Blood of Tyrants
First edition cover
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| Author | Naomi Novik |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Temeraire |
| Genre | Alternate history novel |
| Publisher | Voyager Books |
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Publication date
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August 2013 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) e-Book (Kindle, nook) Audio book |
| Pages | 431 pages |
| ISBN | |
| Preceded by | Crucible of Gold |
| Followed by | League of Dragons |
Blood of Tyrants is the eighth novel in the Temeraire alternate history/fantasy series by American author Naomi Novik. It was first published by Voyager Books in August 2013. This installment features the adventures of William Laurence and his dragon, Temeraire, in Japan, China, and Russia, as they attempt to muster up new allies in the year 1812.
William Laurence awakens on the shores of Japan. He finds himself in great confusion: afflicted with retrograde amnesia, he remembers nothing of how he came to know Chinese nor how he arrived on these shores. He is brought before the local magistrate, Kaneko Hiromasa, and kept in genteel imprisonment for straying outside Nagasaki, the sole port currently open to European traders. Temeraire, meanwhile, works with the other dragons of his formation to put to rights the Potentate, their dragon transport, which has run aground on a reef during a storm. Having made the ship seaworthy again, they set sail for Nagasaki, where diplomat Arthur Hammond wishes to make some overtures and to locate Laurence. They receive assistance in this matter from a friendly American dragon, John Wampanoag, a merchant captain attempting to expand his business into Japan. However, the only word is that Laurence has escaped: as Kaneko broke the law in giving shelter to a foreigner, his young retainer, Junichiro, absconded with Laurence to protect his master's honor. Temeraire feels additionally slowed by concern for Iskierka, who, after their mating in the previous novel, has produced an egg which must be cared for.
Through a series of misadventures involving timber for Potentate's repairs, ongoing dragon surveillance and a lot of Western posturing, Laurence and Temeraire eventually reunite, but Temeraire is dismayed to learn that Laurence has no memory of him, and Laurence dismayed to learn that, in the eight years lost from his memory, he became a member of the Aerial Corps. Though the two quickly renew their friendship, the other captains remain stilted in Laurence's company, talking around subjects which would potentially cause him discomfort. However, Laurence applies himself willingly to the diplomatic mission at hand: he, an honorary son of the Jiaqing Emperor, is to visit Peking in hopes of forming an alliance between China and the United Kingdom. No sooner has he arrived than he is swept up in local politics; conservatives are attempting to assassinate the heir to the throne, Prince Mianning (the future Daoguang Emperor), using Western decoys as their catspaws. Temeraire is also concerned to learn that Lung Tien Chuan, his twin brother and one of only eight Celestials alive, has died of poisoning. This assassination has attacked Mianning's legitimacy, as an Emperor must have a Celestial companion and there are now none to spare; to this end, Temeraire consents to couple with Lung Qin Mei, an Imperial he had grown fond of during his last sojourn in China, to attempt to breed a new one.
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