The sense of movement in the plot is greatly aided by the vast range of landscapes through which the characters pass in the third Temeraire novel. We finally get some major land combat, and the story further highlights the differences between how the various cultures treat their dragon populations (it's no surprise that China continues to come out ahead). We also get our first true taste of the French, which is nice as they've been a relatively distant foe thus far. While this story is heavily action-focused, it maintains a powerful consideration of social norms, power dynamics, and the inhernet stupidity of human beings.