Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik — A Review

Crucible of Gold, by Naomi Novik— A Review

 

I have reviewed other books in this series previously in Tyrannosaurus Press's Illuminata, thought it is no longer available online anymore. But as I have said before about this series, the language mixed with the story, set in an alternate world where dragons exist during the Napoleonic wars, hits many of my story sweet spots. You can read some of what I said in my review of Empire of Ivory, the 4th book in the Temeraire series.

Review of Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik in The Illuminata, Tyrannosaurus Press, July 2008.

Here is a review of Victory of Eagles, which is the 5th book in the Temeraire series.

A review of Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik in the April 2010 issue of the Illuminata.

But this review is about Crucible of Gold, which is the 7th in the Temeraire series.

But first, some background. The 6th book, Tongues of Serpents, takes place in Australia, where Will Laurence and Temeraire have been shipped as their punishment for being traitors. Though, as Temeraire and Laurence have demonstrated, it's funny how being a good person seems to come in conflict with being a good captain on more than one occasion. But Laurence and Temeraire try to make a go of building a new life in Australia whilst staying out of politics. It doesn't work, of course, but it's a good adventure that includes a journey through the interior, being attacked by bunyips, dragon eggs, making friends, fleeing and fighting enemies, discovering criminal activity, etc.

By the end, however, it looks like Laurence and Temeraire have found a home in a lonely valley where they can have a farm, some cattle, and maybe get on with their lives. This is where the Crucible begins, with Temeraire building a pavilion while Laurence checks over other plans with workman that they have for their farm. (Of course, the prologue shows Hammond, the diplomat from China in a previous book, stumbling into the valley as he falls off a courier dragon and Laurence saves him from bunyips, but then we go to the first chapter). They are busy building and content. It's not the life either of them thought they would have, but it's better than when Laurence was trapped in a gaol ship and Temeraire consigned to the breeding grounds in England, or when they were prisoners in France. They are free. They are — for the most part — happy.

In comes Hammond. If you read Throne of Jade, then you know he can be conniving and passive aggressively aggressive in foisting his (and Britain's) plans upon people, though he usually does sort of fix it in the end. Hammond arrives with a notice that Laurence may be re-instated as captain in the corps once again, if he takes up a mission to Brazil.

While Laurence and Temeraire have been busy becoming Australian, Napoleon has continued to take over Europe. England thinks it can go through Portugal and Spain (with those countries' permissions) to get to Napoleon, but Portugal is dealing with the Tswana from Africa attacking Rio in Brazil. The dragons of Tswana did not like the Portuguese (or anyone) taking their humans, or as they are referred to, their "kindred", into slavery. The riders and dragons, in draconic fashion, have decided to take their kindred back. It has been hinted that if England will help in this matter that Portugal will let them take their military through to attack Napoleon.

Now, Laurence's parents are abolitionists, as is he. However, the House of Lords decided a few years back to not go against slavery (because in a sense, their dragons are slaves). And they (or the Home Office) want Laurence to go with Temeraire and some other dragons to help out the Portuguese in getting rid of the Tswana.

It goes against what both Laurence and Temeraire believe in, but it's a chance to "get back in the game." They don't like sitting still. In addition, if they pull this off, not only will they earn back their reputation, but it will also earn back the reputation of everyone who was on Temeraire's crew. Because when Laurence and Temeraire were stripped of their rank, so were many of the senior officers in the crew. They don't know how they'll do it, but they're willing to give it a try, and hopefully at least partially repair some of the damage they have done to former crew members.
Though it may seem like this is giving away much of the story, it's just the first one or two chapters. Once they are back on the Allegiance (a dragon transport ship captained by Laurence's friend Tom Riley), the adventure really takes off.

If you've read the other stories, then you know this will be another adventure story in the vein of Horatio Hornblower. So far, Novik has taken her readers from England to China to Eastern and Central Europe (Austria, Prussia, Istanbul) to France to Africa to Australia, and now to Brazil, and in between Inca (or Peru), and after, I hear it will be Japan (Blood of Tyrants). And I have no idea where League of Dragons will go (that will be the final book in the series). This will be no different. There will be hardship, treachery, mutiny, flights and fights, death, dragonish behavior, prejudices, romance (as such) and who knows what all (I'm not telling — you have to read the book!).

Emily Roland is now 15 years old, so there is that to deal with in a crew of men. In truth, though, I believe Novik didn't deal with this as much as she could have. Or should have. This isn't Roland's story, of course. But 15-year-old girls can be hellish, and Roland, while sometimes irresponsible, was not as hellish as I've known 15-year-old girls to be. But, she's also been working on a dragon since she was 10 years old, so she's a much more responsible and adult 15-year-old than many I have known. But I did think she would cause more trouble than she did.

We also learn more about Granby, who had been Laurence's 1st lieutenant, but is now captain of Iskierka, a flame breathing dragon. And Demane, who became captain of the now heavyweight Kulingile almost by accident, is having to grow up. Again, I expected him to cause more problems than he did, but for the most part he was a pretty typical 15-16-year-old boy.

Several incidents occur in this book in the series that are life changing events for Laurence, Temeraire, and their friends and crews. They have been through other harrowing experiences, of course, but some of the things that occur in Crucible are the kinds of things that we say now would cause PTSD. But they all happen one right after the other. And of course, in British fashion, they just take it and move on. Joke about it and go to the next thing. It was bothering me a little bit how little they seemed to be reacting to these events (I don't want to say what they are because — well — spoilers, sweetie).

Not that they're going to go to the early 19th century version of a shrink and take meds, but I wanted more (and maybe that's just my 21st century brain). And then, the funny thing is, Novik dropped in the reaction right past the point where I thought — "Oh, come on! What about the...!" And then there it was. And there was the reaction, and the dealing with other things. And of course, that is the way life is, many times. You just deal and deal and deal, and it's not until later that you react. So, while it felt a little long, to me, to wait for that pay off, it does come, albeit in an understated British manner.

By the end of the book, while things are wrapped up in a suitable fashion, Temeraire and Laurence are taking off once again for foreign parts. There is no rest for them now, and many of the actions Novik set up were not addressed, but will obviously be addressed in Blood of Tyrants and later in League of Dragons. Like setting up dominoes, she'll just need to click the first one and then there it will go.

This is a book that could be read on its own, like the others, maybe. But I have read the others, and I had to go back and re-acquaint myself with events from previous books to keep up with some of the events in this one. So, you might want to save this one until you've read the others, if you haven't already.

Finally, the writing style felt to me like a return to the 18th century style that I so enjoyed in the first few books. Sometimes I just sat and read a paragraph over and over again just because (something I tend to do with Italo Calvino and J.R.R. Tolkien as well).

I heartily recommend this series. I've said it before. I'll say it again. Dragons. DRAGONS. DRAGONS!! Adventures reminiscent of Horatio Hornblower, Treasure Island, and Kidnapped. Language reminiscent of Jane Austen, Robert Louis Stevenson and Henry Fielding. Characters who push against the grain.

It comes in a Kindle edition, as well as paperback and hardcover. I got my Kindle edition on a special deal for $3.99 (it's back up again now, I checked), so if you're strapped for cash, check back every once in a while and see if it's gone down again. Or get it at your library.

Like I said — Dragons!