Volume Three of the Rain Wilds Chronicles - City of Dragons

As with her other books Hobb uses her characters to drive the story. The teens become young adults with all the troubled hormones and life choices. An old character makes an appearance and we finally see the Duke of Chalice and the sinister designs within. A great read with the disappointment of having to wait for the next book.

The book was very interesting and a very fast read; leaving me wanting more, and looking forward to reading the next book. It was hard to wait to see what will happen next. I would love to read more on the Dragons and their Keepers.

Had to read after reading a friends copies of volume 1 and 2. Kept my interest. You could read this without the first 2 because they continuously get rehashed. Reading 4 now. Got hooked but I am really enjoying the series.

Had to read after reading a friends copies of volume 1 and 2. Kept my interest. You could read this without the first 2 because they continuously get rehashed. Reading 4 now. Got hooked but I am really enjoying the series.

The story is good but the inclusion of gay love detracts from it. The trouble is the gay love is described too graphically for me. Much more graphically than heterosexual love. It is sad when a good writer is pushed to do this by publishers with a political agenda.

I was extremely disappointed with this book, i expected this book to be the finale of the rain wild series but half way through the book with nothing vaguely interesting happening it dawned on me, this book is going nowhere.
I feel that this book could have been condensed into 4 or 5 chapters.
I think Ms Hobb is being a bit lazy and at 17 for 400 pages, a bit greedy.

Would of been better without all of the emphasis on homosexuality. I would bet the writer is gay and using their writing to make a point. I have read over 500 adult fantasy novels and never encountered gay characters,this book is full if them. Seemed a little overkill to me

Very disappointed with this book. Not much suspense, too much homosexuality. I am not homophobic, but that doesn't necessarily mean I am comfortable with reading about it.

I miss the quality of written work she did with the Farseer series.

I enjoyed reading this book very much but I have to say it wasn't so much a complete book by itself. It feels like it is something that happens between stories and it is well written but compared to the first two books not much happens in it.

This is not to say I think you shouldn't read it. I think it is a good continuation of the story it was just shorter than her other books and there wasn't as much action. Maybe there are beginning to be an over load of characters that the story follows as well. We now have narrative from the point of view of: Thymara, Sintrara (Thymara's dragon), Tintaglia (dragon that helped in the hatching of the serpents), Alise Kincarron Finbok, Hest Finbok, Sedric Meldar, Leftrin, Malta Khuprus (Tintaglia's Elderling), Selden Vestrit (Tintaglia's Elderling), and the Duke of Chalced. This is nine characters that the story follows we have added five since the last book. I didn't even count the letters that are written between keepers or this list would have been much longer. I think that this isn't a bad thing it just makes it feel like not all that much happens because we don't spend that long with any one character.

This book addresses some of the sexual tensions but not in that much detail. I have to admit I was kind of glad it happened because I was getting tired waiting around for something to happen.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoyed the rest of the series and who have the fourth book available to them to start once they finish this one. Hobb's lack of endings is hard to deal with and this one while slightly better than previous ones isn't an exception. I enjoyed reading the series so far and am looking forward to the last book.

The third book in the Rain Wild Chronicles, and while this one was not quite as good as its predecessor, I did enjoy it more than the first book, so it was a bit of a middle of the road book for me. What let this one down for me was that it got a bit bogged down in villains.

And, to be honest, neither Hest or the Duke of Chalced are particularly enthralling villains. I can’t help but compare them to my favourite RH villain – Kennitt. He was so complex and borderline and you never quite knew if he was going to be the bad guy or the good guy in any given situation. Hest and the Duke are both fairly one dimensional in that you know they’re just unpleasant self-serving people who will do what they want to get what they want. You can, therefore, predict their behaviour.

Also, the storyline with Selden and the Duke wasn’t doing much for me. RH didn’t make us care about Selden enough for him to really matter. I was enjoying Malta and Reyn, however (and that scene with the baby in the brothel? Woah).

