Temeraire (series)
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Temeraire is a series of novels by Naomi Novik, comprising His Majesty's Dragon (released as Temeraire in the United Kingdom), Throne of Jade , Black Powder War and Empire of Ivory. The novels are works of both fantasy and alternate history: they are "a reimagining of the epic events of the Napoleonic Wars with an air force— an air force of dragons, manned by crews of aviators".[1]
Contents |
[edit] The Books
[edit] His Majesty's Dragon
[edit] Throne of Jade
[edit] Black Powder War
[edit] Empire of Ivory
[edit] The Dragons
Dragons in this world are similar to dragons in many world mythologies, although here they are divided into different "breeds" with differences in coloration, size, skeletal structure, etc. All (with the exception of "sea serpent" dragons, which might be classified a different species in any case) have wings and the ability to fly, even those that can mass up to 50 tons. (This is partly due to their bodies' compartments of lighter-than-air gas; "weight" figures listed here represent overall size and mass, although a 50-ton dragon might show a mere 10 tons on a scale.)
Dragons are intelligent and sentient, although the degree of their intelligence varies from those that can understand only a few words (such as the Greylings) to those that have been known to compose epic poetry (such as the Celestials). Dragons are typically born with the ability to speak. They learn languages while still in the shell, and any language they are exposed to during that time, they can speak fluently from birth. In the wild, dragons seem to have their own language, probably one dating back to before they were domesticated.
Domesticated dragons "bond" with a human on hatching. This is not some kind of psychic connection, but more of a strong bond similar to filial imprinting seen in species of birds, which in some cases is also reminiscent of an owner-pet relationship and in others, a friend-friend relationship. Dragons will do anything to prevent their aviators from harm, and in battle, dragons can be "captured" if their aviators are held at gunpoint or in some other way threatened. Because of their long lives, dragons tend to outlive their human partners. In this case, they may be tempted to bond to another (possibly a descendant or family member of their lost partner) or they may become too listless to do much of anything. Some dragons may be acquisitive hoarders as in many mythologies, and this trait may also lead them to become very jealous of the attentions of their human partner.
Like conventionally-imagined Western dragons, some dragon breeds can breath fire or "spit" acidic venom (vitriol), two traits that are prized in countries where dragons are used primarily for military pursuits. Dragon breeds can have other unique traits, such as wings that allow them to hover or make sharp turns, the ability to ingest and spew large quantities of water, or night vision.
[edit] Dragons and Society
The societies of this world tend to view dragons differently. So far only two cultures have been described in depth, but some clues have been given about the state of dragon-human relations in the rest of the world.
Dragons in Britain: The treatment of dragons in Britain seems to be indicative of the treatment they have received in the rest of Europe and the Middle East, although this may not be the case. Dragon domestication in Britain begins with the arrival of the Romans, continued in a disorderly manner with the influx of Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, and continued to the present of the series. In Britain, it was held that dragons could very easily turn feral and therefore useless (to humans). To prevent this, properly trained aviator candidates needed to be present at the hatching of every egg. A newly hatched dragon would speak to the nearest person suitable for bonding. The human would then give it a name (in Britain, the names are typically chosen by school boys fond of grandiose Greek and Latin names). Newborn dragons would be very hungry, but it was said they would fly away immediately after feeding unless they willingly accepted a harness. If the aviator could not convince the dragon to accept the harness, it would never be "useful" to people, except possibly as broodstock. The ceremony of bestowing a name and harnessing a dragon seems to be more of a superstitious ritual than rooted in necessity. Some dragons have been known to name themselves and still accept harness, while "feral" dragons can be induced to help humans. The elaborate naming ritual probably stems from an innate European fear of dragons. In Britain, dragons are housed in "coverts," secluded spots away from most human habitation. The general populace is terrified of dragons, whether they are feral, friendly, or part of a foreign military. In fact, many people in Britain can live their entire lives without meeting a dragon close up. Because of the exclusion of the covert, aviators are looked upon as being inferior to the other branches of the military (especially because the special relation between aviator and dragon may preclude raising a family). Dragons deemed not useful under harness (i.e. feral, depressed from death of partner, captured from another nation, etc) are forcibly detained in secluded breeding grounds and used for broodstock.
