Blood of Tyrants

Temeraire, Book 8

By: Naomi Novik

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Naomi Novik's beloved Temeraire series, a brilliant combination of fantasy and history that reimagines the Napoleonic wars as fought with the aid of intelligent dragons, is a 21st-century classic. From the first volume, His Majesty's Dragon, listeners have been entranced by the globe-spanning adventures of the resolute Capt. William Laurence and his brave but impulsive dragon, Temeraire. Now, in Blood of Tyrants, the penultimate volume of the series, Novik is at the very height of her powers as she brings her story to its widest, most colorful canvas yet.

Shipwrecked and cast ashore in Japan with no memory of Temeraire or his own experiences as an English aviator, Laurence finds himself tangled in deadly political intrigues that threaten not only his own life but England's already precarious position in the Far East. Age-old enmities and suspicions have turned the entire region into a powder keg ready to erupt at the slightest spark - a spark that Laurence and Temeraire may unwittingly provide, leaving Britain faced with new enemies just when they most desperately need allies instead.

For to the west, another, wider conflagration looms. Napoleon has turned on his former ally, the emperor Alexander of Russia, and is even now leading the largest army the world has ever seen to add that country to his list of conquests. It is there, outside the gates of Moscow, that a reunited Laurence and Temeraire - along with some unexpected allies and old friends - will face their ultimate challenge...and learn whether or not there are stronger ties than memory.

©2013 Temeraire, LLC (P)2013 Tantor

An amazing book.

Simon Vance is captivating. The story is amazing, although it starts off very slow. The pace at which the story begins to unfold, gradually becomes as fast paced as the war itself. An amazing audiobook experience. If you enjoyed Naomi's previous works, please indulge in this one.

Fantastic!

As always a fantastic story and deep character development. Will and Temeraire are a joy to read/listen, Simon Vance does an excellent job on the narration. Good show!

Slow Start, One of the Best!

I felt this was one of the weakest starts but ended up one of my favorites, if not my favorite. it also did an amazing job setting up the next book.

hell ya book #9 here I come.

Excellent!

This novel held on the time and interest of the previous books in the series. Simon Vance is wonderful as a narrator as always

great series

this series is well worth the free time you allocate to reading it. please check it out

They really need to check these audiobooks over better.

A LOT of places where the performer is doing the wrong voice for a character. Other than that the story is wonderful.

Another Great Volume in Excellent Series

Initially begins so oddly that you wonder if you somehow missed a volume between the last book mostly set in South America and this one. You slowly learn that it does indeed pick up the tale. Overall, this book is divided between 3 situations - each as interesting as the last. I again deduct a star for overall rating because the author again randomly ends the book. This ending is even more abrupt than the ending in Book 7.. It's not so much a cliff hanger as the book just stops. Not particularly fond that that practice in this series and given the free form storyline, you begin to wonder if the series will conclude.

Three short stories in one

I felt like this story was three short stories than it was a cohesive novel. I know the author wanted to wrap the series up, but I f wanted to spend more time in Japan and Russia to learn the ins and outs of the culture as it pertains to dragons.
Still, that being said once I got well into the second half I just wanted to keep listening.
Simon Vance is, as always, a fantastic narrator and makes the series quite enjoyable.

A Must Read Series!!

Any additional comments?

Temeraire and his Captain William Laurence well rounded characters that you grow to care deeply about. Laurence with his “uptight” high born British Royal Navy up bring contracting with the relaxed culture of Royal Aerial Corps sends him on a lift time of turbulent decision making with harsh outcomes.
This series needs to be read in order because each books drops off and the next starts with no setup or opening Novik assumes you read the previous books.

Amazed

This book and the whole series is Fantastic!!!
The creation of a whole new world enhancing a dramtic time of real history the combination makes you believe such a world actually exists