I think this was about the point that RH began to run out of story and used a bit of villain fodder to fluff it up. I wanted a lot more of the dragons and keepers, but there wasn’t a lot going on there either than Sintara finally flying and a bit of action in the Thymara love triangle (which isn’t particularly enrapturing either, neither one of the guys are that great really).

So, I enjoyed the book but I didn’t love the book like I did the second instalment in the series. But, I am looking forward to finishing it off with Blood of Dragons.

I am a huge fan of Robin Hobb's work. I began reading her Farseer novels in 1997 and I've bought every book since. Hobb is noted for her fantastic characters, realistic world building and her ability to convey a sense of magic to her worlds. Parts of City of Dragons still hold that magic. Unfortunately, much of the novel doesn't. Something has always seemed wrong about this series. It seems like Hobb wanted to write a one or two book entry and someone convinced her to stretch this out to at least four books. Yes, people, this is NOT a trilogy. There's a fourth book on the way. In fact, the entire third book is nothing but a set up for the fourth book. The plot in City of Dragons barely moves ahead. It creeps like the voyage of the Tarman up the Rain Wilds River did in the first two books. There's tons of useless dialogue and character introspection. There's very little action of any kind. This is a short book by Hobb's standards, just over 300 pages and it could have been written with half that many words. When you compare these books to the Liveship trilogy, which is some of her best writing, it falls far short. This is disappointing as this author is better than this. I don't know who is telling her to stretch this story out, but he or she better stop. Is it Robert Jordan haunting her from the beyond? Is it George R.R. Martin telling her they'll make an HBO series of out of it if she just keeps adding on books? I don't know but please, Ms. Hobb, go back to what you were good at. Writing great stories that actually ended!!

The Liveship books are up there in my top 10 most enjoyed books ever. I have enjoyed the Rain Wild Chronicles as well - not as much, but still intensely happy to revisit this world of complex characters, deeply defined societies, and political intrigue with Robin Hobb's usual blend of drama, mystery, and intrigue. That, and dragons that are NOT your typical 13 year old girl ride-on-the-shoulder-kindred spirit dragon fantasy.

When I finished Dragon Haven, volume two of the Rain Wilds Chronicles, it seemed so conclusive that I thought it was going to be volume 2 of only 2. It ended with the discovery of Kelsingra, the ancient city of the Elderlings and dragons, and Sintara, the dragon queen, attempting flight. I am ecstatic that there is not only a new book in the series, but also that City of Dragons clearly is NOT the end of the series!

This book gives some good insight into...

- What is in Kelsingra? Does it hold Elderling magic and / or Elderling items?
- What happens to Sintara and her attempts to become all that a dragon should be? What about the other dragons?
- How do the dragon keepers fare, after all of the changes they've gone through due to exposure to the dragons, and now that they have reached Kelsingra...(sort of, it's across the river, the dragons can't get to it and even Tarman can't easily get there)
- What happens to Thymara, Sintara's keeper, now that she and the others are free from the harsh societal rules (such as those who are "touched" (deformed) by the Rain Wilds magic not being allowed to have children or even be intimate)
- Where is the dragon Tintaglia and will she return?
- What of Selden, Malta, and Reyn, the first new Elderlings? What of Malta's pregnancy? (they are altered with dragon characteristics due to being involved in the release of Tintaglia)
- What of Alise, a lady of Bingtown, and Leftrin, her rough sailing man? What of her husband, Hest, and his lover Sedric? What of Leftrin's liveship, Tarman?
- How far will the Duke of Chalced go to get the dragon blood and organs he believes will heal him?
- Does the rest of the world find out about the discovery of Kelsingra?

