George Otto Simms didn't delve very deeply into the facts and fancies of Brendan's voyage in this book. The book is targeted towards "both child and adult," but Simms must think his adult readers to be fairly superficial in their curiosity about the Irish saint and seaman. He sticks to the legend, relating brief anecdotes about the monsters, friendly whales, condemned souls and other creatures and places of interest without ever looking very hard at the reality beneath the myth.

Brendan the Navigator may whet the appetite of a child to learn more about this amazing historical figure, but it certainly won't do much for anyone with even a passing knowledge of the history or legends about the man.