Dragons in China: In China, Shen-lung (dragons) are treated very differently than their European counterparts. Instead of being treated as intelligent animals, they are instead venerated as beings of generally equal or occasionally higher standing than humans. Chinese dragons are not harnessed at birth. Instead, they are raised by other dragons and are treated similarly to the children of noble families. They attend school and can take the Confucian exams that may lead to positions in the civil service. After completing their schooling, they are considered able to choose a name and companion for themselves. They can then enter the military, messenger services, bureaucracy, etc. depending on their personal abilities and the tendencies of their breed. These dragons are then paid from the Imperial treasury, can own property, and employ servants. At large, the citizens of China seem used to the large population of dragons that inhabit their land. Dragons are used as a kind of mass transit, streets and other infrastructure are built large enough to accommodate them, and many vendors cater to their needs. While some dragons, like humans, may live in relative poverty, the majority enjoy a higher degree of autonomy and self-determination to those in Europe.
Dragons in Other Parts of the World: So far, only a few clues have been released about this topic. These tidbits are included below.
- Africa: Dragons living in Africa are believed to be primarily feral (at least by Europeans). Many "civilized" courier dragons have disappeared just from trying to find shelter on African shores.
- Americas: The Incas seem to live with dragons, but little has been revealed of their society. Likewise, the natives of the North American Great Plains have dragons that are always accompanied by a single rider rather than a whole crew as in Europe.
- Continental Europe: Seems to followed lines of development very close to those in Britain.
- Turkey: As in Europe, dragons are used primarily for military purposes, although in the lax nature of the late Ottoman Empire, many of these are inclined to obesity. Dragons do seem to be more in evidence in the city of Istanbul, and guard the palace of the Sultan. The population may therefore be less wary of them than their counterparts in Britain.
Feral Dragon Society: Although many human authors in this world seem unaware of the fact, dragons in the wild seem to have their own unique society. They have a special language (known as Durzagh) unique to their species, which may have local dialects. Feral dragons may band together in small groups or live in a solitary manner depending on their inclination. They also may have their own oral tradition, consisting of story-telling accompanied by elaborate pantomime.
[edit] Known Dragon Species
[edit] The Chinese Dragons
- Lung Yu (or "Jade Dragons"): Fast moving lightweight couriers. Primarily green, these dragons are small enough to look humans in the eyes. Possess long delicate looking wings that taper and nearly reach the ground. Capable of fast and high-level travel, flying 120 miles in less than four hours. Do not have riders, unlike Western courier dragons.
- Lung Qin (or "Imperial Dragons"): These heavyweight dragons have interbred in a manner that has increased their intelligence. They form the elite of the draconian officials. They have blue to black markings. Occasionally, matings between Imperials will produce a Celestial. Imperials, like Celestials, weigh around 20-25 tons, and are not expected to fight. Imperials are virtually identical to Celestial in appearance; a frill of horns around the head is the main difference in appearance.
- Lung Tien (or "Celestial Dragons"): These heavyweights are the personal dragon companions of the Imperial family. They have the same markings as the Imperials, but as they mature gain a distinct ruff. Highly intelligent, fast fliers, maneuverable (unlike many dragons, they have the ability to hover), they have another mysterious ability known as the "divine wind", a sonic roar with extremely powerful concussive force, one of the rarest and most powerful draconic abilities. There are only eight known Celestials. Celestials weigh approximately 20-25 tons and usually do not fight in combat. Their exact top speed is not known, although Temeraire is often said to be doing 25 knots as a fast cruising pace and still not flying at his maximum pace. Lien, his elder cousin, is said to be even faster. This top speed makes them faster than all known heavyweights, most middleweights, and even rivals that of the fastest Courier Dragons. Temeraire is said to be some 20 feet shorter in length than a Regal Copper, a breed which varies between 110-120 feet in length (if weight is proportionate to length (10% increase in dimensions results in 33% weight gain)). From the usual wingspan:length ratios of 1.5:1 we can infer that Celestials/Imperials are approximately 90-96 feet long and have an impressive wingspan of 135-143 feet. Because Celestials weigh so much less than other heavyweights like Regal Coppers and have similar sized wings, their wing loading is much less, thus allowing Celestials' much greater maneuverability, endurance, and speed. Temeraire, a smallish 20 ton Celestial would thus have around a 135 foot wingspan & be approximately 90 feet long. Lien, his larger cousin at approximately 25 tons, is likely around 95 feet long with a wingspan of 143 feet.
