Throne of Jade (The Temeraire Series, Book 2)

Throne of Jade

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He and Temeraire, the hatchling, are a team now, and at the opening of Throne of Jade, he won't accept that the admiralty wants to send Temeraire back to China and him, Laurence, to trick the dragon into going. But Temeraire, it turns out, is a Celestial, hence among the very finest of dragons, and the Chinese ambassador insists he be returned. Temeraire agrees to go only if Laurence does, too, and after an adventurous transit--transporting dragons by sea from England to China with eighteenth-century sailing technology is no picnic--the English party arrives to face the intrigues of the Chinese court.

The court is an eye-opener for the aviators. Dragons aren't treated as servants or beasts of burden, as they are in Europe, but as lords and princes.

Temeraire, or Lung Tien Xiang, is an imperial prince, with kin in Peking. But Cain and Abel also exist among dragons, and a trail of intrigue begun in London excitingly climaxes at the imperial court. Would you like to tell us about a lower price? If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support? Learn more about Amazon Prime. 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. Read more Read less. Prime Book Box for Kids. Add all three to Cart Add all three to List. Buy the selected items together This item: Ships from and sold by Amazon.

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A kingdom in turmoil or the love of her life: Throne of Glass meets Game of Thrones in this romantic epic fantasy series. Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. Read reviews that mention throne of jade majesty dragon laurence and temeraire naomi novik napoleonic wars captain laurence black powder powder war second book book in the series well written dragons are treated celestial dragon alternate history look forward character development takes place sea voyage second novel looking forward.

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Mass Market Paperback Verified Purchase. Temeraire is wonderful as always and in this book we see the gradual maturing of our dear dragon. Novik does a fantastic job of entwining the reader's feelings in with the dragon's. When he was discontented, so was I.

And the same went for when he was curious or happy or protective of our dear Laurence. I especially feel this heartbreak for the albino dragon What will happen to her, can't the British take her home with them??? And so on, and so on We also lost some people in battles, but it is war, I guess The weird thing about this book is that it is not chock full of action, has many sections of slow development, and plenty of descriptions, but in spite of all that, I could not put it down! It is engaging and compelling and I am a fan!

I am definitely continuing with the series: View all 9 comments. Once again, I have to admonish my past self for only giving this second Temeraire book a measly 3 stars. But for whatever reason, I am glad that I got the reread under my belt, as this deserves more than 3 stars for sure. It may not be a 5 star read, and also isn't quite as good as His Majesty's Dragon , but it's still a fantastic Once again, I have to admonish my past self for only giving this second Temeraire book a measly 3 stars.

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It may not be a 5 star read, and also isn't quite as good as His Majesty's Dragon , but it's still a fantastic read. Unfortunately, things are off to a much slower start this time around, as we join Laurence and Temeraire in the middle of negotiations with China Through a series of various events Lawrence ends up heading to China as a quasi-ambassador, joining Chinese nobility and various other characters for the long journey across the waves.

Many characters are brought into the fold here, some new, some old, and with the Chinese added to the mix, the stage is set for some volatile situations. China wants the dragon back, the British military just wants to appease the Chinese government, and Laurence is caught in the middle, bound by duty to his country, but unwilling to lose his dragon companion.

Naomi Novik tries every trick in the book to keep the journey interesting, and is mostly successful. But it's a long journey, and despite her best efforts, things drag somewhat.

Throne of Jade (The Temeraire Series, Book 2)

Once they've reached the mainland, their tale picks up a bit, but this second book is more of a "fill in some of the gaps" effort than an action-packed spectacle. I am assuming that some of the political and social views on dragons are introduced here so they can make an impact on the British dragons in future novels. Which is fine by me, as I was very taken by the roles of dragons in Chinese society. While a full-fledged character in the first book, Temeraire really gets to shine here. As he matures and learns more about the world around him, the more he questions why things are the way they are, and what his true place is in all of it.

This also helps further along Laurence's own internal changes and struggles, as he starts to adopt more of Temeraire's progressive leanings.

Some of the supporting characters are brought back into the spotlight here as well, which helps immerse the reader into the story. I wish that the Chinese had been given a bit more character, but all in all, everyone is well realized. Battles are few and far between, but are excellently rendered.

Naomi Novik knows her stuff, and the danger that our heroes are in is never understated. The last time I read this series, I only made it to this book, so from here on out I'll be in uncharted territory. And that's perfectly fine by me, as I can't wait to be surprised and dazzled by what comes next!

