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The Memoirs of Lady Trent #3
Voyage of the Basilisk
Devoted readers of Lady Trent’s earlier memoirs, A Natural History of Dragons and The Tropic of Serpents, may believe themselves already acquainted with the particulars of her historic voyage aboard the Royal Survey Ship Basilisk, but the true story of that illuminating, harrowing, and scandalous journey has never been revealed—until now. Six years after her perilous exploits in Eriga, Isabella embarks on her most ambitious expedition yet: a two-year trip around the world to study all manner of dragons in every place they might be found. From feathered serpents sunning themselves in the ruins of a fallen civilization to the mighty sea serpents of the tropics, these creatures are a source of both endless fascination and frequent peril. Accompanying her is not only her young son, Jake, but a chivalrous foreign archaeologist whose interests converge with Isabella’s in ways both professional and personal.
Science is, of course, the primary objective of the voyage, but Isabella’s life is rarely so simple. She must cope with storms, shipwrecks, intrigue, and warfare, even as she makes a discovery that offers a revolutionary new insight into the ancient history of dragons
Science is, of course, the primary objective of the voyage, but Isabella’s life is rarely so simple. She must cope with storms, shipwrecks, intrigue, and warfare, even as she makes a discovery that offers a revolutionary new insight into the ancient history of dragons
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First published March 27, 2015
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About the author
Marie Brennan
173 books3,299 followersMarie Brennan a.k.a. M.A. Carrick
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose trilogy. For more information, visit swantower.com, Twitter @swan_tower, or her Patreon.
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose trilogy. For more information, visit swantower.com, Twitter @swan_tower, or her Patreon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,322 reviews
April 9, 2026
4.5 stars
The reason? Dragons.
And while many a person would object to a lady (gasp) wanting to further the field of science (double gasp), Lady Trent refuses to back down.
While the scientific discoveries about dragons prove to be great, that only begins to scratch the surface of Lady Trent's life.
I loved being on the ship with Lady Trent and watching all the wild discoveries she made.
I'm really impressed by the way Brennan is able to breath life into an entire world of dragons - the way she creates so many species and subspecies of dragons - each perfectly adapted to their environment. It made the experience truly immersive and a joy to read.
I also really enjoyed Lady Trent's personality. I always quite liked her, but now I'm able to see her growth from the last two books and I am loving the direction she's going.
All in all, I'm ready for the next one!
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Freshly back from her journey to the Tropic of Serpents, Lady Trent finds herself tempted by a two-year trip around the world.
"Good manners warred with curiosity, and lost."
The reason? Dragons.
And while many a person would object to a lady (gasp) wanting to further the field of science (double gasp), Lady Trent refuses to back down.
This time, she brings her child on this rare and wondrous adventure.
"I find that respectability grows wearisome after a time, when one is accustomed to being a disgrace."
While the scientific discoveries about dragons prove to be great, that only begins to scratch the surface of Lady Trent's life.
The second book was a bit of a lull to me - it focused quite heavily on the politics and the struggle of being a woman scientist - but this one brought the energy back!
"I have never attempted to hide that I have had two husbands in my life. I have, however, neglected to mention that in between them, I had a wife."
I loved being on the ship with Lady Trent and watching all the wild discoveries she made.
I'm really impressed by the way Brennan is able to breath life into an entire world of dragons - the way she creates so many species and subspecies of dragons - each perfectly adapted to their environment. It made the experience truly immersive and a joy to read.
I also really enjoyed Lady Trent's personality. I always quite liked her, but now I'm able to see her growth from the last two books and I am loving the direction she's going.
All in all, I'm ready for the next one!
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
January 7, 2018
I’m happy to say that Voyage of the Basilisk was a combination of everything I’ve been hoping to see since the beginning of the series. The foremost of which being the heavy focus on dragons (and not all the other crap she included in the first book… although a lot of that is now becoming relevant, so I’m kind of eating my words). I especially appreciated the infusion of fantasy, naturalism, and archaeology into this adventure.
I feel like I’m living vicariously through the main character, and am loving the chance to explore new territories, study dragons, and come up with new theories on how they impact the world. If I could have any fantasy job, dragon naturalism would be near the top of the list. Part of the reason this was my favorite installment to date is because it let me appreciate the breadth of Brennan’s dragon creation. I think she did an excellent job of incorporating a wide variety of species while keeping in mind what’s biologically feasible for each territory. VotB also hinted at a cool mystery involving ancient dragons (which just might be the overall arc of the story), which shows a depth of world building I also hadn’t truly appreciated. All the things have me super excited to pick up the next book.
I still have a slight hold-up about the main character – I like so many things about her, but she still has a tendency to make hare-brained decisions. Even though Brennan did an excellent job addressing it in this volume, it still required a bit of that eye-rolling acceptance near the end. At least the character is consistent, I guess. The best advice I can give is: just go with it.
Overall, there are moments in this series I’ll love forever, and those memorable moments seem to happen more and more with each book. If you are as obsessed with dragons as I am (and are patient enough to wait for the payoff), this is an excellent series for you. I highly recommend the audio – Kate Reading is the queen of narration.
Other books you might like:
Dragon's Blood - Jane Yolen
The Waking Fire - Anthony Ryan
Dragon Weather - Lawrence Watt-Evans
Dragon Champion - E.E. Knight
The Book of Jhereg - Stephen Brust
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
I feel like I’m living vicariously through the main character, and am loving the chance to explore new territories, study dragons, and come up with new theories on how they impact the world. If I could have any fantasy job, dragon naturalism would be near the top of the list. Part of the reason this was my favorite installment to date is because it let me appreciate the breadth of Brennan’s dragon creation. I think she did an excellent job of incorporating a wide variety of species while keeping in mind what’s biologically feasible for each territory. VotB also hinted at a cool mystery involving ancient dragons (which just might be the overall arc of the story), which shows a depth of world building I also hadn’t truly appreciated. All the things have me super excited to pick up the next book.
I still have a slight hold-up about the main character – I like so many things about her, but she still has a tendency to make hare-brained decisions. Even though Brennan did an excellent job addressing it in this volume, it still required a bit of that eye-rolling acceptance near the end. At least the character is consistent, I guess. The best advice I can give is: just go with it.
Overall, there are moments in this series I’ll love forever, and those memorable moments seem to happen more and more with each book. If you are as obsessed with dragons as I am (and are patient enough to wait for the payoff), this is an excellent series for you. I highly recommend the audio – Kate Reading is the queen of narration.
Other books you might like:
Dragon's Blood - Jane Yolen
The Waking Fire - Anthony Ryan
Dragon Weather - Lawrence Watt-Evans
Dragon Champion - E.E. Knight
The Book of Jhereg - Stephen Brust
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
March 24, 2015
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/03/24/b...
In the interest of full disclosure, I majored in Anthropology and Evolutionary Biology so these books are like super-strength catnip to me. Written in the form of a memoir by the venerable Lady Trent, these novels are adventurous tales about our protagonist when she was a younger woman, but just as importantly they also explore her lifetime of scientific study and research. As such, I find this series extremely hard to resist. Ethnographic narratives? My heart goes all a-flutter. Taxonomy and biodiversity? Help, I swoon! Throw in dragons to complete the trifecta, and stick a fork in me, I’m done.
