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"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"--… (more)
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I thought it was an interesting approach to fantasy, combining the historical fiction aesthetic of steampunk with an African jungle adventure and dragons. The bits drawn from African
It was hard staying so immersed in the fiction that I was not distracted by the temptation toward making comparisons with the cultures and history this book draws from. Still, it was an entertaining enough story, and the 'naturalist studying dragons' approach to exploring was fun.
Cons:
This is the second volume of Lady Isabella Trent’s memoir regarding the study of dragons. Despite the dangerous political situation in the Talu Union, she requests permission for
These ‘memoirs’ are such a joy to read. This is a character driven novel, told from a lady’s point of view. And that lady refuses to adhere to society’s norms when it comes to what women are and are not allowed to do in scholarly pursuits. But this isn’t a simple story. There’s a lot of character development as she’s forced to adapt to the customs of the different peoples she meets and come to terms with things in her past.
This series takes place in an imaginary world that has similarities to Earth in the 1800s. While the three protagonists are Scirling (analogous to colonial Britain), there are several natives of different tribes (patterned after African tribes) who play important roles in the book. Each tribe has different political goals, religious beliefs, customs, clothing, skin tones and languages. They all feel intrinsically real. I especially loved that the king of Bayembe had prosthesis that allowed him to walk and was seen as a powerful figure, whose ‘iron’ legs made him more than human.
There’s a decent amount of politics involved, and while it’s not dwelt on heavily, it’s necessary as the climax hinges on what the wider world is up to while her party is trying not to die of malaria and yellow fever in the swamps. Even beyond the military and economic politics are the more subtle politics of life, for example, Isabella isn’t allowed to join a scientific symposium because of her gender while one of her companions on the trek is barred from the same symposium because he’s not of a high enough social class. Similarly, her second companion on the trip has to defy her father, who wants her to stay home and get married rather than ruin herself on this expedition.
In addition to the cover, Todd Lockwood has a series of illustrations peppering the novel itself. These are done sketchbook style and really add to the atmosphere of the book as well as your ability to visualise what’s happening.
If you like fun, witty storytelling that’s quick to read and thoughtful about representing diversity, then pick this up.
Another good read, and I'm looking forward to the next with much anticipation.
Second in the Lady Trent series, Brennan’s Tropic of Serpents doesn't disappoint! Isabella continues her research into dragons, this time heading to Bayembe and Mouleen, there to study savannah and
As with the previous book, sketches by Isabella are scattered throughout, and the cover features a swamp-wyrm. These sketches within include other dragonish creatures such as the drakeflys, which resemble flying, feathery snakes with four wings, and the terrifying fang fish whose face kinda reminded me of the dragon-serpent Pokémon Gyrados, if Gyrados were drawn realistically.
Isabella, along with Mr Wilker, and her friend Natalie, get to play ethnographer again when they travel into Mouleen. The vast swampy area known locally as the ‘green hell’ is home to the Moulish, short-statured, egalitarian nomads. To survive the Green Hell, the expedition must befriend the Moulish, becoming part of the group.
During the course of their time in Bayembe and Mouleen, Isabella and crew face deadly illness, deadly creatures (a pissed hippo is a fearsome adversary indeed), the myriad vagaries of human custom, and the perils of political predators alike. We see the depth of Isabella’s empathy in how she chooses to handle the political quagmire, and what is best for the local people and environment. How often do people make the ‘right’ choice, the moral/ ethical choice over the greed-driven choice. Sometimes, I think corporations have lost that ability. Many individuals too, sadly.
While not Victorian England, Scirland, and the world it belongs to, greatly resemble that era. Scirling women are very limited in what they are allowed to partake of, just as Victorian women were. I love how Brennan has handled the social and personal conflicts that would arise in such a situation. The situation in Bayembe reflects the expansion of the British Empire, and the politics and conflicts of colonialism are well-wrought.
As with the first book, if you like things anthropological, or things dealing with naturalism, if historical fantasy tickles your palate, if adventurous accounts akin to The Lost City of Z arrest your attention, then look no further! Marie Brennan's The Tropic of Serpents can slake that thirst. Come, walk in a world where dragons dwell, and learn the secrets of the natural world.
She puts together an expedition to travel to the county of Eriga, a country with abundant draconian life, but this country is on the verge of war and of course, Isabella and her party end up involved in politics and warfare as she travels through an area called the Green Hell, a swamp like, steamy jungle.
A great deal of the book was taken up with the politics, customs and descriptions of the country and less attention was actually spent on dragons. I did enjoy this book, but I can see why many rate this as inferior to the first due to the lack of actual dragon lore. As she was travelling in a country that would compare to one of our African nations, I found the travelogue descriptions interesting. Also the character of Isabella is intriguing as she is both a strong female character but, also, one who examines her ambitions and motives and often finds herself falling short.
Lady Trent’s adventures will definitely be a series that I continue to follow.
The start is slow and then things ramp up and
Left me wanting more and in some ways that was wishing for more depth.
