Tongues of Serpents

Written by Naomi Novik

Narrated by Simon Vance

Naomi Novik’s stunning series of novels follow the global adventures of Captain William Laurence and his fighting dragon Temeraire as they are thrown together to fight for Britain during the turbulent time of the Napoleonic Wars.

Convicted of treason and stripped of rank and standing, Temeraire and Lawrence are transported to the prison colony at New South Wales. With them travel three dragon eggs destined to be handed over to second-rate officers willing to accept so remote an assignment – including one former acquaintance, Captain Rankin, whose cruelty once cost a dragon its life.

They arrive at a young Australian colony in turmoil after the overthrow of the military governor, William Bligh – formerly Captain Bligh, late of HMS Bounty. Eager to escape the political quagmire, Laurence and Temeraire accept a mission to pioneer a route through the forbidding Blue Mountains and into the interior of Australia. But when one of the dragon eggs is stolen, the surveying expedition becomes a desperate race to recover it before the dragonet hatches – a race that leads to a shocking discovery and a dangerous new obstacle in the global war between Britain and France.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: May 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9780008338923

Naomi Novik

Naomi Novik was born in New York in 1973, a first-generation American, and raised on Polish fairy tales, Baba Yaga, and Tolkien. She studied English Literature at Brown University and Computer Science at Columbia University before leaving to work in the games industry. She soon realized she preferred the writing to the programming, and decided to try her hand at novels. Temeraire was her first.Naomi lives in New York City with her husband and six computers.

Reviews for Tongues of Serpents

[juva_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Laurence and Temeraire have been sent to Australia to serve an indefinite exile of hard labor. Although the English government can ill afford the loss of Temeraire to the war effort, they can likewise not allow the blatant treason of the two to go unpunished. If Laurence pleases the governor of the colony, he might be able to earn his pardon and return. However, Laurence is much disenchanted with English politics and defeated in spirit. And when the arrive to discover a recent rebellion has taken place, things become only more complicated. Of course the old governor wants Laurence to raise the colony to the ground for its insurrection and reestablish him, but it soon becomes clear that the man is a failure and a scrub. Together with Granby and the recently arrived Rankin, Laurence and Temeraire decide to avoid the problem by going on an excursion inland to see about establishing a track into the interior of the continent. At first the become lost and then one of the precious dragon eggs is stolen by an unknown party. Thus begins a chase that last most of the remainder of the book. When the finally reach the coast they discover a newly formed Chinese port city and the egg - already hatched. The situation is awkward in the extreme and only becomes more so when a British ship arrives intent on destroying the port. Beaten back by the trained sea serpents the Chinese have been using to transport goods, Temeraire and co. must return to the colony haggard and defeated.The book closes with Granby leaving on a ship and the two friends beginning to realize the brutal reality of their exile. They must start a new life here - and Laurence hopes for a quiet one.

[kassilem · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm really really enjoying this series. You get used to the old fashioned language and then start to enjoy the difference. You don't usually get that type of language - tell me, pray; etc. - in fantasy. I didn't think this volume had so blatant comedy as the last volume did but that did not detract from the enjoyment of the volume. I've seen a lot of reviewers say they did not like this volume as much as previous ones. The book does drag a tiny bit and not much happens until the end of the book, but I still liked it myself. Perhaps because I listened to the book on audio? regardless, I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[hskey-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first Temeraire book that I had serious issues with pacing. The first and last third of the book are terrific - the fish (dragon) out of water storyline, this time in Australia was very intriguing. Laurence's and Temeraire's relationship is as interesting as ever, as is Laurence's continued fallout with the English government. But the middle of the book is painfully slow and repetitious. I couldn't believe how drawn out it was, despite their adventure needing to feel it was arduous, it totally dropped the score for me. Hoping Book 7 is a continue to previous form.

[gridcube-504137 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

another traveling log, pretty damn boring, i jumped whole chapters because it kept going and going on exploring australia.

[elenaj-147457 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Something of a disappointment, but improves on subsequent reads.

[dreamweaversunited · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not quite as good as the previous books, though as usual I loved the worldbuilding and politics.

