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Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist #2
The Basilisk’s Lair
Nate Fludd, Beastologist, is back in the camel saddle in hot pursuit of a missing, deadly Basilisk--the King of Serpents. As if saving an entire Dhughani village from the Basilisk's poisonous gaze isn't difficult enough, Nate and Aunt Phil must begin to piece together the mystery of his parents' disappearance and protect the lone copy of the "Fludd Book of Beasts" from a sinister man who always seem to be one step ahead of them.
Pack your goggles, rue, and an extra pair of gloves and join Nate on another unbelievable adventure--there's no rest for the world's youngest beastologist-in-training!
Pack your goggles, rue, and an extra pair of gloves and join Nate on another unbelievable adventure--there's no rest for the world's youngest beastologist-in-training!
150 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2010
26 people are currently reading
822 people want to read
About the author
R.L. LaFevers
15 books2,021 followersR.L. LaFevers (Robin Lorraine when she’s in really big trouble) grew up surrounded by shelves of old dusty books and a passel of brothers. She has also spent a large portion of her life being told she was making up things that weren’t there, which only proves she was destined to write fiction. She is the author of over fourteen books for young readers, including THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS, (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) which received starred reviews and was a Junior Library Guild selection, a Booksense Summer Pick, and nominated for the Malice Domestic’s Agatha Award, and the NATHANIEL FLUDD, BEASTOLOGIST series. R.L. also writes the His Fair Assassin books using her full name, Robin LaFevers, but cannot get Goodreads to link the two, so you have to check out a separate profile for that. So sorry for the inconvenience!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
March 31, 2012
This, Book II, is another fun adventure in the life of Nathaniel Fludd. This book picks up almost immediately after the end of the last book, and sends Nathaniel through the Sahara to small village in the hills in order to track down an escaped Basilisk.
I still love the characters and the details about the creatures Nathaniel encounters. The bond here between Nathaniel and Greasle grows, and Aunt Phil is in the book quite a bit more, too.
I'm afraid this book didn't contain quite the same charm as the first one, though. And while the adventure of the book was fun, there was little overall development with the characters. It wasn't until the last few pages, that we got much of anything about Nathaniel's desire to find out what happened to his parents or anything of the like. And there was little summary of what happened in book I, so sometimes I found it hard to recall exactly how things had been left off, and what person "X" had done, etc. This book almost feels like another set of chapters between the first book and the third, instead of a book on its own.
I like that we get to see more of the Beastologist in action. But I was a little confused, at times, about where exactly Aunt Phil falls on the "caring for all beasts" - in one respect she's adamant about not hurting crocodiles (great!) but then she seems to have little value for Greasle...
The books are quick to read and keep up a good pace, too, which is helpful and I still love the concept and am willing to read the next book to see if we get more insight into Nathaniel and his life.
I still love the characters and the details about the creatures Nathaniel encounters. The bond here between Nathaniel and Greasle grows, and Aunt Phil is in the book quite a bit more, too.
I'm afraid this book didn't contain quite the same charm as the first one, though. And while the adventure of the book was fun, there was little overall development with the characters. It wasn't until the last few pages, that we got much of anything about Nathaniel's desire to find out what happened to his parents or anything of the like. And there was little summary of what happened in book I, so sometimes I found it hard to recall exactly how things had been left off, and what person "X" had done, etc. This book almost feels like another set of chapters between the first book and the third, instead of a book on its own.
I like that we get to see more of the Beastologist in action. But I was a little confused, at times, about where exactly Aunt Phil falls on the "caring for all beasts" - in one respect she's adamant about not hurting crocodiles (great!) but then she seems to have little value for Greasle...
The books are quick to read and keep up a good pace, too, which is helpful and I still love the concept and am willing to read the next book to see if we get more insight into Nathaniel and his life.
September 19, 2017
This book focuses on another mythical creature, the basilisk, and the damage it could do if it’s not caught. The beast is kept in a cave, watched over by the people of a remote village who’ve made a deal with it and Nate and company must find out how it escaped.
