(no subject)

[rymenhild]

I started writing this post when I'd read two volumes of the three-volume novel Victory of Eagles. I've now finished the book, but I haven't fully processed Book 3 yet, so the thoughts and incoherent flailing under the cut only come from Books 1 and 2.

• Page 50: "Jane--" "Admiral Roland, if you please," she said, sharply. Jane Roland's a loyal aviator long before she's Laurence's lover, and I'm delighted that she chooses her duty as an admiral over Laurence.
  
• I scoffed at Laurence/Granby last year, but the ship's perfectly defensible now. If you drop six words from a sentence on page 58, it's nearly canon.
  
• Page 201: "Darby, sir, but Janus they call me," the seaman said, "on account of a surgeon we shipped in the Sophie, a learned bloke, saying I saw both ways likes some old Roman cut-up by that name..." Hee. I guess Stephen Maturin does exist in Temeraire-verse after all.
  
• Page 229: Poor Riley. Of course he's tactless, left at home to take care of the baby.
  
• Page 239: Catherine's suffering from postpartum depression, isn't she? I do like the subtle ways Novik handles issues brought up by women soldiers.
  
• As the middle book of Victory wears on, we begin to see quiet conflict between Temeraire and Laurence. Temeraire's starting to succeed in his quest for dragon rights, and at the same time -- because of the same actions! -- Laurence faces ever-worse failure and disgrace. Not only that, Temeraire hardly understands what he's done to Laurence, and Laurence can't tell him.
  
• Poor Laurence.

Comments

[mbarr.livejournal.com]

Just to note- she's really sweat. Enjoy the story she's going to read :)


And this was her first formal book signing! :-)

[(Anonymous)]

I'm looking forward to it. :) Thanks for the report.

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

That was me. Sorry.

[cliosfolly.livejournal.com]

Your squee is also my squee! Many of the moments you cite here are ones I liked as well. Jane giving Laurence a few pointed comments about how difficult the letter he left made things for her because of how his unrecognized gender biases led him to compose it--that I especially enjoyed.

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

Not only his unrecognized gender biases, but how much he doesn't understand about the place of a woman in the Admiralty, and how much his honor and his need to take direct, open action compromised not only himself and Temeraire but the positions of all the aviators. Yes. Those were beautiful pointed comments.

[reconditarmonia.livejournal.com]

eheeeee Stephen.

I must get around to reading these.

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

If you like the O'Brians, you should certainly try Temeraire. Readers I respect have disliked the Temeraire books because of their various degrees of implausibility, but I don't care about that. I say, Napoleonic wars! With dragons! What could be wrong?

[flintknappy.livejournal.com]

"Napoleonic wars! With dragons! What could be wrong?" I am so amused. Gee, that sounds entirely plausible, doesn't it? :)

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

Now who's unnecessarily rational?

[flintknappy.livejournal.com]

I was joking! Must invent online sarcasm symbol! I had hoped the smiley face would convey that sentiment. Of course it's implausible. I was highly amused by your wording though, and thought to comment accordingly.

[flintknappy.livejournal.com]

All things considered, I do suppose that being sometimes overly rational must be, in ways, far better than being irrational. So it's not the worst thing out there, all things considered.

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

:D I was joking too. Sorry, dear.

[flintknappy.livejournal.com]

All good. :) Seems we both need the online sarcasm symbol.

[t-lyrical.livejournal.com]

I scoffed at Laurence/Granby last year, but the ship's perfectly defensible now. If you drop six words from a sentence on page 58, it's nearly canon.
All I could do was grin very stupidly at that page, even if I'm more of a Laurence/Tharkay type, I just have to acknowledge Laurence/Granby.

The page 201 but... I'm glad you confirmed my suspicions. ;)

Poor Laurence.
Indeed. :'C

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

Now, I never thought of that one. Has anyone written Laurence/Tharkay? If they have, I need to read it.

(Hi, I'm Rym. Welcome to my journal!)

[t-lyrical.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, no. I don't think any Laurence/Tharkay fics exist yet. I've been dying for someone to write one, haha.

Oh, and thanks! I think I linked you from Ms. Novik's journal. I'm Tanya. :)

[renesears.livejournal.com]

I had to go look at page 58, of course. Hee. :)

I came from Ms. Novik's journal.