Voyage of the Basilisk picks up a few years after the events of the last book, and once again Isabella is making preparations to leave Scirland in order to continue her scientific study of dragons. There will be several major differences about this particular expedition, however. Isabella will be leading it, for one; no longer accompanied by her old associate and benefactor Lord Hilford, the majority of all decisions will be falling on her shoulders. Isabella has also decided to bring along her son Jake, who is now old enough to travel. And finally, this upcoming expedition will be her longest and most ambitious one yet: two years aboard the Basilisk, a royal survey ship hired to sail her and her party around the world in order to study all manner of dragonkin.
Dragons are of course what Isabella desires to see the most. But as we’ve already seen in the previous two installments, everywhere Isabella travels, her adventures also put her in contact with the local population. In many cases, she ends up living with them and immersed in their culture. These books are as much about dragons as they are about the world Isabella lives in, which I find is one of the most unique aspects about this series. Unlike a lot of other books featuring dragons, the ones in here are not intrinsically magical or preternatural. They, along with the native flora, fauna, and even native peoples in their habitat are all part of the natural living system. For that reason, I’ve told people before not to read this series solely for the dragons, and instead read it for the whole package.
As much as I enjoyed this book, it was not what I’d expected at all. From the description and cover, I immediately thought “Maritime/Nautical Fantasy”. In truth, though Isabella does spend the majority of this book traveling on the high seas, the main story doesn’t really start until halfway when the Basilisk gets shipwrecked in the tropics and the characters find themselves as guests of the local islanders. In contrast, the first half is decidedly lighter on plot as Isabella flits from one place to next, searching for dragons to observe. The overall pacing follows a similar pattern of the first two books, where the beginning was mostly made up of a series of short anecdotes, with the meat of story coming much later. Fans of the previous novels therefore should find Voyage of the Basilisk familiar and to their liking.
Just as Isabella’s dragons evolve, so does her character development. As her confidence in her knowledge and skills increases, she starts taking on greater challenges. Leading the expedition is the first step. This book also sees her having the courage to formulate her own scientific hypotheses, as well as the courage to admit when they’re wrong.
For the first time in this series, Isabella’s son Jake is also a major character. Isabella knows her maternal instincts have never been strong, not something easy for her to admit. But as Jake grows, her feelings toward motherhood begin changing and she starts to see her son as a young man with his own hopes and dreams, and not just a reminder of her late husband. This side plot really touched me, recalling Isabella’s guilt over putting her research ahead of her family in previous book, and comparing that to her relationship with Jake now. I like how amidst the adventure and the science in these books, there’s always an emotional side to the story.
This novel builds significantly on the previous books. First of all, Isabella’s voyage on the Basilisk expanded the scope of the world tremendously, from the luscious jungles of Coyahuac to the volcanic islands of Keonga. We encounter many new species of dragons, including sea serpents, fire lizards, feathered drakes, and more. Aside from Jake, new characters include Aekinitos, the eccentric captain of the Basilisk, and Suhail, an archaeologist specializing in ancient draconic ruins. Isabella befriends the latter and then becomes quite taken with him, and their dynamic is so wonderful that I really hope we’ll see him again someday.
I really love this series, and my fondness only grows with every new adventure. I rarely make such a deep connection to a main character, but three books later, “Lady Trent” feels incredibly real for me. There’s so much about her past that has yet to be revealed, and I can’t wait for the next installment of this series. More expeditions, more science, and of course more dragons!
In the interest of full disclosure, I majored in Anthropology and Evolutionary Biology so these books are like super-strength catnip to me. Written in the form of a memoir by the venerable Lady Trent, these novels are adventurous tales about our protagonist when she was a younger woman, but just as importantly they also explore her lifetime of scientific study and research. As such, I find this series extremely hard to resist. Ethnographic narratives? My heart goes all a-flutter. Taxonomy and biodiversity? Help, I swoon! Throw in dragons to complete the trifecta, and stick a fork in me, I’m done.
Voyage of the Basilisk picks up a few years after the events of the last book, and once again Isabella is making preparations to leave Scirland in order to continue her scientific study of dragons. There will be several major differences about this particular expedition, however. Isabella will be leading it, for one; no longer accompanied by her old associate and benefactor Lord Hilford, the majority of all decisions will be falling on her shoulders. Isabella has also decided to bring along her son Jake, who is now old enough to travel. And finally, this upcoming expedition will be her longest and most ambitious one yet: two years aboard the Basilisk, a royal survey ship hired to sail her and her party around the world in order to study all manner of dragonkin.
Dragons are of course what Isabella desires to see the most. But as we’ve already seen in the previous two installments, everywhere Isabella travels, her adventures also put her in contact with the local population. In many cases, she ends up living with them and immersed in their culture. These books are as much about dragons as they are about the world Isabella lives in, which I find is one of the most unique aspects about this series. Unlike a lot of other books featuring dragons, the ones in here are not intrinsically magical or preternatural. They, along with the native flora, fauna, and even native peoples in their habitat are all part of the natural living system. For that reason, I’ve told people before not to read this series solely for the dragons, and instead read it for the whole package.
As much as I enjoyed this book, it was not what I’d expected at all. From the description and cover, I immediately thought “Maritime/Nautical Fantasy”. In truth, though Isabella does spend the majority of this book traveling on the high seas, the main story doesn’t really start until halfway when the Basilisk gets shipwrecked in the tropics and the characters find themselves as guests of the local islanders. In contrast, the first half is decidedly lighter on plot as Isabella flits from one place to next, searching for dragons to observe. The overall pacing follows a similar pattern of the first two books, where the beginning was mostly made up of a series of short anecdotes, with the meat of story coming much later. Fans of the previous novels therefore should find Voyage of the Basilisk familiar and to their liking.
Just as Isabella’s dragons evolve, so does her character development. As her confidence in her knowledge and skills increases, she starts taking on greater challenges. Leading the expedition is the first step. This book also sees her having the courage to formulate her own scientific hypotheses, as well as the courage to admit when they’re wrong.
For the first time in this series, Isabella’s son Jake is also a major character. Isabella knows her maternal instincts have never been strong, not something easy for her to admit. But as Jake grows, her feelings toward motherhood begin changing and she starts to see her son as a young man with his own hopes and dreams, and not just a reminder of her late husband. This side plot really touched me, recalling Isabella’s guilt over putting her research ahead of her family in previous book, and comparing that to her relationship with Jake now. I like how amidst the adventure and the science in these books, there’s always an emotional side to the story.
This novel builds significantly on the previous books. First of all, Isabella’s voyage on the Basilisk expanded the scope of the world tremendously, from the luscious jungles of Coyahuac to the volcanic islands of Keonga. We encounter many new species of dragons, including sea serpents, fire lizards, feathered drakes, and more. Aside from Jake, new characters include Aekinitos, the eccentric captain of the Basilisk, and Suhail, an archaeologist specializing in ancient draconic ruins. Isabella befriends the latter and then becomes quite taken with him, and their dynamic is so wonderful that I really hope we’ll see him again someday.
I really love this series, and my fondness only grows with every new adventure. I rarely make such a deep connection to a main character, but three books later, “Lady Trent” feels incredibly real for me. There’s so much about her past that has yet to be revealed, and I can’t wait for the next installment of this series. More expeditions, more science, and of course more dragons!
July 2, 2015
[4 Stars] Decided to give this a 4 afterall. It isn't as strong as the others but still fascinating. I loved the intriguing exploration of gender, sexuality, and gender norms in this in particular. This series is definitely for those who love anthropology, archaeology, and dragons!
April 24, 2020
These Lady Trent novels are consistently interesting.
I admit I was becoming slightly afraid that the political intrigues might overwhelm the otherwise cool archeological or evolutionary science bits, but this book turned it around for me.
