His Majesty's Dragon was so unique. I got to listen to it on Audiobook and I'm grateful I did because it allowed me to keep the many characters separate. It's a well researched alternate history that actually educated me on the real history! The Temeraire series is in the style of the Horatio Hornblower and Master and Commander series's. It really feels like those classic naval epics in pacing and style. If there weren't dragons I would have believed it was written centuries ago! It's authenticity creates it's only downfall. Instead of pacing itself to a plot structure like most fantasy it's more of a journey book. Good, but a little slow at times.