Throne of Jade: A Novel of Temeraire

After reading the first book- His Majesty's Dragon, I was hooked onto the second book I thought with joy! Half way there the joy disappeared. Me personally im not a big fan of SMALL SPOILER when for almost the whole book the main characters are stuck on a boat. yeah things happen here and there but its pretty boring. ended up not finishing it, yeah the ending probably was great but I was getting sea sick with all the boating!

Throne of Jade

Having consumed the "Throne of Jade", and now enthralled in the "Black Powder War", I've just purchased the "Empire of Ivory" to gratify my Temeraire addiction.

My best comparison for anyone considering this series is that of the excellent Harry Potter novels. While they are two distinct stories it is their magical captivating content that comes alive in their readers imagination that they share.

I loved the first novel in the series, "His Majesty's Dragon". I highly recommend that first book!

However, you may as well stop there. The first book is satisfying and complete on its own, WITHOUT the rest of the series.

I personally found this sequel to be boring and meandering.

That said, I do think fans of historical Chinese travelogue fiction would actually truly enjoy this particular installment.

There are parts of this book I really enjoyed and then there are parts of this book that totally bored me. Naomi Novak’s writing is always beautiful and detailed and had I not read Uprooted before starting this series I might not have had such high expectations but alas I did and so I wanted something more.

Throne of Jade is a lot more about cultural differences, social acceptances and politicking. Unlike His Majesty’s Dragon which involved getting to know the dragon culture and being in quite a few battles, much of the time in Throne of Jade is spent traveling to China and the focus is more on the bond of loyalty between Teremaire and Laurence. There are a few battles in this book but a lot of the action comes at the very beginning and the very end. Those were my favorite parts.

The Sea voyage is the part that became a bit tedious for me. Teremaire spent much of it brooding and there were many different discussions about slavery, dragon rights and why things are done a certain way in England. Teremaire seemed to have a lot of very specific ideas about all of it. There was some extraneous information about what everyone was eating including Teremaire and a funny bit when he caught a cold but it turned a little bit into what to feed a dragon for awhile and I started wondering when we would ever get back to the crux of the story.

I did appreciate how things changed once settled in China and it was interesting to see how the Chinese incorporated dragons into their everyday society and how that changes both Laurence and Teremaire’s opinions of the practices of raising and keeping Dragons in England. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of that. I also loved seeing the tale of Mulan weaved in with a dragon twist to it.

Overall much of this book became the care and upkeep of a dragon which I could have done without. But if I ever do hatch a dragon I will know which spices and dishes he should like the best. I do like the loyaty shown between Laurence and Teremaire even if the endearments Laurence uses for his dragon sometimes seem like something he would say to a love instead.

I’m hoping that in the future there will be more action and fighting and less dragon poetry

China has discovered that their celestial dragon has not gone to Napoleon, but was captured by England, bound to a common soldier and at risk regularly in warfare. They send a delegation to England to reclaim Temeraire and return him to China.

Temeraire, as always, is curious about China, meeting other celestial dragons and his mother. He does not like the idea of leaving all their dragon and human friends in England's Arial Corps. He will not even consider leaving without Laurence and most of his crew.

They are all packed off for a long ocean voyage to China. There is plenty of excitement, intrigue, illness and misunderstanding between the air corps, the naval crew and the delegation. Once in China, they find how the dragons are respected and wander the streets as they choose, interacting with the people. Not everything is wonderful though, and both Laurence and Temeraire are at risk. You will have to enjoy Throne of Jade to see how everything turns out.

After discovering that Temeraire is a Celestial, the rarest and most prestigious of Chinese dragon breeds, Laurence and crew must make a political journey to China itself. I love an extended training montage; as such, this second book in the series lack the immediate appeal of the first. Its focus is politics and culture clash, sometimes in petty ways (which suit the historical setting, but still weary), but improving as themes develop and Chinese dragons are explored. The plot is unremarkable, but what I love about this series is the proactive way it engages the companion animal trope, and here it extends both its setting and purview to explore the social role of dragons across two cultures, while maintaining an emotional center in the relationship between Laurence and Temeraire. I may not have loved this as much as the first book, but I remain content with the series so far--it's a satisfying and increasingly thorough take on one of my favorite tropes.

Book 2 of the Temeraire series. Probably best read in order, but not a deal buster. I had to describe the series quickly today, and my title does it, though actually the books are far better than that summary! In this volume we find out a lot more about Temeraire's early life and his illustrious ancestors. There is some pretty terrifying action, and the great writing and wonderful characters continue. I am never sure if I'm more fond of Will Laurence or Temeraire himself.

Run get these books!

Small enjoyable fact: Temeraire was the name of a British fighting ship and is French for "intrepid." Which he certainly is.

(1) The Book Beginning:
Where? How? What? When? Why? Does the book start out by giving you information that you need to know

(2)The characters:
Are the characters believable?
Are their actions believable?

(3)Division of the book: how the chapters are divided? Is it kindle friendly?

(4) The flow: how the book flows from one chapter to another. Five: a smooth flow from chapter to chapter. Four; it has ripples. Three; has rapid in it. Two; it has a falls in it. One; it is Naval disaster.

(5) Cost of book: if you're reading this book on a kindle. The prices over $3.00 it is too much. the store.com will not like this. But being that this is an e-book, and not a real book $3.00 and under is a good price for them.

This is the second and a series of Temeraire. In this book I rate it, any three stars. The story line was good. But the author got carried away in the background, tried to describe everything which took away from the plot of the story. Once again I got this from my state library over the Internet. I had 21 days to read this book and it took me 18 it got to the point where I dread it to pick it up. There were a lot of characters in this book with little background knowledge of these characters. I think the best chapter in this book is the next to last chapter it deals with a little bit of action.

Kindle's price for his book is too high, as I said in the previous paragraph you can get this through your state library for free.

There are about four more books in a series. But I think I will stop here and read no more of the series. I'm afraid that they will continue to be dry and very hard to read

This book develops and advances the series' plot a great deal, but as a consequence, seems a bit of a let-down. Loads of cool stuff happens, but as much as the plot is developed and made more complex, the pay-off is in later books. Still great stuff.

As with all books in the series, the story mixes historical military fiction elements (Sharp's rifles, master and commander, etc.), adventure novel elements, and fantasy tropes. And it does so really well.