A voyage on the high seas! Spending a lot of time with Pacific Islanders! Getting married? lol, well, that was a blast. And let's not forget the dragon spirit!
Lite fun, it's very much in the spirit of tweed adventurers around the world! Academic fury! Dragons!
I admit I was becoming slightly afraid that the political intrigues might overwhelm the otherwise cool archeological or evolutionary science bits, but this book turned it around for me.
A voyage on the high seas! Spending a lot of time with Pacific Islanders! Getting married? lol, well, that was a blast. And let's not forget the dragon spirit!
Lite fun, it's very much in the spirit of tweed adventurers around the world! Academic fury! Dragons!
June 16, 2016
As always another fabulous book here from Marie Brennan. I think this one wasn't quite on par with the previous two as there was a little less of a plot until the second half, but there is still so much that is truly wonderful and heartwarming with this series that I can't give it less than a 4*s.
This instalment of the series was really interesting to me becuase we follow Isabella as she and her son (now 9!!) and good friends go on a voyage around the world to study dragons. We see the ship (The Basilisk) leave port to travel to some very exotic places where serpents and dragons alike may exist.
I really loved the exploration of gender roles and sexes within this as we have transvestite characters and that's something I hadn't seen in a fantasy before. I really loved the commentary that Brennan manages to make via her characters, and I think she does a solid job of showing that acceptance can be key to unity.
As a whole, this book introduced me to more adventures of Isabella (already a favourite lady character of mine) and also made me start to love her son. I think he may become more important as the series goes on (as I believe will the Draconians) and I am very eager to dive into book #4 super soon! As always I would HIGHLY recommend this series if you like anthropology, science, wonderful lady characters and dragons :) 4*s overall!
This instalment of the series was really interesting to me becuase we follow Isabella as she and her son (now 9!!) and good friends go on a voyage around the world to study dragons. We see the ship (The Basilisk) leave port to travel to some very exotic places where serpents and dragons alike may exist.
I really loved the exploration of gender roles and sexes within this as we have transvestite characters and that's something I hadn't seen in a fantasy before. I really loved the commentary that Brennan manages to make via her characters, and I think she does a solid job of showing that acceptance can be key to unity.
As a whole, this book introduced me to more adventures of Isabella (already a favourite lady character of mine) and also made me start to love her son. I think he may become more important as the series goes on (as I believe will the Draconians) and I am very eager to dive into book #4 super soon! As always I would HIGHLY recommend this series if you like anthropology, science, wonderful lady characters and dragons :) 4*s overall!
December 17, 2023
3.5 ⭐
I love the progression of this series, and seeing Isabella's adventures! This installment was particularly great - I especially loved that Jake was more prominently featured in this book and that we could see the growth of their mother-son relationship.
I also really enjoyed the sea voyage, and the characters that were introduce.
While I did really enjoy the book, I don't know if I'll be continuing on with the series - each one feels like the one before (I feel like if you've read one, you've read them all!). I might read the last two books one day, but not now...
I love the progression of this series, and seeing Isabella's adventures! This installment was particularly great - I especially loved that Jake was more prominently featured in this book and that we could see the growth of their mother-son relationship.
I also really enjoyed the sea voyage, and the characters that were introduce.
While I did really enjoy the book, I don't know if I'll be continuing on with the series - each one feels like the one before (I feel like if you've read one, you've read them all!). I might read the last two books one day, but not now...
September 21, 2023
This series is a nerdy good time. And this book in particular really leaned into the scholarly nature of Lady Trent's calling. The last book, a lot of page-time was taken up by Lady Trent and her companions navigating local and global politics while trying to learn about dragons, and while that is a factor here, too, Voyage of the Basilisk feels more balanced, with a focus more clearly on her science and what she got up to while doing it, and also on her personal relationships with her son and with her colleagues and those she meets along the way, unrelated to politics.
I said in my review of the last book that one of the things I appreciated about this series was that each book takes place in a very distinct location and so it's easier to keep the events straight in your head. That's both true and not true of this book. The distinct location here is on a ship traveling the oceans of the world, but ships move, and so we also get to visit various places across Lady's Trent's world as she embarks up on a two year voyage to study sea serpents and other more tropical dragons (dragon turtles!!!).
Source
This is my favorite of these books so far. I loved the ocean atmosphere, I loved seeing multiple locations and cultures. I liked the way that the consequences of Lady Trent's actions carried through here from both the first book and the discovery of what the preservation of dragon bone has done to dragon populations in certain areas, and her banishment from certain regions of the world affecting her studies. She's also learning as she goes from her mistakes, and her growth as a scholar goes hand in hand with her growth as a mother and friend. I just liked everything about it.
I'm not sure how other people feel about the scientific discussions of made-up beings in this series, but I love it and want more of it, and I'm glad there was much more of it here than in the previous two books. I'm also VERY much here for the developing romance between Lady Trent and a certain cliff-diver.
Side note: I had no idea until last week that Marie Brennan is also M.A. Carrick, and now I need to check out The Mask of Mirrors ASAP.
I said in my review of the last book that one of the things I appreciated about this series was that each book takes place in a very distinct location and so it's easier to keep the events straight in your head. That's both true and not true of this book. The distinct location here is on a ship traveling the oceans of the world, but ships move, and so we also get to visit various places across Lady's Trent's world as she embarks up on a two year voyage to study sea serpents and other more tropical dragons (dragon turtles!!!).
Source
This is my favorite of these books so far. I loved the ocean atmosphere, I loved seeing multiple locations and cultures. I liked the way that the consequences of Lady Trent's actions carried through here from both the first book and the discovery of what the preservation of dragon bone has done to dragon populations in certain areas, and her banishment from certain regions of the world affecting her studies. She's also learning as she goes from her mistakes, and her growth as a scholar goes hand in hand with her growth as a mother and friend. I just liked everything about it.
I'm not sure how other people feel about the scientific discussions of made-up beings in this series, but I love it and want more of it, and I'm glad there was much more of it here than in the previous two books. I'm also VERY much here for the developing romance between Lady Trent and a certain cliff-diver.
Side note: I had no idea until last week that Marie Brennan is also M.A. Carrick, and now I need to check out The Mask of Mirrors ASAP.
June 13, 2025
"This will sound peculiar, I know. But this love I have for dragons, my compulsion to understand them... I have thought of it before as if there were a dragon within me. A part of my spirit. I do not believe it is true in any mystical sense, of course; I am as human as you are. But in the metaphorical sense, yes. 'Dragon-spirited' is as good a term for me as any."
Isabella Camherst (Lady Trent) goes on her most ambitious expedition, she’s to travel the world to study a variety of dragon species from sea-serpents to feathered dragons and even to determine if Komodo dragons are actual dragons. This is an expedition that has been well documented and over the years much embellishments have been added, but here in her own memoir Isabella wishes to reveal the truth, put to bed rumours and give a more personal account of her successes and academic failures. The two years she spent aboard The Basilisk sees Isabella facing storms, being shipwrecked and exploring Draconean ruins but she also finds herself bonding with her son Jake who for the first time has accompanied her, and she also meets an archaeologist with a scholarly passion to match her own.
The Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan is the third instalment in the Memoirs of Lady Trent series and it’s such a joyously escapist read. An adventure with Lady Trent is never smooth sailing but it is always guaranteed to be an exciting experience.