As discussed in the last book, she's managed to wrangle her way onto the another expedition, despite some opposition, as she's a single (widowed)
I'm not quite sure about the geography here, it feels much more like a south american flooded forest rather than the african rainforest but I'm no expert, and in truth it matters little. There are also little niggles like the dragon bones carried for such distance, to 'co-incidentally' turn out to be useful later. The evolutionary life-cycle of some of the dragons requiring human intervention, and being so varied from their other cousins, is likewise strange, and less excusable. It makes for a good story - but when purporting to be natural history such class errors cannot be overlooked.
The rest is great fun. Isobella adapts, eventually, to life in the forest, and while her companions get less time than I'd liek the natives are wonderful. The author has a great skill at casting situations and sympathetic characters. There is enough 'science' to keep Isobella's character believable, but enough action and politics to make it interesting in terms of situation and drama. The Victorian societal precepts are presumably invented, but realistic enough to show just how far society has come now, even if there's a long way to go.
Enjoyable!
Three years after her fateful journeys through the forbidding mountains of Vystrana, Mrs. Camherst defies family and convention to embark on an
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.
In this second volume in her memoirs collection, Mrs. Isabella Camherst (Lady Trent) describes the exciting adventures that she had while visiting Eriga where she was studying the swamp-wyrms. Like in Vystrana in A Natural History of Dragons, Mrs. Camherst finds herself not only having to manage keeping her person and party safe from the dragons but also from the people who want to take advantage of the dragons for their own nefarious purposes.
Do you like dragons? Do you like memoirs? Are you thinking about trying fantasy books but they make you a bit nervous? Do you like reading books about people who study natural history, anthropology, or zoology? If you answer yes to any of these questions, you should read this series. Seriously. This post will still be here when you get back from the store.
Let's talk about what I like about this book (and this series). This series is written as Mrs. Camherst's memoirs (with just a dash more of dialogue than you would expect in a traditional memoir). I find this to be a unique approach to this fantasy series. There is a nice combination of Mrs. Camherst rehashing what she was thinking in the moment when she was on an adventure and what she thinks now that she is older and wiser. I really like this writing style for this book, because it makes everything feel more grounded and believable. If it wasn't for the dragons and the fictional country names, I may have forgotten that I was reading a fictional memoir and just thought that this was a memoir by a very adventurous woman in the Victorian era.
The story in this sequel took place predominately in Eriga. It was interesting seeing how Mrs. Camherst and her team get to Eriga and how they manage the cultural and political differences between their native Scirland and Eriga. In regards to the adventure, I felt that it moved a bit slower than the adventure in A Natural History of Dragons; however, the story still kept my attention. Mrs. Camherst always seems to find herself on the wrong end of a spear, gun, or bow and arrow. I am always excited to see how she is going to get herself out of her latest jam.
I was a tiny bit disappointed that we didn't get to see more of her homeland of Scirland (what we would consider England) and the difficulties that she experiences there. Specifically, she is trying to get recognized by the scholars of her time, but they are not keen to acknowledge a female scholar. What is great about this series being a collection of memoirs instead of your standard adventure series is that the readers know that she will ultimately become famous enough that people want to publish her memoirs. We just don't know how she gets to that point in her career.
I loved being able to get to know Mrs. Camherst and her friends more in this book. I am not going to go into detail about anyone besides Mrs. Camherst in an effort to avoid spoilers for A Natural History of Dragons. Mrs. Camherst is definitely an interesting and three-dimensional character. She has her strengths and her weaknesses. Unlike many female fantasy characters who seem to be perfect in every way except being stubborn (in a cute way), Mrs. Camherst has some flaws like being stubborn in a very non-cute way. Sometimes Mrs. Camherst does things that drive me crazy, but her actions always seem true to the character and seem true for the time period. Would I want to be best friends with Mrs. Camherst? No. I don't think we would get along super well. Would I want to meet Mrs. Camherst and hear more about her adventures? Yes, most definitely. She lived an exciting life. Mrs. Camherst might be similar in some ways of a modern woman of the 21st century, but she is also very much a woman of her Victorian times in some of her attitudes. Personally, I find this refreshing. I want the Victorian era to feel somewhat genuine, not just a backdrop.
I need to take a quick moment to mention the drawings! There are several sketches that Mrs. Camherst drew during her adventures scattered throughout the book. I think these drawings really add to the feeling that you are reading a memoir.
Rereading my review, I noticed that I don't talk a lot about the dragons. I should rectify that. The dragons in this series are smart and have their own dragon-y way of life in the same way elephants or gorillas do. These are not talking dragons, these dragons are animals, very large and potentially dangerous animals. For me, this adds to the realism of the story, and I really enjoy it. If you were expecting Temeraire from Naomi Novik's series or Kazul from Patricia C Wrede's series, you will be frustrated.
Overall, I really enjoyed this second book in the Memoirs of Lady Trent series. I found it a fun and exciting read. I can't wait to see where Mrs. Camherst goes next and what new facts she learns about dragons. Now if I could just get my hands on copies of all the book covers in this series to hang on my wall, I would be in SF&F heaven!
I give this book a 4 out of 5.
