Black Powder War is the 3rd in the Temeraire series, and continues Laurence's adventures in the Napoleonic Wars. Like the first two novels, it's a fun, easy read, just the right length. It's not without its issues, and is somewhat slower than the other books, and there's a real lack of action.

A huge chunk of the book is taken up by travelling in the desert and being in captivity in Istanbul. While I wouldn't go as far as saying these sections are boring, necessarily, they are definitely slow. It's not until the last third of the book where the action really picks up, and it doesn't reach the heights of the first two novels. Laurence's somewhat stilted way of speaking, while fitting in the time period, can also be a bit draining.

Temeraire is a fun series with great characters, and it's a nice easy read with a great concept. It's not my favorite series, but it's definitely one I'll return to when I need something to read that I know will hit a baseline quality.