WiF project: Naomi Novik
Books I read from Naomi Novik, informing this post:
Temeraire series (I am finishing the series at this point, I am left with the last two books)
The Scholomance series
Spotlight on Naomi Novik
Naomi Novik, an American author, studied English literature and computer science. It’s fascinating how she combines seemingly disparate elements, both copyrighted works.
In her Goodreads bio, she expresses her fascination with Napoleonic wars and Patrick O’Brian’s work, which inspired her to write Temeraire. This choice is wonderful, and her passion for O’Brian’s work makes me want to read the entire Aubrey and Maturin series (and, in any event, I wanted to read historical fiction on ships!).
One of the things I love about inspiring authors is that their work pushes me to read more; specifically the authors and the stories that inspired them to write. Novik’s influence has made me eager to dive into historical fiction, focused on ships, with renewed enthusiasm.
My Experience
A few years ago, I first encountered Naomi Novik. I started with her standalone stories; at the time, I just wanted to read long series (not that things have changed much since; today I grew an appreciation for stand alone stories). I am sharing this to share my state of mind - which might have influenced the way I digested these stories.
However, I must admit that I didn’t love her standalone novels. The main reason was that I felt the stories were too young for my taste (and the scope too small) and I didn’t particularly connect with the protagonists. I wonder if I would have a different perspective on Spinning Silver and Uprooted if I read them today.
Despite this, Novik still left a lasting impression on me. I appreciated her unique perspective, the intricate worlds she created, and her sensitive storytelling. I continued exploring her writing and eventually discovered a couple of series that I truly enjoy.
Two of her series have particularly swept me off my feet.
Before writing standalone stories, Novik wrote a nine-book series called Temeraire. This series excels at two things.
The first thing that sets Naomi Novik apart is her exceptional ability to create dragons. A few authors have impressed me with her ability to write dragons; Naomi Novik gives them their own unique personalities and individuality, ensuring that we see them as distinct beings with their own needs and desires.
Another remarkable aspect of her writing is the creation of an intriguing and complex world that starts from familiar grounds. As someone who rarely reads alternate history books, this series was particularly captivating for me. Novik’s approach to Temeraire is different from the other historical fiction I read set in the Napoleonic Wars, which often revolves around defeating Napoleon in battle (and I am thinking about Sharpe by Bernard Cornwell or Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke). However, Novik’s focus is unique, the way she opted to explore the world, and I won’t spoil it for you: it was a delightful experience to understand her vision and eagerly anticipate the unfolding of the story.
Novik’s latest series, Scholomance, is a trilogy that builds upon the success of Temeraire. She takes all the great elements she established in that series and elevates them to new heights. The world she creates is truly remarkable and lingered in my mind long after I’ve finished reading. Once again she starts from our world; this time, our modern world, and she infuses it with magic and magical abilities. The series begins with a magical school where students risk their lives to prepare for harnessing their magical powers. And while the concept is not unique (pocket realities have been around for a long time), this story provides a new concept to this trope.
I also appreciated the clear homage to Lord of the Rings and the underrepresentation of women in that story. However, I wonder if this was also a subtle nod to Stranger Things, which would be a truly fascinating choice. It’s an intriguing choice that stayed with me even a year after I finished the series.
By the way, I must admit that I devoured the trilogy in about a week and had an absolute blast reading it. I’ll leave the lead buried here for now.
World-building, as I mentioned, was exceptional. The same went for the magical system – I loved how it was gradually revealed the intricacies between magic and power over time. It was an intriguing way to observe things unfolding.
Another aspect she excels at is character development. This was something I felt was lacking in her standalone novels, but here we have plenty of interesting arcs. In fact, Naomi Novik wrote characters that I found interesting, flawed, with limitations, and enough intelligence to understand how to use those limitations to the advantage of the wider group.
I enjoyed the character arcs; I felt that at least three of them were particularly compelling. Despite having read the books about a year ago and having read many other books in between, their stories still stayed with me.
I can’t wait to read what comes next. I’m eager to read a new story in a unique world (whether it’s our world with pockets of reality that warp our understanding of science or a completely new world) and in a unique interpretation of magic.
If I had a wish for what comes next, it would be dragons in an alternate world. I find her ability to portray dragons to be simply fantastic, and I wonder if she can also make them fascinating in a different reality. Her ability to humanise them and make them relatable while retaining their dragon features was something unique.
I’m truly looking forward to what comes next. I want to immerse myself in the next project she takes on and see what she has in store for us!
Why do I like her work?
There are a few things that truly work for me in the series I love. Firstly, the ability to transform our world into a fantastical realm where dragons and magic coexist, yet retain the elements that define humanity. This includes both the best qualities, such as self-sacrifice, strength, and selflessness, and the worst, like deception, evil, and greed. This authenticity is a key element of my love for fantasy stories, as it allows readers to connect with the unfolding events. I believe Naomi Novik understands and executes this to the highest levels.
It doesn’t matter that the world is different from the one I know. What makes fantasy so appealing to me, especially epic fantasy, is the ability to connect with the world and its characters. I want to understand their choices (including their trail of thoughts, their decisions making, how they see themselves), challenges, difficulties, and the outcomes of their actions and inactions. This requires a complex world and difficult, ever-changing circumstances for the protagonists to face, as well as even more challenging choices for them to make.
Naomi Novik’s ability to bring these aspects to life is truly remarkable. She creates a well-rounded and interesting character in a dragon, which is one of the more intriguing arcs in fantasy to date. Her wise choices, such as pairing him with the opposite type of character (like Temeraire and his “positively revolutionary” approach, and Captain Laurence and his strict sense of honour and duty), further enhance the story.
Similarly, Scholomance made a great impression on me. It has a unique ability to create a magic world complicated by real-life politics and the challenges we face daily. It explores the struggle to do the right thing, spot greed, and the desire for more power.
Naomi Novik elevated this series with her “peeling the onion” technique. The scope of the world begins in a self-contained reality, allowing us to digest the unfolding events and connect with the characters. We understand their motivations, choices, and the reasons behind them. Book after book, the series gradually expands the scope, seamlessly integrating the wider elements of this world. We absorb this information at our own pace, enabling us to fully comprehend the unfolding events and the characters’ choices. This allows us to appreciate character arcs and understand why we care about each decision.
In essence, I admire her ability to create captivating worlds, starting from familiar concepts, and develop intriguing dynamics between characters. These characters are forced to make difficult, if not impossible, choices, facing impossible odds with a clear goal, whether it’s saving the world or ensuring a good night’s sleep.
Where to start with her work?
If you enjoy authors who transport you to new realities, introduce you to interesting characters, and present relatable choices in intriguing settings, I believe you’ll find her work particularly enjoyable. Have you read any of her works? If I had to suggest a starting point, I’d recommend either His Majesty’s Dragon (the first book in the Temeraire series, therefore starting a longer journey; and yet, if you love dragons, I feel this would be the perfect starting place for you) or A Deadly Education (the first book in the Scholomance series; if you love pocket realities, with an interesting magic system, this would be a great starting point). The choice depends on your preference for dragons and an alternate take on the Napoleonic Wars or a modern setting with pockets of reality that define more than just education for teenagers with magical abilities.