The Liveship series introduced us to a fascinating world with distinct cultures, populated with a large cast of fully realized characters who are fascinatingly flawed. Bingtown is a port town with flourishing trade where artifacts salvaged from the Elderling ruins in the Rain Wilds are sold. The Rain Wilds are an inhospitable place - the river water is acidic and dangerous to humans and those who live there in the tree cities become gradually more deformed (scaling, disgusting growths). One of the items they salvage is 'wizardwood', which has magical qualities, and is used to make liveships (wizardwood is imbued with sentience). It's a fascinating series about the Vestrit family in Bingtown and the Khuprus family in the Rain Wilds which plunges unflinchingly into human cruelty from the achingly painful view of both victim and victimizer. The mystery and the tragedy behind wizardwood and liveships is what the series is about...not dragons. And wonderfully so.

The Rain Wild Chronicles is about the dragons, though more so about the humans whose lives revolve around them. The dragons emerged from their cocoons stunted and sickly, and depend on humans to live. It is also about complex human interaction, the dark side of humanity, the machinations of the wealthy and powerful and the impact it has on the lives of others. I have found the mystery of the Elderlings and the inglorious return of dragons to the world to be very interesting, and although I am endlessly grateful that Robin Hobb has returned to the Rain Wilds, I do wish she had packed more into this book. I wanted a feast and I got an appetizer...a damn good one, but I'm still ravenous!

This is the third book in The Rain Wilds Chronicles, which is now a tetralogy (after Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven, and before Blood of Dragons).

It's winter in the Rain Wilds. The dragons and their keepers are hungry and cold, the latter's clothes nothing but worn rags. The dragons are also growing, and they cannot rely on their keepers to bring them enough food anymore. They desperately need to learn to fly and hunt by themselves.

Most of them are still too weak or lazy, and Sintara is too proud to try and risk failure. Only Heeby, Rapskal's red queen, is strong enough to fly. She regularly charters her keeper, and sometimes Alise, across the Rain Wild River to Kelsingra.

There the scholar explores the ruins, the plazas and great halls, making as many sketches and taking as many notes as possible before news of their discovery reaches Trehaug or Cassarick, and people come to pillage the ancient Elderlings city, like they did downriver, looking for artefacts. She wishes she could preserve it, an undisturbed testimony of the past. But Rapskal, who's been immersing himself in memory-stones, thinks otherwise. He needs to share his visions with Thymara: together they might be able to revive Kelsingra.

In the meantime, Captain Leftrin is going back to Cassarick to get supplies and claim the keepers' pays. He knows the Council will be very reluctant to honor their contracts, since they actually weren't expecting anyone to come back alive from this expedition to relocate the dragons upriver..

Meanwhile in Bingtown, Alise's husband Hest Finbok is being persecuted by a Chalcedean hitman, who holds him responsible for the non-fulfillment of Sedric's contract to bring back dragon parts for the Duke of Chalced, and harassed by his father, who threatens to disinherit him if he fails to produce an heir. He direly needs his wife and lover back in town.

What I loved the most in this volume was the visits Kelsingra with Alise, Rapskal and Thymara. At first I was like Alise, wanting to protect it from all disturbances. But then I became fascinated by Rapskal and Thymara's discoveries in the memory-stone, and I'm looking forward to seeing it reawaken. This is a rather short book, and I was torn between going on reading to discover what happens next, knowing that I was inexorably getting closer to the last page, and pacing myself to make it last longer. Robin Hobb's writing is so good, I wish her books had infinite pages, that her stories went on forever.

"City of Dragons: Volume Three of the Rain Wilds Chronicles" is uninteresting. I've read some boring novels in the past, plotlines which drag on for chapters, and still tough my way through them. I expect to be entertained for the time I'll invest into a story and I should have stopped at the prior novel but I thought it was a filler type novel and the next would grab my attention. No, this novel is another waste of time.

Wishful thinking partially formed dragons, dreaming of the past did not appeal to me. Young adults and children, learning about each others or the drama in merging individuals from different classes of society, just boring. Babies and ships, I am indifferent. The challenge to the characters did not keep me awake either, I did not care what happened. I cannot justify suggesting the novel to anyone.