Nate gets to use his drawing skills in this book and has learned how they can help him in his adventures. Once again, much of the travel is glossed over, which is fine by me. The characters get to where they need to be quick so they can solve the mystery of the missing basilisk and hunt it down.
There was a rather convenient plot point towards the end of the book, but given that it’s made for much younger readers than I, I don’t mind. The villain is also painfully flat, but again, in such a short book, that’s not surprising. All in all, a cute follow up to the first book.
Nate gets to use his drawing skills in this book and has learned how they can help him in his adventures. Once again, much of the travel is glossed over, which is fine by me. The characters get to where they need to be quick so they can solve the mystery of the missing basilisk and hunt it down.
There was a rather convenient plot point towards the end of the book, but given that it’s made for much younger readers than I, I don’t mind. The villain is also painfully flat, but again, in such a short book, that’s not surprising. All in all, a cute follow up to the first book.
July 7, 2018
"The truth was, he approached animals like he wished people would approach him. Well, except for the sniffing part."
I liked it. It's fast-paced, full of adventure and travelling.
I liked it. It's fast-paced, full of adventure and travelling.
May 16, 2016
a fun read, like the time period
September 15, 2020
I did the mistake of reading the second book instead of the first book. I came across this book, hidden in my closet. It was another one of those books I bought from a Book Fair back in elementary school solely because I liked the cover. I never read it until now.
What I liked about this book is that I didn’t have to read the first one to understand what was going on. Sure, I wasn’t properly introduced to the characters nor did I really understand how their relationship with each other started, but I understood the story itself.
The plot is simple but fun to read. I loved the little funny moments here and there. I definitely noticed Nate grow from the beginning to the story to the end. He grew from a shy and scared boy to a bold and brave one. The last couple chapters, especially, were fun to read and greatly written. I love how the author added a hint of his past towards the last chapter to indicate that there is more books to come and also hint what was mentioned in the first book.
I’m more of a large chapter book person, but the pictures were cute and cool to look at. Definitely recommend this book for more younger readers, but I really enjoyed reading it during my free time. So anyone who likes a short, fun, easy, and adventurous read, should give this book a try!
What I liked about this book is that I didn’t have to read the first one to understand what was going on. Sure, I wasn’t properly introduced to the characters nor did I really understand how their relationship with each other started, but I understood the story itself.
The plot is simple but fun to read. I loved the little funny moments here and there. I definitely noticed Nate grow from the beginning to the story to the end. He grew from a shy and scared boy to a bold and brave one. The last couple chapters, especially, were fun to read and greatly written. I love how the author added a hint of his past towards the last chapter to indicate that there is more books to come and also hint what was mentioned in the first book.
I’m more of a large chapter book person, but the pictures were cute and cool to look at. Definitely recommend this book for more younger readers, but I really enjoyed reading it during my free time. So anyone who likes a short, fun, easy, and adventurous read, should give this book a try!
March 13, 2020
This book is a wonderful tale of the further adventures of Nate, his Aunt Phil and his best friend Greasle the Gremlin. Nate just recently learned that he comes from a long line of Beastologists who travel the world protecting rare beasts such as Phoenixes, Griffins, Unicorns, Dodo Birds and many others.
Nate and his Aunt Phil find themselves on a journey to Africa to learn about a Basilisk which is supposed to be a fairly safe observation but things don't go quite as planned and the beast has somehow gotten free from where it has been for quite some years. Nate will need to conquer his fear of being in a cave with bats, having help from a pair of weasels to corral the Basilisk and his trusty friend Greasle when his Aunt is injured and it's up to them to hopefully stop the creature from causing more harm or killing.
Full of adventure, the power of friends, a healthy dash of myth and the importance of believing in yourself, it was such a fun book to read and I'm so glad that there are even more books in the series! Looking forward to seeing what further adventures are to be had.
