It's a looonnng way to China by dragon transport, and we take that slow journey in this, the second book in Novik's series. Maybe some of this sluggish pacing is meant to reflect and enhance the trip the characters were taking, however, it takes up 2/3 of the book. I was chomping at the bit for the dragons of the Orient, and how Temeraire would find them. Novik does not disappoint in that regard, it is only that there is so little of that so late in the book. Even with some of my unhappiness with this second novel, I still must say it is good, it's just that there was so much more I wanted to know about ... maybe she did that on purpose though, to maintain a bit of the mystery of the Orient. The Chinese dragons were wonderfully regal, beautiful and bejewelled, but also studious and wise. So,overall, my take is: not flawless, but still, don't miss it if you enjoy this type of fantasy.

posted Mar 11, 2007 at 10:56AM

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