This third volume of the Temeraire series sees Laurence, Temeraire, and their crew setting out on the hazardous flight from Macao to Istanbul. Their orders are to collect three dragon eggs purchased by Britain from the Turkish Empire for half a million pounds. Their route takes them through feral dragon territory following the advice of a mysterious and possibly traitorous guide, Tharkay. This man becomes the least of their problems when they do finally reach the Turkish capital to find the British ambassador dead and the British payment missing. I am so impressed by the scope and inventiveness of these books. This is the first long fantasy series I've been really invested in in a long time- I read nothing but fantasy for approximately five years and for a while was really burned out on the whole genre. The way these stories are woven in with well-researched history, the dirt and grit of travel and war, and the growing political awareness of Temeraire and Laurence have me hooked. I'm so glad there are six more books to go!