Thank you.

When she first intended to write a book about dragons set in the Rain Wilds, the original manuscript Robin Hobb turned in was too long to be published as a single novel. Hence, the story was split into Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven.

A while back, the author informed us that the same thing had happened, forcing her publishers to once again split the story into two halves, City of Dragons and Blood of Dragons. Problem is, given the relatively small size of City of Dragons, unless Blood of Dragons is a veritable doorstopper of a novel similar to works from Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin, and Steven Erikson, it does appear that Harper Voyager is sticking it to readers by forcing them two buy two volumes instead of one. And you know how I feel about the proliferation of unnecessary sequels to string readers along. . .

Here's the blurb:

Return to the world of the Liveships Traders and journey along the Rain Wild River in the third instalment of high adventure from the author of the internationally acclaimed Farseer trilogy.

Kelsingra awaits for those brave enough to enter...

The dragons and their keepers have discovered Kelsingra but so far only Heeby has succeeded in flying over the river to enter the fabled city. The other dragons, with their deformed wings and feeble muscles, are afraid to risk failure and humiliation.

But wondrous things await in Kelsingra, a city built for dragons and their Elderling keepers. Alise, overwhelmed by the treasures she finds there, records her finds for posterity. Once the rest of the world knows about the riches the city contains, nothing will ever be the same again.

Already, rumours of the city's discovery have floated down the Rain Wild River and reached envious ears in Bingtown and beyond. Adventurers, pirates and fortune hunters are coming in droves to pillage what they can from the city. As is Hest Finbok, Alise's husband...

Meanwhile, Selden Vestrit finds himself a prisoner of the ailing Duke of Chalced, who believes him to be some sort of dragon-man whose flesh and blood may work miracle cures.

Where is Tintaglia, the great sapphire-blue dragon, when all have such need of her? Has she really abandoned her beloved Selden and the fledgling dragons forever? Or will she too return to seek the wonders of Kelsingra?

As was the case with the last Rain Wilds novel, the worldbuilding was the most fascinating aspect of City of Dragons. Once again, we get more insight into the lives of dragons, Elderlings and their secrets, and the Rain Wilds in general. Revelations about Kelsingra were engrossing, giving us a few glimpses about the past lives of dragons and Elderlings.

As is usually her wont, Hobb's characterization remains her strong suit. The emancipation of women and society's acceptance of gay people are once again themes that lie at the heart of the tale, as was the one focusing on how individuals shunned by society strive to find their own place in the world. Thymara, Alise, and Sedric take center stage once more, but the storylines also focus on other characters. Leftrin's return to Cassarick brings a number of new plotlines to the fore, many of them quite surprising. Malta and Reyn Khuprus' storyline was the most unanticipated and most interesting. Selden's plotline is also quite intriguing. All in all, Robin Hobb takes this story in new and unforeseen directions.

The pace is fluid throughout, and all too quickly one reaches the end of the book. Trouble is, as this is only the first half of what was a single manuscript, there is no resolution whatsoever and the end lacks the usual Robin Hobb punch. The novel is brought to a close at the point where it probably made the most sense, but the reading experience fails to generate any satisfaction. Hence, one can't help but feel a bit disappointed by it all.

City of Dragons doesn't feel like a novel in the true sense of the word. Indeed, it feels more like a single piece in a multilayered whole. As was the case with the last two Rain Wilds installments, until we read the entire story, it's impossible to judge the inherent quality of this work on its own merit. Too much remains missing. . .

Which is too bad, for based on City of Dragons, Hobb's latest manuscript appears to be her very best work since Fool's Fate. . .

Check out Pat's Fantasy Hotlist!

