Throne of Jade

Captain Will Laurence and his dragon Temeraire have just helped drive Napoleon's forces back at Dover when envoys from the Chinese Empire arrive with a demand. Temeraire is a Celestial, a rare breed kept for Chinese royalty, and his egg was intended for Napoleon. Laurence, a commoner, was never meant to have him.

Britain does not want to offend a distant power and agrees to return the dragon. Laurence refuses to be parted from his friend and sails east with him on the transport HMS Allegiance.

The voyage goes wrong early. An attempt is made on Laurence's life, illness moves through the dragons on board, and it becomes clear that British, French and Chinese interests are all working around the ship. This is an alternate-history adventure, with sea travel followed by court intrigue.

In China, Temeraire finds that dragons are respected citizens with far more freedom than they have in Britain. Laurence has to learn the language, make sense of imperial politics and stay alive through further attacks. Prince Yongxing, the envoy who has followed them throughout, holds the answer that forces Laurence to weigh his country against his dragon.