[iftyzaidi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Though Naomi Novik draws inspiration from the Aubrey Maturin series of novels for her Temeraire books, she seems interested in representing not just European societies with dragons but non-European societies as well. In previous novels we have had the opportunity to travel to China, through Central Asia and the Ottoman Empire and then to Southern Africa and Botswana.[Spoilers follow]:With the previous novel ending with Temeraire and Laurence being transported to the new penal colony of New South Wales, we now get a chance to discover Australia from the point of view of Temerarire and co. Its perhaps a little frustrating that our view of these societies only happen through the eyes of the main characters and so is little more than skin deep, but I suppose it prevents a too sprawling narrative to keep one POV. Some of the discoveries are still well done though, for example the bunyips (an aboriginal monster of legend) and the trading in Arnhem Land. Researching in to the Makassan trade with the indigenous people of northern Australia afterwards was fascinating.That being said perhaps a bit too much of the story was spent in our intrepid heroes and their annoying companions (they are pretty annoying, except for Tharkay who has been around since the third book) making their way across the Australian continent searching for a stolen dragon egg. Now that one thinks of it there has been a great deal of travelling over alien lands in the previous books as well and one can’t help but feel that it has begun to get a little old. (Or perhaps I am just Temeraired out?) That having been said overall this was still an engaging read and with a strong finish, though perhaps with a less substance than the previous couple of installments.The divergence from our history is also becoming more and more interesting. The Tswana Empire has joined forces with Napoleon and invaded South America. The Chinese have now begun to expand and have established colonies in Australia. I wonder what happens next?

[imyril · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

And then it all goes horribly wrong. Part of the problem is that I love the first 5 books so much; the bar was set high and the expectation was immense. Unfortunately, there's just so much wrong with Tongues of Serpents that I barely know where to start. Will Laurence and Temeraire have been banished to Australia to establish new breeding grounds, convicts in all but name. But the colony is mutinous, its Governor in exile, and the continent hazardous, with no obvious opportunities for redemption. Unfortunately, Tongues of Serpents passes up almost all of the exciting opportunities intrinsic to its setting in favour of a slow-burn plot that never really catches fire. I'm used to Temeraire books being episodic travelogues that build character, but Serpents doesn't even deliver on this basis: none of our principals grow or learn anything new, and we see far too little of the Aboriginal Australians and the indigenous wildlife (although the quicksand trap engineered by the bunyips will be traumatising for anyone who read The Neverending Story). The only glimmer of joy is new hatchling Kulingile and his choice of captain - but it's not enough to offset the horror of having to deal with the odious Captain Rankin again. In the end, the entire book appears to be mostly interested in setting up the pieces for future novels - at the risk of losing readers before they get there.Slow, frustrating and in places it appears to betray everything we know and love about our characters (even if I read this through the lens of Will having PTSD and acute depression post-Victory, his decisions at the climax are questionable).Ugh.Full review (i.e. more whinging).

[suesie-5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good, but not as fluent as the other books in this series.

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This fantasy series is now one of my comfort listening experiences. Simon Vance is such a skilled narrator and the story of the dragon Temeraire and his captain Laurence just takes me away, far, far away. In this outing Temeraire and Laurence have been sent in disgrace to Australia along with three dragon's eggs. Temeraire is doing his best to make sure the eggs hatch properly and pick an appropriate person to be its captain. However, each egg presents its unique challenge. The first one to hatch promptly chooses the one person Temeraire was hoping it wouldn't, Captain Rankin, who is the son of an earl and thoroughly unpleasant. To keep out of the political upheavals in Sydney the dragons set out to find a pass through the Blue Mountains. Temeraire carries the remaining two eggs, some convicts and his crew. One of the eggs is stolen in the night and suspicion falls on a smuggling ring which has been bringing Chinese goods into Sydney. The group sets out to find the smugglers and get back the egg. When the final egg hatches it is a sickly runt and Rankin wants to dispatch it but Laurence's crew member, Demane, says he will look after it. Soon it is growing by leaps and bounds but it is unable to fly. Flying across the outback from watering hole to watering hole some of the convicts start to disappear. After a time Laurence and the others discover the water is a trap laid by beasts called bunyips. Eventually the group ends up on the northern coast where they discover the Chinese have established a trading fort and they find their missing egg has hatched. The Chinese are very hospitable and display their method of ferrying goods from China using trained sea serpents. Vessels from many lands come to the fort to pick up goods but everyone clears away when a British frigate is seen on the horizon. An all out war between Britain and China is narrowly averted. Laurence and the others (but without the dragonet that hatched there) return to Sydney carrying the news which is referred to England to decide what to do. Temeraire and Laurence settle down to a quiet farming life but I have a feeling they won't be staying there long.

[sageness · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Okay, first, I adore this 'verse. I love the characters, the transformation of history into what it would be with dragons -- and I'm especially anticipating seeing how the Americas play out.

Tongues of Serpents is a transitional novel in the series, which, like transitional episodes of TV series, means that both a lot happens, and not much happens at all. And, of course, this is all meant to be so tiresome that Laurence throws in his proverbial hat and retires to the country. Then the next stage of the series' real plot can begin. Which is fine, if somewhat tiresome for the reader, too. It's the larger series that matters.