I waited to get this from my library because of the ridiculous Kindle pricing. Turned out I was doing myself a favor. I am a long time fan of Robin Hobb but her most recent efforts have not been up to the bar she herself set in the original Farseer Trilogy. The Soldier Son Trilogy was hard to get through and the ending was awful. "so Dorothy jumped in the air and clicked her heels together three times and was back in Kansas"? I've begun to wonder if Robin doesn't know where this is going either which may be why it went nowhere in this placeholder book. We have a little more of the bloodthirsty Duke of Chalced who is very baaad man. We spend some time with Hest having tea with his Mom and discussing fabric. We spend way too much time with Malta as we just know she will wind up in bad trouble. The dragons are willful and petty. The keepers, with the exception of Rapskal, are dimwitted nonentities who express no curiosity about the City across the river from their huts. Its not as if there isn't really interesting material here, or she has suddenly forgotten how to write, but if you want a rain wilds fix I would recommend "The Inheritance" which is a collection of her work under both her pseudomyns and explains how the Rain Wilds came to be settled. It is certainly five star. I can only hope that her next (last?)book of this series will reach that standard.

I really have enjoyed the Rain Wild Chronicles so far and "City of Dragons" didn't disappoint. I wasn't quite sure where it was going to go and it had been awhile since I had finished the last book so I was worried that I would forget who the characters were and how they all related to each other but it wasn't an issue at all.

There really isn't a ton of action in this book but it does build on the dragons plight to get to Kelsingra and of course the ever need to fly. Some of the romances are built on and old characters are brought back into the picture like Hest.

If I didn't get some of the nuances that are given in this book I might have felt jipped later on. That is why Robin Hobb is so fantastic at fantasy; she is completely thorough in building a world so rich and full of adventure.

I will say however that I read "City of Dragons" and "Blood of Dragons" back to back and there fore felt as though it was one book. If I had just read "City of Dragons" and then had to wait for the next book I would not have been as happy because if would have just felt precursor and would have been a long wait.

The Rain Wilders handlers and their stunted dragons have reached the ancient Elderling city of Kelsingra. However, they cannot cross the treacherous Rain Wild River by water or air except for Heeby the Red Queen who is the only dragon who can fly. When winter sets in, the supplies are low and foraging difficult. Captain Leftrin hates leaving behind his beloved Alise Kinncannon Finbock so she can study Kelsingra before the greedy Traders including her abusive husband Hest strip the city. Still, he and his Liveship Tarman head back to the Rain Wilds to pick up needed supplies and collect what the Trading Council owes him.

In Bingtown, an irate Hest plans to teach his wife a lesson for humiliating him and how much the monetary cost to him of her leaving. At the same time the dying odious Duke of Chalced seeks dragon blood and flesh to regain his youth so he has agents stalking the expedition. Finally pregnant Malta and her husband Reyn fear for their unborn as neither knows the effect of what the dragon Tintaglia did to them (see Liveship Traders' saga).

Fans of the Hobb mythos (see The Tawny Man saga) need to adapt to the premise that the travelers reached their destination in Dragon Haven, but failed to make it inside the city as this reviewer wrongly assumed that this series was a duology. The third Rain Wilds Chronicles (see Dragon Keeper) is a well written fascinating fantasy that provides the audience a deep look at Kelsingra although that profundity slows down the action of surviving in a frozen wilderness with stunted dragons.

Harriet Klausner

Robin Hobb, the author, has been a long standing favorite of mine, and this current addition to the Rain Wilds Chronicles does not disappoint.

In this inventive and imaginary world, Robin has developed a series of trilogies (Farseer, Tawyny Man and Liveship Traders) that are all highly enjoyable and very rewarding to read.

Although the Rain Wilds Chronicles series does stand alone from the previous trilogies, there are, sprinkled throughout, references to the previous events from the prior books. And if you have not read the previous series, I recommend that you do. I promise you, that you will be in for a real treat!

In the City of Dragons, the story picks up where the previous book, Dragon Haven, leaves off. However, whereas Dragon Haven wraps up all the loose ends from the first book in this series (Dragon Keeper) this book clearly does not resolve the ongoing issues. I find myself on tenterhooks just waiting for the next volume to be published! I also, highly recommend that, if you have not read the first two books in Rain Wilds Chronicles, that you read them before you read this book.