Nate and his Aunt Phil find themselves on a journey to Africa to learn about a Basilisk which is supposed to be a fairly safe observation but things don't go quite as planned and the beast has somehow gotten free from where it has been for quite some years. Nate will need to conquer his fear of being in a cave with bats, having help from a pair of weasels to corral the Basilisk and his trusty friend Greasle when his Aunt is injured and it's up to them to hopefully stop the creature from causing more harm or killing.
Full of adventure, the power of friends, a healthy dash of myth and the importance of believing in yourself, it was such a fun book to read and I'm so glad that there are even more books in the series! Looking forward to seeing what further adventures are to be had.
June 26, 2017
This is clearly a children's story, a chapter book for whatever age group that is. I love magical creatures, the paranormal, science fiction, fantasy and I don;t really care what age group it is aimed at as long as it is entertaining and well-written and that is true for all of the books in this series that are in my local library.
If you love Harry Potter, you will probably love these and might enjoy reading them to kids.
Trigger warning: Nathaniel finds out her is an orphan in the first chapter so if a child has experienced a devastating loss, these books might not be right.
If you love Harry Potter, you will probably love these and might enjoy reading them to kids.
Trigger warning: Nathaniel finds out her is an orphan in the first chapter so if a child has experienced a devastating loss, these books might not be right.
October 23, 2022
It was pretty cute. Lacked the sparkle and the emotional draw of the first one, and lapses slightly into more typical kid-book terrain. Gone is the subtlety of the openings scene with the lawyer and the governess. Gone, the processing through journaling. Gone, the surfacing of Big Themes, like self-reliance or feeling really alone in the world. Replaced by more Greasle jokes. But still, my son loved it, it wasn't bad, and we might continue on to the third one.
March 15, 2018
Good early reader.
August 25, 2018
The second book lived up to the promise of the second half of the first book. We learn more about Nathaniel and he learns more about himself as he and his aunt search for the basilisk.
August 29, 2018
You would hope this to be the end, but nope theres more. Nathen goes on his second journey but this time.......
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2021
My nine-year-old and I devoured this book. Highly recommend.
March 4, 2022
Nice little story, but didn't explain how the basilisk wasn't going to escape again when the hole in the cave was presumably still in place.
July 13, 2022
Another quick enjoyable read from Ms. LaFevers in the Fludd series. While I dearly love the Theodosia series, these are a nice fun break that can be read in 1 sitting.
August 9, 2022
We love this series, and perhaps both enjoyed this one even more than the first. I absolutely love Aunt Phil's brave no-nonsense personality and my son adores Greasle.
Read
September 7, 2023Third grade wrap up. Kiddo liked it
February 7, 2025
Banna and I read this book for fun after reading the first book for school. Banna really enjoys this series!
August 22, 2019
On the surface, the action in this story was a little too easy and the plot very simple, but I enjoyed it! It was fun.
January 16, 2010
Nate can't believe it... they're lost. And it's all his fault. Aunt Phil relied on him to get them back to the plane with the compass she entrusted to him and he goes and gets them lost. But his navigation lessons are cut short by a band of men on the horizon. There is a telegram for Aunt Phil from Bamanko. The Basilisk has escaped! They are on the move again, but Nate feels not just the hesitation steaming from the fact he feels incompetent, but from the fact that the Basilisk, unlike the Phoenix, is very dangerous, or so he and Greasle learned from sneaking a look in the book. After a stop over in Egypt, where Nate attempts to jump ship, or plane, as it were, they are on their way to the Sudan. The villagers, as can be expected, are very afraid of the death and destruction that the Basilisk might bring... not only that, but if the creature gets to the river the water will be poisoned and all could die. Also, could the Basilisk's escape have anything to do with the mysterious red headed stranger who wishes to pilfer the Fludd's family secrets?