Ms. Novik clearly has a better understanding of this historical period than I do. One of her challenges (self-imposed, but righteous) was to include racial minorities, women, etc. in a meaningful way into a narrative set in a historical period where they might otherwise be invisible or absent. She does so with consummate skill, naturally, and in a manner which enhances her storytelling rather than drawing attention to their presence for the sake of being present.

Great stuff, highly recommended.

At the close of the first book in the "Temeraire" series, "His Majesty's Dragon," we learn that the title character is in fact one of the rarest and most valuable dragons in the world and was intended as a gift for Napoleon from the imperial family of China. The book closes with nervous speculation that the Chinese government may not be happy with their gift not reaching its intended destination. Book two, "Throne of Jade," opens with this threat coming true and Temeraire and his human companion Laurence must travel to China to fight for their future together.

The most common complaint I see about this novel is the sea voyage that takes up most of it. This is a legitimate complaint. Novik's depiction of life on a 17th century English frigate are vivid and fascinating, but it cannot mask the fact that, to put it bluntly, nothing happens. By the time the characters reach their destination, events are rushed, motives are glossed over and hand-waved away, and the mighty Chinese dragons we've been expecting to meet are as interesting as a cup of weak tea. It's like Novik really wanted to write a naval adventure in the tradition of Horatio Hornblower but felt obligated to tack on the Chinese subplot due to the tease at the end of the previous book.

All of this could be forgiven if not for the book's climax. It is an anti-climax at best and has absolutely no escalation of tension leading up to it. The Big Bad is revealed and overcome in literally a matter of paragraphs and it is impossible to believe that someone of such vast resources and intellect could be so consistently hasty and sloppy. What is intended to be an epic battle fails miserably as our heroes are not pitted directly against the Big Bad, but against a proxy adversary whom we have come to neither love nor fear.

There are good parts to this book. Temeraire's awakening to the reality of his and his fellow English dragons' situation in comparison to the dragons of the rest of the world is beautifully handled, and Laurence's fears of abandonment are poignant and realistic. The description of the sea journey and its occasional perils does keep the reader's attention and makes a boring journey bearable.

I give "Throne of Jade" three stars because I didn't hate it. But "His Majesty's Dragon" was a page-turner and this simply isn't. If you don't mind books about leisurely ocean cruises then this one is bearable. But if you loved HMD and are coming back for more swashbuckling, rip-roaring, dragon-riding action then you'll probably want to grit your teeth, skim through this one, and hope that things pick up again in book three.

Overall I thought the book was good, but it suffered from some pacing issues. That seems to be a typical flaw in the series, though. It's a bit slow, and would probably seem downright bogged down with a slower reader. While part of that can be written off as embodying the monotony of sea travel and tense diplomacy, that explanation can only extend so far.

However, the action was quite well written, the intrigue was interesting and engaging, and the ultimate resolution was a bit surprising, which is always nice.

Another common flaw in the series seems to be the rapid denouement to wrap things up. I like to read a more protracted resolution, not a quick tying up of knots and moving to the close. I suppose that's more of a personal preference, but with the slow pacing throughout, the fast resolution seems like a bit of a cop out.

I especially liked anything with Prince Yongxing. He was a mysterious character from the start, and as a reader I couldn't decide whether to feel any sympathy for him or not. The reader is masterfully kept in the dark the same as the characters are, not knowing who is behind what plots, and not being able to accurately ferret out what will happen to Temeraire in the end. I do think that the author would have been wise to include a little bit more reader omniscience when the party was in China--while keeping the reader in the same state as Lawrence worked, I think that the pacing would have been easier to bear with a little bit more knowledge.

The final showdown and how it all happened was fun and worthwhile, though some aspects of it seemed forced. [**SPOILER**]Keeping both dragons from using the divine wind seemed a bit contrived, there didn't seem to be any reason for Tien to be markedly faster than Temeraire, as she wouldn't have ever trained to fight that way, and I think the prince would have been more grateful to Lawrence for saving his life, but we didn't see any of that.[**SPOILER**]

Never before have I encountered a marvelous fantasy tale that blends together both exquisite historical details with an exciting pirate `feel', akin to Pirates of the Caribbean versus Bernard Cornwell. Naomi Novik writes like Robin Hobb or Stephen King; with such extensive knowledge of her creation and spectacular world-building. Assured and accomplished this impressive novel is highly believable, compelling and a thoroughly engaging read that takes your breath away - literally! This is also the kind of story which similarly to "The chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis", it appeals to all ages from the younger reader to the adult reader.

`Temeraire: Throne of Jade" is an exceptional debut novel, full of inspired creativity and fresh ideas within a popular and highly competitive genre. From the lush cover of this beautiful book, with the map, to the thrilling fast-paced action and intense drama this is something truly special and noteworthy. I have been on many great quests that span from the vastness of Middle-Earth to the brilliance of the Northern Lights, and yet never have I encountered so much danger and remarkable happenings as when I plunged into this book. History takes flight in this deliciously addictive story, which skillfully layers the history of the Napoleonic war with breathtaking imagination.

The battle for Europe rages upon land and sea...and in the skies. Squadrons of aviators rain fiery death upon their enemies, but the destruction is not caused by gunpowder alone - it comes from the very guts of the beasts they are flying Dragons. Temeraire is a Chinese Celestial Dragon, the most highly-prized of all the draconic breeds; famed for their intelligence, agility and most of all for the Divine Wind - their terrible roar capable of shattering the heavy timbers of war ships and devastating vast swathes of infantry.

Appealing to readers who enjoy historical novels and are interested in Napoleon, this singular novel is quite distinctive and truly wonderful. Reminiscent of Chris Evans `Iron Elves' trilogy, I just loved how the author brought together fighting military with a fire-breathing twist that was so unexpected and astonishingly original.

I loved this book! This is a great continuation of the Temeraire series, exactly like the Patrick O'Brian Napolean seafaring novels - but with dragons! The adventure continues, with British diplomatic relations with China at an all-time low. The Chinese are angry over the mishandling of the dragon egg they'd meant for Napoleon - now fully hatched, Temeraire refuses to be separated from his human companion Wil Laurence. Finally, it's agreed that they'll take an ocean journey to China.

A sea battle with the French, a rough storm, and an attack by a wild sea serpent are a few of the adventures that the crew survives on the long (over half a year) ocean voyage East. Lots of descriptions of all their meals as well, both at sea and in China.