Needless to say, the book took me by surprise. By the last page, I was completely in love with the character of Isabella Camherst before she became the venerable Lady Trent. The unique and convincing narrative style added so much to the story, and I could feel her passion for dragons in every single word. I practically did a dance when I found out that a second novel was in the works, called The Tropic of Serpents which would chronicle the next chapter of Isabella's pursuit of draconic knowledge by focusing on her time in the swampy jungles of war-torn Eriga.
"I set to work making a place for myself in Society, even if it was not the place Society intended for me."
Like the first book, The Tropic of Serpents is a tale of adventure, but it also explores the role of women in a society where the world of academia is still almost exclusively male. Isabella bucks social conventions to pursue her dream of studying dragons, while dealing with criticism as well as her own guilt for putting her research ahead of her family. There is a fine balance of emotional gravity to go along with the action and adventure in these books, something I like to see. The narration also has an honest quality to it that's really grown on me, suggestive of a "bare all" attitude from someone who knows she has contributed much to the field and is too old now in any case to give a crap about what anyone might think of her anymore. Very refreshing!
There are a lot of differences between the novels as well. Given how they are written in the form of a memoir, the many changes that occur over the course of this book lend a great deal of realism to Isabella's life. After all, the aspects of one's life do not remain static over time. Accordingly, we see growth in the character in terms of her personality, but also in her relationships with her companions and even in her scientific knowledge.
Which probably makes this a good time for me to bring up that I feel these books are about more than just dragons. The story is about Isabella's life. It's about her love of dragons and science. It's also about the world she lives in, including its peoples, cultures, and politics. To tell the truth, the sequel is actually conspicuously light when it comes to any dragon action. There's quite a bit of set up leading to Isabella's expedition into the jungle known as the Green Hell, and once there, the record of the time she spends among the native Moulish people made sections of this novel read more like an ethnography. Of course, I was an Anthropology major so I ate this all up, but I also have to echo the thoughts of many others and agree that the first book featured a greater emphasis on dragons, while this one dabbled more in the history and politics of the setting.
Nevertheless, I am having a lot of fun with this series. There are details hinting at so much more to come in Lady Trent's long and accomplished life and I hope to read about all her adventures. Anyone who has a deep passion or commitment to a calling will find a kindred spirit in the main character; it's truly wonderful to find a strong female protagonist with such powerful conviction and presence.
Isabelle still has a lot to learn, of course, but it is obvious how she has grown since the beginning of her previous expedition. She travels lightly, attempts to integrate with the natives, and hardly bats an eye at wearing pants (oh, the scandal!). We begin to see in Isabelle the beginning of her transformation into the worldly and knowledgeable narrator of her memoirs. In the end, it is satisfying to see her develop diplomatic skills, and the very valuable information she learns about swamp-wyrms is just thrilling. Highly, highly recommended.
The adventures had were fun, exciting, and full of interesting science and background. I like the writing style and how things unfold.
Can't wait to keep reading this wonderful series!
I listened to this on audiobook and Kate Reading does an amazing job narrating the story. I would definitely recommend
Aside from all the wonderful adventures; Lady Trent grows a lot as a naturalist and starts actually making herself a name in this book. I enjoy her character and how dedicated she is to her science. In this novel she is also working on some personal issues and struggling with how to act and engage as a mother to her young son.
Additionally, I really enjoyed learning about some new species of dragons; each book has introduced a new species and built on information from the previous books.
Overall this was another fun fantasy adventure read set in a Victorian-like time period. I have been enjoying this series a lot and plan on continuing it.
I found this book almost as good as the first. The swamp part seemed to drag on a bit, but that may have had more
In the second of her memoirs, Lady Isabella heads to not!Africa to see what kind of scaly beasts live here (and of course, if her team's method of preserving dragonbone on other draconian species) Non-Anthiopian (not!Europe) cultures are fully fleshed out, and although this is ostensibly a fantasy natural history series, it is primarily Lady Trent's memoirs. As much as we'd like to keep science unconnected to politics, it cannot exist in a vacuum. Likewise, her trip and actions in Eriga have international consequences.
But if I may squee a bit on natural history? REALLY liked the
I do have one major nit to pick - I really hate that the author changed the names of everywhere. It's not as if she tried to make the cultures or people any different - Scirlings are Englishmen (and women), with all the standard behaviors and cultural quirks that suggests. It just forces me to look at this weird word and remember "oh yeah, that means England/English people in this book". And the same for French, German, etc. Because of this, I have no idea where the first book was set and very little about this one (Africa, but I have no idea if it's West or East...) - all the history and interconnections that a national reference would call up are gone, or at least heavily obscured. It makes it unnecessarily difficult to read, and actually less interesting - more frustrating. Not enough to stop me reading, but it does reduce my pleasure in the reading.
But still, it has that sort of upper-English-class feel to it, and yes I’m aware that Scirling is not England, but there are, let us say, some resemblances.
It’s just a lovely read. And I really enjoy the way that Lady Trent seems of her time and society (quasi-Victorian) and yet aware of the sexism, racism and all the other -isms that are out there. She isn’t as aware of them as the reader might be, but she is certainly waking up to the realities of her world and how wrong they are.
Also, there are dragons. Although maybe not so many as I was hoping for.
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