The second installment of R. L. LaFever's new Beastologist series picks up literally moments after the first book ended. Being more conventional than the first, I thought it was a wonderful bridge book, but lacked the originality of the previous installment, yet built up even greater expectations for the next. The first book set up Nate's past and the new journey and new friends he would make in this path his life was taking since the disappearance of his parents. He learned of the wonders of his family heritage and of the value of friends and relatives. He also learned of the dangers that his legacy contains and the threat from outsiders, particularity of red headed men. In this book, we don't get any further revelations, we don't learn any more about his mysterious nanny or about who the red haired man might be, but we do get a great adventure. While I'm a fan of the story arc, the greater movements of the pieces to come to the endgame, sometimes I know you need an interlude, a break from this, and that's what this book felt like.
Even though it is, or perhaps because of it being, only the second book, you can't have too much revelation, you can't have all the secrets revealed and the curtain lifted, because otherwise this would be a very short series, and that is something I don't want. Instead we have Nate learning that the Beasts can be not only very beautiful, but also very dangerous. Here we have a Basilisk, something slightly different, but still familiar to readers who loved Harry Potter. It's the immediate threat of the Basilisk that must be attended to, no matter how much I wanted them to be on their way back to England to get to the bottom of the Fludd's disappearance. I think that this book will really appeal to the younger age bracket for which it is written, versus, say, myself. I have my eyes on the end, where a younger reader will have their eyes on the immediate struggle. And while the way the Basilisk is handled is unique and original I still felt that perhaps this beast is a little overplayed... but then again the Phoenix worked... so perhaps it's just the lack of secondary and tertiary plots that made it fall a little flat for me. But you can count me in as a reader for the next installment, I can't wait to see where Nate goes and see how his friendship with Greasle grows. I just can't get enough of that morally ambiguous, oil eating gremlin, who is always there when you need her most.
The second installment of R. L. LaFever's new Beastologist series picks up literally moments after the first book ended. Being more conventional than the first, I thought it was a wonderful bridge book, but lacked the originality of the previous installment, yet built up even greater expectations for the next. The first book set up Nate's past and the new journey and new friends he would make in this path his life was taking since the disappearance of his parents. He learned of the wonders of his family heritage and of the value of friends and relatives. He also learned of the dangers that his legacy contains and the threat from outsiders, particularity of red headed men. In this book, we don't get any further revelations, we don't learn any more about his mysterious nanny or about who the red haired man might be, but we do get a great adventure. While I'm a fan of the story arc, the greater movements of the pieces to come to the endgame, sometimes I know you need an interlude, a break from this, and that's what this book felt like.
Even though it is, or perhaps because of it being, only the second book, you can't have too much revelation, you can't have all the secrets revealed and the curtain lifted, because otherwise this would be a very short series, and that is something I don't want. Instead we have Nate learning that the Beasts can be not only very beautiful, but also very dangerous. Here we have a Basilisk, something slightly different, but still familiar to readers who loved Harry Potter. It's the immediate threat of the Basilisk that must be attended to, no matter how much I wanted them to be on their way back to England to get to the bottom of the Fludd's disappearance. I think that this book will really appeal to the younger age bracket for which it is written, versus, say, myself. I have my eyes on the end, where a younger reader will have their eyes on the immediate struggle. And while the way the Basilisk is handled is unique and original I still felt that perhaps this beast is a little overplayed... but then again the Phoenix worked... so perhaps it's just the lack of secondary and tertiary plots that made it fall a little flat for me. But you can count me in as a reader for the next installment, I can't wait to see where Nate goes and see how his friendship with Greasle grows. I just can't get enough of that morally ambiguous, oil eating gremlin, who is always there when you need her most.
December 3, 2014
September 1928. Nate accompanies intrepid Aunt Phil, insists on keeping small gremlin Greasle, named for her oil hunger. Phil pilots to Sudan West Africa, Cairo for fuel, then Bamako, on camel to remote village where basilisk escaped, now leaves trail of venom destruction heading to Niger River, where poison would spread far by water.
Here weasels tease and distract monster, part of Nate's plan to conquer. Conveniently, Nate remembers what he needs from The Book of Beasts. After "droplets of poison raining down" p 120, "Aunt Phil took one last wheezing breath, then lay still" p 123. Surprising ending.
When Greasle "scampered down a cavern" attracted by brightly colored scales, Nate waits to the last minute, in the lair, to warn her that scales are poison. Suspense is artificially raised because he keeps calling only her name, even "whispered" p 83.
Another question. Are navigating furrows constantly re-dug? Otherwise wouldn't wind and storms blow them in and away?
Sketches start atop chapters, one bone above Chapter One, up to Eighteen. Full page shows tiny Nate dangle his sniggle pole miniscule bait in front of monster grown gigantic in close-up perspective p 117. Early on, he was forlorn and wistful atop his camel p 4. He balances nervously across a very high flimsy ladder bridge p 74. Finally he smiles, Greasle waves, smile as big as his head, trotting his donkey "flew past" Phil towards answers.
Phil says his parents "disappearances are related to this stranger's sudden knowledge of where to find the beasts" p 142, as if the stranger has his father's copy of the bestiary. She wants to question the lawyer "and your Miss Lumpton" p 142, but I hope the next book may pursue another beast.
Looking for facts gets history according to medieval recorders, funnily may not match fiction. Definition here "cockerel egg hatched by a serpent .. cannot reproduce .. without gender" "or a toad" p 145 is opposite of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilisk "hatched by a cockerel from the egg of a serpent or toad". Here rue repels basilisk, wiki says "Most cats dislike the smell".
Wiki says "not more than twelve fingers in length" whereas here "not more than twenty fingers long"; Nate faces another "Nearly as tall as Aunt Phil" p 116. In Wiki, Pliny the Elder and Leonardo da Vinci both agree, and believe "weasel destroys the basilisk by its odor, but dies itself in this struggle of nature against its own self", and "crow of a rooster is fatal".
Typo:
p 22 He only "took one" yet "He picked at his eggs", plural.
Here weasels tease and distract monster, part of Nate's plan to conquer. Conveniently, Nate remembers what he needs from The Book of Beasts. After "droplets of poison raining down" p 120, "Aunt Phil took one last wheezing breath, then lay still" p 123. Surprising ending.
When Greasle "scampered down a cavern" attracted by brightly colored scales, Nate waits to the last minute, in the lair, to warn her that scales are poison. Suspense is artificially raised because he keeps calling only her name, even "whispered" p 83.
Another question. Are navigating furrows constantly re-dug? Otherwise wouldn't wind and storms blow them in and away?
Sketches start atop chapters, one bone above Chapter One, up to Eighteen. Full page shows tiny Nate dangle his sniggle pole miniscule bait in front of monster grown gigantic in close-up perspective p 117. Early on, he was forlorn and wistful atop his camel p 4. He balances nervously across a very high flimsy ladder bridge p 74. Finally he smiles, Greasle waves, smile as big as his head, trotting his donkey "flew past" Phil towards answers.
Phil says his parents "disappearances are related to this stranger's sudden knowledge of where to find the beasts" p 142, as if the stranger has his father's copy of the bestiary. She wants to question the lawyer "and your Miss Lumpton" p 142, but I hope the next book may pursue another beast.
Looking for facts gets history according to medieval recorders, funnily may not match fiction. Definition here "cockerel egg hatched by a serpent .. cannot reproduce .. without gender" "or a toad" p 145 is opposite of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilisk "hatched by a cockerel from the egg of a serpent or toad". Here rue repels basilisk, wiki says "Most cats dislike the smell".
Wiki says "not more than twelve fingers in length" whereas here "not more than twenty fingers long"; Nate faces another "Nearly as tall as Aunt Phil" p 116. In Wiki, Pliny the Elder and Leonardo da Vinci both agree, and believe "weasel destroys the basilisk by its odor, but dies itself in this struggle of nature against its own self", and "crow of a rooster is fatal".
Typo:
p 22 He only "took one" yet "He picked at his eggs", plural.
