Throne of Jade
Encyclopedia
Throne of Jade is the second novel in the Temeraire
alternate history/fantasy
series by American author Naomi Novik
.
The story is set during an alternate history version of the Napoleonic Wars
, in which dragon
s not only exist but are used as a staple of aerial warfare in Asia
and Europe
. The dragons of the story are portrayed as sapient and intelligent, capable of logical thought and human speech. The series centers primarily on events involving Temeraire (the titular dragon) and his handler, William Laurence. The first book of the series centered on how Laurence, formerly a Captain in the Royal Navy
, becomes Temeraire's handler, and their early training in preparation for battles against Napoleon
's aerial fleet.
to Napoleon, Emperor of the French. As a mere commoner, it is the position of the Chinese that Laurence is not worthy of Temeraire.
After several attempts to convince Laurence and the Royal Aerial Corps to return Temeraire to China fail, the Chinese and the British agree to have Temeraire and his flight crew — including Laurence — accompany the Imperial envoys back to China. As the land routes are deemed unsafe, the Navy has a dragon transport ferry the Celestial and his crew on a voyage to China. During the voyage, attempts are made on the life of Laurence in order to remove him from Temeraire. In addition, political machinations on the part of the British, French, and Chinese are discovered that threaten the position of Britain in the East, as well as the stability of the Chinese throne.
After their arrival in China, more direct attempts are made on Laurence's life, including a confrontation with the brother of the Emperor and a Celestial dragon that is Temeraire's cousin, Lien. Following these events, in a move to resolve the issues with Laurence's social status, as well as easing relations with Britain, the emperor of China himself adopts the Captain into his family.
Temeraire (series)
The Temeraire series of novels by Naomi Novik is composed of His Majesty's Dragon , Throne of Jade, Black Powder War, Empire of Ivory, Victory of Eagles, and Tongues of Serpents...
alternate history/fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
series by American author Naomi Novik
Naomi Novik
Naomi Novik is an American novelist. She is a first-generation American; her father is of Lithuanian Jewish ancestry, and her mother is an ethnic Pole. She studied English Literature at Brown University, and holds a Master's degree in Computer Science from Columbia University...
.
The story is set during an alternate history version of the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, in which dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
s not only exist but are used as a staple of aerial warfare in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The dragons of the story are portrayed as sapient and intelligent, capable of logical thought and human speech. The series centers primarily on events involving Temeraire (the titular dragon) and his handler, William Laurence. The first book of the series centered on how Laurence, formerly a Captain in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, becomes Temeraire's handler, and their early training in preparation for battles against Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
's aerial fleet.
Synopsis
After defeating Napoleon's forces at the battle of Dover, Laurence and Temeraire are confronted by envoys from Imperial China. The Chinese are eager to get their rare Celestial dragon back from the British. It is discovered that Temeraire was a gift from the Jiaqing EmperorJiaqing Emperor
The Jiaqing Emperor was the seventh emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1796 to 1820....
to Napoleon, Emperor of the French. As a mere commoner, it is the position of the Chinese that Laurence is not worthy of Temeraire.
After several attempts to convince Laurence and the Royal Aerial Corps to return Temeraire to China fail, the Chinese and the British agree to have Temeraire and his flight crew — including Laurence — accompany the Imperial envoys back to China. As the land routes are deemed unsafe, the Navy has a dragon transport ferry the Celestial and his crew on a voyage to China. During the voyage, attempts are made on the life of Laurence in order to remove him from Temeraire. In addition, political machinations on the part of the British, French, and Chinese are discovered that threaten the position of Britain in the East, as well as the stability of the Chinese throne.
After their arrival in China, more direct attempts are made on Laurence's life, including a confrontation with the brother of the Emperor and a Celestial dragon that is Temeraire's cousin, Lien. Following these events, in a move to resolve the issues with Laurence's social status, as well as easing relations with Britain, the emperor of China himself adopts the Captain into his family.