However, I'm always a little frustrated with Novik's writing because it's so fast-paced and action-oriented. We only really get a clear idea of how Temeraire himself feels about anything that's happening. Laurence has feelings in the moment, but we don't have much of a sense of him caring for anything beyond duty (apart from loving Temeraire fiercely). Even in the description of the settings -- we know what a character values based on what s/he notices, and it seems like most of the descriptions of setting come from Temeraire's POV, not Laurence's. I'm afraid all his attention is taken up by threats to their safety and imagining how his betters perceive him.

This is frustrating for me because I want to relate to him more, as a character, even as repressed as he usually is. Meanwhile when we met his parents and Admiral Roland, I was totally satisfied with understanding how he felt and what he valued. Maybe this is to show Laurence, at this point in his travels, is well past his ability to give a damn? He has every right to be depressed about his situation, but if that's the case, then I expect someone to notice. And no one has.

I think that's the root of my frustration, anyway. Apart from that, I loved the setting, the new people, the new dragons, and so forth. I wish Kulingile's story had more time. I'd like to see a whole book about him and Demane (and Sipho) getting educated and driving their teachers batty with their worldly experience and wealth of differing perspectives, since they aren't exactly at the Academy to be instructed by their elders, and then kicking ass and taking names on various missions.

I used the disability tag because of Kulingile's treatment when hatched...and also because of how a character initially crippled, unable to fly, and forced to be carried around on other dragons' backs, ultimately turns out to be a terribly valuable heavyweight, who isn't disabled at all. I'm biting my tongue on my critique of the "oh, but he wasn't ACTUALLY disabled at all!" trope (as if a disabled character really is only a pitiable thing to be euthanized against its will), because it pisses me off and I don't have the mental bandwidth to go there. But I do strongly wish George R.R. Martin & Lois McMaster Bujold weren't the only SFF authors I can think of who incorporate disabled characters into violent plots without magicking them "better" or dismissing their skill sets and hiding them away.

Anyway, definitely looking forward to the rest of the series. :)

[mehjg-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This, sixth installment of the Temeraire novels, is in my opinion not quite as good as its predecessors. I enjoyed it, but it seems to suffer from a weaker plot line than the other books in the series. The end was a bit anticlimactic; it feels like not quite enough was resolved. In "Empire of Ivory", I found the plot more compelling, so even though there were stretches with little action, there were enough other developments and ideas to make for satisfying reading. "Tongues of Serpents" was less rich in ideas and plot, so the long stretches between action scenes dragged a bit.

This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the book; I did. However, it is not quite up to the high standard I have come to expect from the other books.

[bgknighton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good entry in the series. So this is how they ended up in Australia. He is still being tossed around on the seas of adventure. I long for him to take more control of his destiny.......

[stefferoo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

These books are still a joy to read, though I've pretty much accepted that none of the sequels in this series are ever going to come close to being as good as the first book again. At least this one was better than the last, which sees Laurence and Temeraire back on an adventure again in a faraway exotic place.This time, the crew finds themselves in Australia, with Laurence having been banished to the prison colony of New South Wales after being convicted of treason. The British Aerial Corps has nonetheless tasked him of taking care of three dragon eggs, in the hopes of establishing a new base in the area. Exile in Australia is proving much more difficult than expected, however, as Laurence and Temeraire are caught up in a political mess involving an overthrown governor and a band of rebels. To escape, they readily agree to take on a mission to seek out a passage through the Blue Mountains.Rather than fighting flesh-and-blood adversaries, their main enemy this time is the harsh wilderness of the Australian outback. It's not as exciting as some of the past journeys Laurence and Temeraire have been on, but I love seeing them go to new places regardless. Australia is still an unknown factor to our characters at this time, and it's both suspenseful and awe-inspiring to read about their struggles with the land, which includes surviving thirst, poisonous creatures, brutal storms and savage wildfires.The characters' purposes, however, could have been more interesting. The goal of trying to find a passage through the mountains is as dull as it sounds, though the book picked up when one of Laurence and Temeraire's precious eggs are stolen. But then they spend more than half the book trying to hunt the thieves and track it down, and that was just too much to devote to this side plot. There really was no climax to this tale either, and the book's ending was not anywhere near as satisfying as I'd hoped.

[hoosgracie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Laurence and Temeraire have been exiled to Australia for treason. Along with several other members of the company they travel across the country at first looking for a way through the mountains and then looking for a stolen egg. This is one of my favorite series and was a good addition, although a bit slow in the middle.

