Crucible of gold

English language

Published Aug. 11, 2012 by Del Rey/Ballantine Books.

ISBN:
978-0-345-52286-3
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4 stars (21 reviews)

"Naomi Novik's beloved series returns, with Capt. Will Laurence and his fighting dragon Temeraire once again taking to the air against the broadsides of Napoleon's forces and the friendly--and sometimes not-so-friendly--fire of British soldiers and politicians who continue to suspect them of divided loyalties, if not outright treason. For Laurence and Temeraire, put out to pasture in Australia, it seems their part in the war has come to an end just when they are needed most. Newly allied with the powerful African empire of the Tswana, the French have occupied Spain and brought revolution and bloodshed to Brazil, threatening Britain's last desperate hope to defeat Napoleon. So the British government dispatches Arthur Hammond from China to enlist Laurence and Temeraire to negotiate a peace with the angry Tswana, who have besieged the Portuguese royal family in Rio--and as bait, Hammond bears an offer to reinstate Laurence to his former rank …

1 edition

A Funny, but ultimately Familiar Temeraire novel

3 stars

Crucible of Gold continues the grand tradition of Temeraire adventures: seeing our heroes adventure to new parts of the world so that we may explore more of the author's alternate-history where dragons are real. It also continues the tradition of being very, very far from black powder military fiction, which is not how the series is marketed, and we also know the author is capable of delivering in the superb Victory of Eagles.

Worse, this book is a retread of many things we've seen in the series. The worldbuilding has stopped showing us new ways dragons have impacted human society. The journey to South America feels just like the adventures in the sea from Throne of Jade. And perhaps if the destination was interesting, this is all acceptable. But alternate histories are interesting in their deviations from what we know. Sadly, modern 21st century humanity know very little …

Review of 'Crucible of gold' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

3.75 Not a bad book at all, but probably my least favourite of the series. The plot is very tightly scripted with lots of things, one leading more or less to another. The depiction of the Inca culture is also very interesting, but there lies the rub at least for me. Except for the dragons the series had up to now some sort of historical plausible deniability. Sure it not completely alternate history with dragons, but a continent-spanning indigenous empire kind of destroys my suspension of disbelief. Without the Spanish conquest of South America can there even be a Napoleonic Europe?

Apart from that we are in for some nice character and relationship development for most of the part, but the upperclass arrogance against the press-ganged sailors that is borne out by the narration is at points pretty sickening.

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Subjects

  • Ship captains
  • Great Britain. Royal Navy
  • Great Britain
  • FICTION / Fantasy / Historical
  • Fiction
  • Officers
  • Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815
  • Dragons