2019/21: Black Powder War -- Naomi Novik

[Laurence] would have willingly accepted anything short of treason or dishonor to avoid being parted from Temeraire. [loc. 211]

In which Laurence and Temeraire take the Silk Road from China to Istambul, and then travel onwards to Prussia.

They are accompanied by the mysterious Tharkay, half-British and half-Asian (and half-trustworthy, it seems to Laurence): it is he who brings their latest set of orders, which involve collecting three dragon eggs from the Sultan in Istanbul. En route they encounter feral dragons, and discover that there is a 'native' dragon language. Temeraire takes this as yet further evidence that dragons should not be treated as mere animals. He is determined to return to Britain to educate his peers, and the Admiralty -- and vastly disappointed in Laurence for urging caution and tact.

Things do not go according to plan in Istambul (Novik achieves awful poignancy here) and the party are forced to flee, leaving behind the never-really-resolved issue of what happened to confound the deal. (I don't think it needed resolution, to be honest, but I was aware that no resolution was offered.) And Temeraire also has to face an implacable enemy.

North to Prussia, and an extended sequence of aerial and land battles: Laurence also has an opportunity to do great good, but cannot honourably take that opportunity. This is especially vexing in the light of subsequent novels.

Apart from the interlude in Istambul -- which I enjoyed greatly, and found very moving at its climax -- this volume feels, in hindsight, as though it's primarily travelogue and military campaign. I think I'm doing it a disservice, because several delightful characters are introduced herein, and there are many lovely details (some dragons are observant Muslims, for instance): but it didn't engage me as much as the previous volume.