Flood of Fire

Such a fascinating book and highly recommended. A triumph of narrative Indian Hindu. It is 1839. The British are preparing an invasion to exert pressure on China after Beijing blocked their opium supplies to that country. Zachary Reid, a young sailor who lives in poverty in Calcutta, daydreams of his former love and of ways to make money. Havildar Kesri is travelling to Calcutta to take command of an Indian volunteer unit in the approaching conflict. Shireen Modi is getting ready to sail alone to China from Mumbai in order to retrieve her opium merchant husband's fortune and good name. As Beijing begins to prepare for war with Britain, Neel moves to Canton and works as a translator and assistant to a top Chinese official. The more he observes, the more concerned he becomes because the Chinese lack both the ships and the weapons.