Much to Laurence's surprise, China is a very civilized and enlightened place, where dragons and humans live together peaceably, and where Temeraire is considered part of the Imperial Family. The Chinese officials are eager to drive a wedge between Laurence and his dragon, enticing the bookish Temeraire with poetry as well as opportunities to meet his dragon family, and threatening Laurence with several assassination attempts. Intrigue in the royal court finally comes to light - it seems that Temeraire's position as the twin brother of another dragon has created some instability in the line of human succession for the throne.

Ultimately, everything works out and a return to England for Temeraire and Laurence is planned. Why on Earth would Temeraire leave such a wonderful place? Because he misses his friends in England, of course. And he's a bit more adventurous - while he enjoys the opportunities to study, he misses going to battle as well. Temeraire plans on returning to England to reform the way dragons are treated there - a task he naively assumes will be easy, but his handler Laurence knows will be challenging. Things are never boring with Temeraire around!

This book delivered exactly what I wanted: dragons and more of them.

After the action in "His Majesty's Dragon", this follow up novel represents a marked change of pace. After helping to block Napoleon's invasion of Great Britain and revealing Temeraire's identity as a rare Celestial dragon, Laurence and his partner now find themselves at the center of a brewing diplomatic dispute between the British and Chinese. When it appears that the British are prepared to surrender Temeraire to the Chinese, Laurence finds himself embarking on the long sea journey to the Far East to negotiate for their future at the Chinese Imperial Court.

The pacing of this story reflects the monotony of such a long sea voyage during this time period, as well as the glacial pace of diplomatic negotiations. As a result, this book doesn't grip the reader's attention quite as firmly as the first novel, but it does manage to provide a great deal of character development and does a great deal more to define the dragons as characters in their own right, especially in China, where they are a much more integral part of society. This makes the book worth reading as a companion piece, but I suspect that it would be difficult for a reader that picked this book up first to find the story sufficiently compelling to finish.

As a huge fan of ancient Chinese history and growing up on a steady diet of Chinese movies with their fascinating tales of court intrigues, I had looked forward to the Throne of Jade anticipating a fascinating insight into this ancient civilization from the perspective of a Westerner. Alas, unlike His Majesty's Dragon with its interesting cast of characters and their development, as well as the fascinating battle scenes, this second book is a MAJOR letdown.

I agree with others who commented that the really really boring boat ride is just ridiculous. I was almost interested again when they finally reached China (last 1/3 of the book), only to be let down by the poorly researched attempt at capturing the splendor and cultural sophistication of the Chinese. The descriptions of the cities, architecture, and culture hardly engages me and I felt like the author merely slapped on a few details without helping the reader visualize the richness of the environment. The Chinese characters truly are 1 dimensional and the plot, while decent enough, is hardly imaginative.

I've downloaded the rest of the books in the series onto my ebook reader, but I'm not so sure now, I want to go on to the next book. Unlike HMD, when I immediately jumped to the sequel, the TOJ leaves a rather hollow feeling.

I somehow expected a different second novel. I thought we’d learn about how Lawrence managed to use his navy skills to integrate dragons on ships. I was expecting a tactical novel. Instead it was an interminable boat voyage followed by time in China. Interesting and novel to a point, but not up to par with the first book

At the climax of her debut novel, Naomi Novik revealed that the dragon Temeraire was the rarest kind in the world -- a Chinese Celestial.

But the discovery of the dragon's true nature comes with some pretty nasty problems attached, as William Laurence discovers in "Throne of Jade." While this book -- which is about 75% travel-by-sea -- could have been a boring slog of traveling details, Novik instead infuses it with political and cultural clashes, a creepy conspiracy on Chinese shores, and a haughty prince determined to separate Temeraire from his rider.

With the discovery of Temeraire's breed, the haughty Prince Yongxing demands that Temeraire be returned to the Imperial family -- and the bowing-scraping-groveling diplomats are inclined to obey him. But Temeraire and Laurence are having none of that. And when they can't tempt away Temeraire, both dragon and rider are sent to China on a very large boat, along with the prince and his entourage, in hopes that they can sort out the mess.

Unfortunately it's not a boring trip for Laurence, who has to dodge assassinations, storms, and the prince's ongoing quest to lure away Temeraire away from his rider. And China turns out to be no less dangerous as Laurence learns the reason that Temeraire's egg was sent to Napoleon, and the malevolent prince's true plans -- to get power for himself, using Temeraire as a pawn.

Jewel-encrusted dragons wander through gardens, streets and palaces, Englishmen wander into the ornate lands of the East, and a silent political struggle rages with Temeraire in the center. Having explored a dragon-augmented England in her debut, Naomi Novik refocuses her attention on China in "Throne of Jade." Consider Laurence a stranger in a strange land.

Most of the story is spent on a boat, which admittedly sounds boring. But Novik's intricate writing and plot twists keeps things interesting, along with her nimble sense of humour (such as Temeraire asking where human babies come from). Lots of culture clashes between the Chinese entourage and English crew, and Laurence's constant tug-of-war with Yongxing over the naive Temeraire.

And her formal style really blossoms when they get to China, lovingly describing everything from beautiful gardens to the ghostly albino Celestial. After the slow-building journey, the plot really blossoms when the ship gets to China. The conspiracies and secrets are finally figured out, and the string of assassinations and plots climaxes with a disastrous attempt at a coup.

Laurence spends this book haunted by the possibility of being separated from Temeraire, and especially worrying about Yongxing seducing him into a culture that literally worships the Celestials. Temeraire also continues to grow, learning voraciously (and developing a taste for Chinese food) while remaining steadfastly loyal to his beloved Laurence.

And there's colourful string of supporting characters: the sneering prince and his kindly brother, the toadying diplomats, and even the Celestial relatives of Temeraire's. One of them turns out to be quite a surprise.

"Throne of Jade" is an excellent follow-up to Novik's brilliant tale of draconic warfare, and a journey across Asia is no less interesting.

Throne of Jade is the second installment in the story of Temeraire the dragon and his human handler/companion - Will Laurence. This one takes up where "His Majesty's Dragon" left off and we find the pair involved in the defense of the British homeland from the nefarious machinations of Napoleon. The nice thing about this series is the way it melds the historical realities of the time period with the effects of the Dragons and their folks on the events it depicts.

