Voyage of the Basilisk: A Memoir by Lady Trent
A Natural History of Dragons series, Book 3
Marie Brennan
Tor
Fiction, Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Lady Isabella Camherst has been the subject of rumor and scandal for years, ever since she dared declare herself a scientist (so unladylike, especially in proper Scirland) and dedicated her life to the pursuit of knowledge about dragons around the world. Her latest venture is certainly something only a madwoman would consider: setting forth on a sea voyage aboard the Basilisk around the globe to observe as many species of dragons and their relations as possible, from the arctic sea serpents to the tropical fire-lizards. With her, once more, is her companion and fellow scientist Tom and - for the first time - her young son Jake and his governess. As usual for Isabella, though, what started with clear and sound intentions quickly goes askew, thwarted by nature and politics and the wild, inscrutable ways of dragonkind, in a voyage that will become renowned the world over.
REVIEW: With distinct echoes of Darwin's voyage aboard the Beagle, Isabella's journey draws the reader further into her Victorian-flavored world undergoing its own age of discovery and enlightenment. As in previous volumes, she proves to be a dauntless, if not infallible, woman, often stumbling (or outright charging) into thorny predicaments. Around her grows a cast of friends and allies and the occasional enemy, though more enemies due to politics than personal matters. The subplot of preserved dragonbone - a potential breakthrough building material whose secret was discovered in the first book, but which could lead to the wholesale slaughter and extinction of dragons unless a synthetic substitute can be devised - continues, as the ramifications of previous failures and industrial spies lead to international fallout that complicates her voyage. On a personal level, Isabella still stumbles with social niceties and personal connections, as she attempts to bond with a son who (thus far) shows no interest in science or her personal passion for dragons. The adventurous story has few, if any, lulls, moving decently from the first page to the last as it traverses half the globe and introduces yet more dragons and their mysteries, while further exploring the legacy of the lost civilization known as Draconeans whose ruins can be found worldwide. I look forward to future volumes, book budget pending.
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