Naomi Novik

Naomi Novik was born in New York in 1973, a first-generation American, and raised on Polish fairy tales, Baba Yaga, and Tolkien. She studied English Literature at Brown University and did graduate work in Computer Science at Columbia University before leaving to participate in the design and development of the computer game Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide.

Her first novel, His Majesty’s Dragon, was published in 2006 along with Throne of Jade and Black Powder War, and has been translated into 23 languages. She has won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel, and the Locus Award for Best First Novel. The fourth volume of the Temeraire series, Empire of Ivory, published in September 2007, was a New York Times bestseller.

She is one of the founding board members of the Organization for Tranformative Works, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the fair-use rights of fan creators, and herself a fanfic writer and fan vidder.

Naomi lives in New York City with her husband and six eight computers. (They multiply.)

The above description was taken from Temeraire: the official website of Nomi Novik.

Books I've Read by Naomi Novik

Temeraire

1. Temeraire Vol 1-3 Box Set (Mass Market Paperback)

   This box set contains the first three volumes of the Temeraire series, His Majesty’s Dragon, Throne of Jade, and Black Powder War.

   or Temeraire: In the Service of the King (Hardcover Edition)

   This Omnibus edition contains the first three volumes of the Temeraire series, His Majesty’s Dragon, Throne of Jade, and Black Powder War.

1. His Majesty’s Dragon (Mass Market Paperback) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future—and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire. (book description) Personal note: This book is an awesome start to what looks to be a great series. It does a great job of introducing us to the main characters and story line, and I really enjoyed reading it.

2. Throne of Jade (Mass Market Paperback) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   When Britain intercepted a French ship and its precious cargo—an unhatched dragon’s egg—Capt. Will Laurence of HMS Reliant unexpectedly became master and commander of the noble dragon he named Temeraire. As new recruits in Britain’s Aerial Corps, man and dragon soon proved their mettle in daring combat against Bonaparte’s invading forces. Now China has discovered that its rare gift, intended for Napoleon, has fallen into British hands—and an angry Chinese delegation vows to reclaim the remarkable beast. But Laurence refuses to cooperate. Facing the gallows for his defiance, Laurence has no choice but to accompany Temeraire back to the Far East—a long voyage fraught with peril, intrigue, and the untold terrors of the deep. Yet once the pair reaches the court of the Chinese emperor, even more shocking discoveries and darker dangers await. (book description) Personal note: I enjoyed this book as thoroughly as I did the first book in this series. I’m extremely excited and anxious to read book 3.

3. Black Powder War (Mass Market Paperback) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   After their fateful adventure in China, Capt. Will Laurence of His Majesty’s Aerial Corps and his extraordinary dragon, Temeraire, are waylaid by a mysterious envoy bearing urgent new orders from Britain. Three valuable dragon eggs have been purchased from the Ottoman Empire, and Laurence and Temeraire must detour to Istanbul to escort the precious cargo back to England. Time is of the essence if the eggs are to be borne home before hatching. Yet disaster threatens the mission at every turn—thanks to the diabolical machinations of the Chinese dragon Lien, who blames Temeraire for her master’s death and vows to ally herself with Napoleon and take vengeance. Then, faced with shattering betrayal in an unexpected place, Laurence, Temeraire, and their squad must launch a daring offensive. But what chance do they have against the massed forces of Bonaparte’s implacable army? (book description) Personal note: This book was another solid addition to the Temeraire series. It had me wanting to stay up late at night and take long lunches so that I could keep reading. I am really happy I gave this series a chance, as it has proven to be quite enjoyable reading.

4. Empire of Ivory (Mass Market Paperback) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   Tragedy has struck His Majesty’s Aerial Corps, whose magnificent fleet of fighting dragons and their human captains valiantly defend England’s shores against the encroaching armies of Napoleon Bonaparte. An epidemic of unknown origin and no known cure is decimating the noble dragons’ ranks—forcing the hopelessly stricken into quarantine. Now only Temeraire and a pack of newly recruited dragons remain uninfected—and stand as the only means of an airborne defense against France’s ever bolder sorties. Bonaparte’s dragons are already harrowing Britain’s ships at sea. Only one recourse remains: Temeraire and his captain, Will Laurence, must take wing to Africa, whose shores may hold the cure to the mysterious and deadly contagion. On this mission there is no time to waste, and no telling what lies in store beyond the horizon or for those left behind to wait, hope, and hold the line. (book description) Personal note: In this 4th book in the Temeraire series, Novik has introduced us to an entirely new civilization, further expanding the Temeraire universe. And she still has lots of room to expand even more. Not only that, but I could easilly see her writing another series from the perspective of this newly discovered civilization. And to give us incentive to read the next book in the Temeraire series, she made sure to end this one with a cliffhanger.

5. Victory of Eagles (Mass Market Paperback) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   Naomi Novik’s triumphant debut, His Majesty’s Dragon, introduced a dynamic new pair of heroes to the annals of fantasy fiction: the noble fighting dragon Temeraire and his master and commander, Capt. Will Laurence, who serves Britain’s peerless Aerial Corps in the thick of the raging Napoleonic Wars. Now, in the latest novel of this dazzling series, they soar to new heights of breathtaking action and brilliant imagination. It is a grim time for the dragon Temeraire. On the heels of his mission to Africa, seeking the cure for a deadly contagion, he has been removed from military service—and his captain, Will Laurence, has been condemned to death for treason. For Britain, conditions are grimmer still: Napoleon’s resurgent forces have breached the Channel and successfully invaded English soil. Napoleon’s prime objective: the occupation of London. Separated by their own government and threatened at every turn by Napoleon’s forces, Laurence and Temeraire must struggle to find each other amid the turmoil of war and to aid the resistance against the invasion before Napoleon’s foothold on England’s shores can become a stranglehold. If only they can be reunited, master and dragon might rally Britain’s scattered forces and take the fight to the enemy as never before—for king and country, and for their own liberty. But can the French aggressors be well and truly routed, or will a treacherous alliance deliver Britain into the hands of her would-be conquerors? (book description) Personal note: Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series just keeps getting better and better. And she still has whole continents to explore. I am eager to see where she goes as she continues the story.