March 1, 2017
Liam and I have been loving this series. Can't wait to read the next one!
October 7, 2014
Nate Fludd, Beastologist in training, has just barely recovered from his adventure protecting the Phoenix egg and rescuing Aunt Phil from the Bedouin when adventure once again comes knocking while Nate is struggling with his (lacking) navigation skills. A basilisk, the King of the Serpents, is loose and must be contained before he destroys a Dhughani village and poisons the entire region's water supply.
Nate would much rather return to London with his new pet/friend Greasle the Gremlin than trek through Africa with Aunt Phil and her secret weapon to face one of the most fearsome creatures documented in the Fludd's Book of Beasts. But where trouble goes, beastologists tend to follow. As he grapples with his own fears and the usual problems that come with dealing with beasts of a mythical nature, Nate might just find he's braver (and more of a beastologist) than he thought in The Basilisk's Lair (2010) by R. L. LaFevers with illustrations by Kelly Murphy.
There are not enough words to say how much I love this series. Nathaniel Fludd is everything readers will want to see in a young hero. Murphy's illustrations perfectly capture the essence of the characters and the atmosphere of the story while LaFevers' writing creates a funny, exciting story that will appeal to readers of any age.
The book comes equipped with a handy glossary of real (and imagined) terms to help readers better make sense of the slighly Steampunk world of Beastologists and the era of 1928.
The series started with a powerhouse debut in Flight of the Phoenix and if this book is any indication, the series will only get better with each new installment.
Possible Pairings: The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley, The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer
Nate would much rather return to London with his new pet/friend Greasle the Gremlin than trek through Africa with Aunt Phil and her secret weapon to face one of the most fearsome creatures documented in the Fludd's Book of Beasts. But where trouble goes, beastologists tend to follow. As he grapples with his own fears and the usual problems that come with dealing with beasts of a mythical nature, Nate might just find he's braver (and more of a beastologist) than he thought in The Basilisk's Lair (2010) by R. L. LaFevers with illustrations by Kelly Murphy.
There are not enough words to say how much I love this series. Nathaniel Fludd is everything readers will want to see in a young hero. Murphy's illustrations perfectly capture the essence of the characters and the atmosphere of the story while LaFevers' writing creates a funny, exciting story that will appeal to readers of any age.
The book comes equipped with a handy glossary of real (and imagined) terms to help readers better make sense of the slighly Steampunk world of Beastologists and the era of 1928.
The series started with a powerhouse debut in Flight of the Phoenix and if this book is any indication, the series will only get better with each new installment.
Possible Pairings: The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley, The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer
November 15, 2012
Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com
After saving the Phoenix from extinction, ten-year-old Nate continues his adventures with his Aunt Phil. This time they're headed to Africa to investigate the escape of a basilisk. Nate is supposed to "watch and learn" as his aunt deals with this dangerous and deadly beast that can kill with just a look.
Unfortunately, things tend to go wrong when Nate and his best friend, Greasle (a gremlin), are around. Things won't be easy, especially when it seems someone released the basilisk on purpose. Not only must they recapture the basilisk, but Nate and Aunt Phil must find a way to protect the only copy of the Book of Beasts from a sinister man set on stealing it.
This is a great series for readers of all ages to enjoy. The plot is quick-moving and exciting, keeping the reader turning the pages and hoping for more.
I haven't had this much fun reading a series in a long time! I loved getting to know Nate, Aunt Phil, and Greasle in THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, and was thrilled (and a little scared) to follow these characters into THE BASILISK'S LAIR. I can't wait to get my hands on Nate's next adventure as he scours the Welsh countryside for THE WYVERN'S TREASURE.
After saving the Phoenix from extinction, ten-year-old Nate continues his adventures with his Aunt Phil. This time they're headed to Africa to investigate the escape of a basilisk. Nate is supposed to "watch and learn" as his aunt deals with this dangerous and deadly beast that can kill with just a look.
