Probably is best to ignore posts on future books, major huge spoilers. More about the other countries (allied, enemy and uninvolved), assorted politics and issues seen from those viewpoints are coming. A huge part of the books, of course, will be Laurence and Temeraire's relationship growth and their struggles with (and understanding of) each other, duty, and their world.
This is one of the best series in terms of being a series I've completed in a while. Meaning the finale suits the series rather than something too much of a twist (some natural growth/changes and trusts over the course of the series of course), cliffhanger-y, or dragging out the series to milk the popularity. I still hate, hate, hate that it's over because I loved it so much — but it was well done.
The short stories are a mixed bag not always the same atmosphere or timeline as main books (I choose not to read them in series "order" and plan on catching up to them as I need a Temeraire fix now I've finished final book). I don't always read the short stories in a series, but Namoi Novik is one writer that can write short fiction. (Some shorts by other writers lately, to me, have read like excerpts of what should be larger stories or extraneous stuff an editor likely had them cut from main work. POV changes are a mixed bag for me, but I usually feel,no urge to read them.)
I was less sanguine on these books, but I did find them entertaining. His Majesty's Dragon was particularly good, in my opinion. I guess I got tired of the series after reading the first trilogy. Not bad, mind you, I just lost focus.
That’s the real test of a series, I think – whether or not it can keep a reader interested for the long haul. The same may happen to me before I make it to the end, although I hope not.
By the way, I'm pretty sure you were one of the people who have recommended Gene Wolf to me? The omnibus for the first two books in "The Book of the New Sun" was on sale a few months ago, which helped bump it up my list a bit. I’m tentatively planning it as my next series after Temeraire, although I’ll probably read some standalones and/or duologies between now and then too. I hope to get to it by this fall or, at the very least, before the end of the year.
Honestly, in this series I had a couple of parts lag for me (maybe a total of three normal book chapters overall thought this nine-book series). Mostly of the get-there-already variety caused by what I found excessive travel or excessive military detail. I still resoundingly adored the series.
Not sure if others felt the same way. Anymore, I've been impatient with road trips or long quest-y journeys about imaginary maps in my books. I get that the military side is an important part of their lives and the "atmosphere" of the book.
*ack* I just flashed on the last book of another series where for almost a thousand pages the characters crossed back and forth the same desert endlessly with nothing happening except last chapter meeting up with villain who got away again. That may have been the start of my get-there-already-itis.
I sometimes get impatient with travel-heavy stories myself. Sometimes the tediousness of the travel for the characters can transfer to tediousness for me as a reader, although it does depend on how it’s written.
I'd almost prefer it to be badly written where I don't connect/feel the weariness and depredation of the travelers, to have the writer fail to convey that.
This kind of thing is very situational for me. I think I'm generally a patient reader, so I often put up with slow pacing as long as the quality of the writing is good. Examples: The Lord of the Rings has a lot of descriptions, some of which are ornate. I find them beautiful, so sometimes I don't even want them to end. A Song of Ice and Fire has lengthy descriptions of banquets, heraldry, and clothing. I find that these flesh out the setting and (at least in the case of heraldry) add some historical depth to the action/intrigue. The Book of the New Sun has a few long descriptions as well, but these are imbued with several layers of symbology that is important for the themes of the book; so, they are entirely relevant.
I find it harder to remember negative examples; i.e., descriptions and/or travelogues that miffed me... maybe I'll remember one later tonight!
This is one of the best series in terms of being a series I've completed in a while. Meaning the finale suits the series rather than something too much of a twist (some natural growth/changes and trusts over the course of the series of course), cliffhanger-y, or dragging out the series to milk the popularity. I still hate, hate, hate that it's over because I loved it so much — but it was well done.
The short stories are a mixed bag not always the same atmosphere or timeline as main books (I choose not to read them in series "order" and plan on catching up to them as I need a Temeraire fix now I've finished final book). I don't always read the short stories in a series, but Namoi Novik is one writer that can write short fiction. (Some shorts by other writers lately, to me, have read like excerpts of what should be larger stories or extraneous stuff an editor likely had them cut from main work. POV changes are a mixed bag for me, but I usually feel,no urge to read them.)
By the way, I'm pretty sure you were one of the people who have recommended Gene Wolf to me? The omnibus for the first two books in "The Book of the New Sun" was on sale a few months ago, which helped bump it up my list a bit. I’m tentatively planning it as my next series after Temeraire, although I’ll probably read some standalones and/or duologies between now and then too. I hope to get to it by this fall or, at the very least, before the end of the year.
Not sure if others felt the same way. Anymore, I've been impatient with road trips or long quest-y journeys about imaginary maps in my books. I get that the military side is an important part of their lives and the "atmosphere" of the book.
*ack* I just flashed on the last book of another series where for almost a thousand pages the characters crossed back and forth the same desert endlessly with nothing happening except last chapter meeting up with villain who got away again. That may have been the start of my get-there-already-itis.
I find it harder to remember negative examples; i.e., descriptions and/or travelogues that miffed me... maybe I'll remember one later tonight!