Title: Blood of Dragons
Author: Robin Hobb
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: April 8, 2013
Pages: 448, Hardcover
Goodreads Rating: 4.12 stars
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars
The dragons and their dedicated band of keepers have at last found the lost city of Kelsingra. The magical creatures have learned to use their wings and are growing into their regal inheritance. Their humans, too, are changing. As the mystical bonds with their dragons deepen, Thymara, Tats, Rapskal, and even Cedric, the unlikeliest of keepers, have begun transforming into beautiful Elderlings raked with exquisite features that complement and reflect the dragons they serve.
But while the humans have scoured the empty streets and enormous buildings of Kelsingra, they cannot find the mythical silver wells the dragons need to stay health and survive. With enemies encroaching, the keepers must risk "memory walking"- immersing themselves in the dangerously addictive memories of long-deceased Elderlings - to uncover clues necessary to their survival.
And time is of the essence, for the legendary Tintaglia, long feared dead, has returned, wounded in a battle with humans hunting dragon blood and scales. She is weakening and only the hidden silver can revive her. If Tintaglia dies, so, too, will the ancient memories she carries - a devastating loss that will ensure the dragons' extinction.
Okay, so on to my review of Blood of Dragons. This book ends the Rain Wild Chronicles, but Robin Hobb has obviously left plenty of loose ends in order to leave room for a new series. Still, I felt like she did a fantastic job of giving us a sense of closure for the main Rain Wild characters while tying in older characters that we have known and loved from other books (namely Reyn, Malta and Selden). I especially loved the resolution of Sedric and Alise's stories. (I don't want to give anything away, but I think most readers will be satisfied that Hest gets what he deserves in the end). I also loved that both characters grew so much throughout the book and really came into their own at the end of the series. I did have a couple of picky criticisms - for one thing, I thought the ending was a bit rushed (the One-Day war came and went in the blink of an eye) and I could have done with less of Hest's perspective. Also, I just didn't have the same sense of "That was AMAZING!" as I have with some of Hobb's other series enders. Still, I could only bring myself to take off half a star for that because I just thought that overall the book gave me an extremely satisfying end to an amazingly well-written series. I can't wait for more! 4.5/5 stars.
Pages: 448, Hardcover
Goodreads Rating: 4.12 stars
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Summary from Goodreads: The dragons' survival hangs in the balance in the thrilling final volume in the acclaimed River Wilds chronicles fantasy series
The dragons and their dedicated band of keepers have at last found the lost city of Kelsingra. The magical creatures have learned to use their wings and are growing into their regal inheritance. Their humans, too, are changing. As the mystical bonds with their dragons deepen, Thymara, Tats, Rapskal, and even Cedric, the unlikeliest of keepers, have begun transforming into beautiful Elderlings raked with exquisite features that complement and reflect the dragons they serve.
But while the humans have scoured the empty streets and enormous buildings of Kelsingra, they cannot find the mythical silver wells the dragons need to stay health and survive. With enemies encroaching, the keepers must risk "memory walking"- immersing themselves in the dangerously addictive memories of long-deceased Elderlings - to uncover clues necessary to their survival.
And time is of the essence, for the legendary Tintaglia, long feared dead, has returned, wounded in a battle with humans hunting dragon blood and scales. She is weakening and only the hidden silver can revive her. If Tintaglia dies, so, too, will the ancient memories she carries - a devastating loss that will ensure the dragons' extinction.
MY TAKE
I have to say, first off, that I am a HUGE Robin Hobb fan and have been for many years. If you love fantasy novels (adult - these are not YA) and have not read Robin Hobb, you need to immediately pick up Assassin's Apprentice, the first book in the Farseer Trilogy, and then keep reading until you get to Blood of Dragons. So, you'll need to read the Farseer Trilogy, The Liveship Traders Trilogy, The Tawny Man Trilogy, and then the Rain Wild Chronicles. (Oh, plus you should go ahead and read the Soldier Son Trilogy, which isn't directly related to the others, but takes place in the same world). I know, it's a lot of reading, but trust me, it will be worth your time! Robin Hobb has created an amazingly detailed world with fantastically unique and interesting societies. It's a must-read series!Okay, so on to my review of Blood of Dragons. This book ends the Rain Wild Chronicles, but Robin Hobb has obviously left plenty of loose ends in order to leave room for a new series. Still, I felt like she did a fantastic job of giving us a sense of closure for the main Rain Wild characters while tying in older characters that we have known and loved from other books (namely Reyn, Malta and Selden). I especially loved the resolution of Sedric and Alise's stories. (I don't want to give anything away, but I think most readers will be satisfied that Hest gets what he deserves in the end). I also loved that both characters grew so much throughout the book and really came into their own at the end of the series. I did have a couple of picky criticisms - for one thing, I thought the ending was a bit rushed (the One-Day war came and went in the blink of an eye) and I could have done with less of Hest's perspective. Also, I just didn't have the same sense of "That was AMAZING!" as I have with some of Hobb's other series enders. Still, I could only bring myself to take off half a star for that because I just thought that overall the book gave me an extremely satisfying end to an amazingly well-written series. I can't wait for more! 4.5/5 stars.
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