His Majesty's DragonHis Majesty's Dragon
Score Modern
What it's about
During the Napoleonic Wars, dragons serve in the air forces of every nation. Captain Will Laurence of the Royal Navy captures a French ship carrying a dragon egg, and when it hatches, the dragon chooses him. Laurence must give up his naval career to join the rough Aerial Corps, and he and his dragon, Temeraire, become partners and friends as Napoleon prepares to invade England.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Hugo finalist and is a fan favorite. Imagine Master and Commander with dragons.
You'll love it if you liked
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Uprooted
The HobbitGood to know
It's the first of nine books. The style imitates Regency-era English.
By the numbers
- Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #215 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #809 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1509 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Naomi Novik
Spinning SilverUprooted
A Deadly EducationIf you like this, read next
Scythe
Skyward
Thief of Time
The Sword of Kaigen
The Alloy of Law
The Curse of ChalionExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is His Majesty's Dragon worth reading?
Yes. It was a Hugo finalist and is a fan favorite. It ranks #1,509 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is His Majesty's Dragon about?
During the Napoleonic Wars, dragons serve in the air forces of every nation. Captain Will Laurence of the Royal Navy captures a French ship carrying a dragon egg, and when it hatches, the dragon chooses him. Laurence must give up his naval career to join the rough Aerial Corps, and he and his dragon, Temeraire, become partners and friends as Napoleon prepares to invade England.
How long does it take to read His Majesty's Dragon?
About 8 hours (336 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after His Majesty's Dragon?
If you liked it, try Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, Uprooted by Naomi Novik or The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien.