's still a Ripping Yarn.
    • 4/5
      Very solid addition to the Temeraire series, in which Novik broadens her canvas and shows us her alternate history version of early 19th century Africa. This lends itself to probably the thematically heaviest book so far, paralleling the horrors of the slave trade with the treatment of the dragons, and leads to a particularly powerful ending (warning - cliffhanger!). While the book suffers from somewhat uneven pacing at times, it's still a cracking good read (and it can be wickedly funny, to boot).
    • 5/5
      I could say a lot about this book - especially about the way she dares to write a Victorian-style "adventure in darkest Africa" with open eyes - but I'm just going to stick with the image that stole my heart:Seven dragons, curled up miserably together on the deck of a sailing ship running down the slave coast, and *independently deriving non-Euclidean geometry*. For the fun of it.
    • 4/5
      Empire Ivory is the fourth book in the series and if you have not read the first three then I highly recommend you do before reading this book. The series continues on from one book to the other and is an alternate history of the Napoleonic war with Britain.In this book we see the return of Temeraire and Laurance to England where they discover a deadly dragon flu has gripped the Arial corps. The only dragons left to defend England is Temeraire, the unpredictable ferals lead by Arkandy and the volatile Iskerinda. Temeraire is sent on a mission to Africa to find the cure which is more dangerous then previously imagined.A fantastic read with good pacing of the action and story line. I enjoy Iskerinda and was a little disappointed that she did not get more "book time" in this one. However we got to be reunited with some old friends. I was fascinated to see the affects of slave trading and dragons being separated from their pilots being explored in this book.My only criticism is that the middle of the book did seem to slow a bit and almost had an end type feel to it. However bare with the author she knows what she is doing and the story takes an amazing twist from there on in.I can not wait for the next book.
    • 4/5
      slow start, but once it got going there were things i just had to love. not as good overall as Jo Walton's Tooth and Claw, but stuff like the trip into the heart of Africa, the detail on the dragons themselves, the changing mores in the field (on slavery, on women) made for a sprightly and interesting read. and the non-Euclidean dragon mathematics created on the fly because Euclid's premise so amused them? priceless.... in short, guess i'll have to read them all.
    • 4/5
      The fourth book in the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. When last we left Laurence and Temeraire they were in Europe, now they’re headed home to England. But as soon as they arrive, they discover that almost all of the English dragons have come down with a horribly fatal disease. All of them except Temeraire. Now they must travel to Africa to search for a cure for the disease, before Napoleon takes advantage of their condition. Not only this but Temeraire’s desire for dragon equality and fair treatment rears its head again, and may end up costing them more than they could imagine.
    • 4/5
      Temeraire and Laurence return from their travels to China and their battles along the way to find that the dragon fleet has all come down with a mysterious illness that is killing and incapacitating dragons small and large, quickly and slowly. Nothing that the dragon doctors try has prevented this major catastrophe. Laurence notices that the symptoms resemble the illness that Temeraire suffered on his way to China. The aviators suspect that some of the food that Temeraire received in Africa aided his recovery, so Laurence and Temeraire head to Africa to search for the cure.After their arrival in Capetown and Temeraire's remembrances of a special mushroom, the crew find a sample and sent to work testing to see if it works against the consumptive disease. As the test dragons begin to recover, Laurence and the crew head into the interior searching for more mushrooms. This story is crammed with perilous adventures, characters that we have taken to our hearts, as well as a delicate handling of the issues of slavery, colonialism and biological warfare. It was fun to see the adventures evolve without the constant inclusion of military movements as in the previous installments. The beauty of the story and the relationship between Temeraire and Laurence draw the reader further and further into the tale and now toward the next installment. I can't wait!