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"1776" by David McCullough.
This is a fascinating book about the first year of The Revolutionary War. "Washington Crossing the Delaware"...ever heard of that? Know much about it? I thought I did! This book is very worth reading. I "read" it as a book on tape with the voice of the author doing the reading. That's a good way to "read" it. In fact, the good thing about "books on tape" is that it's almost like attending a class with someone "giving a lecture" on a given topic. Instead of having to "go out" you can listen to "the lecture" (book) in the comfort of your house or car. Enjoy!
"His Majesty's Dragon: In the Service of the King" by Naomi Novik.
Novik skillfully blends historical fiction with fantasy, weaving a well-researched (though sometimes artistically altered) account of the Napoleonic wars from a surprising perspective..."What if dragons existed, and were used in war as a living air force?"
The story is told through the eyes of Captain William Laurence, an officer in the British Navy at the time of Napoleon's bid for Europe. Laurence's life is irrevocably changed when he and his crew defeat a French warship and find a priceless dragon egg hidden in the plunder. When the egg hatches before they can return to land, Laurence must trade his respectable Navy colors for the disdained uniform of an Air Force officer and become "captain" of the newly-hatched Temeraire, a surprisingly personable dragon of unknown origin.
The book follows Laurence and Temeraire's growing friendship as they do their part to fight Napoleon's forces. They enter into the service of the King's Royal Air Force, a fighting division composed of many dragon breeds, from the tiny message carrying Winchesters and poison-spitting Longwings to the giant red and gold Royal Coppers.
To put it simply, this series is like "Horatio Hornblower"...with dragons. The fantasy is far less cheesy that most books in the genre, and Novik keeps the reader enthralled from the first page to the last. The series is very well written and the characters are unforgettable, while the battle scenes are surprisingly detailed. The aerial fights combine Laurence's naval tactics as well as dragon-on-dragon dogfights that would make any flying ace proud.
Novik has already published three books in the series, and the fourth, "Empire of Ivory," is due to hit stores fall of 2007. One very exciting piece of news: recently filmmaker Peter Jackson, of "Lord of the Rings" fame, purchased the movie rights for the series, and fans are breathlessly awaiting the chance to see another epic story played out on the big screen courtesy of a fabulous author and master director.
Even people who aren't fans of fantasy (or fantasy fans who aren't fond of historical fiction) will enjoy this intense genre-bending series of friendship, loyalty and desperate courage set in one of Europe's darkest hours.
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