Temeraire is celebrating his first year. He is a very precocious dragon and throughout the book he starts looking around at the way things are and is starting to ask questions. Being a very intelligent being, he is unhappy about some of the things he observes and questions Laurence about them. Laurence tries his best to answer him, but he is somewhat inadequate for the task since he is a "properly" brought up English Gentleman. For instance, in the matter of females serving in military organizations, Laurence is still scandalized about the presence of women Captains in the Air Corps and even more so about the presence of young girls being trained as Midshipmen. He is brought up very short when Temeraire points out to him that there is no similar distinction made about the Dragons - females fight just as fiercely and intently as the males. Laurence's shallow rejoinder is that it is only because some breeds of dragons will only allow female handlers that created that situation.

A major focus of the book is that a Chinese embassy has arrived in London and is requiring - nay demanding! - that Temeraire be returned to China. Since England captured him as a prize off of a French Frigate, Laurence does not support this move. However, the English government would rather have the Chinese not join Napoleon in a war against them so they are more than willing to send Temeraire to China. There is a major problem here that I will address at the end of the review, but for now, let's ignore it.

The Dragon, his handler, and the complete Chinese retinue is sent off via a specially outfitted ship and most of the book is dedicated to a description of the voyage. Of course, the ship is set upon by a patrol of French ships and Dragons that are much more than the ship and Temeraire can handle, and of course, Temeraire's Dragon friends just happened to be in the vicinity to rescue them. Then, of course, the last Typhoon of the season hinders their passage. What is not so expected is the appearance of a water serpent of such size that it threatens to capsize the whole ship. Temeraire ends up killing it, but he notices that it was treated poorly from the beginning and immediately shot at, and he questions Laurence about why a water serpent is treated as a beast right away?

Temeraire also observes slavery first hand and, when they get to China, his eyes are really opened as the Chinese treat their dragons completely differently than the English and Europeans. Dragons are treated as citizens and are subject to the same rules and regulations down to the ability of Dragons to read and write, and even earn and spend money with the merchants for fulfilling their wants. As if this is not enough, the Chinese cities feature broad roads that are very straight and islands full of servants and comforts to allow the dragons a very comfortable life. All of this is in very stark contrast to the European ways and Temeraire brings that up to Laurence's attention and the two discuss these in some depth.

Another storyline that is intertwined throughout is the Chinese mandarin's attempts to separate Laurence from Temeraire. All kinds of ploys are attempted - from the obvious ones that include seducing Temeraire with food, company, and mental stimulation, to several attempts made to kill Laurence when it becomes obvious that the two will not be separated. The climactic battle in this book comes when Temeraire and one of his cousins end up in a major fight - almost to the death because of the attempts of the Chinese to kill off Laurence. This fight ends when the Chinese man ends up being killed and we find out that the whole time there was an ulterior motive and storyline behind the events. This alternative story does not become obvious until the very end and this plot twist puts all the events that occurred in a different light.

The book is exciting, written so that it grabs and holds your attention, and keeps you reading whether you are interested in Napoleonic battles (naval or land-based), the fantasy elements of having Dragons in your armies, or are content to enjoy the development of the Dragons and the appearance of a completely different viewpoint of Dragons - as represented by the Chinese.

My main disappointment in the book, and the reason I took one star off, is that the timeline is all akimbo. We are repeatedly told that it takes between eight months and a year to make the trip from London to Beijing. Indeed, it takes Temeraire and his folks eight months to get to Canton alone. However, even though scarcely one year passes after his birth, a Chinese embassy including a Prince is in London demanding his return. The math simply does not add up!

I finished up Throne of Jade audiobook version a few days ago and have just started Black Powder War. I am definitely a Naomi Novik fan now. The Temeraire series is turning out to be fun - and addicting!

One thing I think may be useful for newcomers to Novik is - at least with the three books I am familiar with - she is all about the "journey," not necessarily the "destination."

It's something to keep in mind since other alternative history/fantasy books can be heavily action-laden in scene after scene, leading up to a huge denouement. Not so much Novik - she is more character-development driven, allowing us to get to know more and more about the people and dragons she writes about, taking us on a journey with each book. Yes, she leads us to a conclusion with questions as to what will happen next, but at least for me, the journey to that conclusion is what makes her books so enjoyable.

Naomi Novik resisted a strong temptation to do in her second volume in the "Temeraire" series what has plagued so many great first books and movies in recent years. As explained by the doomed film geek in "Scream 2," sequels are by definition inferior products, merely being more of the same with a higher body count and more explosive action sequences.

Novik shuns this practice with "Throne of Jade," which expands upon the themes of "His Majesty's Dragon" and, more enjoyably, further explores this alternate Napoleonic world populated by dragons as well as men. Fresh off the triumphant defeat of Napoleon's invasion in "His Majesty's Dragon," Laurence and Temeraire find themselves embroiled in a global political crisis. China, ancestral home to dragons and Temeraire, demands Britain return Temeraire to his homeland - Temeraire was intended for Napoleon, not some lowly captain such as Laurence.

So, with heavy hearts and deep suspicions, Laurence and Temeraire are carted off on the Allegiance, a monstrous dragon-transport, for a trip to the Middle Kingdom. Along the way, we explore the history of dragons, Temeraire's place in that world, and the complex political intrigues that comprise daily life among the Chinese nobility.

While there are a few action scenes of note - look for a titanic sea battle with an ocean-going dragon - "Throne of Jade" is more about the characters involved. Laurence and Temeraire experience the first real test of their relationship, and the tests keep coming from unexpected sources.

Through it all, Novik writes with her usual period-appropriate prose style, neither high-blown nor prosaic. While Novik makes no pretensions to being a literary artist like Cormac McCarthy or Nick Tosches, she is an enjoyable writer who has "done her research" in her alternate world. The joys of this series come from her great characters and her casual explanation of this dragon-blessed alternate universe.

Definitely a "second novel" in a series, do not pick up "Throne of Jade" until you've read "His Majesty's Dragon." Once you've done that, you won't be able to help yourself.

I was a little apprehensive when I learned early on that Lawrence and Temeraire would be leaving behind all the characters and the aerial corps they knew to go to China. Especially knowing it would be a long boat trip there.

I had no need to worry as this book was full of political intrigue, gorgeous settings, a big mystery, new and interesting characters (including many dragons) and a deepening of the emotional bond between Lawrence and Temeraire. (I mean really emotional. I was crying multiple times in this book.) I loved learning of the different dragon culture in China. It questioned everything that Temeraire has come to know about being a dragon, while making Lawrence wonder if England really is that humane to dragons. They both developed in this book. I got to know them better, which is always what I love about series.

