Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Synopsis
FANTASY. AUSTRALIAN. 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.
Is Tongues of serpents appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
Parents should know this historical fantasy features dragon combat with moderate violence, themes of unjust conviction and imprisonment, and depicts the early Australian penal colony with its harsh conditions and political turmoil.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include captivity, colonization, and animal harm (see the full list above).
Publisher ages reflect reading level; our rating reflects content maturity — they can differ.
Who'll love this
Teens will enjoy the adventure of a disgraced dragon captain and his intelligent dragon companion exploring the Australian wilderness while clearing their names.