331 pages
English language
Published Dec. 7, 2014
"Attentive readers of Lady Trent's earlier memoir, A Natural History of Dragons, are already familiar with how a bookish and determined young woman named Isabella first set out on the historic course that would one day lead her to becoming the world's premier dragon naturalist. Now, in this remarkably candid second volume, Lady Trent looks back at the next stage of her illustrious (and occasionally scandalous) career. Three years after her fateful journeys through the forbidding mountains of Vystrana, in which she lost her husband, the widowed Mrs. Camherst defies family and convention to embark on an expedition to the savage, war-torn continent of Eriga, home of such exotic draconian species as the grass-dwelling snakes of the savannah, arboreal tree snakes, and, most elusive of all, the legendary swamp-wyrms of the tropics. The expedition is not an easy one. Accompanied by both an old associate and a runaway heiress, Isabella …
"Attentive readers of Lady Trent's earlier memoir, A Natural History of Dragons, are already familiar with how a bookish and determined young woman named Isabella first set out on the historic course that would one day lead her to becoming the world's premier dragon naturalist. Now, in this remarkably candid second volume, Lady Trent looks back at the next stage of her illustrious (and occasionally scandalous) career. Three years after her fateful journeys through the forbidding mountains of Vystrana, in which she lost her husband, the widowed Mrs. Camherst defies family and convention to embark on an expedition to the savage, war-torn continent of Eriga, home of such exotic draconian species as the grass-dwelling snakes of the savannah, arboreal tree snakes, and, most elusive of all, the legendary swamp-wyrms of the tropics. The expedition is not an easy one. Accompanied by both an old associate and a runaway heiress, Isabella must brave oppressive heat, merciless fevers, palace intrigues, gossip, and other hazards in order to satisfy her boundless fascination with all things draconian, even if it means venturing deep into the forbidden jungle known as the Green Hell . . . where her courage, resourcefulness, and scientific curiosity will be tested as never before"--
The fun of colonial exploration and discovery with a twist.
Lady Trent, is well, a lady naturalist in an alternate British Empire. She stands for everything that the actual, racist, colonialist and misogynist empire stood for so we get all the adventure without all the baggage.
Ah, and there are actual dragons, natural ones mixed with the more ordinary fauna.
The next book in the series, this one has Isabella trampling over a region which resembles Africa in our world. Here, she goes to try to study the dragons that inhabit the region. But she becomes sucked into the politics and conflicts in the region when her desire to look at dragons that inhabit a dangerous swampy region of the country is allowed by the ruler of the country; on condition that she brings back the eggs of the dragon that the ruler dearly wants.
She agrees and enters the swamp to learn about the dragons, but that condition would come back to haunt her for as she gets to know the swamp's inhabitants (on which her survival depends), she starts to realize it may be an impossible condition to fulfil. Then as she finally gets to learn the secrets of the swamp dragons, she gets caught up in an …
The next book in the series, this one has Isabella trampling over a region which resembles Africa in our world. Here, she goes to try to study the dragons that inhabit the region. But she becomes sucked into the politics and conflicts in the region when her desire to look at dragons that inhabit a dangerous swampy region of the country is allowed by the ruler of the country; on condition that she brings back the eggs of the dragon that the ruler dearly wants.
She agrees and enters the swamp to learn about the dragons, but that condition would come back to haunt her for as she gets to know the swamp's inhabitants (on which her survival depends), she starts to realize it may be an impossible condition to fulfil. Then as she finally gets to learn the secrets of the swamp dragons, she gets caught up in an attempted surprise invasion, which she helps to successfully repel, but at a high cost to her reputation.
As in the first book, this one tells a fascinating story about Isabella and her travels and adventures. But the information presented on dragons is still minimal and only revealed near the end. But then, that is the nature of natural history; sometimes you have to slowly gather the information instead of getting it dumped on to you. It would be more interesting to me to be provided with more information about dragons in this world.
Perhaps that will happen in the books to come in the series.
I enjoyed this more than the first book in the series. The political / cultural intrigue seems to have a bit more depth, perhaps because the main character is maturing a bit. The setting is essentially Colonial era (19th century?) Europe + Africa. (with dragons). I'm not sure why all the countries and institutions are renamed, it doesn't seem necessary.
Once again a great book, in which I love the characters, the settings, and the writing. The story is fast paced and never boring.
I hope Natalie appears a bit more in the next book, I really wanted to know more about her.
Loving the Lady Trent series!
Right, then. This series is fabulous.
