When Britain intercepted a French ship and its precious cargo–an unhatched dragon’s egg–Capt. Will Laurence of HMS Reliant unexpectedly became master and commander of the noble dragon he named Temeraire. As new recruits in Britain’s Aerial Corps, man and dragon soon proved their mettle in daring combat against Bonaparte’s invading forces.

Now China has discovered that its rare gift, intended for Napoleon, has fallen into British hands–and an angry Chinese delegation vows to reclaim the remarkable beast. But Laurence refuses to cooperate. Facing the gallows for his defiance, Laurence has no choice but to accompany Temeraire back to the Far East–a long voyage fraught with peril, intrigue, and the untold terrors of the deep. Yet once the pair reaches the court of the Chinese emperor, even more shocking discoveries and darker dangers await.

From the Paperback edition.

From Bookmarks Magazine

It's tough to top the novelty of a new series, especially one that intermingles historical fiction and high fantasy. If reviewers aren't as agog over this new installment, write it off to familiarity, not boredom. Like any good middle of a trilogy, relationships are deepened, new characters are introduced, and novel plot twists set up a run toward the finale, Black Powder War—which, thanks to an aggressive publishing schedule, has already come out in hardcover. Throne of Jade is a solid second entry in what is shaping up to be an intriguing series.

Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.