Empire of Ivory

[selenak]

Recently read: Empire of Ivory by naominovik, the newest novel in the Temeraire series.



The offhand mention of an Inca being around to negotiate with in Black Powder alerted me to the fact we're in an AU in more than just the dragon way, and Empire of Ivory made the point more strongly, by letting Nelson survive Trafalgar and hence be instrumental in preventing Wilberforce's efforts to pass the bill against slavery. Among other things, this means we can't be sure this saga will end with Waterloo playing out the way it did, which increases the suspense. Clever choice. At the same time, Empire of Ivory continues the trend of showing the darker side of English society. Not only does the treatment-of-dragons theme from prevous novels continue, but it gets explicitly coupled with the practice of slavery, and later with... but I'll get to that. At any rate, it is ever so refreshing, because in most books, films and tv shows set in the Napoleonic era, England is presented uncritically. Not so here (and all this without going into the other extreme of making the French look ideal instead). Re: Nelson, honestly I have no idea what his attitude towards slavery was, but as Laurence reflects in the novel, the idea that it was necessary for the fleet specifically and the country in general was quite wide spread in the navy, so I found it plausible.

We touch on the thorny question of colonialism, too, and I found the character of Mrs. Erasmus compelling; her decision to remain in Africa instead of returning to England felt immensely right and satisfying. Still, to me the true meat of the novel wasn't the middle section set in Africa but the last third which was the pay-off for the previous set up of the illness striking dragons down and the whole question of the status of dragons - are they animals, slaves or comrades? Guess. In a twist that reminded me of the end of Alan Moore's second volume of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the English decide to use biological warfare by deliberately infecting the French dragons as soon as they have the cure for their own. In Moore's story, it's Nemo who is so appalled that he leaves in anger and disgust. Here, this discovery isn't the end but presents Laurence with a wonderful (in the sense of meaty storytelling) ethical dilemma. Not Temeraire, because Temeraire's decision to not allow the French dragons to die is not a question. But if Laurence helps him, he's aiding and abetting the enemy in a time of war and directly going against his oath. It's the question of which principles are more important, and I was both gratified and of course very worried that Laurence chose to save the dragons. (Quite how he'll get out of his execution for that one, I have no idea, but I trust the author will come up with something better than the classic deus ex machina or a royal pardon at the last minute.)

Temeraire by his action also saving his arch enemy and sister Lien was a delicious irony, and makes me believe the story between the dragons won't end with Lien dying in combat with Temeraire. I know a life debt set up when I see one. Also, on the human front Napoleon now owes Laurence, big time, even if Laurence doesn't want his gratitude. All very promising, and I can't wait for the next volume!

Comments

[artaxastra.livejournal.com]

I was absolutely fascinated!

Naomi very much presented Nelson's attitude toward slavery accurately, which is one of the contradictions in his character that I think makes him so interesting. I do like him, and I would love to write him, but he really did believe that Africans were not fully human. It's a point rarely stressed by British historians! ;)

I also really liked the way she wrote Napoleon -- of course he wants to make political points off Laurence, but he's also I think sincere in his gratitude for the cure. I expect Lien had something to do with that. I also love the brief description of "dragon-friendly" Paris, and Lien's new pavilion. Personally, I would have put it at Saint Cloud, but I see the point of having it central to the action!

Can't you see the men of the day debating Laurence's actions? What Goethe has to say? Likewise Baby Byron? And I half expect Blake to come thundering in any second! Oh the plot bunnies!

If I were taking a bet on how he gets out of execution, I would bet on the dragons. There's that tiny throwaway moment at Loch Laggan when Temeraire is obviously telling Celeritas something when Laurence comes out. I suspect the dragons would agree with Temeraire. But is there a dragon who would lead them? Not Maximus, who would come along but not lead, nor would Jane for fear of being thought biased. But Celeritas would. We've already seen how he would not bear a bad Captain, and would rather go it alone.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I do like him, and I would love to write him, but he really did believe that Africans were not fully human. It's a point rarely stressed by British historians! ;)

I bet. A generation earlier, James Boswell was the same way. He sided with every revolutionary of the time (notoriously with General Paoli on Corsica, and with the American colonials), but on the topic of slavery and the status of Africans? Alas.