Unfortunately, things tend to go wrong when Nate and his best friend, Greasle (a gremlin), are around. Things won't be easy, especially when it seems someone released the basilisk on purpose. Not only must they recapture the basilisk, but Nate and Aunt Phil must find a way to protect the only copy of the Book of Beasts from a sinister man set on stealing it.
This is a great series for readers of all ages to enjoy. The plot is quick-moving and exciting, keeping the reader turning the pages and hoping for more.
I haven't had this much fun reading a series in a long time! I loved getting to know Nate, Aunt Phil, and Greasle in THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, and was thrilled (and a little scared) to follow these characters into THE BASILISK'S LAIR. I can't wait to get my hands on Nate's next adventure as he scours the Welsh countryside for THE WYVERN'S TREASURE.
June 12, 2016
This is book two of the continuing saga of Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist!
You may remember from the first book Flight of the Phoenix (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book I) Nathaniel Fludd is a beastologist in training - learning at the hands of his quirky Aunt Phil. Unfortunately it appears that the first book was not a fluke and it looks like Aunt Phil favors the "learn by doing" method. So in book two The Basilisk's Lair (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book 2) she drags the young boy beastologist-in-training on a screaming wild adventure to find the Basilisk!
As in her other adventures R.L. LaFevers takes you on a rip roaring ride into monsters and mythology mixed with the thrills of a wildlife safari....but the nice thing about Aunt Phil...she doesn't want to do this creature harm, just contain him!
This is a quick and easy read...and while the recommendations are from 3rd to 6th grade - you could read this to a 6 year old and they would LOVE it!
Off to continue the adventure with The Wyverns' Treasure (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book 3)...
You may remember from the first book Flight of the Phoenix (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book I) Nathaniel Fludd is a beastologist in training - learning at the hands of his quirky Aunt Phil. Unfortunately it appears that the first book was not a fluke and it looks like Aunt Phil favors the "learn by doing" method. So in book two The Basilisk's Lair (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book 2) she drags the young boy beastologist-in-training on a screaming wild adventure to find the Basilisk!
As in her other adventures R.L. LaFevers takes you on a rip roaring ride into monsters and mythology mixed with the thrills of a wildlife safari....but the nice thing about Aunt Phil...she doesn't want to do this creature harm, just contain him!
This is a quick and easy read...and while the recommendations are from 3rd to 6th grade - you could read this to a 6 year old and they would LOVE it!
Off to continue the adventure with The Wyverns' Treasure (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book 3)...
December 30, 2010
This is the second book in the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series. Overall I enjoyed it, although it is a pretty short book meant for younger readers.
Right on the heels of his first adventure with the Phoenix, Nathaniel is spirited away by his Aunt to help capture a Basilisk that has gone astray.
This book is very short, would probably take an adult 20-30 minutes to read, but is very readable and enjoyable. There are nice pictures throughout so children just starting chapter books would be a good fit.
The pace is fast and the action non-stop. The mythology behind all the different beasties is interesting. I love reading about mythical creatures so this book was right up my alley. Children who like reading about adventure, travel, or magical creatures should get into this book. It is an easy read and entertaining. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Right on the heels of his first adventure with the Phoenix, Nathaniel is spirited away by his Aunt to help capture a Basilisk that has gone astray.
This book is very short, would probably take an adult 20-30 minutes to read, but is very readable and enjoyable. There are nice pictures throughout so children just starting chapter books would be a good fit.
The pace is fast and the action non-stop. The mythology behind all the different beasties is interesting. I love reading about mythical creatures so this book was right up my alley. Children who like reading about adventure, travel, or magical creatures should get into this book. It is an easy read and entertaining. I look forward to the next book in the series.