Any book which hosts an array of dragons and a scholarly female character on a quest to research them was always going to be a hit for me and so it will surprise no one how deeply I have fallen in love with this series. Throughout Voyage of the Basilisk we meet so many varying dragons, each with distinct traits, varying defense abilities and behaviours. As spectacular as these sights were there was also, as in previous books, a much heavier discussion on the difference between hunting dragons for sport and/or for their bones and hunting them for scientific purposes. I really appreciated seeing further distinctions of both because although I still had my dislike of Lady Trent partaking in the killing of dragons, I did come to understand better that she is only dissecting them for scientific knowledge which could potentially lead humans coexisting with them more safely and even helping each species thrive. I also understood the necessity of the time period given that the book is set when tranquilisers were not readily available and being able to safely get close to a dragon for study was impossible. A point which is brought home many times in this book through Isabella's attempts. With the introduction of a new character, Suhail, the Draconean archeologist, Isabella’s scholarly knowledge is broadened in other ways as she is given the opportunity to visit ancient ruins which may have suggested that at one time dragons were tamed by civilisation and the two debating this was a very fascinating moment. I really hope to see this concept explored in further books. Brennan heightens the presence of dragons throughout the natural world incredibly in this book and I loved every bit of knowledge we gained.
“It is a wonderful feeling to have one's brain stretched and tested, to know both that one has knowledge, and that one is gaining more.”
However, Brennan also explores the consequences of these expeditions, particular from the previous ones, and of the discoveries Isabella makes. A prominent concern of Isabella’s has always been that should her discovery of preserving dragon bones become widely known it would lead to mass extinction of dragons for they would never stop being hunted. When the Basilisk reaches Yelang Isabella’s fears may have been warranted as much political tension is seen. These kinds of experiences I feel cause Isabella’s character to grow stronger and mature as she learns precaution when approaching and dealing with the locals in the various countries they visit. On the island of Keong she learns that it is better to respect their culture and customs, tread carefully, than to cause offence as she has done through ignorance in the past. This leads to her performing a ceremonial act that although she is reluctant does out of necessity and respect, which then in turn leads to some thoughtful discourse on gender identity. Until society would accept females in fields outside of their expected gender roles, perhaps Isabella and such would always be deemed as men or something mystical and alien to them.
In past installments of The Memoirs of Lady Trent our Isabella has often touched upon her struggles with motherhood and the conflict she has with wanting to pursue her own ambitions, so I was surprised but also pleased to see in this book that Isabella decides to take her son on the voyage with her. We finally get to see the two of them bond in such a special way. Jacob, affectionately called Jake, discovers a love for seafaring and anything aquatic, and Isabella seeing the same passion within her albeit for dragons, finally felt a connection with him. Isabella encourages and enjoys seeing her son taking on the tasks of running a ship and also exploring the waters below, and this was so endearing it made my heart melt. A particular scene I will never forget is when they both go diving with Dragon turtles, the shared joy in the scene put a smile on my face. This memoir also touches on matters of the heart with Isabella expressing her longing for companionship and although there is no whirlwind romance here, I did very much enjoy seeing her get closer to Suhail. There was a spectacular scene when they went dragon riding together that I adored. Isabella has often come across as cold or aloof but in this installment we see a much softer and emotional side.
The Memoirs of Lady Trent has become my comfort series. I turn to these books when I’m in need of escaping into another world and Isabella has become my trusted friend who will lead me on dragon filled adventures that always delight.
“I lost all awareness of time and distance; I had no idea how long it had been since I dove into the sea, nor where we had gone in the interim. There was only the sun and the water, the serpent beneath my knees and the wind in my face, islands appearing at unpredictable bearings and then vanishing when we turned, and Suhail at my side. He laughed like a madman any moment we were not submerged, and if I did not do likewise, it is only because I was too breathless for laughter. I was riding a dragon. In that moment, I felt invincible.”
Review copy gifted by Kabriya at Titan Books—thank you for the copy!
Isabella Camherst (Lady Trent) goes on her most ambitious expedition, she’s to travel the world to study a variety of dragon species from sea-serpents to feathered dragons and even to determine if Komodo dragons are actual dragons. This is an expedition that has been well documented and over the years much embellishments have been added, but here in her own memoir Isabella wishes to reveal the truth, put to bed rumours and give a more personal account of her successes and academic failures. The two years she spent aboard The Basilisk sees Isabella facing storms, being shipwrecked and exploring Draconean ruins but she also finds herself bonding with her son Jake who for the first time has accompanied her, and she also meets an archaeologist with a scholarly passion to match her own.
The Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan is the third instalment in the Memoirs of Lady Trent series and it’s such a joyously escapist read. An adventure with Lady Trent is never smooth sailing but it is always guaranteed to be an exciting experience.
Any book which hosts an array of dragons and a scholarly female character on a quest to research them was always going to be a hit for me and so it will surprise no one how deeply I have fallen in love with this series. Throughout Voyage of the Basilisk we meet so many varying dragons, each with distinct traits, varying defense abilities and behaviours. As spectacular as these sights were there was also, as in previous books, a much heavier discussion on the difference between hunting dragons for sport and/or for their bones and hunting them for scientific purposes. I really appreciated seeing further distinctions of both because although I still had my dislike of Lady Trent partaking in the killing of dragons, I did come to understand better that she is only dissecting them for scientific knowledge which could potentially lead humans coexisting with them more safely and even helping each species thrive. I also understood the necessity of the time period given that the book is set when tranquilisers were not readily available and being able to safely get close to a dragon for study was impossible. A point which is brought home many times in this book through Isabella's attempts. With the introduction of a new character, Suhail, the Draconean archeologist, Isabella’s scholarly knowledge is broadened in other ways as she is given the opportunity to visit ancient ruins which may have suggested that at one time dragons were tamed by civilisation and the two debating this was a very fascinating moment. I really hope to see this concept explored in further books. Brennan heightens the presence of dragons throughout the natural world incredibly in this book and I loved every bit of knowledge we gained.
“It is a wonderful feeling to have one's brain stretched and tested, to know both that one has knowledge, and that one is gaining more.”
However, Brennan also explores the consequences of these expeditions, particular from the previous ones, and of the discoveries Isabella makes. A prominent concern of Isabella’s has always been that should her discovery of preserving dragon bones become widely known it would lead to mass extinction of dragons for they would never stop being hunted. When the Basilisk reaches Yelang Isabella’s fears may have been warranted as much political tension is seen. These kinds of experiences I feel cause Isabella’s character to grow stronger and mature as she learns precaution when approaching and dealing with the locals in the various countries they visit. On the island of Keong she learns that it is better to respect their culture and customs, tread carefully, than to cause offence as she has done through ignorance in the past. This leads to her performing a ceremonial act that although she is reluctant does out of necessity and respect, which then in turn leads to some thoughtful discourse on gender identity. Until society would accept females in fields outside of their expected gender roles, perhaps Isabella and such would always be deemed as men or something mystical and alien to them.
In past installments of The Memoirs of Lady Trent our Isabella has often touched upon her struggles with motherhood and the conflict she has with wanting to pursue her own ambitions, so I was surprised but also pleased to see in this book that Isabella decides to take her son on the voyage with her. We finally get to see the two of them bond in such a special way. Jacob, affectionately called Jake, discovers a love for seafaring and anything aquatic, and Isabella seeing the same passion within her albeit for dragons, finally felt a connection with him. Isabella encourages and enjoys seeing her son taking on the tasks of running a ship and also exploring the waters below, and this was so endearing it made my heart melt. A particular scene I will never forget is when they both go diving with Dragon turtles, the shared joy in the scene put a smile on my face. This memoir also touches on matters of the heart with Isabella expressing her longing for companionship and although there is no whirlwind romance here, I did very much enjoy seeing her get closer to Suhail. There was a spectacular scene when they went dragon riding together that I adored. Isabella has often come across as cold or aloof but in this installment we see a much softer and emotional side.