Can't you see the men of the day debating Laurence's actions? What Goethe has to say? Likewise Baby Byron? And I half expect Blake to come thundering in any second! Oh the plot bunnies!

Oh yes. Byron would agree with Laurence. Wordsworth would not. Goethe would tell Schiller to write a drama about Laurence, because this is so a Schillerian type of theme. Young Kleist, otoh, would snatch the subject, too, but with Laurence as either the villain or the tragic hero in a MacBeth manner, because he (K) was a Prussian and obsessed with Napoleon, and aiding and abetting would just be no go. Goethe, child of the free city of Frankfurt and also utterly free of the spirit of nationalism of the day, which the younger poets found rather unpatriotic of him as they did his friendly attitude towards Napoleon, would think Laurence made the right choice, but being also a minister of state, he'd comment that Laurence should while pardonned never being given another command again, either.

All of this is ignoring one crucial factor, however: if Temeraire and Laurence had not acted, the infection wouldn't have stopped with the French dragons. And the English knew that. I can't imagine any other European nation being pleased at the prospect of nearly getting their dragons wiped out.

I also really liked the way she wrote Napoleon -- of course he wants to make political points off Laurence, but he's also I think sincere in his gratitude for the cure. I expect Lien had something to do with that.

That's what I think, too. He wouldn't be Napoleon if he didn't see the golden opportunity for propaganda, but that doesn't mean he's not really grateful, and not just because this saves an important part of his fighting force; he seems to care for Lien on a personal level.

So, are you going to write more fanfic? *unsubtle hint*

[artaxastra.livejournal.com]

Goethe would tell Schiller to write a drama about Laurence, because this is so a Schillerian type of theme.

Oh yes. But the difficulty of doing dragons onstage... No worse than getting an army onstage, I suppose. *visualizes big paper mache dragon tail across the stage, while someone reads Temeraire's lines offstage*

All of this is ignoring one crucial factor, however: if Temeraire and Laurence had not acted, the infection wouldn't have stopped with the French dragons. And the English knew that. I can't imagine any other European nation being pleased at the prospect of nearly getting their dragons wiped out.

Yes, and that's a huge consideration. It would not just give England the power to defeat Napoleon, but potentially the power to dominate the continent for generations. Which nobody wants. I could see how this would throw some states into Napoleon's arms, rather than the other way around. That the British should attempt genocide to win gives Napoleon all the propaganda he needs, without lifting a finger besides telling the truth. There's no better justification for your cause than your enemy committing atrocities. (How I hope some of our military are reading Naomi! Though in all fairness, the military fairly universally hates these mercenaries we've hired to get around having a draft. The mercenaries do as they please, are paid ten times as much, and don't follow any rules but their own, being immune to criminal prosecution anywhere. Welcome back to the 17th century!)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

But the difficulty of doing dragons onstage... No worse than getting an army onstage, I suppose. *visualizes big paper mache dragon tail across the stage, while someone reads Temeraire's lines offstage*

Exactly. And now I want someone to write a Schillerian pastiche monologue for Temeraire, along the lines of "Sire, geben Sie den Drachen Freiheit!"

(Footnote: this would be me showing off; "Sire, geben Sie Gedankenfreiheit!" - "Sire, give us freedom of thought!" is the start of the Marquis de Posa's passionate appeal to Philipp II. in Schiller's Don Carlos.)

It would not just give England the power to defeat Napoleon, but potentially the power to dominate the continent for generations. Which nobody wants.

Yes. I don't think it would make everyone suddenly pro-Bonaparte, but I can see people thinking along the lines of "well, Napoleon is mortal; he'll die, and France probably won't be able to keep this up long after; but England becoming THE dominating power is independent from who is actually ruling it, it will stay this way for generations, so who is the bigger threat?"

How I hope some of our military are reading Naomi! Though in all fairness, the military fairly universally hates these mercenaries we've hired to get around having a draft. The mercenaries do as they please, are paid ten times as much, and don't follow any rules but their own, being immune to criminal prosecution anywhere. Welcome back to the 17th century!

