Crucible of Gold (A Novel of Temeraire) by Naomi Novik

Alternate History

Book 7, Crucible of Gold, brings Captain Will Laurence and his dragon Temeraire back into action against Napoleon.  Will is reinstated and sent to South America to bring the Portuguese into the British fold.  But as often happens they don’t even meet the Portuguese until the last part of the book.  Naomi takes the history of the Inca’s with Europeans and gives it the twist that having dragons would bring.  Because of that twist Will and Temeraire are put between the French and the Inca’s with unexpected results.

For me parts of the book really did drag but then it would pick up and my interest level would increase.  This happened throughout the book.  While each event is important to the continuing history the story does not seem to be moving to any conclusion.  I do know where Will and Temeraire are heading in the next book.  Like this book there will be exciting action and new players in the story.  What I am hoping for is more movement in the direction of defeating Napoleon.

I would not read this as a stand-alone but if you have read any of the first books you could pick this up and not be lost.  I have book 6 in my TBR pile and wondered if I needed to go back and read it first.  I did not feel like I missed anything by not reading it and do not feel like going back to read it now.  It looks like it was just a placeholder in the series.

Del Rey published Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik in 2012.