Mar 03, Robyn rated it really liked it Shelves: This one was rather like war - long stretches of boredom punctuated by insane action. I kid, a little - I actually love the slowness of these books, but this one did have me wondering at the overall plot. Nonetheless, lots of fun! Dec 02, Sofia rated it it was ok Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. There will be serious spoilers in this review.

It's just not good enough. I loved His Majesty's Dragon , I really did. I loved the setting, the world, the action, and most of all, the characters.

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It was epic, and emotional, and nerve-wrecking, and fun. Throne of Jade are all of those things as well. Just not all the time. Actually, not even most of the time. It drags, is what I'm saying. The bigger part of There will be serious spoilers in this review. The bigger part of the book is spent during the eight months that it takes for Laurence and Temeraire to get to China.

Okay, I know eight months is a long time, and if Naomi Novik was trying to get across just HOW long, then she really succeeded. I feel like several large chunks could have been cut out; there was so much that didn't further the story, so much meandering and repetition: But, worst of all by far, is that after that longass trip to China, the actual events IN China are rushed! Are you actually serious? BTW, don't expect an explanation why it's called the Throne of Jade: As of right now, I'm not even sure it's actually called 'the Throne of Jade'.

Novik might just have used it because it sounds epic. Ah yes, the part in China is rushed. And I mean it: Temeraire gets a love interest it's even hinted that they have sex! Suddenly, she's just there. The same goes for the crown-prince of China, who's supposedly an important character, but I don't think he had a single line. Laurence and his men are attacked by some group from a province that had never been introduced , and on top of that, they never step back after the attack and honestly ask 'Wait, why where those people after us?

And it just goes on and on like that: Novik hints at things which seem interesting, but she never fucking develops them. Instead, she focuses on a few simple things, and it gets boring. But, you know, I'm a pretty forgiving fellow. Even with all these flaws, I would have been able to give this book 3,5 starts. I'm so sorry, no. Because on top of all these flaws, there were the little things. You know what I'm talking about, fellow readers and reviewers; the little things that doesn't quite ring true to you; the little things that grinds at you and can be outright aggravating if stumbled upon too many times.

Throne of Jade is full of those little things. Most prominently, there is something slightly off about Laurence and Temeraire. Oh, he makes a big show of standing up to the Chinese when they try to separate him from his dragon, but when it comes to stuff like the diplomacy and relations and, y'know, the stuff that actually matters, he doesn't really try to understand anything! At times, his allies sit at the same table and discuss political elements and moves that directly affects him and Temeraire, yet he doesn't seem to care.

Yeah, well, in this book, he practically murders another dragon's rider right before her eyes, and doesn't seem to have any qualms about it. He kills a sea serpent that's trying to eat the crew of his ship, and it tears him up completely. Yet when it comes to another dragon - his cousin, at that - losing her rider, he just snorts at her. The climax is another one of those little things: We know Novik can write kick-ass battle-scenes, so why is this so unimaginative?

Also, why the fuck does Laurence stay for the fight?! I know he's Temeraire's rider and everything, but someone just tried to assasinate him! Yet everybody, including Grandby, who's been very protective of Laurence this whole book, just leaves him there alone! Umm, guys, what if the assassin had a companion or a backup-plan? Nobody's worried about that? Oh, and at the end, Laurence is adopted by the insanely traditional, suspicious-of-strangers royal family. It fits because the hippo kinda talks like the people in this series! I will continue with this series, but something had to change, or I'll leave it!

I really hope something will change, though Please, Black Powder War , please be good! Jan 16, Johanna rated it liked it Shelves: What can I say about this? It goes on as the first book ended and in the same style. To me it feels like the Temeraire series is a gigantic road trip. The plot isn't really there. My biggest gripe is actually the lack of real plot.

On occasion What can I say about this? On occasion it's just very boring. Which on the other hand, makes it a very relaxing read The relationship between Temeraire and Lawrence is perfect, just as it used to be in the first book. And I really really really want a dragon as a pet now! Nada emocionante en esta segunda entrega. No malo, malo, pero olvidable. No sigo con la saga. Jul 16, Kaethe rated it it was amazing Shelves: Novik goes from strength to strength.

Because Temeraire is naive but intelligent, she has the opportunity to question all the wrongs of Regency British society and colonialism, and to defend them according to the beliefs of the time. Maybe there are other writers who can evoke so much about time and place and character from the difficulty of finding suitable evening wear, but most writers overlook such prosaic material, particularly in a series that has war and adventure at its core.

