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February 11, 2013
The fourth Rain Wilds Chronicles epic (after City of Dragons), Hobb’s 13th novel set in the world of the Elderlings, wraps up the current set of storylines involving a new generation of dragons and the Elderlings (human-dragon hybrids) who serve and protect them. As most of the dragons and their keepers repopulate and reinvigorate the lost city of Kelsingra, the ailing Duke of Chalced sends people to hunt dragons for their life-extending and transformative properties, and the ancient dragon queen Tintaglia fights for her life. With a wide scope of coverage and a narrative that jumps among members of the sprawling cast, this tale feels both leisurely and unfocused, and knowledge of previous installments is essential to full comprehension. Hobb makes up for this breadth with a wealth of detail and language bordering on poetic.
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January 1, 2013
In their fourth series outing (Dragon Keeper; Dragon Haven; City of Dragons) the dragons and their young keepers have reached the legendary lost city of Kelsingra, but all is not well. The city's stones cause addictive visions of times past, and the silver wells that are vital to the dragons' survival remain undiscovered. When humans from the coastal city of Bingtown, in the Rain Wilds, arrive in search of plunder and valuable dragon scales, the stage is set for a war that might mean the end of the ecological cycle that links dragons, sea serpents, and the sentient ships known as liveships. VERDICT Hobb excels at telling big stories and juggling multiple story arcs. Fans of the author and of this series who eagerly await this installment will not be disappointed. [See Prepub Alert, 10/15/12.]
Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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January 15, 2013
Hobb (City of Dragons, 2012, etc.) returns to the Elderling city of Kelsingra for the fourth and final installment of the Rain Wilds Chronicles. In the first three books of Hobb's series, a dozen dragons hatched, centuries after they had been believed to be extinct. Each dragon was paired to an outcast teenager as its dedicated keeper. Through their contact with their dragons, the teenagers began to metamorphose into Elderlings, increasing their lifespans while also giving them dragonlike physical characteristics. Accompanied by the crew of the Tarman, a sentient ship similar to those in Hobb's Liveship Traders trilogy, dragons and humans set out to find the lost Elderling city of Kelsingra. This book finds them settled into the old city, but now searching for hidden wells of magical silver, which the dragons need to survive and the keepers need to revive the crumbling city to its former glory. To do so, the keepers must immerse themselves in the ancient memories still living within the city--possibly at the risk of losing their own identities. At the same time, they find themselves in danger of imminent attack by the henchmen of a decrepit duke looking to obtain dragons' blood to restore his vitality. While the previous book in this series was slow-paced and relatively uneventful, Hobb makes up for lost time here. The final third in particular is packed with action, culminating in a thrilling dragon raid on a castle with a daring midair rescue. But for all her skill with action scenes, Hobb's greatest talent remains rendering very thoughtful, fleshed-out characters, male and female alike. For example, when childhood friends Alise and Sedric stand up to Hest Finbok, the man who bedded and betrayed them, it's clear how much each character has grown since the beginning of the series. A satisfying conclusion to a superb fantasy tale.
COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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The News-Star (Monroe, LA) on DRAGON HAVEN
"A satisfying story"
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London Times
"A deservedly popular author, an accomplished storyteller with an engaging and readable style."
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Kansas City Star
"A master fantasist."
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Las Vegas Review Journal on CITY OF DRAGONS
"[A]n engaging tale with fully realized characters that already feel like friends."
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Kirkus Reviews on CITY OF DRAGONS
"Real-life resonance gives the story extra depth...Bring on the next installment."
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Library Journal (starred review)
"Hobb excels at telling big stories and juggling multiple story arcs. Fans of the author and of this series who eagerly await this installment will not be disappointed"
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SFRevu on BLOOD OF DRAGONS
"Hobb excels at world building, wonderful prose, and the ability to endow her creatures with humanity...The novel has many threads skillfully interwoven, to create an exciting tale of growth, change, and stubborn survival."