Throne of Jade (Temeraire, #2)

by Naomi Novik

“You may as well say, that if a creature will not serve people, and learn their habits, it is not intelligent, and had just as well be killed,”

“It is not fair that we should be thus restricted by others’ fears, when we have not done anything wrong;

pride was one thing; principle implacable enough to sacrifice a throne for, something else entirely.

Certainly we ought not be content to leave things as they are, now we know there is a better way.”