The Memoirs of Lady Trent has become my comfort series. I turn to these books when I’m in need of escaping into another world and Isabella has become my trusted friend who will lead me on dragon filled adventures that always delight.
“I lost all awareness of time and distance; I had no idea how long it had been since I dove into the sea, nor where we had gone in the interim. There was only the sun and the water, the serpent beneath my knees and the wind in my face, islands appearing at unpredictable bearings and then vanishing when we turned, and Suhail at my side. He laughed like a madman any moment we were not submerged, and if I did not do likewise, it is only because I was too breathless for laughter. I was riding a dragon. In that moment, I felt invincible.”
Review copy gifted by Kabriya at Titan Books—thank you for the copy!
April 3, 2026
3.5*
Whilst I expected this to become my favourite Lady Trent book, I ended up being my least favourite one.
Maybe it's just that after three books, I still feel like I know barely anything about some of the main characters (like Tom), or in general, the plot-driveness of these getting more blatant.
It's one of those books where a lot is going on, but it isn't what I myself want to happen. I wish this had more travelling to it and stayed less in one place because that is already featured in former books, and I wanted something new. I also would have liked to learn more about the members of the crew (of which we only really get to know the captain and even he's quite two-dimensional) and have more mother-son bonding time.
I think the Memoirs of Lady Trent are, at this point, getting a little too repetitive at this point for me. Whiel they are still enjoyable for the most part, this for example I won't buy myself a physical copy of to put on my shelf (as I did with the last two instalments).
And then, there's the colonialist aspect of these novels that's annoying me nad often making me quite uncomfortable. Especially, this one gave of white saviour vibes and the Scirlandic marine (which is inspired by England) being depicted a bit too nicely for my taste given history.
Still, I plan on reading on but I don't think this series overall will ever be an absolute favourite of mine.
Whilst I expected this to become my favourite Lady Trent book, I ended up being my least favourite one.
Maybe it's just that after three books, I still feel like I know barely anything about some of the main characters (like Tom), or in general, the plot-driveness of these getting more blatant.
It's one of those books where a lot is going on, but it isn't what I myself want to happen. I wish this had more travelling to it and stayed less in one place because that is already featured in former books, and I wanted something new. I also would have liked to learn more about the members of the crew (of which we only really get to know the captain and even he's quite two-dimensional) and have more mother-son bonding time.
I think the Memoirs of Lady Trent are, at this point, getting a little too repetitive at this point for me. Whiel they are still enjoyable for the most part, this for example I won't buy myself a physical copy of to put on my shelf (as I did with the last two instalments).
And then, there's the colonialist aspect of these novels that's annoying me nad often making me quite uncomfortable. Especially, this one gave of white saviour vibes and the Scirlandic marine (which is inspired by England) being depicted a bit too nicely for my taste given history.
Still, I plan on reading on but I don't think this series overall will ever be an absolute favourite of mine.
August 17, 2019
Lady Trent! What shocking shenanigans you do get into!
I loved that that this one was a take on "Darwin on the Beagle" as it were, but I do wish the politics were a bit easier to follow. I almost need a primer and full maps of the entire world at the beginning of each of these, in order to keep up! She's got such a lot going on in these books, with both the dragons and the humans!
Nevertheless, it was a joy to follow Isabella, her stoic colleague Tom (if these two don't end up in each other's arms by book 5 Imma flip a table), her son, and his governess as they sailed around the world in search of dragons!
I loved that that this one was a take on "Darwin on the Beagle" as it were, but I do wish the politics were a bit easier to follow. I almost need a primer and full maps of the entire world at the beginning of each of these, in order to keep up! She's got such a lot going on in these books, with both the dragons and the humans!
Nevertheless, it was a joy to follow Isabella, her stoic colleague Tom (if these two don't end up in each other's arms by book 5 Imma flip a table), her son, and his governess as they sailed around the world in search of dragons!
August 24, 2021
This was quite an interesting book about a quest for dragons for scientific study.
May 21, 2016
I think, the first time I read this, I may have observed that it’s beginning to push the bounds of credulity that Isabella (and dragons) should get tangled up in so much politics. I can’t say I actually noticed that, this time — it seems natural, when you just read the books straight through like this, because Isabella is willing to go anywhere and do just about anything for dragons. And of course, that means she’s in the least appropriate places for someone of her background (at least as far as her peers are concerned), and so of course she stumbles into things.
Besides, it’s Isabella. You’d be disappointed if you didn’t see her blundering into a plot or intrigue.
The story of Isabella’s time on the Basilisk is a lot of fun; the first half of the book is lighter, since it’s more travelogue-ish, until the point where the Basilisk is nearly wrecked and they have to go ashore. That opens up the world of the villagers they have to interact with, and involves a rather neat plot with a sort of third gender concept — on this island, those who are “dragon-spirited” have different social rules, and Isabella has to “marry” an island woman to calm down their fears about what she might do. Heal’li, the woman who helps her and guides her, is a pretty awesome character, and honestly I could do with a ton more of her. (And some note on whether “she” is indeed her preferred pronoun, or if, like Isabella, she’s bowed to necessity and allowed herself to be treated as female when she does in fact identify as male. I suspect not, given the way she embraces femininity, but it’s awkward to tell from Isabella’s point of view.)
And of course, Basilisk introduces new characters like Aekinitos (the “mad” captain, whose similarities to Isabella could have been used to good effect, though he was mostly in the background), Suhail the archaeologist, and even a rather more grown-up Jake (who immediately decides to become a ship’s boy, of course). I do feel the lack of Natalie, in this book; Abby isn’t much of a replacement, since she’s mostly there to keep an eye on Jake, both for Isabella’s sake and the sake of the plot.
I could probably go on for hours about all the things I love about this series — the societies, the natural history, the more general science, Tom Wilker, the enthusiasms of Suhail and Isabella — their sheer joy in what they do — the different dragons, the theories… the way that Isabella’s academic career unfolds: with some success, but by stages, as she makes a way for herself in a path barred for most women, and brings other women with her.
Don’t take my word for it, if you haven’t tried these books yet. There’s only one more to come after Labyrinth of Drakes (the fourth book), so it’s not going to be an epic series — and in fact, it reads all too quickly. I want more Isabella!
Originally posted here.
Besides, it’s Isabella. You’d be disappointed if you didn’t see her blundering into a plot or intrigue.
The story of Isabella’s time on the Basilisk is a lot of fun; the first half of the book is lighter, since it’s more travelogue-ish, until the point where the Basilisk is nearly wrecked and they have to go ashore. That opens up the world of the villagers they have to interact with, and involves a rather neat plot with a sort of third gender concept — on this island, those who are “dragon-spirited” have different social rules, and Isabella has to “marry” an island woman to calm down their fears about what she might do. Heal’li, the woman who helps her and guides her, is a pretty awesome character, and honestly I could do with a ton more of her. (And some note on whether “she” is indeed her preferred pronoun, or if, like Isabella, she’s bowed to necessity and allowed herself to be treated as female when she does in fact identify as male. I suspect not, given the way she embraces femininity, but it’s awkward to tell from Isabella’s point of view.)
And of course, Basilisk introduces new characters like Aekinitos (the “mad” captain, whose similarities to Isabella could have been used to good effect, though he was mostly in the background), Suhail the archaeologist, and even a rather more grown-up Jake (who immediately decides to become a ship’s boy, of course). I do feel the lack of Natalie, in this book; Abby isn’t much of a replacement, since she’s mostly there to keep an eye on Jake, both for Isabella’s sake and the sake of the plot.