I have to say I liked this book even better than the first one. The first one was fantastic, but it was a lot of set-up. This one starts quick, and while there is a long boat trip with little action, it's full of interesting characters, and lots of great interactions between them all, not to mention storms and sea creatures aboard the boat.

I can't recommend this series enough, though I try to tell everyone I talk to how great it is!

I was a little apprehensive when I learned early on that Lawrence and Temeraire would be leaving behind all the characters and the aerial corps they knew to go to China. Especially knowing it would be a long boat trip there.

I had no need to worry as this book was full of political intrigue, gorgeous settings, a big mystery, new and interesting characters (including many dragons) and a deepening of the emotional bond between Lawrence and Temeraire. (I mean really emotional. I was crying multiple times in this book.) I loved learning of the different dragon culture in China. It questioned everything that Temeraire has come to know about being a dragon, while making Lawrence wonder if England really is that humane to dragons. They both developed in this book. I got to know them better, which is always what I love about series.

I have to say I liked this book even better than the first one. The first one was fantastic, but it was a lot of set-up. This one starts quick, and while there is a long boat trip with little action, it's full of interesting characters, and lots of great interactions between them all, not to mention storms and sea creatures aboard the boat.

I can't recommend this series enough, though I try to tell everyone I talk to how great it is!

Throne of Jade is the second novel in the Temeraire Series, currently at five novels. Set during the Napoleonic Wars (with dragons providing each country an air force), the Temeraire Series follows Captain Will Laurence and his dragon Temeraire, a powerful dragon of Chinese origin captured from the French as an egg.

Throne of Jade picks up shortly past where His Majesty's Dragon ends. The Chinese emperor is demanding Temeraire back, so he and Laurence must travel to China. The entire sequence leading to their departure left me more than a bit incredulous, but it gets better. The ship ride over is a cauldron of conflict. The Chinese do not trust the English and vice versa. Even amongst the English, there is animosity between the aviators and the sailors. We are taken far away from the action on the Continent but introduced to a remarkable new world.

Throne of Jade is again short on action (at least in the sense of actual battle), but the political tensions make up for it and the action sequences themselves are much improved from His Majesty's Dragon.

I thuroughly enjoyed In His Majesty's Service, and in the process came to love Naomi Novik's characters. I have always been interested in history and an avid fantasy reader. Novik marry's the two quite well...creating a seamless alternate history of the Napoleonic Wars. She has a knack for creating characters who live and breath, and you just want to be friends with; dragons included.

Sad to say, I think this attribute more than anything caries the second book. I liked it. I like some intrigue and politics, so a new take on Chinese culture and relations during this time was interesting to me. But the story lags greatly, as 4/5ths of the book are spent aboard the dragon transport. Some assassination attempts, storms and sea serpents help to carry things along, but overall the voyage is a bit on the dull side.

Once they reach China, however, Throne of Jade, really finds itself. Looking at Chinese culture through the lens of draconic existance was facinating and pulled off flawlessly. These last hundred or so pages are very strong. Relatively light on the action, but more heavy on the intrigue.

Still...it's Temeraire, so it will still enthrall and evoke some smiles...and in my case some saliva. Beware the food descriptions, especially for the Chinese New Year, they sound very good if you're reading on an empty stomach!

Naomi Novik, Throne of Jade (Del Rey, 2006)

Novik's Temeraire series (previously just a trilogy, but a fourth book came out on September 25, 2007) keeps going full-steam here, managing to avoid the middle-book doldrums entirely. Pretty amazing for a first-time writer attacking a fantasy epic, and all the more impressive for it.

In this episode, the Chinese have discovered that the English have captured Temeraire's egg, and they've sent a delegation headed up by the Emperor's second son to try and retrieve Temeraire himself. No one's happy with the compromise: Temeraire will head for China (which angers the English) with Laurence and the crew in tow (which angers the Chinese), the sole dragon on a transport that has to go all the way around Africa and up to China (which pretty much angers the entire Navy). At least Riley, Laurence's second from his final days in the Navy, gets the command... which should ease things, really, but it doesn't. And the journey is just the beginning of their troubles.

Novik knows how to write a swashbuckling tale, and this one's just as good as His Majesty's Dragon. As with that one, this is readable to the point where I finished it in a single day, something of a rarity for me (I usually switch off between four or five books and finish all of them in about a week's time). If you enjoyed the first one, you'll get just as much of a kick out of this one. ****

Still love the relationship between the dragon and the protagonist. They make this story. Temeraire the dragon continues to grow and change.

Much of the novel takes place on a ship to China, a while many things happen on the trip, much of the story is driven by the interaction of the people on the boat. Admittedly, I enjoy stories where people are contained, and much of the tension comes from their relationships and exchanges, so this was right up my alley.

Once they get to China, the action increases dramatically, nicely offset by the intensely different culture of China as compared to Regency Britain.

Looking forward to the next in the series.

Second in the Temeraire trilogy, this story begins shortly after the events in the preceding novel, His Majesty's Dragon. Novik again captures the period perfectly, seamlessly introducing her dragons into the Napoleanic Era.

Temeraire is a Celestial dragon, the most highly-prized of all draconian breeds; famed for their intelligence, agility, and most of all for the Divine Wind--their earth-shattering roar capable of sundering the heavy timbers of warships. He was meant to be the companion of Napolean himself, not to be a companion for a mere English officer.

The Chinese are very angry, and demand his return, forcibly separating him from Captain Laurence. Temeraire balks at the separation, and in a show of power, demolishes the building in which he is being held. In the end it is decided that Laurence will accompany him to China, where it is assumed that Temeraire will come to his senses.

On the journey, several attempts are made on Laurence's life to no avail. The plotting and machinations only become worse once they arrive in China as the Chinese use means both fair and foul try to come between Laurence and his dragon. Eventually a resolution is achieved that allows the pair to remain together formally.

Temeraire is astonished to find that dragons are honored members of society in China, earning their own money, and taught literacy. Being of a philosophical bent, this encourages him to speak out against the injustice done to the dragons of England much to Laurence's chagrin, as Laurence can't deny the inequity, even though Laurence is afraid that attempts at change will be futile.

Having discovered how much nicer life is in China for dragons, will Temeraire willingly return to England?

This episode has less focus on combat than the first, but still manages to provide enough action to be exciting. It also deepens and develops the relationship between Capt.

Laurence and Temeraire, adding depth and yet another dimension to the story.

Armchair Interviews says: Novik has written another highly character-driven novel, which keeps the pages turning as the reader has to discover what will happen next.

