Temeraire and Laurence's adventures continue as they travel on to China.
What annoys me a lot in this book is the time spent narrating the actual process of getting to China. I swear this takes up almost half the book, and not much happens in these pages. But once we get to China, the story really picks up.
My favorite aspect of the book is the comparison between the east and the west in their treatment of dragons. In China, dragons are allowed to walk the streets and otherwise treated as intelligent beings. Using Temeraire's breed in war is totally taboo, and the Chinese are outraged that he is being used so. Temeraire himself is torn between the two societies: he is passionate about warfare, but he also wishes to be treated with respect rather than as an animal. He seeks to bring these changes when/IF (another point of conflict) he comes back to Britain.
The series still brings action and emotion and now it is further layered with ethics. I don't enjoy this book as much as the first because of the sometimes slow pace.
4/5
Book obtained through paperbackswap.com
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