Throne of Jade (Temeraire, #2)

by Naomi Novik

“Only in the desert can one find so desolate and uninteresting a view,”

“You British are forever sailing off to some new place; are you so discontented with your own country?”

“My dear,” he said quietly, after a moment, “you put me to shame. Certainly we ought not be content to leave things as they are, now we know there is a better way.”