I could probably go on for hours about all the things I love about this series — the societies, the natural history, the more general science, Tom Wilker, the enthusiasms of Suhail and Isabella — their sheer joy in what they do — the different dragons, the theories… the way that Isabella’s academic career unfolds: with some success, but by stages, as she makes a way for herself in a path barred for most women, and brings other women with her.
Don’t take my word for it, if you haven’t tried these books yet. There’s only one more to come after Labyrinth of Drakes (the fourth book), so it’s not going to be an epic series — and in fact, it reads all too quickly. I want more Isabella!
Originally posted here.
December 4, 2018
This series is basically dragons x Jane from Tarzan; in short = g r e a t n e s s
Read
April 8, 2017I had been awaiting this one with enthusiasm because Charles Darwin’s Voyage of the Beagle has always enthralled me. I’m not particularly a ship/boat person, but the idea of a scientist travelling ’round the world studying the natural world is extremely appealing to me. So, this book would be, I hoped, the opportunity to read of such a fictional voyage.
A cross-section view of the hold of The Beagle
It was quite a satisfying tale, although there wasn’t quite as much travelling as I had hoped. Natalie doesn’t join her on this trip, although her son, now nine-years-old, does, and becomes entirely obsessed with ships. Lady Trent has the opportunity to swim with the dragon turtles!
But I did not need to be a champion swimmer to see the dragon turtles, for they are both huge and relatively fearless of human company. In shape they are more like enormous turtles than anything else. Their shell alone is often two meters or more in length, and when they extend their flippers, a swimmer feels positively tiny in comparison. The name “dragon turtle,” however, derives from the shape of the head, which is indeed like that of a Dajin dragon: a thrusting, squarish muzzle; flaps of skin depending from the jaw; long whiskers which dance in the current as the turtle swims.
And she visits an island where she ends up becoming embroiled in a political scandal, after scaring the natives who are convinced that she is “dragon-spirited” because her refusal to behave in a traditionally feminine manner. There’s a rather amusing part of the book where she ends up “married” to a local woman because that’s the only way to satisfy the native population that she’s safe to keep around.
“Do you believe you are neither male nor female?”
I almost gave a malapert answer, but caught myself in time. We had an established habit of intellectual debate, and I valued it; I would not discard it now. “So long as my society refuses to admit of a concept of femininity that allows for such things,” I said, “then one could indeed say that I stand between.”
Finally, Lady Trent rides a dragon. Well, a sea serpent who is a dragon, but still.
Whereupon I realized that we were, indeed, riding a dragon. I cannot honestly recommend the practice to my readers. Apart from the number of Keongans who have been killed attempting this very feat, it is not very comfortable. The ragged cuts on my knees and elbows stung unmercifully. Every time the serpent dove, I was buffeted by the water until it realized the error of its ways and surfaced once more. Again and again it drew in water and expelled it in a blast, for that was its defense against what troubled it, and the beast’s mind could not encompass the fact that this annoyance could not be disposed of in such fashion; but it came near to working regardless, for the shuddering of the serpent’s body whenever this happened threatened to dislodge us. There was no moment of the entire experience that was not a precarious struggle to stay aboard. And yet for all of that, it was one of the grandest experiences of my life.
At this point in the book, she becomes embroiled – once again – in a royal Scirling government scandal, and is basically sent home subject to the official secrets act after saving the life of a grateful Princess. I should probably also mention Suhail, a foreign archaeologist from a vaguely middle eastern country, with whom Isabella is quite taken, and from whom she is abruptly separated at the end of this book when his father, the Sheikh, dies unexpectedly and he is called home. All in all, this was an incredibly satisfying outing in the series, and I’m looking forward to the fourth book, In The Labyrinth of Drakes.
A cross-section view of the hold of The Beagle
It was quite a satisfying tale, although there wasn’t quite as much travelling as I had hoped. Natalie doesn’t join her on this trip, although her son, now nine-years-old, does, and becomes entirely obsessed with ships. Lady Trent has the opportunity to swim with the dragon turtles!
But I did not need to be a champion swimmer to see the dragon turtles, for they are both huge and relatively fearless of human company. In shape they are more like enormous turtles than anything else. Their shell alone is often two meters or more in length, and when they extend their flippers, a swimmer feels positively tiny in comparison. The name “dragon turtle,” however, derives from the shape of the head, which is indeed like that of a Dajin dragon: a thrusting, squarish muzzle; flaps of skin depending from the jaw; long whiskers which dance in the current as the turtle swims.
And she visits an island where she ends up becoming embroiled in a political scandal, after scaring the natives who are convinced that she is “dragon-spirited” because her refusal to behave in a traditionally feminine manner. There’s a rather amusing part of the book where she ends up “married” to a local woman because that’s the only way to satisfy the native population that she’s safe to keep around.
“Do you believe you are neither male nor female?”
I almost gave a malapert answer, but caught myself in time. We had an established habit of intellectual debate, and I valued it; I would not discard it now. “So long as my society refuses to admit of a concept of femininity that allows for such things,” I said, “then one could indeed say that I stand between.”
Finally, Lady Trent rides a dragon. Well, a sea serpent who is a dragon, but still.
Whereupon I realized that we were, indeed, riding a dragon. I cannot honestly recommend the practice to my readers. Apart from the number of Keongans who have been killed attempting this very feat, it is not very comfortable. The ragged cuts on my knees and elbows stung unmercifully. Every time the serpent dove, I was buffeted by the water until it realized the error of its ways and surfaced once more. Again and again it drew in water and expelled it in a blast, for that was its defense against what troubled it, and the beast’s mind could not encompass the fact that this annoyance could not be disposed of in such fashion; but it came near to working regardless, for the shuddering of the serpent’s body whenever this happened threatened to dislodge us. There was no moment of the entire experience that was not a precarious struggle to stay aboard. And yet for all of that, it was one of the grandest experiences of my life.
At this point in the book, she becomes embroiled – once again – in a royal Scirling government scandal, and is basically sent home subject to the official secrets act after saving the life of a grateful Princess. I should probably also mention Suhail, a foreign archaeologist from a vaguely middle eastern country, with whom Isabella is quite taken, and from whom she is abruptly separated at the end of this book when his father, the Sheikh, dies unexpectedly and he is called home. All in all, this was an incredibly satisfying outing in the series, and I’m looking forward to the fourth book, In The Labyrinth of Drakes.
May 18, 2015
I originally received this as an ARC, but then bought it anyway because I wanted a print copy so I could look at the illustrations better. I ate this up in a couple of hours. If you’ve enjoyed the previous books, this will give you more of the same: adventures, a female main character with a bright and scientific mind, interesting problems of taxonomy when it comes to dragons, politics, encounters with other cultures…
It very much mimics the style of memoirs written in the analogous time period in Britain, so I think you have to excuse what other people have read as a colonial tone. Scirland (Britain) is still an empire, here, and Isabella works under those assumptions as much as she assumes she can breathe air. She does meet other cultures, and treat them with respect, but sometimes with an air of private condescension that (to me) just works as part of her character, her driven nature, and the world she lives in. Your mileage may vary, but I don’t think it’s invisible to Brennan; I think it’s part of the character and world she’s building.
I’m enjoying the matter of fact inclusion of queerness in the story, too. As is Isabella’s wont, she doesn’t pry into people’s personal lives much, and the idea of queer people is essentially shrugged off as one of those things that happens, and not really her business. Even where it’s story-relevant, there’s only one moment where she does anything that one might call prying — and it’s understandable in the situation.
