Sea of Poppies: A Novel (The Ibis Trilogy Book 1)

Sea of Poppies is the first novel in an epic trilogy. The story centers on the Ibis, a vast ship whose voyage across the Indian Ocean takes place shortly before the Opium Wars in China. During a time of colonial upheaval, a diverse group of Indians and Westerners find themselves aboard together: a bankrupt raja, a widowed tribeswoman, a mulatto American freedman, and a free-spirited French orphan. As their previous family connections dissolve, they come to regard themselves as jahaj-bhais, or ship-brothers. The narrative spans multiple settings, including the poppy fields of the Ganges, the open sea, and the streets of Canton. Through its wide range of characters and their experiences, the novel explores the colonial history of the East during this turbulent period.