I also recommend that you do not read any further if you have not read the previous two books, so as not to spoil the story for yourself.

City of Dragons, begins where the fledgling dragons and their keepers have almost arrived at the promised land of Kelsingera, an ancient city which had, sometime in the past, experienced a devastating cataclysm which had pretty much killed all who had lived within. In fact, it had become lost to time and existed only as an ancient legend.

This story begins with this ragtag group of keepers, dragons and hunters washing up on the shore opposite Kelsingera, with the only who could fly, with his keeper, over the un-navigable river to visit the ancient city.

The keepers find that they must still struggle even more (as their dragons continue to grow) to kill enough prey to feed their them, at least (they all hope) until the dragons can achieve flight, so that they will be able to make their own kills and feed themselves. Also, everyone is running out of resources, including their clothing which has become little more than rags. And it didn't help matters they had arrived during the cold and rainy season which compounds their difficulties and frustrations!

The Liveship's captain knows that he must journey back in order to get the necessary supplies if their little encampment has any hope of surviving. However, he is plagued by worries. Will the Cassarick traders pay him the money owed him for successfully guiding the dragons and their keepers to a safe haven, so that he can afford to buy the necessary good? Also, how will he be able to prevent opportunists from following him when he returns to the colony and stripping Kelsingera down to the ground???

I found this book very riveting and could hardly put it down. But, I expect no less when I read any book that Robin Hobb has written. I just hope that the author doesn't take too long to publish the next book!! Please don't make me wait too long???

(Reviewed by Debbie)

This is book three in the Rain Wilds Chronicles and I have to say I found it a bit of a disappointment. I read this book several weeks ago and I have been ruminating on what to say about it and the series as a whole. On one hand, the book and series are certainly readable; the plot lines are promising, the pacing is solid, and the characters ought to be interesting. On the other hand, the series lacks the intensity that made Ms. Hobbs prior books such outstanding reads. It very much feels as if the author's heart isn't in the effort.

Ms. Hobb has assembled an interesting and diverse set of characters but many of them feel quite wishy-washy. For example: if a character is raised to believe something is wrong, lives their life according to that belief and then engages in the wrongful behavior - well, the reader either needs amble justification or serious subsequent consequences to make those actions believable. Otherwise it just feels like the author isn't invested enough to see to character continuity.

As for plotting and pacing both are adequate but, again, where are the heart and the heat in this series? The reader never feels compelled forward nor particularly engaged. The new plot line with the Duke of Chalced is promising but, then again, so is the whole series and that promise, so far, remains unfulfilled. I assumed the first two books were sort of a ramp up to a whiz bang finish. I was willing to overlook the flatness because I assumed that the ground work was being laid to build something fabulous. Instead we are treated here to more of the milk toast sameness. It is all fine but I expect a great deal more than that from this particular author.*

All in all, I can not recommend the book and no longer recommend the series. There are just too many great reads out there to spend your time reading something this half-hearted.

* This is pure speculation on my part and so I won't include it in the body of my review but I really wonder how this flatness relates to the severity of the Soldier Son Trilogy. Did the author feel that she went too far in that series and so has deliberately pulled back here? Was she advised to rein it in? Do I think too much about this sort of thing? (Okay, yes to the last obviously - lol.)

This is a hard book for me to review, because I found it an enjoyable read, but it's hard to point to any one aspect that's terribly interesting. As with Dragon Haven, not a lot happens, but unlike Dragon Haven, the characters don't change much. The sheltered characters (Alise, Sedric, and to some extent Thymara) blossomed in the prior book. The do have room to grow, despite no longer being repressed as they were before, but none of them do. Thymara does make some small advances, but by the end of the book, she _still_ has no idea what she wants out of her relationships.

