Book Review by Mike Pihlman of TracyReaderDad
Laurence and Temeraire have just returned to England from China.
Along the way (in the last book) they picked up some dragon eggs, one of which hatched on the way……a very feisty fire-breathing dragon. Iskierka is now captained by Granby, and is growing very quickly, but, her personality is still feisty. 
At home, Temeraire and Laurence find that all the dragons in England are sick. Some are in the early stages while some have, unfortunately, passed away. There is no cure, so Temeraire and Iskierka, and the ferals (Arkady and friends) are stationed far from the sick dragons.
Because of the disease, England’s air corps has been decimated and it is all they can do to keep up appearances of strength so Napoleon does not mount an attack.
As luck may have it, Temeraire, is “infected” but does not get sick.
Why?
Tracking down the answer leads Laurence, Temeraire, and the sick Lily, Maximus, and a few other sick dragons to the Cape of South Africa where they try to find out what it was that Temeraire ate there on his way to China a year or two before.
What they find is…..oh….you will have to read the book to find out. 
“Empire of Ivory” is a good book, but, by no means Novik’s best. It drags quiet a bit in the beginning, but, those parts that sparkle are equal to the previous books.
The ending is exactly what you would expect from Laurence and Temeraire.