- "Emerald Glass": Another dragon that tends to enter the military. They are green with red markings and typically slow-moving.
- "Scarlet Flower": These dragons tend to enter the military. As their name implies, they are bright red.
[edit] The British Dragons
- Anglewing: Smaller dragons, with oddly angled wings that allow them to make sharp, unpredictable turns. They are middleweights, weighing a mere 13-16 tons on average.
- Bright Copper: Native forerunner of the Regal Copper. Noted for their unusually large air sacs, a trait they passed on to their descendants, the enormous Regal Coppers.
- Chequered Nettle: A heavyweight dragon smaller than Regal Coppers but more common.
- Grey Copper: A pale green dragon occasionally used on the flanks of formations.
- Grey Widowmaker: Native ancestor of the Greyling, this small dragon was once as common in Britain as the Yellow Reaper, but has been nearly hunted to extinction due to its terrible temper and habit of preying on livestock.
- Greyling: Small lightweight dragon, camouflaged by its grey coloration. Bred more for speed than intelligence and weighs around 5 tons. They are the result of crossbreeding the larger, more aggressive Grey Widowmakers with the smaller, more even-tempered Winchesters.
- Longwing: This middleweight dragon is capable of a vitriolic attack (spitting highly acidic venom) aimed with great accuracy, though only towards the ground. As its name implies, it has an impressive wingspan, and distinctive markings ranging from orange to blue. One of its peculiarities is that it will only take female captains (a fact not recognized until Queen Elizabeth I, when she had her serving maid harness one). Longwings average a length of 60 feet but have a wingspan of 120 feet. This 2:1 ratio of wingspan:length is unusually long in dragons, hence the name of the breed. The Longwing's acid and the Regal Copper's strength are the elite weapons of the British Aerial Corps.
- Malachite Reapers: Cousins of the Yellow Reapers, with yellow-brown coloring with green highlights. Prefer the cooler climates of northern Scotland.
- Parnassian: A large middleweight dragon somewhat smaller than Celestials but larger than 12 ton Yellow Reapers by approximately 50% in weight (18 tons, top of the middleweight weight range).
- Pascal's Blue: A lightweight combat dragon with light blue coloring of around 8 tons.
- Regal Copper: This heavyweight dragon exceeds all known breeds in sheer size (40-50 tons) and are related to the Bright Coppers (middleweights with unusually large air sacs allowing longer duration flight) and the Spanish Cauchador Real heavyweight dragons. Females are usually larger than the males. Regals breed infrequently making them very valuable. Only a handful of heavyweights approach their size, including Grand Chevaliers and at least one breed of Prussian heavyweight dragon. Regals are approximately twice the weight of Celestials/Imperials (40-50 tons vs. 20-25 tons). Regals are 110-120 feet long on average and have a wingspan varying between 166-180 feet, and thus have a typical wingspan:length ratio of 1.5:1. Regal Coppers have vivid colorations ranging from red to yellow, and are very far-sighted. Regals have a top cruising speed of around 17-20 knots and a top speed of a little over 20 knots. A favorite British tactic is to use Regals' brute force to "bulldoze" through enemy formations, opening them to attack by other British dragons.
- Sharpspitter: A venomous breed considered too small for military use, that was cross-bred with the larger French Honneur-d'Or and the venomous Russian Ironwing to create the Longwings.
