River of Smoke

Amitav Ghosh

Hamish Hamilton, 

568 pages, R699

River of Smoke is the sequel to the bestselling Sea of Poppies, hailed as a classic of contemporary fiction. The novel opens in Mauritius and follows a colourful cast of characters (some old, some new) to the crowded harbours of 19th-century China, with the Opium Wars as a constant backdrop to their travels.