Voyage of the Basilisk, by Marie Brennan

Voyage of the Basilisk is the third in Marie Brennan’s Lady Trent series, in which the main character, Isabella Camherst, is a venturesome lady scientist who travels the world to study dragons. The tone and manners of a Victorian/Steampunk adventure remains consistent with previous novels. There’s a new layer of alternate history, since the ship, Basilisk, has a clear parallel to the Beagle, upon which Charles Darwin traveled and gained his famous understanding of evolution.

I have to say I’m growing less fond of Isabella, who keeps doing outrageous things and then expresses dismay that Society views her as disreputable. For instance, she has a close friendship with a black scientist who shares part of the journey with her. She also enters a sham marriage with a Hawai’ian native woman because of their social prejudices against women who wear trousers. Throughout, Isabella makes a big point about how she respects native cultures and doesn’t want to break their taboos, yet she can never restrain her enthusiasm enough to actually not break them.

Ultimately, I was left discontent. Perhaps it’s that Brennan’s dragons, although still interesting, aren’t as much the focus of the story this time. People who really get into Steampunk stories will probably enjoy this one, too.