Puzzling
"Tongues of Serpents", Naomi Novik's follow-up to her electrifying debut quintet, is an interesting book. For one thing, it feels like just one small part of what was meant to be a longer story. For another, it was certainly a departure from the grandiose scope of the previous five books. With no Napoleonic wars in which to fight, Will and Temeraire are sort of left to putter around the outback.
The characterization and Novik's rich, descriptive prose are all still intact, but I set the book down with a sort of "Hmm. I wonder where she's going with this." I will definitely pick up any further books from Novik, but be forewarned that this one is somewhat puzzling. I feel like there may be some greater story arc that she plans to develop. If that is the case, however, one does wonder why this book was released as a stand alone novel, rather than folded into one that perhaps reveals a little more.