I’m afraid that despite Isabella’s best efforts, I do wish she’d up and marry Tom Wilker. I love the evolution of his character, too: the belligerent way he started out, the way he’s come to respect her and drop some of his barriers around her, the way they rely on each other, and of course society’s slow acceptance of the working class lad who has worked his way up. I was less taken with Suhail, because I just like the adversarial, sparring relationship between Tom and Isabella.
Oh, and you’ve got to enjoy the evolution of her relationship with her son. I love that he’s become “Jake” instead of Jacob, love that she’s found a way to relate to him, spend time with him, and be a mother to him, despite her initial rejection of the traditional mother-son relationship.
One thing that is getting hard to swallow: Isabella’s way of getting entangled in politics wherever she goes. Not just local politics, but politics with deep relevance to the crown. But it wouldn’t be such an interesting read without those complications.
Originally posted here.
It very much mimics the style of memoirs written in the analogous time period in Britain, so I think you have to excuse what other people have read as a colonial tone. Scirland (Britain) is still an empire, here, and Isabella works under those assumptions as much as she assumes she can breathe air. She does meet other cultures, and treat them with respect, but sometimes with an air of private condescension that (to me) just works as part of her character, her driven nature, and the world she lives in. Your mileage may vary, but I don’t think it’s invisible to Brennan; I think it’s part of the character and world she’s building.
I’m enjoying the matter of fact inclusion of queerness in the story, too. As is Isabella’s wont, she doesn’t pry into people’s personal lives much, and the idea of queer people is essentially shrugged off as one of those things that happens, and not really her business. Even where it’s story-relevant, there’s only one moment where she does anything that one might call prying — and it’s understandable in the situation.
I’m afraid that despite Isabella’s best efforts, I do wish she’d up and marry Tom Wilker. I love the evolution of his character, too: the belligerent way he started out, the way he’s come to respect her and drop some of his barriers around her, the way they rely on each other, and of course society’s slow acceptance of the working class lad who has worked his way up. I was less taken with Suhail, because I just like the adversarial, sparring relationship between Tom and Isabella.
Oh, and you’ve got to enjoy the evolution of her relationship with her son. I love that he’s become “Jake” instead of Jacob, love that she’s found a way to relate to him, spend time with him, and be a mother to him, despite her initial rejection of the traditional mother-son relationship.
One thing that is getting hard to swallow: Isabella’s way of getting entangled in politics wherever she goes. Not just local politics, but politics with deep relevance to the crown. But it wouldn’t be such an interesting read without those complications.
Originally posted here.
November 5, 2024
Series just gets better as it goes along!
April 9, 2020
Even though there were parts that I still really loved, I think this was my least favorite so far. Brennan does a great job of building this world and the dragons seem so real, but in this installment there were several moments that were rushed and others that dragged.
But I still think this is a great series for those trying to get more into fantasy!
But I still think this is a great series for those trying to get more into fantasy!
February 25, 2022
Spoiler Free Series Review: https://youtu.be/XtkCzb-8rJA
One of my favorite characters is introduced in this one and I love the focus on the mother son relationship that this expedition highlights! Also per usual really fun plot acceleration at the end that had me on the edge of my seat.
One of my favorite characters is introduced in this one and I love the focus on the mother son relationship that this expedition highlights! Also per usual really fun plot acceleration at the end that had me on the edge of my seat.
April 30, 2026
« None of us got a wink of sleep, and if you have ever gone two days without rest, you will understand the kind of madness that overcomes you when you pass through exhaustion to another realm entirely. » accurate description of insomnia but they could’ve just read this book and they would’ve slept for sure.
Alright so I was really excited for this because I’ve been having fun with this series so far but this was a cure for insomnia.
I spent the whole book thinking about everything EXCEPT the story. I don’t really have anything stressing me out right this instant so it’s not because of external factors… I was just extremely bored.
The stories usually have a bit of warmth, especially between the main cast but Tom was BARELY present & Nathalie was absent. And i didn’t particularly care about Jake, Abby or Suhail. It’s just that Isabella doesn’t have enough warmth to add to a story so that’s why Tom & Nathalie are NECESSARY.
This instalment leaned heavily into religion and expected the reader to just accept certain things too much.
This one was just the weak point of this series so far.
Alright so I was really excited for this because I’ve been having fun with this series so far but this was a cure for insomnia.
I spent the whole book thinking about everything EXCEPT the story. I don’t really have anything stressing me out right this instant so it’s not because of external factors… I was just extremely bored.
The stories usually have a bit of warmth, especially between the main cast but Tom was BARELY present & Nathalie was absent. And i didn’t particularly care about Jake, Abby or Suhail. It’s just that Isabella doesn’t have enough warmth to add to a story so that’s why Tom & Nathalie are NECESSARY.
This instalment leaned heavily into religion and expected the reader to just accept certain things too much.
This one was just the weak point of this series so far.
June 8, 2015
THE VOYAGE OF THE BASILISK is Lady Trent's most thrilling adventure to date. With little of grinding misogyny that peppered earlier books, here Isabella takes to the seas with her research fellow Tom, her son Jake, and a stalwart captain mad enough to hunt sea serpents in their natural habitat.
Once again, Brennan offers the daily realities of biology at the turn of the century, as much hunting and politics and anthropology as it is studying natural phenomena. Those Machiavellian obstacles don't seem as frustrating when she can sail away on her ship, encountering fascinating (and romantic) people in her search for answers.
Over the course of this book tantalizing hints collect about Lady Trent's future relationships, the political upheavals that would shape her future , and the biological nature of the dragons she so loves. While I've enjoyed this series all along, THE VOYAGE OF THE BASILISK may be the first that I finished and was desperate for the next installment. Isabella is at the cusp of so many changes, both personal and professional, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Sexual Content: None.
Once again, Brennan offers the daily realities of biology at the turn of the century, as much hunting and politics and anthropology as it is studying natural phenomena. Those Machiavellian obstacles don't seem as frustrating when she can sail away on her ship, encountering fascinating (and romantic) people in her search for answers.
Over the course of this book tantalizing hints collect about Lady Trent's future relationships, the political upheavals that would shape her future , and the biological nature of the dragons she so loves. While I've enjoyed this series all along, THE VOYAGE OF THE BASILISK may be the first that I finished and was desperate for the next installment. Isabella is at the cusp of so many changes, both personal and professional, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Sexual Content: None.
April 16, 2024
Listened to audiobook.
Hate to say it but the series is getting kind of boring now, I will read the next one but this book didn't need to be as long as it was. Really wordy.
Found myself nodding off and then having to rewind to find I hadn't actually missed anything pertinent to the story.
2.5 stars
Hate to say it but the series is getting kind of boring now, I will read the next one but this book didn't need to be as long as it was. Really wordy.
Found myself nodding off and then having to rewind to find I hadn't actually missed anything pertinent to the story.
2.5 stars
July 22, 2024
Unfortunately, this was my last attempt at trying to get into this series.
Instead of journeying to one place for one species, we follow Isabella to many different places and her perilous adventures aboard a ship.
Along for the ride is her young son Jacob; Jacob’s nanny Abigail; and Tom, Isabella’s research partner.
Good manners warred with curiosity, and lost.
Jacob’s accompaniment and presence, six years older from the last book, which demonstrates the tension between career and motherhood, expectation and personal desire that has been alluded to.