[rrainer-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had to let this one marinate a bit before I was sure how I felt about it, but despite some slow pacing in parts, and a few things I would have liked to have seen explored a little more thoroughly (like the aboriginal cultures, and several of the characters), I'm generally happy with it. I mean, it was basically a road trip story. Even more than previous books have been road trip stories. And road trips, along with sea serpents, are pretty awesome.

[romsfuulynn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lawrence and Temeraire in Australia. Ongoing and thought provoking although as we get further into a different sort of world the parallels get harder.

Brilliant.

[veracite · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Not a lot happened in this novel. It seemed to be missing a plot. Possibly this is the one you're commonly advised to skip when reading a large series of books.

[comixminx · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good reading, as with the other books in the series: leaves you wanting more. There is quite a bit of Temeraire's point of view, which is fun, particularly when you know that Laurence is clearly of a rather different opinion about things like posh clothes!

I imagine that Novik will send her dragons travelling yet further through this odd world: presumably North or South America must be on the cards soon? Then she will have done pretty much every continent!

[kcoleman428 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I recieved this book as a First Read from Goodreads!!! This was a great addition to the series. I am still loving the characters this author has given us, and i like the way they are developing. I am a little concerned about the ending though. Are we at the end of this ride? What's gonna happen?? Even if it is near or at the end i like what the author did and everywhere she has taken us, driven by the great characters that led the way. But lets hope we keep rollin (or flying, or sailing or whatever...).

[jeremypreacher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The latest Temeraire does not disappoint. While I would have liked to learn more about the Australian parallel-evolution versions of dragons, the book was engaging in itself and sets up all sorts of interesting adventures to come. It's fascinating to watch history diverge as the series goes on.

[sereq_ieh_dashret · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First of all, this book is quite lighter and less depressive than the last. Then, moving to the other considerations, the whole point of the series is "What would happen if the Napoleonic wars were fought with the aid of dragons?" but in this books seems to emerge another what-if point. What if the European nations were not the only super-powers in the world? China, South Africa, Inca, USA with a very strong Amerindian component... I do not know why, but this puts a kind of strange happiness in my heart. Plus, the newest dragons are hilarious and cute.

[atimco-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tongues of Serpents, sixth in Naomi Novik's popular Temeraire series, picks up with Laurence and Temeraire's deportation to Australia aboard a convict transport. This is a rather dismal fate, of course, but better than the imminent execution awaiting Laurence in England after their heroic treason saving the French dragons from the deadly English germ warfare. Iskierka and Granby are along for the ride, along with two seemingly undistinguished dragon eggs to form the basis for a new breeding ground. Rankin, the carelessly cruel captain from the first book, makes a reappearance as his usual odious self. And unfortunately, with all his influence and money, he is there to take one of the new hatchlings. Tharkay is also present again, but in a very muted way. The Australian colony is in disarray, having got up a successful coup d'etat to rid itself of the Crown-appointed governor Bligh. Bligh is still very much on the scene, however, and wants Laurence to help him regain control using Temeraire to squelch the rebels. Mixed up in all this is Tharkay's mysterious mission to discover a smugglers' trail in the rough interior. When one of the eggs is stolen, Laurence and Temeraire throw themselves into a desperate chase across the Australian wilds. This is certainly not my favorite of the Temeraire series, being rather slow moving and without too much in the way of new plot, but it was still an absorbing read I downed in a couple days. I enjoyed the character and relationship development, and the introduction of Kulingile who is proving quite fun. I love how Novik is able to write dragon characters who have their own distinct personalities and dragonish—yet wholly comprehensible—ways of thinking. They aren't just human characters in dragonskin; their logic and values are quite different from their human counterparts. At times this can be humorous and at other times it is an extremely effective device to critique human society. With a surprising twist at the end (that justifies the book's title, I might add), Novik is definitely setting up here for the last several installments. I was happy to reach immediately for the next in line, Crucible of Gold. What a great series!

[cyderry · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In previous installments, Laurence has been convicted of treason and only to save the services of Termeraire the celestial dragon, his sentence is commuted to transportation to Australia where it is hoped Temeraire can help the new colony with dragons on New South Wales.Upon their arrival they are caught in a power struggle between the Colonial Governor, Captain Bligh (of Bounty fame) and local rebels. Try as they can to complete their designated missions, they encounter defeat after defeat in the Outback. This story seemed to lack substance and just seemed to be a vehicle to move the characters from one locale to another. It was entertaining but not what has been the normal thrill of a Temeraire tale. Hope the next one is back on track.