- Winchester: This lightweight dragon is mostly useful for carrying dispatches and quick, harrying flank attacks. Coloration brown and purple. Winchesters weigh 2-3 tons.
- Xenica: Little known. Like the Longwing, it only takes female captains.
- Yellow Reaper: Middleweight dragons with golden coloring. Yellow Reapers are fairly common, weigh in between 12-15 tons, and are known for their even temperament. They are however rather slow, with a top speed of approximately 20 knots (with a top cruising speed of 17 knots), with even the larger Regal Coppers capable of faster (though not longer) flight. Reapers have contributed their genes towards almost every other line of British dragon species, giving most British dragons their even temperaments, which is in stark contrast to Turkish Kaziliks and some Chinese dragon breeds. Yellow Reapers have an average wingspan of 80 feet and are generally around 50 feet long.
[edit] The French Dragons
- Chanson-de-Guerre: The "Warsong." Heavyweight dragons, colored shades of orange, yellow, brown, and ivory of approximately the same weight as Imperials/Celestials (20-25 tons). They are France's most common heavyweight dragon species.
- Chasseur Vocifere: The "Vociferous Hunter." Small lightweight courier dragons.
- Flamme-de-Gloire:The "Flame of Glory." Middleweight dragons with fire-breathing abilities, an ability greatly prized among dragons. In the series, England captured several during the Battle of Agincourt, but they all died out before the English could start a fire-breathing line for their own Aerial Corps.
- Fleur-de-Nuit: The "Nightflower." A nocturnal heavyweight dragon with dark coloring and excellent night vision. It is easily blinded by bright lights.
- Grand Chevalier: The "Great Knight." Heavyweight dragon with a pale belly, which camouflages it from below. They are almost as large as Regal Coppers, and as such must weigh around 35-40 tons. These dragons are relatively rare and are the larger of the Chevaliers, thus they are called Grand Chevaliers.
- Honneur-d'Or: The "Golden Honor." Oddly named, these dragons are actually barred red and blue.
- Papillon Noirs: The "Black Butterfly." A middleweight dragon colored with green and blue stripes.
- Pêcheur-Couronné: The "Crowned Angler (or Fisherman)." A middleweight breed that is very common.
- Pêcheur-Rayé: The "Striped Angler (or Fisherman)." A middleweight dragon with no special abilities that is very common.
- Petit Chevalier: The "Little Knight." This species of Chevalier is called "Petit" Chevaliers due to their smaller size in comparison with Grand Chevaliers, although both are heavyweights. Petit Chevaliers are more common than Grand Chevaliers and are larger than Chanson-de-Guerre and Celestials/Imperials. They are thought to weigh around 25-30 tons.
- Poux-de-Ciel: The "Sky Louse." One of the smaller breeds of dragons, but able to take on middleweights in groups.
[edit] Spanish Dragons
- Cauchador Real: From the Spanish Pyrenees, this large heavyweight breed is one of the ancestors of the Regal Copper.
- Flecha-del-Fuego: The "Fire Arrow". Spanish lightweight breed that can breathe fire.
[edit] Turkish Dragons
- Akhal-Teke: A Turkish middleweight.
- Alaman: A lightweight Turkish courier.
- Kazilik: Renowned for their fiery tempers as well as their fiery breath, these Turkish heavyweight dragons are bright red with green and black markings, and are covered in dangerous spines and horns. (A Kazilik is the dragon featured on the cover of the third book, Black Powder War.) Kaziliks combine two traits not commonly found together, being both heavyweight dragons and fire-breathers, and as such are highly desired by other countries like Britain. Evidence suggests they are extremely bloodthirsty from birth and can have contrary temperaments. Kaziliks are perhaps the most valuable of all heavyweight combat dragons (Celestials do not typically fight), with the British paying the Turks half a million pounds for a single egg (making it nearly 10 times more valuable than a Regal Copper egg).
[edit] Prussian Dragons
- Berghexe: A Prussian middleweight.