A good part of the problem is that there are a great many threads (Tintaglia, the Duke of Chalced, Hest, Reyn and Malta, Selden, and of course the keepers and their dragons) and the book is relatively short (334 pages in trade paperback). As a result, some of the threads are so thin that I found myself not caring about them at all. The worst offender is the seemingly pointless subplot about the bird keepers. As with the prior books, a letter from one birdkeeper to another prefaces each chapter, and the letters are about 90% irrelevant to anything else. There's some shenanigans going on with the birdkeepers, but nothing remotely interesting.

City of Dragons doesn't have a proper ending. It just stops, with most of the major points of conflict raised in this book unresolved. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, so I didn't didn't particularly feel cheated by this. It's more like it's an episode in an ongoing TV drama, and so I expect that some things won't resolve immediately. At the current pace, I wouldn't be surprised in Hobb stretches it out to 5 books instead of 4.

It's not bad, but it's not the sort of dense, involving writing I came to expect from the woman who wrote the Farseer trilogy.

Robin Hobb continues to go from strength to strength with each new trilogy that she produces. Since having been blown-away by the exceptional Farseer trilogy and spellbound by the Liveship Traders, I was naturally keen to explore the world of Dragons from her perspective. I have read and enjoyed many a book concerning Dragons; from Paolini's Inheritance cycle to the epic Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. Robin Hobb's `take' on Dragons is supremely singular and identifiably distinctive, with each word on the page encapsulating the essence of this fire-breathing beast in all its glory. The sheer scope of `the rain wild chronicles' is so awe-inspiring that it will leave many a reader speechless, for as George RR Martin commented "...In today's crowded fantasy market Robin Hobb's books are like diamonds in a sea of Zircons" (and he would be right!).

In `City of Dragons' the Tarman expedition has at last found Kelsingra ~ the archaic city of old wherein lies ancient treasures. Rumors have spread that the city has floated down the Rain Wild River, with scoundrels and pirates coming to pillage its priceless relics. Among them is Hest Finbok whose only treasure he seeks is that of his wife, Alise, whom he seeks to reclaim from her captives. In a time of great need and destruction, the mighty Dragon Tintaglia has vanished leaving all those in need of her concerned as to the course of the future.

The third installment within a 4-part series is filled with exciting drama, thrilling events and hidden secrets waiting to be revealed. This book was just as wonderful as the last, with the delicate threads of this intricately woven tapestry coming together to form a clear image of a complex saga. I am most impressed by the attention to detail and background history which is included, thus forming such a vast world that is colorful and matchless. For all those readers who delight in such detailed stories that you can loose yourself within then I cannot enthuse about this more, for it contains such substance and imagination as to stand-out on the shelf. This really is epic/ high fantasy at its very best!

I love this series. Each book has it's strengths and this one, City of Dragons, moves the plot forward big time and the characters mature in ways I did not predict. I have read this book 4 times and each time I find something I missed before. The author excels at character development and whether you like the primary characters or not, each is complex. I like complex characters. I also love this unique world of rain and swamp and this is because it is described so vividly with all of it's beauty and peril. I am becoming a bit tired of Alise in COD yet more intrigued by Sedrick. Don't want to give spoilers but the big find in this story is what these plodding land seekers finally find and it is found because of Tarmon who is the coolest ship ever. I have so many questions that I hope get answered in the final book about the dragons. It is clear that they will end up having a major impact on this world and I am eagerly looking forward to see how they handle their final metamorphosis. I am still intrigued by the Thymara, Rapskal, and Tats love tangle and can't decide myself who should end up together. Some complain that Thymara is taking too long with her choosing but she is young and this whole story takes place in less than a year so I do not find the dilemma to be drawn out. I wasn't sure that introducing Malta and Reyn was relevant but they are needed to advance Tintaglia's role in this story. I eagerly await the final book and hopefully resolution to so many questions about the fate of the the dragons, the primary characters and the impact of a major find on the politics of the rain wilds. I highly recommend this series.