It's depressing and true. Over here, we're currently depressed that our goverment won't press charges against the CIA agents who abducted a German citizen for some torture and who ended up being declared innocent of any terrorist connection. (The judges have made the appropriate appeal, but the goverment refuses to further them to the US, saying, not inaccurately, of course, that the Americans won't hand over the agents in question anyway.)

[artaxastra.livejournal.com]

Exactly. And now I want someone to write a Schillerian pastiche monologue for Temeraire, along the lines of "Sire, geben Sie den Drachen Freiheit!"

(Footnote: this would be me showing off; "Sire, geben Sie Gedankenfreiheit!" - "Sire, give us freedom of thought!" is the start of the Marquis de Posa's passionate appeal to Philipp II. in Schiller's Don Carlos.)

I'm not sure I can write that! I don't know my Schiller well enough. That's one for you! I think you need to write Temeraire meets Goethe!

Yes. I don't think it would make everyone suddenly pro-Bonaparte, but I can see people thinking along the lines of "well, Napoleon is mortal; he'll die, and France probably won't be able to keep this up long after; but England becoming THE dominating power is independent from who is actually ruling it, it will stay this way for generations, so who is the bigger threat?"

Yes. Twenty years of Napoleon, or a century of England? One thing about dynasties is that they think longer than the next election cycle.

Over here, we're currently depressed that our goverment won't press charges against the CIA agents who abducted a German citizen for some torture and who ended up being declared innocent of any terrorist connection. (The judges have made the appropriate appeal, but the goverment refuses to further them to the US, saying, not inaccurately, of course, that the Americans won't hand over the agents in question anyway.)

No, and since we've decided that we aren't subject to the World Court or the Geneva Conventions, it makes it very murky. The thing we're hitting with the mercenaries in Iraq is that they can't be prosecuted under Iraqi law, and they aren't subject to military justice because they're not in the military. So for all practical purposes, they answer to no law. And the military is furious and wants to get a handle on them, but they can't. They're like Dick Cheney's own personal corporate army, serving heaven knows who as corporate interests. They interfere in military activities and do as they please. The army wants them out, but has no way to do it. Which is a fine turn of affairs.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

The earliest edition Amazon has coming out is in November... *pouts*

I didn't even know that you read these, but thinking about it, it does make sense. *g*

[selenak.livejournal.com]

There were several copies at Hugendubel on Tuesday! See, I told you living in Munich is worth it.*g*

Your icon is too adorable. I'm constantly fighting against the temptation of getting myself a bearded Nathan, too, because all my icon space is full and I don't want to delete any of the ones I have!

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I am definitely beginning to see the advantages!

I absolutely wanted a bearded Nathan, and I just couldn't say no to this one... It was inspired by the commentary for Lizards, 12 wrote about it in one of her newer entries. Apparently, the beard does not only provide entertainment for fans, media, and Adrian Pasdar's kids. :)

[cofax7]

Oh, good, I've been waiting to talk about this with someone.

One of the things I found most fascinating was the Tswana-Sotho campaign against the Europeans throughout southern Africa, which most assuredly pulled the universe even further away from this one. The implications, once I think about it, are fascinating: no more slave cargos (a change that took another twenty years to implement in our history, I think); no access to African resources; loss of Cape Town as a port on the way to India and points farther east... What's this change going to do to Europe? Will the Tswana stay in Africa? I suspect not, given the conversations Laurence had with the prince.

My speculation regarding Laurence's fate is that despite his treason, England cannot afford to execute him, because they cannot risk losing Temeraire; and Temeraire will make it very clear that the only reason they have him as a resource is because of Laurence. However, he'll lose his rank, I think that's clear. Given that every book since the first has involved a great deal of travel, my speculation is that Laurence and Temeraire will be sent to the Americas, possible as part of a diplomatic delegation to get help against Napoleon, now that Britain no longer holds the upper hand with regards to aerial warfare.

