The Tropic of Serpents - Marie Brennan 
 Rating: 1/2 
 (view spoiler)[Three years after the events of the first volume, Isabella leaves her son behind in Scirland and joins Thomas Wilker for an expedition to war-torn Eriga funded by Lord Hilford. The oba of Bayembe sends them to the swamps of Mouleen (also called the Green Hell) to find dragon eggs for him, but as the Ikwunde are threatening to invade Bayembe by traversing the swamps, Isabella brokers an alliance between Bayembe and Mouleen, ruining Scirland's plans in the region. She also discovers the Cataract Stone, which will eventually lead to the translation of the draconian script. (hide spoiler)] 
 The aspect I liked the most of this novel was that Isabella and her companions had to comply to the cultures of Bayembe and Mouleen in order to do their research (the agban, the ritual to disband "witchcraft", the test to "touch the dragons"). I also enjoyed how Isabella involuntarily has a hand in local politics and the friendship that blossomed between herself and Tom. Isabella's assistant Natalie (Lord Hilford's granddaughter) was a great addition to the team and her interests in engineering prove very useful to build the glider Furcula. 
 "Another thing to study," Natalie said, amused. "Will you ever be done?" 
 I smiled into the sun, one hand holding my bonnet against the firm grasp of the wind. "I should hope not. How dreadfully tedious that would be." (Chapter 5)