The Throne of Jade, by Naomi Novik

It takes quite a long time to actually get to China and the jade throne of the title, in this sequel to Temeraire, almost two-thirds of the book. Along the way are adventures and misadventures galore before the young dragon encounters his origins and must decide where his future lies. The Temeraire series has all the elements required for a great read – dragons, battles, culture clashes and alt history. Somehow it falls short and the story tends to drag in places. Possibly it’s because the main character, William Laurence, is not very interesting. He anchors the story as a naval officer, turned accidental aeronaut, in the early 19th century. But his character is totally reactive, serving as a foil to the almost childlike dragon and as a kind of interpreter of his times. He is a thoroughly decent and honourable man, with little light or shade. He generates goodwill in the reader, but not passionate attachment as with the feisty heroines of Novik’s other books. She does a good job depicting the developing relationship between man and beast, as Laurence comes to terms with Temeraire growing up. She throws in a teaser at the end that hints at the dragon becoming an activist, which could be tricky in the aftermath of the French Revolution with a government crackdown on dissent. It could be a girl thing, it could be a war thing, but this series just does not hold the appeal of feminist folk tales or murderous schools of magic. With many more books to come, perhaps persistence will pay off.