A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent

"Isabella, Lady Trent, is a naturalist and adventurer in a country that more or less resembles 19th-century England, yet fantastical creatures roam, Judaism appears to be the dominant religion, and Europe once had an ancient Egypt-like civilization. Isabella has been obsessed with studying dragons since childhood, but a formal scientific career is off limits to a woman. Instead she marries a man who shares her passion for natural history and convinces him to let her join his expedition to see the wild dragons of Vystrana. Along the way, Isabella solves a mystery and proves her worth as a naturalist. Brennan's stand-alone novel (unrelated to her Onyx Court series), written as Isabella's memoir of her youthful adventures, and beautifully illustrated by Todd Lockwood, is saturated with the joy and urgency of discovery and scientific curiosity. Isabella's life is genuinely complicated by her scientific leanings, yet she perseveres with perfectly period-accurate spirit and awareness of the risks and costs. Brennan's world-building is wonderfully subtle, rendering a familiar land alien with casual details. Fans of fantasy, science, and history will adore this rich and absorbing tale of discovery. Agent: Rachel Vater, Folio Literary Management." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

"Her Ladyship is a determined and canny woman in search of dragons — I wholeheartedly approve!" Melanie Rawn, bestselling author of Touchstone

"Lady Trent is the Jane Goodall of dragonkind, and I'm glad shes finally sharing her story with the world. From her first sparkling encounter to her discoveries in Vystrana, her memoir is sure to inspire the next generation of naturalists and dragon aficionados. This book makes me want to dissect something. In a good way." Jim C. Hines, author of Libriomancer

"A Natural History of Dragons stands somewhere between Naomi Novik and Elizabeth Peters, but rock-solidly in its own world and on its own terms. It's intimate and unsentimental, greatly entertaining and thoroughly worked out; these are dragons you can actually believe in, lethal and endangered, hunted for sport and for science and for safety. Highly recommended." Daniel Fox, author of Dragon in Chains

Marie Brennan habitually pillages her background in anthropology, archaeology, and folklore for fictional purposes. She is the author of the Onyx Court series and the Doppelganger duology of Warrior and Witch, as well as more than thirty short stories.