by Naomi Novik
First published 2012
Captain Will Laurence and his dragon Temeraire find themselves exiled to Australia, their military careers seemingly finished. The war against Napoleon rages on without them while British officials question their loyalty. The French have formed an alliance with the African Tswana empire and seized Spanish territory. Revolution spreads through Brazil, where the Tswana have trapped the Portuguese royal family in Rio. Britain's government suddenly needs Laurence and Temeraire again. They offer to restore Laurence's rank if he can negotiate peace with the Tswana. Temeraire celebrates this change in their fortunes, but Laurence knows the dangers of serving a country that distrusts him. Their mission to Brazil goes wrong from the start. Disasters force them to land in Incan territory, where new threats await. The mission teeters on failure when an old enemy appears. Yet even in the midst of catastrophe, a chance for success might emerge for those brave enough to seize it.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, 19th-century, alternate-history
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Australia, Brazil, Incan Territory
Period: 19th-century
325 pages · Hardcover · Random House