Review: The Black Powder War.

[jeriendhal]

Summary: An unexpected fire in the mess puts the dragon transport that Captain Laurence and his faithful Mary Sue dragon Tremaine were riding out of order. This is unfortunate, because they are then ordered to the Ottoman Empire to pick a pair of rare fire breathing dragon eggs that a deperate Great Britain has paid through the nose for. Once getting there... things get complicated.




Random Observations:

1. the_blue_fenix was correct, in noting that the title didn't have much to do with anything. There is an extended siege/battle sequence in the novel with Napolean's forces once they hit Austria (don't ask), but the fact that gun powder is used isn't exactly notable.

1a. Though it would have been funny as shit if it had meant something along the lines of some new and improved "Pepper Gun".

2. Comrade Tremaire continues to amuse as he pesters Laurence to bring the Worker's Revolution to England. Judging from the preview at the end of the book for the fourth novel, his bargaining position is going to be remarakably strong.

3. Novik seems to improving a bit as a writer. The plot was all over the place, consisting mostly of a travelogue as L&T wandered all over Europe and Asia, but some of the characterizations, particularly of their half-Brit/Chinese guide, come perilously close to three dimensional. Fortunately there enough cardboard cutouts in Larry's crew to make up for it.

4. Note to future self: If you're hiding in a bush with a pistol, and find yourself unexpectedly about ten bloody feet from Napolean, I think taking a potshot at him is well worth the price getting smashed by his dragon a micro-second later.

Comments

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I think taking a potshot at him is well worth the price getting smashed by his dragon a micro-second later

Can't be serious, old chap. That'd be dashed unsporting.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Actually I think that was Laurence's argument in a nutshell. Which seems to indicate he was either born an idiot or has suffered from a bit of hypoxia while he was flying.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

A Code of Honor can be very inconvenient.