- Mauerfuchs: A lightweight Prussian courier.
[edit] Japanese Dragons
- Ka-Riu: A Japanese breed also capable of vitriol.
- Siu Riu: This Japanese breed can ingest and violently expel large quantities of water. They are invaluable in both a military and fire-prevention capacity.
[edit] Other Dragon Breeds
- Copacati: An Incan breed capable of a vitriolic attack.
- Dakota: A brown middleweight from the North American Great Plains tribes. Colored with 'warpaint'-like stripes of red and green.
- Ironwing: A Russian species with a venomous bite.
- Lindorm: A Scandinavian dragon, possibly an ancestor of the Malachite Reaper.
[edit] Dragon Size Classification
Heavyweight: Dragons in this category are enormous, although size varies greatly between heavyweights of different breeds (20-50 ton weight range). The largest heavyweight, the Regal Copper, weighs a maximum of 50 tons, can be up to 120 feet long and have a wingspan of 180 feet. The smallest known heavyweights are the Celestial/Imperials and the Chanson-de-Guerre, both of which weigh in around 20 tons at a minimum. The Turkish Kazilik is the only known fire-breathing heavyweight. Heavyweight eggs are extremely valuable, often said to be more valuable than gold per pound (a Regal Copper egg is said to be worth 56,000 Pounds, an enormous amount of money back in the early 1800s). Kazilik eggs command incredible value, with the British paying the Ottoman Empire half a million Pounds for a single Kazilik egg in the series (page 125 of BPW).
Middleweight: Much more common than heavyweights, these dragons make up the bulk of any country's aerial forces. Middleweights range in weight from 10 tons to 20 tons. Yellow Reapers can weigh as little as 10 tons (with a maximum weight of 17 tons), making them one of the smallest middleweights. British Parnassians are said to be large middleweights, weighing around 18 tons on average, very close to the minimum weight of a heavyweight dragon. Middleweights are much more likely to show special offensive capabilities, such as spitting acidic venom (Longwings), or breathing fire (Flamme-de-Gloire) than heavyweights. Middleweights tend to be faster and more agile than heavyweights, although they, if lacking special abilities, are unlikely to be able to match any heavyweight in a fight.
Lightweight: This group is divided between Courier and light-combat dragons. Couriers are the lightest of dragons, and usually carry mail, important military messages, and royalty/VIPs. They range in weight from a mere 2 tons (Winchester), to around 5 tons (Greyling). Couriers also do work as scout dragons doing reconnaissance over enemy territory. Light-combat dragons are little larger, and act as skirmishers and flank attackers against enemy formations. They range in weight from around 6 to 9 tons, with the British Pascal's Blue being a prime example of such a breed. Lightweights exhibit more excitable behavior than do other dragons of heavier weights. The Spanish possess a fire-breathing lightweight, the Flecha-del-Fuego ("Fire Arrow"), which is the rare lightweight breed that is a prime combat dragon.
[edit] Other Draconic Species
- Kiao - A sea-dragon. One specimen in the Indian ocean measured nearly two hundred fifty feet long while only twenty feet thick. Smaller specimens measuring twelve feet or less have been found in the Atlantic, while those in the Pacific are rarely seen and no size measurements are mentioned. These may be non-sentient or it may be due to the lack of contact with humans that this species exhibits none of the dragon-like intelligence seen even in feral dragons.
[edit] List of Characters
- For character information see: List of Temeraire characters
[edit] Film Version
- Further information: Temeraire (film)
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Peter Jackson, director of Lord of the Rings series, has optioned the rights to the historical fantasy series "Temeraire". Jackson added that Temeraire "is a terrific meld of two genres that I particularly love -- fantasy and historical epic. I can't wait to see Napoleonic battles fought with a squadron of dragons. That's what I go to the movies for."
[edit] References
- ^ Temeraire: the official website of Naomi Novik. Retrieved on June 9, 2007.
[edit] Links
- The Temeraire Wiki [1]
[edit] External Links
- Temeraire Forums, a fansite