Throne of Jade is the second book in The Temeraire series by Naomi Novik which centers around the adventures of a dragon fighting in the Napoleonic Wars. In the first book of the series, His Majesty's Dragon, we were introduced to Temeraire, a just hatched rare dragon won from a French frigate by captain Laurence in the service of the Crown. Laurence is forced to join the dragon aerial corps as Temeraire has chosen him as his handler, and dragon's being very precious during wartime as powerful assets against Napoleon's own dragon and ship fleets. Temeraire undergoes great growth, both physically and affectionately, for Laurence which the captain also reciprocates, during their months of training and the hard fought battles afterwards, all leading to a decisive victory over the English Channel. The first book is very well rounded and intriguing, with endearing characters, realism yet wit, cohesiveness, and ties everything nicely and coherently as it should have.

Now to the Throne of Jade, which is the main subject of this review. There are many fans who will continue reading the series in spite of this book, because of the momentum established by the first. As objectively as I can see it, this book was clearly a rush job of some sort. There are many instances of run-ons, confusing punctuation, nonsensical sentences, repeating words next to each other, etc. that scream poor editing that the first book did not exhibit. These are just the small worries.

SPOILER ALERT

The larger issues are the many plot holes, complete omissions, disjointed and scatterbrained writing, lack of character development, and long periods of dragging and nothingness that plague the book. The biggest peeve that "rankled" me throughout the book was how the battle with the French convoy was completely cut short, with no details whatsoever about the second half nor Laurence even bothering to ask what had happened, making it seem almost inconsequential.

Then there was the atrociously long boat ride on the Allegiance that took nearly 75% of the book, that other reviewers have complained about. Beyond the handful of main characters constantly brooding and being in dismay, none of which seem to be lasting or of any consequence, the political interactions between them and the Chinese envoys make up much of the rest and are as interesting as watching paint dry, with no side yielding and no new revelations. The Chinese envoys themselves are emotionless and are one dimensional to a T. Laurence's inner dialogue and mind seems to lack any permanence throughout, like a goldfish or a dumb child, and is constantly baffled by the slightest things, seemingly devoid of any intelligent thought processes.

Once finally reaching China, many of the details of the country as well as the social hierarchy, the influence of dragons, and any semblance of order is sloppily and confusingly handled, or not well thought out. Temeraire's standing among the Chinese is unclear, whether he is a guest, or a member of the royal family, or what part of the social structure he inhabits, or why the Chinese even brought him here if they do not worship him like royalty but were so adamant to bring him back when they have no purpose for him once he arrives. The same can be said about the other imperial dragons, what status they hold, or even the princes themselves, as there is no order. Everyone is just running amok with no one in charge, doing as they please, with the allegedly hated foreigners running amok with them as well. It is unrealistically lax, with women running amok naked, vendor's not prostrating themselves to give their wares to a mighty Celestial, thugs running onto imperial grounds when they should be guarded at all times, many servants seeming too casual and not fearing for their life or the Chinese guillotine, all of which is like the author never bothered to research and is just forming her own machinations from bits and pieces of hearsay.

The book still, drags on for months within China as they sit idly waiting for the Emperor. There is one final battle that Laurence participates in, that pops out of nowhere and seems to serve no purpose as the mastermind would only have everything to lose from it and the book itself constantly discredits its merits. The battle is wholly fantasy, a dozen men trapped in one building against a gang of several hundred, with hundreds of the enemy dead afterward and only one British casualty, this battle lasting an entire night. The realism that Novik tries to portray so far throughout is destroyed in this one scene, not that it wasn't festering prior. Temeraire in a fit of rage kills the villain and his accomplices solely from suspicion, and the only insight we get to the true scheme, however unelaborate it may be, is the few conjectures that Hammond makes along with un-damning testimony by the younger prince, none of which make remotely a strong case nor does it seem there is really any sort of court or governing body or hierarchy when the three princes themselves seem only peripheral and whatever officials that will determine their innocence or their ability to establish an embassy is never mentioned. Laurence is adopted by the Emperor so easily as well. Apparently the entire Chinese court is as gullible as a dog waiting for some beggin strips or some pepperoni treats.

The imperial dragon family are barely glossed over, none seeming to have any personality. The short fight between Temeraire and Lien is also very contradictory. An albino female dragon, coddled since birth with no military training or experience, is able to make the first strike against Temeraire, as well as exceed him in speed and agility, while having naturally poor sight from her albinism. Ridiculous. The most grating is the end. When Temeraire gives an unconvincingly short speech for his reason to leave China, saying he wants to change the way dragons are treated in Britain. Not only have they never mentioned any strong bond between him and the dragons at home beyond vague comraderie, but Temeraire has been thoroughly one-track minded and selfish through the entire book, so why he suddenly cares about the others back in England makes no sense. He also so easily shoves off his affections for his mother, or even Mei, his first love, as if it was all inconsequential, and nonchalantly decides to go back.

I would also like to emphasize the scatterbrained and incomplete feeling every segment of the book feels, full of lost details, ambiguity, and curtailing. This book was a big disappointment, but I forced myself to endure it anyway, for what little interesting details it may have had, as well as it being Temeraire and the interesting premise. Hopefully the next book will be head and shoulders better.

If you've not read Namoi Novic's Temeraire series you've missed!! She writes so well and these dragons are not like any other dragons ever created....you'll want to start with the first book...they do stand alone but I can't imagine not starting at the beginning and following these amazing characters through each stage of their lives...Termeraire is one surprise after another and Will is perfect as his partner...though you will be in love with the dragons not not humans...LOL...sorry humans this time the dragons are the stars and they shine...each one of the dragons are well developed characters as are each of the human partners...these stories are all set during the Nepolenanic Wars and if you don't know that history you'll be running to find reference books about that too!! This story has Termeraire returning to his homeland and Will is a bit alone and sad while Temeraire learns his own culture and finds his own kind...lots of action and plenty of interaction with new and old friends and these characters will become your friends...as all great fantastic stories are this one leaves you wanting more and more...and Namoi Novic gives us more....so far each and every book has been wonderful...if you like fantastic stories these are for you!!

I really enjoyed the first book, but found myself really sludging through this one. I don't need a lot of action to stay interested, but there is not much going on in this book other than their day to day activities. Eating, sleeping, swimming, trying to communicate with people in various ways, staring at sky while stuck on a boat for several months, possible scheming going on but no one seems to really care...I could keep going with this list but I've probably bored you already, much like this book to me while reading it.

