Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik

The latest book in the Temeraire series, book 6, finds Will Laurence and his dragon Temeraire in Australia, at the time of the Napoleonic wars. The author Novik is a history buff and writes convincingly of the details of war as waged at that time. However, this is an “alternate” history, and these Napoleonic wars, while covering much of the same territory as their real counterparts, differ significantly in events, such as Napoleon actually invading England in Victory of Eagles, Book 5. While many praise Novik for her realistic portrayal of historical settings, and others imply that readers who simply love dragons are lining up at book signings, in my opinion the strength of these books goes far beyond possessing those two elements. Her ability to pull you into the action and circumstances of each chapter, without your noticing it, shows what some reviewers have commented on – prose that carries no excess weight or dreary detail. What I have found tremendous is her consummate skill in ending chapters, so that just as you feel as despairing of circumstance as Temeraire or Laurence might be feeling, in one stroke all is changed.

The two are in New South Wales, a British prison colony, since Laurence was condemned as a traitor to Britain and Temeraire along with him. Neither are prisoners, however, since Laurence’s sentence was changed to being deported. While they continue on adventures with British forces, their status has changed and they might, if they wished, leave it all behind and retire to a farm in the interior. Somehow you know this will not happen. Novik likes showing the underside of politics --- how fine or not so fine intentions of leaders or countries end up being implemented with consequences brutal to both soldiers and civilians. This book has struck some readers as dreary, as there is a long overland passage involved, as in Book 3. In my view, Novik is depicting how tiring and numbing such journeys can be. And if I can’t actually be there, I appreciate feeling as if I am. (there are some nice excerpts of an interview with Naomi Novik at io9.com/5634183)

Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History / by Penny Le Coeur & Jay Burreson

In 1812, Napoleon and his Grande Armée boldly, albeit naievely embarked on the most illustrious, most daunting and most elongated military expedition the European continent had ever seen. The campaign proved a disastrous failure as the stark, bitter elements of the Russian winter decimated much of the emperor's army. But what if something else, something smaller indirectly contributed to the deaths of so many soldiers and, subsequently, the demise of the French Empire? Say, like the buttons on the greatcoats worn by all members of the army, buttons made of tin, which is now known to be comprised of properties which disintegrate in extremely low temperatures. It's no mystery that the French soldiers were noticeably worse off than their conquered counterparts, many of them serfs or peasants who'd never worn any kind of buttoned apparel yet were more adapted to the elements dressed more layered, better fastened garments of wool and sheepskin.

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Authors Le Couteur and Burreson, both chemists, not only believe in the seemingly somewhat far-flung correlation, but back up their hypothesis with hard scientific evidence, highlighting certain key groups of molecular compounds, particularly several very suspect alkaloids, which did the most damage. But 1812 wasn't the only time or place where molecules may have largely determined some pretty fascinating events. The book takes a very up-close look at some instances like the unlikely synthesis of heroin from Bayer Aspirin, or the inception of rubber used for tires from a combination of sulfur atoms and nitric acid, as well as numerous other interesting historical anecdotes. With short manageable sections, it involves chemistry at a practical level. So for people who may shrivel at the thought of having to learn any hard facts, it's not quite as foreboding. Uniquely, it shows, both visually and narratively, how a change as small as the position of an atom can lead to enormous alterations in the properties of a substance--which, in turn, can influence and even change dramatically the course of history. (540.9 LECOUTEU)

Victory of Eagles: Temeraire Series (5) by Naomi Novik

The new historical fiction/fantasy writer Naomi Novik moves along with her acclaimed series about Will Lawrence, naval captain turned aviator in England’s Aerial Corps. The twist in his situation is that England is fighting Napoleon, so there are no airplanes in the Corps but only dragons, harnessed from incubation and pressed into service for their country. Novik gives the dragons full reasoning capacity, and indeed, they have innate insights into mathematical and scientific phenomena that far surpass our own abilities.
Fearful and enormously strong, the dragons in this series continue to enchant us as characters developed in their own right, human-like yet with distinct dragon characteristics, such as their natural aggression and their attraction to treasure. Will’s dragon is Temeraire, and some parts of the story are told from his point of view. Will’s view is necessarily more complex, and he struggles with the political and tactical ramifications of his and Temeraire’s revolutionary actions. Temeraire is no ordinary dragon, but an ancient and rare Chinese breed who finds himself by chance in the thick of war between England and France under Napoleon. Having visited China (in Book 2), Temeraire sees the contrast between how his ancestral country respects and accommodates dragons, and how the European nations view them as beasts to be used for military purposes only.
Novik does not hesitate to plunge her characters in desperate straits, and heroic action may bring accolades or devastation. In this book, Will and Temeraire struggle to be true to each other and to their compatriots as they deal with the dishonor and punishment allotted them for obeying their consciences. Novik skillfully allows both of their ideas of honor and of what noble action consists of to be tested over and over again.

Note: For photos, maps, and unpublished excerpts, check out Novik’s website at http://www.temeraire.org/. (Peter Jackson, the director of the Rings Trilogy, has purchased the film rights to the series.)