Readers still looking to get their dragon on after TBM’s own Mark Robson’s majestic Dragon Orb series, look no further: Temeraire, by Naomi Novik, is ace.

It is the time of the Napoleonic Wars. Captain Will Laurence has his career path in the Navy mapped out, but his plans are resoundingly scuppered when a captured French frigate turns out to be carrying a dragon egg: the creature hatches, chooses Laurence as his rider and companion, and a new life in England’s fledgling dragon-based Royal Aerial Corps awaits!

The dragon Temeraire himself is a wonderfully appealing character and the book mixes all sorts of unusual influences into its rich fantasy brew: with notes of C S Forester’s awesome Hornblower series in its nautical action, even some Jane Austen social comedy in there as well as all the top-notch widescreen dragon shenanigans you could possibly want, Temeraire (or His Majesty’s Dragon as it’s known in the US) is charming, thrilling and tremendous fun. Take a leathery wing-tip from me and give it a go: it’s one of the best books I’ve read so far this year.

Sam

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