But, in spite of all that, I still have enough interest in this series to keep going, so the book is not a failure, just terribly dull.

The Chinese leadership is irate that not only does upstart Englishman Will Laurence bond until death with a rare Chinese Celestial Dragon Temeraire; he turned the intellectual dragon into a war beast of burden. Not wanting an incident with China as they already are at war with France, the British Admiralty Board acquiesces to the demands of Yongxing, brother to the Chinese Emperor and orders Will to separate from his soulmate. An irate Will refuses risking arrest and death. The English bureaucracy sees an escape for them without alienating the Chinese Emperor; they send Will and Temeraire to China for a final disposition.

On the treacherous sea voyage, monsters lurk, but to Will the most dangerous one is the sly Yongxing, who educates Temeraire on the life he missed as a venerated Celestial Dragon in the Forbidden City while teaching the dragon to speak and write Chinese. Will is perturbed by Yongxing's action, but can do little except trust his soulmate to stay with him. Yongxing also arranges for accidents to happen to Will for the Emperor's horrified brother believes the westerner mistreats this special dragon by using Temeraire in combat, but also sees the dragon as an opportunity to further his personal ambitions.

THRONE OF JADE is a great fantasy that complements the tremendous first novel, HIS MAJESTY'S DRAGON, as the story line cleverly explores human-dragon relationships and de jure and de facto inequality and injustice. Will and Temeraire debate the dragon lifestyle in England after seeing the abusive ugly slave trade on the West African coast and compare England to China where dragons reside freely in towns. Even Will begins to reassess whether his mate would be better off in China where Celestial Dragons are revered and other dragons treated with respect as equals. This cerebral emotional theme enhances a powerful action-packed tale in exotic locations.

Harriet Klausner

Imagine if the Napoleonic wars had been fought using an air force... of dragons.

That idea is the root of Naomi Novik's Temeraire series -- an alternate-history fantasy that explores the idea of a Horatio Hornbloweresque navy officer who suddenly finds a dragon uprooting his life. Novik stretches credibility here and there, but the first three volumes of her series are a solid, intelligent, often amusing adventure story.

"His Majesty's Dragon" enters the scene when Captain William Laurence's Reliant captures a French ship -- which turns out to have a dragon egg in its hold. And when the baby dragon hatches, it decides it wants Laurence and no other to be its rider.

Unfortunately, accepting the dragon (now named Temeraire) means giving up his Navy commission and joining the Air Corps -- especially since Temeraire violently rejects the idea of accepting another rider. Both rider and dragon have a lot of learning to do, especially since Laurence has some very unusual ideas about how to treat his dragon. But as the bond between them grows and Temeraire grows rapidly to maturity, the Napoleonic Wars are raging -- and Temeraire's true power hasn't yet been shown.

And in "Throne of Jade," an ill-tempered Chinese prince demands that Temeraire be returned to the Imperial family. Temeraire and Laurence are having none of that -- and when they can't tempt away Temeraire, both dragon and rider are sent to China, along with the prince and his entourage. But the journey is full of storms and assassinations, and China turns out to be no less dangerous as Laurence learns of plot around Temeraire.

Having returned from China, Laurence and Temeraire don't even get to go home before being thrown into "Black Powder War." They're sent straight to Istanbul to pick up three dragon eggs sold to England by the Ottoman Empire -- only to deal with deal with wild dragons (who alone make the book worth reading) a treacherous Sultan, and the vengeful albino dragon Lien.

The Temeraire series is what Christopher Paolini's books SHOULD have been -- a richly-drawn, intelligent series about the bond between a young man and his dragon. Novik still has some rough spots in her first three books ("His Majesty's Dragon" is rather short on plot, "Black Powder War" short on characterization) but they are undeniably fascinating meshes of what 19th century war would have been like if there had been dragons.

She conjures up a pretty fascinating world, giving dragons different breeds, quirks, biological features (they blast acid, fire, even sonic waves), and relationships with their riders (one poor little dragon whose rider treats him like a disposable vehicle). There's even some delving into dragon rights -- are the dragons being treated like slaves?

And despite long stretches of traveling over land and sea (often for months), Novik keeps it interesting with lush, detailed writing and some truly thrilling aerial battles aboard the vast dragons. On land, there's plenty of gentle comic relief ("I am afraid that some of them go there to drink, and keep low company." "Oh, you mean whores!") and lots of messy eating.

Temeraire and Laurence are a study in contrasts. The human is mannered, thoughtful and very tied to society's mores, while the dragon has a child's enthusiasm, curiosity, honesty and stubbornness (and frankly he's an adorable little dragon). There's also a colorful collection of supporting characters -- fellow Corps dragons Lily and Maximus, the malignant Prince Yongxhing, the mysterious Tharkay, and many others.

"Temeraire Volumes 1-3" is a solid trio of alternate history stories, with plenty of adventure, humour and a lot of lovable dragons. Definitely worth flying with.

Temeraire and Captain William Laurence are back for more draconic fun! Having successfully joined the British Arial Corps, one might wonder what lies in store for the dragon and his crew. More of the same, patrolling the English Channel against Napoleon? Wrong!

It turns out that Temeraire was meant to be a gift from the Chinese for Napoleon himself - and now that the English have him, the Chinese are none too happy. To try and calm them down, Captain Laurence and Temeraire agrees to take the journey to the far East. Unfortunately, Dragon Politics are never quite that simple...

In the first book, we saw England's view and treatment of dragons. Now in Throne of Jade, we see a whole new dragon culture. China has very different views of how dragons should be treated - respected, rather. The reader, Captain Laurence, and Temeraire himself all go through a bit of culture shock in just how differently dragons are treated.

What made His Majesty's Dragon so good comes back for more in the sequel. There is no incongruity in mixing dragons with the 1800's - everything is seamless, acting as if dragons have always been and always will be part of culture. Dragons can talk, but everyone knows that. They're not treated like space aliens, or battleships. Temeraire and the other dragons are treated as fully rounded characters.

If you enjoyed the first book at all, you'll definitely want to read this.

This follow-up to Novik's debut novel, "His Majesty's Dragon", has many of the same qualities as its predecessor: tightly-plotted action, rigorous historical authenticity of the period (the Napoleonic Wars), an emotionally vibrant bond between human and dragon, lovely prose style and the pleasures afforded when an ingenious writer can shape her creative additions to the known properties of the period. She has sense, which strikes me perhaps more than anything else, for everything she changes about the period -- usually to do with how dragons can exist in this world -- fits authentically with historical reality.