Brilliant s Novik goes from strength to strength. Brilliant stuff, deeply layered and truly thoughtful. I want to downgrade everything else, in order to give Novik more stars. Somewhere in the course of reading this one, I became convinced that the dragons aren't based on humans, but on cats. Maybe that's because I was sick, and covered with sleeping cats, but it still seems plausible to me.

There's something different about them. Jun 04, Skyeofskynet rated it it was ok Shelves: Apr 05, Glee rated it really liked it. That are good for you. I kinda want to give them 5-stars, and maybe I should, but reading them tires me in some way. Maybe that is because I stay up late into the wee hours reading them. I really like inserting dragons into history, and this series does it well. But it is much more than just making sense and fun of Victorian sensibilities.

Actually, the author does a very good job of putting you inside the head of someone who believes dearly in honor, the Crown, and the superiority of British civilization, while having him over time come to the realization that many of these very conventional foundations are rotten. Civil rights for dragons. So, enjoyable and a lot of food for thought. Will Laurence, the annoyingly endearing British Naval officer converted to dragon handler, is moving through a lot of evidence to refute his heretofore unassailable belief in everything he has held dear and it will be interesting to see if he will use this knowledge to better the situation of dragons and women in Britain, or at least try.

And for his dragon Temeraire, this is a nice if very unusual coming-of-age story…. I look forward to the other books in the series, but I need a break from dragons for a couple of days…the necessary slaughter of many beeves, sheep, and tunnies tuna that is required to sustain dragons wears on me. View all 3 comments. Oct 14, Book Concierge rated it really liked it Shelves: Now a delegation arrives demanding the return of the Celestial dragon, which, by tradition, can only belong to a member of the royal family. But Capt Laurence is not about to turn Temeraire over; and the dragon does not want to be parted from his beloved Laurence.

So the two travel to the Far East to plead their case. The voyage is long and there are several serious mishaps, but when they finally arrive at the court of the Chinese emperor, they find even more intrigue. But a friend whose opinion I trust persuaded me to give it a try, and I loved it. Now, I think I am hooked on the series. Novik does a great job imagining a fantasy scenario where dragons are part of the Air Corps, while also keeping the reader in a circa time frame. The battle scenes are exciting, and the intrigue builds suspense.

I really like the growing relationship between Temeraire and Capt Laurence. Temeraire is growing and maturing, and shows great loyalty to Laurence. Simon Vance is marvelous voicing the audio book.

And I love the voice he uses for Temeraire. Jan 25, Cathy cathepsut rated it liked it Shelves: Apparently this picks up right where the first book ended. It's been five years, sounds about right from what I remember. Old-fashioned feel to it, meshes well with other period-dramas I have read of that time. The naval jargon sounds true. I like that there are different types of dragons, it gives lots of options and keeps them interesting. Excellent world-building, great scenic descriptions. Good fight and battle scenes. However, there can be too much of a good thing.

So much detail all the time got a bit boring and I did some skimming to get to the more action-packed bits faster. Those were always excellent. The plot as such was good, but there were no great surprises. The characters were all pretty formulaic and stereotypical. None of them went through any noteworthy growing pains. The writing, in tune with the period, felt so old-fashioned, that I never managed to develop an emotional attachment to Laurence or Temeraire. And all other charaters were merely decorative anyway. I read through the blurbs of all consecutive novels and quite a few of the reviews.

Each book seems to be covering another continent and in at least every other book Laurence seems to be threatened with court-martial and an excecution. Sounds a bit tedious. Eventually I might be tempted to read the next book. In a few months. While the pace of the book was considerably slower than in the first one, I still enjoyed it immensely. The journey to China was long but it paid off, since we learned a lot about the history and characteristics of dragons.

It definitely had a more scholar feeling to it, especially near the end. This is the second book in the Temeraire series. The first book in a series has an advantage, at least in my case. I really enjoyed this book. I This is the second book in the Temeraire series. This book has some similarities, structure-wise, with the first book. It tells a complete story, with the main problems wrapped up by the end. Another similarity is that the second half is quite a bit more action-heavy than the first half, and I enjoyed both halves.

I did think the ending was too abrupt. Instead, everything was wrapped up really fast. The earlier parts of the book covered events in far more detail, so I think that made the fast ending seem more jarring. I liked the way things ended, I just wish it had been drawn out a little more, with some more details and events to help me buy into it better.

