2019/22: Empire of Ivory -- Naomi Novik

...we are very tired and have come to London only because our friends are sick and have been left to starve and die in the cold, because the Admiralty will do nothing to make them more comfortable. [loc. 1000]

In which Temeraire and Laurence go to Africa, and then to the darkest point of the series. I think this might be the best-constructed of the novels, and the most affecting, though it is hard to like wholeheartedly as it's so dark.

Temeraire and Laurence, returning from Prussia, find that a plague has afflicted all the British dragons: many have died, and the rest are crippled by a consumptive illness.

Due to the death of the previous 'flag-dragon', Jane Roland, with whom Laurence has an understanding, has been made Admiral. giving further opportunity for Laurence to reexamine his ingrained sexism. She sends Laurence, Temeraire and the rest of Temeraire's formation to Capetown in the hope of locating a cure for the plague: but that cure is in the possession of the Tswana, a confederation of clans who regard dragons as reincarnations of their ancestors, and who are deeply enraged by the slave trade.

There is a great deal happening in this novel, and Novik carries it off splendidly. There is (relatively) light relief in the pregnancy of Catherine Harcourt, another dragon-captain -- further attitude-adjustment for Laurence, who is appalled to realise that Jane has been practicing contraception. ("‘I damned well hope you have been taking precautions? But I am sure Roland knows her business,’ Warren added, without waiting for reply. Just as well, for Laurence had never been asked a question he would have less liked to answer. It had abruptly and appallingly illuminated certain curious habits of Jane’s, which he had never thought to question, and explained her regular consultations of the calendar." [loc. 2596].

There is ample opportunity for Temeraire to display independence, loyalty, possessiveness and affection. And there are vivid depictions of the horrors of genocide, slavery and disease.

Once again Laurence is forced to make momentous decisions: and whether he has changed over the course of the novels, or whether Temeraire's influence on him has increased, or whether this dilemma is so stark as to permit only one 'right' course of action, is a question I'm still pondering. (I'm inclined to say 'all of the above'.)

The climax of the novel, which I shan't discuss in detail, is truly shocking, and I am so very glad that I had the next volume lined up, because Empire of Ivory ends on an appalling, and very dark, cliffhanger.