[beserene · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This, the sixth volume in the Temeraire series, takes the characters to an entirely new continent: Australia. Laurence and Temeraire are transported, after the events of the previous novel, and must make a new life on the barely colonized Australian coast. There they discover that political machinations cannot be left behind and that the English are not the only people on the continent. Adventures, naturally, ensue.The core of the narrative here is once again a loose quest -- in this case, a pursuit -- and Novik works well within those parameters, creating dangerous challenges, interesting new species encounters, and -- as always -- developing the relationship between Laurence and Temeraire with each twist and turn. This installment continues the tradition introduced in the previous of bringing Temeraire's perspective directly into the novel within the confines of the third person narration; the reader is shifted between his voice and Laurence's with some regularity, but the shifts are smooth, to the point that one doesn't often notice the change until Temeraire's more unusual opinions pop up. Such smoothness is the mark of writerly skill; by this point, Novik has these characters down pat and one can definitely tell.Novik has taken the opportunity to play a little bit here, with history and culture, and that works to make a familiar pattern seem still fresh. The incorporation of the mythical Australian bunyip, for example, creates some nice, creepy peril as the quest-pursuit unfolds and gives us -- and the characters -- an opportunity to feel that perhaps even having a dragon or three around isn't a guarantee of safety. Such variation is necessary, given that much of the novel is taken up with a trek across the Australian outback, so the usual detailed descriptions of cities, period scenes, or integrated dragon societies simply aren't possible. The end of this novel almost feels like an ending to the series, or the start of a totally new one, but the next volume is waiting for me, so I know there is more to this story. That is a good thing. Overall, this novel is another solid, if not perfect, addition from a writer whose series is remarkably consistent in its strength and imagination. I'm looking forward to that next one.

[majkia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Weakest of the Temeraire series. Lots of goo Temeraire moments and some interesting developments, but not much action. Hoping for better in the follow on.

[jbd1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Something of a place-holder volume, perhaps, Tongues of Serpents, the sixth Temeraire novel has our friends Laurence and Temeraire transported to Australia, where naturally they could not possibly just settle down to a peaceful existence and wait for Government to come to its senses and bring them back to the front. When one of the three eggs they've been charged with protecting is stolen, the pair (along with the delightfully troublesome Iskierka and their crews) must rattle off into the outback, where all sorts of unknown dangers lurk.Novik's dragons continue to be the shining stars of her novels, and we meet some fascinating new ones here who I hope we'll see again in the next volume. While this particular book may not be the best in the series, it still made for a great read, and I look forward to the forthcoming installment with anticipation.

[bluesalamanders · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What I found the most interesting in Tongues of Serpents was the young dragons. Ceasar was hilarious when he was just-hatched, although he became increasingly irritating as the story progressed, and the dragon with the name I have no idea how to spell was adorable (as adorable as something that huge can be, anyway).I would have liked them to interact more with native Australians, but perhaps they will in the next book.I understand why this wouldn't be considered the best of the series, but I found it thoroughly enjoyable, especially with Simon Vance continuing to do a wonderful job of reading.

[nimoloth · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Being a Temeraire book, I enjoyed this a lot. It wasn't as addictive as some of the earlier books in the series, but it was an interesting and enjoyable chapter in their (Lawrence and Temeraire's) life. I think the writing itself wasn't as polished as the earlier novels - they are written in period style, which is already a bit more difficult to follow than modern English, but it wasn't a problem in the other books in the series. I think this one could have done with another round of proof-reading / editing for clarity. But it was OK, despite a few re-reads of sentences being required and general oddities and confusion. You get the story, that's what's important.In terms of plot, it's fine - lots of new things introduced, and new characters. I particularly liked seeing the new hatchlings. The human characeters were rather more secondary. Temeraire struck me as more childish in this book - he always did have that aspect about his personality, but it seemed more pronounced to me here. Perhaps it's my imagination though. Or perhaps it's his dragon side coming through more. Iskierka just needed a good smack, as always.A lot more could be done with Australia as a setting, and what's happening there, but I don't know if we'll see any more of it - this may just be a short glimpse. The next book involves them shipping off to South America - I read the prologue on the authors website and from that it looks a lot more polished than Tongues of Serpents, much more readable. It also promises to be more action packed.

[callmecayce · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Other reviews of this title that I've read suggested it didn't seem to be as good or as interesting as the previous novels in the Temeraire series. I didn't get that at all -- and I think it's because I was listening to the book instead of reading it. Their long voyage across Australia quite probably was tedious to read, but listening to it while on my 45 minute commute made the time seem to slip by. I do agree that this wasn't the strongest of the book, especially after the previous novel, which I really enjoyed. Looking back, it did seem like filler, but at the same time, I really enjoyed Simon Vance's reading of the novel. I hope that the next book in the series is both better and longer.