October 22, 2011
I really like this series because it is just right for those children who really, really want to read a fantasy but just can't take on the challenge of a book that's three inches thick. Nathaniel Fludd is an apprentice beastologist, a position he has not gotten because of desire for the job. No, Nathaniel's parents are gone and Aunt Phil, herself a beastologist, has taken on rearing and training Nathaniel to take on the familial responsibility. Now he finds himself reluctantly accompanying Aunt Phil to save a Dhughani village from a deadly basilisk who has left his lair. Nathaniel is still adapting to his relationship with Aunt Phil and without his parents, but he knows he must stick with Aunt Phil if they are going to figure out what has happened to his parents and protect the Fludd Book of Beasts.
August 19, 2015
After saving a phoenix egg, Nathaniel Fludd is off on another adventure to see a basilisk. Unfortunately, Nate looks in his aunt's Book of Beasts and learns that a basilisk is extremely dangerous. He tries to suggest that he should stay behind, but Aunt Phil will have none of that.
This seems to be a good series for boys who've maybe grown out of the Magic Tree House or who liked the Secrets of Droon series. I picked it up for my 8 year old daughter who enjoyed the Magic Tree House books, but isn't an avid reader. We even read the first book (Flight of the Phoenix) before tackling this one just so we had the background. But unfortunately she just couldn't become interested enough to finish it (she read the first one, but was unenthusiastic). So, that's why I say it might be of more interest to boys.
This seems to be a good series for boys who've maybe grown out of the Magic Tree House or who liked the Secrets of Droon series. I picked it up for my 8 year old daughter who enjoyed the Magic Tree House books, but isn't an avid reader. We even read the first book (Flight of the Phoenix) before tackling this one just so we had the background. But unfortunately she just couldn't become interested enough to finish it (she read the first one, but was unenthusiastic). So, that's why I say it might be of more interest to boys.
August 7, 2010
Apparently I must really need to read the first one and then give this one another shot. It averages four stars? Don't get me wrong. I love the author. Theodosia is one of my favorite characters.
I just couldn't help feeling that a lot of the story was sacrificed for brevity in a way that left me wanting. I don't necessarily think that is the way to make a fantasy story for a middle reader. Could I have done any better? No. I do know that. I just know I left this one wanting ... and the story premise of a young boy and his aunt who capture enchanted beast, well. That could have been really cool.
I can see where some kids might like it. So I'll probably still get it for our school library. I just won't personally love it.
I just couldn't help feeling that a lot of the story was sacrificed for brevity in a way that left me wanting. I don't necessarily think that is the way to make a fantasy story for a middle reader. Could I have done any better? No. I do know that. I just know I left this one wanting ... and the story premise of a young boy and his aunt who capture enchanted beast, well. That could have been really cool.
I can see where some kids might like it. So I'll probably still get it for our school library. I just won't personally love it.
September 3, 2016
This series is wonderful! (LOVERS OF MYTHICAL CREATURES, GO AND SUPPORT THIS SERIES!) I really REALLY like this story about a basilisk, it was actually pretty scary for a kids book! When my jaw literally dropped and my mind screamed, "THIS IS NOT THE WAY A CHILDREN'S BOOK SHOULD END!" Well, I knew it wouldn't REALLY end that way, but still. It certainly caught me by surprise, and I loved every moment of it.
This story is very, very well written, and I'd love to share it with lots of other children. The series is great for introducing cool mythy creatures to the young too.~
This story is very, very well written, and I'd love to share it with lots of other children. The series is great for introducing cool mythy creatures to the young too.~
February 22, 2010
The kids and I really enjoyed this second book in the series and can't wait for the third! We hope she writes a lot more. But we sure don't like the waiting in between. I guess that's why it can be better to read a series that is already written, instead of one that is a work in progress!
Samantha was trying to explain to Mikey the other night how I won an Advanced Readers Copy from the author. She told him, "Guess what? We get to read it before everyone else! It isn't even for sale yet!" He turned to me aghast: "Mom, you STOLE it??"
Samantha was trying to explain to Mikey the other night how I won an Advanced Readers Copy from the author. She told him, "Guess what? We get to read it before everyone else! It isn't even for sale yet!" He turned to me aghast: "Mom, you STOLE it??"
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