This added a more innocent and adventurous feel to their journey compared to Isabella’s more cynical approach.
One thing I did enjoy was the more nuanced discussions on gender where they visit a place where Isabella as a gender between man and woman.
"So long as my society refuses to admit of a concept of femininity that allows for such things," I said, "then one could indeed say that I stand in between.”
Whilst I previously felt compelled to keep listening due to Isabella’s voice, I found this instalment lacking.
Bookstagram
Instead of journeying to one place for one species, we follow Isabella to many different places and her perilous adventures aboard a ship.
Along for the ride is her young son Jacob; Jacob’s nanny Abigail; and Tom, Isabella’s research partner.
Good manners warred with curiosity, and lost.
Jacob’s accompaniment and presence, six years older from the last book, which demonstrates the tension between career and motherhood, expectation and personal desire that has been alluded to.
This added a more innocent and adventurous feel to their journey compared to Isabella’s more cynical approach.
One thing I did enjoy was the more nuanced discussions on gender where they visit a place where Isabella as a gender between man and woman.
"So long as my society refuses to admit of a concept of femininity that allows for such things," I said, "then one could indeed say that I stand in between.”
Whilst I previously felt compelled to keep listening due to Isabella’s voice, I found this instalment lacking.
Bookstagram
January 29, 2026
Bonus points for the sailing ships
November 19, 2017
I give up. This series is deteriorating very fast and I can't be arsed to go on. This is a year when I just don't have the energy and time to go on with things like this, so I have quite a few DNF books and I think it's fine.
My issue with the series is the protagonist. As much as she was fine in the first book, she is becoming more and more of a person I can't stand.
Isabella is spoilt. Of course now people will say nope, she isn't, she goes out to the jungles and oceans and mountains to study dragons, without any luxuries. But what I am talking about is responsibilities. She keeps talking about how hard life is for a woman. How she is limited in everything, how it's such a sad life, but we see nothing of that. What, as a kid she was told to not do certain things? She still did them and nothing happened. As an adult she is even worse, she just has no regard for anyone other than herself and what is the most convenient for her obsession.
Which is fine. But Isabella is portrayed as this wonderful woman who is such a heroine and all. Nope. She is a womanchild who cries about things not being how she wants them when they are.
The son character... I have no idea why he is there, other than for Isabella to be spiteful about someone she produced not being like her and annoying her with being a boy who supposedly could do whaaaatever he wanted, so he does that, does whatever he likes and not what his mother does. Jacob is more of a mildly annoying roommate than her child.
I don't care about fantasy place names and tribe names being repeated over and over again while we get nowhere. It's ridiculous. I want to hear more about dragons, to elaborate more on the damn creatures on the cover of the books, not tribal issues and every man being interested in Isabella, while she is just doing whatever.
I'm quitting this series. Bye.
My issue with the series is the protagonist. As much as she was fine in the first book, she is becoming more and more of a person I can't stand.
Isabella is spoilt. Of course now people will say nope, she isn't, she goes out to the jungles and oceans and mountains to study dragons, without any luxuries. But what I am talking about is responsibilities. She keeps talking about how hard life is for a woman. How she is limited in everything, how it's such a sad life, but we see nothing of that. What, as a kid she was told to not do certain things? She still did them and nothing happened. As an adult she is even worse, she just has no regard for anyone other than herself and what is the most convenient for her obsession.
Which is fine. But Isabella is portrayed as this wonderful woman who is such a heroine and all. Nope. She is a womanchild who cries about things not being how she wants them when they are.
The son character... I have no idea why he is there, other than for Isabella to be spiteful about someone she produced not being like her and annoying her with being a boy who supposedly could do whaaaatever he wanted, so he does that, does whatever he likes and not what his mother does. Jacob is more of a mildly annoying roommate than her child.
I don't care about fantasy place names and tribe names being repeated over and over again while we get nowhere. It's ridiculous. I want to hear more about dragons, to elaborate more on the damn creatures on the cover of the books, not tribal issues and every man being interested in Isabella, while she is just doing whatever.
I'm quitting this series. Bye.
June 16, 2024
I just love this series so much! Dragons as animals, not as magic unknown monsters. I want to read so much more.
May 5, 2022
I liked the third instalment of Lady Trent’s memoirs Voyage of the Basilisk a bit better than the second one and a bit less than the first. So, I’d say 3.5 stars. Basically, I enjoyed the familiarity, while at the same time, I found all the repetitions – especially about her poor grasp at grammar – a bit overload. In contrast, I really enjoyed the ship voyage and the world exploration, because it reminded me of the The Voyage of the Dawn Treader that I loved as a child. But then again, the story repeats itself as Isabella tries to win the trust of the locals – and doing very poorly at first. Still, overall, I enjoy the series: especially its lightness, feelgood-feeling and exploration-spirit.
July 9, 2017
This is my favourite Lady Trent to date, shamelessly pandering to me with archaeologists, diving bells, monolithic statues, and things I can't mention without even bigger spoilers. It's a thrill ride of adventures at sea with a grumpy sea captain and charming new companions - and we get to meet young Jake to boot. All the feelings, lots of fun and excellent new mysteries.
Full review to follow.
4.5 stars. I think. Just so much fun!
Full review to follow.
4.5 stars. I think. Just so much fun!
August 29, 2017
I write down my thoughts later... I'm picking up the next one immediately!
September 26, 2022
Everything that made the previous two books great was present in this novel in equal measure: fascinating world-building, science discovery, breaking barriers, exciting adventures, humour that hit the spot just right for me and well-developed characters.
I was happy to see to the expansion into new fields of scientific research in this installment, for example archeology and geology. Don't get me wrong, dragon science is the reason why I reached for this series in the first place, but learning about the world changing due to global warming and discovering new facts about the Draconian civilization added even more to the story.
I was just hoping to have more actual traveling and more frequent changes of scenery in a novel which was supposed to be about a sea voyage around the world. That's where one star went missing from my rating.
The characters were such a delight. It was satisfactory to see the development Isabella goes through in the course of her life. Jake and Suhail were also great additions to the cast, each in their unique way. .
It's interesting to see how gender restrictions negatively affect people's lives in different places throughout the series. In Scirland women are not allowed intellectual development (among many other things), in Bayembe they are locked away as "impure" when menstruating and in Keonga both men and women are forced into marriages incompatible with their sexual orientation and artificial genders are imposed on them, if they don't neatly fit into a set of stereotypes. I wonder, if we'll see more consequences of restrictive gender expectations in other cultures of this world.
I'm looking forward to more in the Lady Trent universe.
I was happy to see to the expansion into new fields of scientific research in this installment, for example archeology and geology. Don't get me wrong, dragon science is the reason why I reached for this series in the first place, but learning about the world changing due to global warming and discovering new facts about the Draconian civilization added even more to the story.
I was just hoping to have more actual traveling and more frequent changes of scenery in a novel which was supposed to be about a sea voyage around the world. That's where one star went missing from my rating.
The characters were such a delight. It was satisfactory to see the development Isabella goes through in the course of her life. Jake and Suhail were also great additions to the cast, each in their unique way. .
It's interesting to see how gender restrictions negatively affect people's lives in different places throughout the series. In Scirland women are not allowed intellectual development (among many other things), in Bayembe they are locked away as "impure" when menstruating and in Keonga both men and women are forced into marriages incompatible with their sexual orientation and artificial genders are imposed on them, if they don't neatly fit into a set of stereotypes. I wonder, if we'll see more consequences of restrictive gender expectations in other cultures of this world.
I'm looking forward to more in the Lady Trent universe.
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