Often referred to as "Patrick O'Brian with dragons," this book is the first of a trilogy (though I think there is actually a fourth book too) about Temeraire the dragon. Novik sets this, her first novel, during the Napoleonic Wars. Dragons are used as members of the Aerial Corps, providing support to Britain's Navy. Capt. Will Laurence of the British Navy captures Temeraire's unhatched egg from a French ship. In Novik's world, when dragons hatch, they bond to the first person with whom they make contact, and that person will be their rider and handler throughout the dragon's lifetime, though partner is probably a better term for it. Laurence selects one of his crew to be there when the egg hatches, but of course, the young dragon selects Capt. Laurence to bond with, effectively ending his Naval career and his nascent engagement to a woman back home. Members of the Aerial Corps must live 24/7 with their dragons, and naturally, that does not leave a whole lot of time for family, friends, etc. This first novel in the series explores the growth of Temeraire's and Laurence's friendship (one sweet touch: Laurence often reads books to Temeraire before bed), and covers the demanding training they must undergo before they can join in battle with the French. Laurence stumbles along, never having chosen this career (most Aerial Corps members are selected when much younger), trying to figure out how to come to terms with his new life and new lifemate. The dragons can talk and they definitely have emotions, and Temeraire is really quite a lovely character and Novik develops him beautifully throughout the course of the novel. It was interesting to see Laurence adapt and change as he became closer and closer to Temeraire. There are several heartbreaking sequences involving a neglected dragon and his haughty handler; these really showed how Novik made the dragons as real as humans and capable of evoking much sympathy from the reader.
The battle sequences are really neat--these dragons are HUGE, so much so that a crew of 20 or so men can ride one during a mission. The dragons are equipped with elaborate harnesses that allow men to scramble all over the dragon, dropping bombs and firing rifles from various positions, and of course, treating wounds that the dragons receive during battle.
I would recommend this to fans of fantasy and historical fiction alike; the fantasy element is limited to the dragons, but once you accept that the dragons are there, they are treated very much like a historical fact; no magic or witches floating around.
This series was originally published in mass-market paperback, so you'll find it in SciFi Paperback.
