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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
2.5*
So much re-telling of the story. Skipped through parts.
So much re-telling of the story. Skipped through parts.
adventurous
tense
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 (might bump it up to a 4)
My favourite in the Rain Wild Chronicles so far !
(I guess mild spoilers, the most significant ones are tagged)
• The pacing was flawless, the plotlines were interesting, I think this book was perfectly executed, it worked very well as a standalone, compared to the first two, which were obviously one book cut into two. This shorter 425 pages was just what was needed without excessive fluff like we tend to get in this series sometimes, which can drag the momentum down *ahemFool'sFate*
• I really liked the prologue and epiloguefeaturing Tintaglia and Icefyre , and the first and last chapter featuring the Duke of Chalced , finally getting to be in that part of the world opened it up and drew me in immediately. This format was neat and they were great bookends.
• There are two main things that made me love this one more that the others :
➸ More pov characters, which took time away from the keepers, who I cannot stand. I don't care about their petty fights about who is going to "mate" with who.
- My least favourite character being Thymara. She was endearing in the beginning, but over time her focus shifting completely to which mediocre guy she was going to sleep with took all my interest away from her. I wouldn't mind this side plotline if it wasn't a main one, if it wasn't what most of her inner monologues are about.Hopefully now that her and Raskal have done the deed, I won't have to read pages and pages of that inner conflict anymore. Her having wings is amazing and I hope she can eventually learn to fly.
- Less dragon pov. It's just so damn repetitive. We get it, they feel superior in all ways to their keepers, yet need them for hunting and grooming. Their open disdain and disrespect towards humans was funny at first, but now it's just gotten repetitive. I find we had the perfect amount of dragon pov here.
-Selden being captive, another thing I wasn't expecting, and it got me flipping the pages with worry. And that last scene with the duke eating (probably his) "dragon man" flesh was new Hobb Trauma Material™ .
Also Hest getting the HUMBLING he deserves for being an asshole and treating people like his lapdogs. When the Chalcedean man said "you are my dog" I may have laughed. Robin Hobb queen of giving terrible men their comeuppance.
- Maltaaaaa. What a pleasant surprise having her featured more in this installment ! And she mentioned my baby Wintrow as well. She has had some of the best character development in the whole Elderling saga, and continues to show her bravery here.
- Alise is the best character in this quartet, she's really giving Jane from Tarzan, which leads me to my second point :
➸ The LORE
More than anything, I love me some good lore and exploration and discovery in a fantasy book. Alise's exploration of Kelsingra is one of my favourite chapters from Elderlings. The descriptions are sensational and it's now in my top fictional places I wish I could visit. Seeing people tread this city that we've know about since Assassin's Quest when Verity and Fitz passed through, seeing it in a new light, seeing it return to life with the dragons. I am sure the last book is going to be epic.I do wonder what happend to the Skill river, since we know Verity dipped his hands into it, Fitz saw it and the dragons remember it as well, but it seems to be gone.
We've come so far since Fitz first mentionned the Elderlings on his bedroom tapestry.
My favourite in the Rain Wild Chronicles so far !
(I guess mild spoilers, the most significant ones are tagged)
• The pacing was flawless, the plotlines were interesting, I think this book was perfectly executed, it worked very well as a standalone, compared to the first two, which were obviously one book cut into two. This shorter 425 pages was just what was needed without excessive fluff like we tend to get in this series sometimes, which can drag the momentum down *ahemFool'sFate*
• I really liked the prologue and epilogue
• There are two main things that made me love this one more that the others :
➸ More pov characters, which took time away from the keepers, who I cannot stand. I don't care about their petty fights about who is going to "mate" with who.
- My least favourite character being Thymara. She was endearing in the beginning, but over time her focus shifting completely to which mediocre guy she was going to sleep with took all my interest away from her. I wouldn't mind this side plotline if it wasn't a main one, if it wasn't what most of her inner monologues are about.
- Less dragon pov. It's just so damn repetitive. We get it, they feel superior in all ways to their keepers, yet need them for hunting and grooming. Their open disdain and disrespect towards humans was funny at first, but now it's just gotten repetitive. I find we had the perfect amount of dragon pov here.
-
Also Hest getting the HUMBLING he deserves for being an asshole and treating people like his lapdogs. When the Chalcedean man said "you are my dog" I may have laughed. Robin Hobb queen of giving terrible men their comeuppance.
- Maltaaaaa. What a pleasant surprise having her featured more in this installment ! And she mentioned my baby Wintrow as well. She has had some of the best character development in the whole Elderling saga, and continues to show her bravery here.
- Alise is the best character in this quartet, she's really giving Jane from Tarzan, which leads me to my second point :
➸ The LORE
More than anything, I love me some good lore and exploration and discovery in a fantasy book. Alise's exploration of Kelsingra is one of my favourite chapters from Elderlings. The descriptions are sensational and it's now in my top fictional places I wish I could visit. Seeing people tread this city that we've know about since Assassin's Quest when Verity and Fitz passed through, seeing it in a new light, seeing it return to life with the dragons. I am sure the last book is going to be epic.
We've come so far since Fitz first mentionned the Elderlings on his bedroom tapestry.
Another solid installation. I enjoyed the cameos we had and the lore that continued to develop. Gearing up for an epic final install of the Rain Wild Chronicles.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Its a very short book.
Shorter than the other volumes, and better for it - keep reading! It's worth it. The mysteries of the dragons deepen and, as they grow, the outlines of the new narrative conflict develop and strengthen. My feeling that this series really exists both to enjoy the luxuriating relax into a set of characters and world just as much as it does set up the other series' in Hobb's world is an odd one - a massive, four book series just to explore? What a concept! Anyway, this one is a strong entry, unlike its predecessor.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book felt like build-up to the next one. I did not care for Thymara's storyline at all, can we please stop with the pairing off/mating thing. It creeps me out... We got a lot of new characters in this (some from other series I heard? These are the first Robin Hobb books I've read). They are interesting, but I care more about the characters we already knew. Those characters are put to the side (like Sedric, who had such a good arc in the last book, he does not get much to do here...) And there's less focus on the dragon keepers and the bonds they have with the dragons. Which is unfortunate. I hope this series has a nice conclusion!
adventurous