Temeraire meta

[luzula]

It strikes me that in the Temeraire books, Napoleon tears down the old dense quartiers and makes Paris into a city of broad avenues to make it accessible for dragons. This actually happens in RL Paris in the 1850's and 1860's under Napoleon III, but for a different reason: partly to make modern sewer systems and improve public health, but mostly to make it harder for revolutionaries to build barricades, and improve military access to the city. (There was still the Paris Commune in 1871, though, so insurrection was obviously not impossible.)

I'm kind of curious what comes next, politically, in the Temeraire world. I guess there is no Bourbon restoration, and probably if Napoleon's laws remain in force in France then liberalism/capitalism would win over feudalism all the faster. So what about the socialist movements in the 19th century? I guess a lot would depend on where the dragons sided. Many of the dragons seem to take to capitalism enthusiastically (ha, the banking scenes in A League of Dragons), and interest would pile up, over those long lifetimes...OTOH, a lot of them also seem to have a strong pathos for justice and they'll remember being oppressed (or actually still be oppressed). So who knows. (ETA: Also, another obvious difference is that European colonialism won't take off in the same way.)

Someone who knows more than me about 19th century history should write this. *g*

And hey, those chained Russian dragons, how are they going to affect Russian history? Now I want Peter Kropotkin and Mikhail Bakunin with dragons. Or possibly they could be dragons.

Um, I'm going to finish baking my cheesecake with lemon sauce now and stop thinking about stories that would probably have an audience of one...

Comments

[princessofgeeks]

Sounds fascinating to me! Also with cheesecake!

[luzula]

Ha, well, I just wish somebody else would write it and I could read it (because it would involve so much research). *g* But yeah, the cheesecake was great and my housemates loved it.

[toft]

J has been reading them for the first time (I've never read them) and speculating out loud about the different ways colonialism will/won't happen!

[luzula]

They are fun that way! I mean, a lot of fantasy is set in some sort of feudal, vaguely medieval, vaguely European world, and it's fun to have one set instead in this specific historical moment, and see how the dragons might influence it all.

Although I do have to actively suspend disbelief about how it all hangs together ecologically, because I really don't think Britain (or other countries) have the carrying capacity to feed so many huge meat-eaters.

[desireearmfeldt]

I suspect you under-estimate the audience for such things. :)

[luzula]

Ha, maybe you are right. I just wish somebody else would write it and I could read it (because it would involve so much research). *g*

[desireearmfeldt]

Indeed!

[garonne.livejournal.com]

I had often heard Temeraire mentioned, but had no idea what it was, except that dragons were involved. I just found out yesterday that it's set during the Napoleonic Wars, and was written by someone who used to write Age of Sail fanfic. I guess I know what I'll be looking for at the library this Saturday!

[luzula]

Oh, do read them! I think they'll appeal to you. : )