This novel follows swiftly from the action of the last novel, when a Chinese delegation demands the return of Temeraire to China, after his egg is captured on the way to France and hatched by a British Naval captain, Will Laurence, for he is apparently one of the rarest breeds of dragons, a Celestial; it is a grave thing to Chinese dignity to have Temeraire attached to a lowly British captain and used as a battle-dragon. Laurence and Temeraire are sent halfway around the world to a society much unknown to the Western world to defend their bond, and this threat of separation dominates the emotional life of the novel. This was one of my favorite things about "His Majesty's Dragon" -- that Temeraire doesn't just play the role of exotic beast of burden and battle, that he's as much of a personality as Laurence, if not more-so. Temeraire is an intriguing mix of innocence, for he is barely more than a year old, and rebellious curiosity, for he's extremely bright and constantly questions the reasons why everything is as it is and often doesn't buy into the reasoning. This makes for an interesting relationship, for Laurence is very much a man of his time, and his faith in the strictures and rules of society are sorely tested by Temeraire's more radical views. This is actually one of the important themes of the novel, how Temeraire's person-hood -- or rather, dragon-hood -- should be defined, and I can't go into it without being spoilery, but it resolves as satisfying on a personal level and difficult on a societal level, as these questions often do.

About the first 2/3s of the book take place aboard the ship to China and this makes for a very grim book. The wealth of detail Novik brings to life aboard ship is staggeringly impressive and accurate, and depressing. Life is lived on a thin measure, and it's pretty much the exact opposite of a modern leisure cruise; much of the action revolves around seven months of hard sailing, marked by incidents of violence, illness and excitement caused by weather. You can tell this is where her storytelling heart lies, as the China portion is less detailed and lingered over, somewhat to my regret. Though she acquits herself admirably, I've always had a thing for Pearl S. Buck and novels about that era in Chinese history, and I was half-wistful upon realizing how much of the novel revolved around life on the ship. Not my passion, but I was still transfixed while reading; I picked up the book about a quarter of the way through, late at night, meaning to read for about an hour and finally looked up around 4 a.m., totally unable to put it down till the finish. It's that much of a good, absorbing read.

She writes action and plot superbly well, and I love her main characters dearly, but what really impressed me the most was Novik's way of giving every character a feeling of validity. None of the bad guys are stereotypically bad -- not greedy and sadistic, or cartoonishly villainous. There is no great evil to be fought, but misunderstandings, prejudice, ignorance, differences of opinion, cultural clash: the kaleidoscope of human behavior that causes most of the world's ill. I can say that I truly understood every single character's motivations. Even though many of the events in the novel are violent and quite ugly (for conflict is the basis for drama), I got most of all a sense that Novik herself has compassionate understanding for every character under her hand. Everybody has their own point of view -- if we get to see it or not -- and she doesn't judge them for it, or portray them meanly, letting their actions speak for themselves. This really struck me at the end, when I realized the character whose fate broke my heart was a minor character that was arrayed on the side against Temeraire and Laurence. The emotion evoked is small and perfect and absolutely not manipulative; in keeping with the lack of melodramatic Evil (with a capital E), Novik doesn't blatantly tug at your heartstrings, but works on a smaller, consistent scale, but with no loss of poignancy or power.

I really cannot say too much about how I'm loving this series; I can't recommend it enough. Go, buy it!

The second Temeraire novel, this one is both slower-paced and more interesting than His Majesty's Dragon. The first book is so exploratory, going through the basic details of living with dragons and being a dragon, that not a lot else happens; this one moves on from there and has much more action, but at the same time, there is almost no dragon action in this book at all. So I can almost see being disappointed by the lack of flying combat -- though it does have a scene or two of that, definitely -- but I felt the opposite. I was impressed that the author could change gears so smoothly, and still stay true to the character and the basic feel of the first book. This is not a one-dimensional series, it seems, and I was very glad to see that. If I had a complaint, it would have to do with the long sea voyage that dominates so much of the book and allows for so little action as it is going on, but the quality of the writing never wavered, and the China section more than made up for any brief doldrums.

In this one, the Chinese try to get Temeraire back, because as a Celestial dragon, he is the rarest and finest type of dragon in the world, and they cannot abide the thought of him living beneath his station, being treated as an animal, used in warfare, and partnered with a lowly military officer. So right from the get-go, these people suck. The simplest answer is that Temeraire should be given his own freedom to choose what life he prefers, as allowing freedom of choice is the highest honor you can bestow; since they do not want him simply to choose, but want him to choose the life they want him to have, their whole argument rings hollow -- and it is hollow, as we find out by the end. But the bad part is that the British government, fearing China's power as a potential ally of Napoleon, gives in to whatever demand the Chinese envoy makes, up to and including separating Temeraire from Laurence and shipping the dragon back to China, bowing and scraping and apologizing all the way. So the British government sucks, too.

Luckily, though, Temeraire and Laurence don't suck, and so they act as they should -- Laurence determined to give Temeraire the chance to see all of his options, and the freedom to choose once he understands the choice before him, and Temeraire determined to stay with his dearest companion regardless of any blandishments or criticisms leveled at him -- and that makes the book a joy to read, as you keep nodding fiercely for Temeraire and Laurence, and shaking a fist at everyone else. The depictions of the historical peoples and societies were, to my unprofessional eyes, outstanding, and so this book has much more of the feel of an alternate history, or even just a historical novel, with the dragons interwoven seamlessly into the past of our world. It was great, and I can't wait to read the next book.

I really loved the first book in the trilogy, with the character development, love and camaraderie. The first book was great because you had the underdog Laurence and Temeraire trying to fit in and succeeding in their new societies and discovering their affection for one another. However, for most of this book, everybody is on a ship, Laurence and Temeraire barely speak to each other, Temeraire barely gets to fly at all, the aviators and sailors hate each other and both hate the Chinese delegation, and even when they arrive in China, the Chinese Celestrial dragons seem like cardboard characters. We never got to hear any interesting conversations between Temeraire and his Celestial relatives. All and all, I was disappointed in the second book. In this book, there didn't seem to be anyone to cheer for. Laurence was either sick/injured or in an absolute fury of anger, Riley was cold and stubborn (and not at all like the third lieutenant of the first book), Temeraire was silent and thinking rebellious thoughts, the aviator crew never got into harness and the Chinese people were difficult to differentiate and emotionless. I hope the next book is better.