The next minute Laurence was attacked again and Temeraire immediately went after Yongxing based on the pure speculation he had just overhead. Then the next minute Yongxing is dead, some time passes "off page", and we find out their speculations were correct. Jul 24, Jamie Collins rated it really liked it Shelves: This second book in the series is very entertaining. I'm impressed with Novik's writing. The plot is much less predictable this time around and the action scenes are nicely timed. I do have to say that her portrayal of dragons isn't my ideal. The dragons in this series think and act almost exactly like humans, whereas I would expect them to have a less fathomable intelligence and a vastly different worldvi This second book in the series is very entertaining.

The dragons in this series think and act almost exactly like humans, whereas I would expect them to have a less fathomable intelligence and a vastly different worldview. But then my concept of dragons was perhaps fixed by the Pern books which I read at an impressionable age.

Throne of Jade (The Temeraire Series, Book 2) - Naomi Novik - eBook

I just found myself being bored, although I will admit that the ending was pretty great. I understand that sea voyages are not that interesting and the writer tried to make it better by making random battles, but it just didn't work for me. During the battles a lot of minor charachters died, and I felt like we were supposed to be sad about their deaths, but they hadn't been in the book long enough to actually 3.

During the battles a lot of minor charachters died, and I felt like we were supposed to be sad about their deaths, but they hadn't been in the book long enough to actually feel sad about it.

The Throne of Jade

The fact that it's the real world with real countries and the war between Napoleon and Britain is something I really enjoyed and the relationship between Temeraire and Laurence is great. Instead of consoling Temeraire, Laurence tells him that it was an unintelligent beast and what Temeraire did was a good thing. It serves as a good plotpoint to make Temeraire like the Chinese more which is not that great but also not that bad in my opinion. She ate four people and killed six other men. Not seals, and plainly not dumb beasts; if she were intelligent, it would have been inhuman- uncivilized.

You may as well say, that if a creature will not serve people, and learn their habits, it is not intelligent, and had just as well be killed. However, after seeing how much better the Chinese treat their dragons, he alters his opinion. I know the Chinese were supposed to be disliked during the book, but I actually liked the way they treated their dragons: Things I didn't like that much - the whole "women aren't allowed to be aviators" plot.

So I know this series takes place in a time period where it is illegal to work, or fight as a women. I realize that and like that this was kept in the book. Laurence is appalled in the beginning, which is completely normal and I don't dislike him for that. What I do dislike is that these women can still be punished when they are found out, so their gender is concealed.

Why do they not let the government know that Longwings only take on female aviators? Wouldn't it be easier to just ask to pass a law where a certain amount of women are allowed to be trained every year like each year there are a couple of girls allowed to start their first year of training so the Longwings, some of the strongest dragons Britain has, have aviators? And no one gets punished when they find them in male clothing? They can't get rid of the women because that would diminish the strength of Britain's army - Temeraire is supposed to be one of the smartest breeds of dragons there are, but a lot of his decisions are made purely based on his emotions.

Not trough logical thinking. I understand he's young and dragons minds don't work the same way as humans do, but you'd think he'd be a bit smarter. Dec 21, AH rated it liked it Shelves: Tall sail ships sailed across sea monster infested waters. Imagine this world with dragons — all kinds of dragons. Dragons of every size, color, and ability.

Intelligent dragons that are used as an air force. This is the world of Throne of Jade. Celestial dragons are a very rare breed and have the ability to literally blow you away with their roar. Much politicking ensues and Captain Laurence is told to lie to Temeraire so that the young dragon will cooperate and return to China. Of course, our young dragon is a little bit of a rebel and he refuses to cooperate so Captain Laurence and his entourage escort the Chinese delegation back to China by ship.

A good portion of the book takes place on the ship. At times, the narrative is very slow. There are some humorous moments when the cultural differences between the Chinese and English are highlighted. During a formal dinner between the Chinese and the English officers, the English were expected to use chopsticks which resulted in food everywhere.

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The English are not used to all the strange ingredients that the Chinese cooks use. I found it interesting when the Chinese catch and dispose of shipboard rats, the British sailors are upset because later on in a voyage, those same rats could provide food for the crew. Long ship voyages lead to some very interesting situations. Did you know that dragons can catch colds? A memorable moment occurred when Temeraire was surprised to find out that humans do not hatch out of eggs, resulting in the where do babies come from question expertly deflected by Captain Laurence.

There be sea monsters, too!

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