dramxarama's review against another edition
4.0
It's a good start!
Not the best start from one of the realm of the Elderling series but it announces good things for the next 3 books of the Rain Wild Chronicles!
Not the best start from one of the realm of the Elderling series but it announces good things for the next 3 books of the Rain Wild Chronicles!
aglittercobra's review against another edition
3.5
This is definitely a book that sets things up. Not bad but not amazing.
scroggin_cooper's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely the weakest book that she’s written. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters apart from Sedric and Alise. However, I will say, the twist with Hest was pretty great. I feel like this book and the second one were meant to be one book, but Harper Voyager split it up, because this book just ends.
mad_matx's review against another edition
2.0
I love Hobb's stories. This one, the story was good, but the constant and repetitious bemoaning of circumstances almost lost me (and in fact did lose me when I first tried to read it several years ago). So skip ahead if the characters are going on and on, and enjoy the story.
shakespeareaddict's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
m_mentu's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
amamiles's review against another edition
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
davehershey's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
With this fourth series in the Realm of the Elderlings, we return to the location of the Liveship Traders trilogy. That may have been my favorite fantasy trilogy of all time, and Hobb is becoming one of my favorite writers. She ought to be mentioned alongside the top fantasy writers today (though maybe she already is).
As usual, Hobb excels at characterization. Her characters jump of the page and are quickly and easily distinguished from one another. The world in which the story is set continues to build on layers of previous books.
The one negative is plot. Hobb’s stories are not plot-driven page-turners. The plot here is simply that the dragons, born at the end of the Liveship Traders trilogy, go in search of a lost city where they can live and flourish. The climax of the story, if you want to call it that, is kind of meh - one character steals some dragon stuff to hopefully sell off, the dragon keepers realize they need to work together. Rather than standing on its own AND starting a series, this book just starts a series. There’s not really an arc to the story.
But you don’t read Hobb for the fast-driven plot. Knowing that, this is a solid entry that makes me want to read the next one.
As usual, Hobb excels at characterization. Her characters jump of the page and are quickly and easily distinguished from one another. The world in which the story is set continues to build on layers of previous books.
The one negative is plot. Hobb’s stories are not plot-driven page-turners. The plot here is simply that the dragons, born at the end of the Liveship Traders trilogy, go in search of a lost city where they can live and flourish. The climax of the story, if you want to call it that, is kind of meh - one character steals some dragon stuff to hopefully sell off, the dragon keepers realize they need to work together. Rather than standing on its own AND starting a series, this book just starts a series. There’s not really an arc to the story.
But you don’t read Hobb for the fast-driven plot. Knowing that, this is a solid entry that makes me want to read the next one.
ancako's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
yellpxy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0