Of course, that speculation is heavily fueled by my intense desire to see wtf is going on in the western hemisphere! (Although given that Naomi just spent some time in Japan, perhaps I'm completely off-base... *g*)

[selenak.livejournal.com]

loss of Cape Town as a port on the way to India and points farther east... What's this change going to do to Europe?

Yes indeed. The whole status of India within the British Empire in Victorian times might change.

Given that every book since the first has involved a great deal of travel, my speculation is that Laurence and Temeraire will be sent to the Americas, possible as part of a diplomatic delegation to get help against Napoleon, now that Britain no longer holds the upper hand with regards to aerial warfare.

That would be to Southern America, then, because the young U.S. was allied with the French, and I don't see why that would have changed in this universe?

Also, I just checked the speculative comments in naominovik's journal and was amused when I realised another American/Europe divide in cultural imprint, because associating the title "A Victory of Eagles" with American wouldn't even have occured to me. Yes, I know the eagle is an American symbol, but the Romans, the French, the Prussians and the Russians got there first, and I associate eagles with them before I do with Northern America. Especially in the Napoleonic context. Though I might be completely wrong about this.

Since the Inca was mentioned in "Black Powder War", I tentatively do place my money on a Southern American state as the next destination, though then it would make more sense to call the book a victory of jaguars...

England cannot afford to execute him, because they cannot risk losing Temeraire; and Temeraire will make it very clear that the only reason they have him as a resource is because of Laurence.

True, but in this case, I think both Laurence and Temeraire are on a ticking clock. Since Temeraire has just donated sperm for an egg. Which means England will have another Celestial in a year or two.

[cofax7]

Yeah, eagles are hardly the province only of the US. For some reason, and given that we are talking about the Napoleonic wars, then, perhaps we're talking about Russia? Has Naomi been there? (I'm reminded of the grand old days of Dunnettdom, when finding out where Lady D was traveling to let you guess what particular historical events Niccolo would be getting caught up in next. *g*)

Which means England will have another Celestial in a year or two.

Good point, I'd forgotten that. And yet, as you say, that's some time away, and despite Temeraire's trouble-making aspects, he's hardly a resource they can afford to lose. If there's a way to use him, they will, until the difficulties he presents outweigh his usefulness.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Russia would make complete sense in the Napoleonic context, and I'd love to read her take on it. And what kind of an impact dragons would have had on Czarist society...

[nolivingman.livejournal.com]

I realised another American/Europe divide in cultural imprint, because associating the title "A Victory of Eagles" with American wouldn't even have occured to me.

I assumed right off that she meant a French victory was coming, and I worried for the dragons and their friends.

[nolivingman.livejournal.com]

I just adore the alternate history of it all; it's so well thought-out, and it lets us really see Nelson, the good AND the bad, which we never do in Napoleonic-era fiction (at least not any of the stuff in English that I've read).

I completely trust her to not pull deus ex machina to get Laurence off; she's won me over that completely with this book. And I adore the fact that he turned himself in at the end; that's just the kind of move I approve of in my Hero characters. I may have squealed with joy over the honor of it all. But in a completely dignified way. Heee.

The Lien/Temeraire relationship is one of the best things about the series; I can't wait to see how it evolves after this twist.

I'm gushing over this series right now.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

it lets us really see Nelson, the good AND the bad, which we never do in Napoleonic-era fiction (at least not any of the stuff in English that I've read

He's depicted with warts and all in A Request to the Nation by Terrence Rattigan, but that was a play/script for tv, and I doubt it's well known. Susan Sontag in The Volcano Lover also goes for layered, but out of the William Hamilton/Emma/Nelson triangle, he's the one the least investigated (what with William being the central character and Emma the one who takes over the story once she shows up by sheer force of personality). She did, however, use the politics - in this case the aborted revolution in Naples, and the way Nelson dealt with same - far more than any other author I can think of, and with Sontag clearly sympathizing with the revolutionaries instead of the traditional depiction of OMG Nelson prevented another evil Jacobin regime.

Laurence turning himself in: so typical for his honorable self. Oh, Laurence.

Lien/Temeraire: yes indeed, and you know, I'd love to read a Lien pov from the time she was dying of the virus to the point where she was saved and realized by whom...