Robin Hobb, <strong>City of Dragons</strong> (Harper, 2012)

Full disclosure: this book was provided to me free of charge by the store Vine.

The good news: for the first time, Robin Hobb will be writing a series longer than a trilogy; given the ending(s) of <em>City of Dragons</em> (there are three different threads as the book ends), there's no way there can't be a Rain Wilds Chronicles #4. The bad news is that you may want to hold off until the (AFAIK) as-yet-untitled fourth Rain Wilds Chronicles book comes out to read this one; holy cliffhangers, Bookman!

We pick up where <em>Dragon Haven</em> left off (and, necessarily, this part will contain SPOILERS for the first two books in the series, so be warned). The dragons and the keepers, plus Alise and Sedric, have made it to Kelsingra. Well, almost; they're stuck on the right bank of the river, while Kelsingra is on the left. Not a problem, except that the river is of fast-flowing acid, it's huge (I'm not sure why I have this in my head, but I'm thinking two miles wide, maybe more), and with the exception of Heeby, none of the dragons can do more than hop as far as flying is concerned. That's not going to get anyone to Kelsingra--not the dragons, not the keepers, not the Elderling scholar. And all of them need to be there for different reasons. Worse, supplies are running out, which means Leftrin and Tarman are eventually going to have to go back to Cassarick, at which time word will leak out that a new Eldering city has been found...and the treasure hunters will descend like vultures.

Now, you've read Robin Hobb before (and if you haven't, go back to <em>Assassin's Apprentice</em> and start from the beginning; the Rain Wilds Chronicles is technically the fourth piece of a larger series containing the Farseer, Liveship, and Tawny Man trilogies before it), you know what to expect here. I do have to mention that in my review of one of the Solider Son books, I said that it was one of my greatest fantasies for Robin Hobb to write a hero who actually considers the consequences of his or her actions before acting; I think we have that here in Alise Finbok (with her soon-to-be-ex husband Hest as the impulsive guy who would have been the main focus of Hobb's other books, given how badly things keep going for him every time he makes a decision), but Hobb has gone the other way, and while Alise is not one of the main characters of this book, she still has more than enough screen time to show how considering the outcome can still lead to misery if one jumps to the wrong conclusions. We haven't gotten the full repercussions of some of that; we'll have to wait for book four. That's only one of the many questions left unanswered at the end of this, the shortest of Hobb's novels to date; I can only hope its brevity, and the time between the second and third Rain Wilds books, means that #4 will be on its way anon. I can't wait to find out what happens next. ****

This is the third book in the Rain Wilds Chronicles; the first two books are Dragon Keeper (Rain Wilds Chronicles, Vol. 1) and Dragon Haven (Rain Wilds Chronicles, Vol. 2). I think it is important to read the first two books in the series before reading this one because the storyline is fairly linear and you will miss a lot if you haven't read the earlier books. There are a lot of characters, both human and dragon, so it is very helpful that the author includes a cast of characters at the beginning of the book. Not everyone in the list is included in this book, other than perhaps a passing reference, but it is helpful to have a full list.

The biggest surprise for me in this book is that the Rain Wilds Chronicles is not a trilogy. I should have expected that because it isn't called the Rain Wilds Trilogy but the author's other books are written in trilogies so I made an assumption that turned out to be wrong. Rather than wrapping up the story line as I was expecting, this book instead sets up the action with characters in several different locations for things that will evolve over the next book(s). I don't like spoilers in reviews so I'm going to be fairly vague as to what happens in this book.

Dragon Keeper had to set up the background information about the Rain Wilds and the teens who would become dragon keepers, Bingtown and Alise's circle, the dragons and elderlings, and explaining live ships for readers who hadn't read that trilogy. With all that, it didn't have much "action." In contrast, Dragon Haven was mostly action with the trip up the river trying to find a place for the dragons to live and ended up with the dragons and keepers across the river from the fabled city of Kelsingera but unable to get there because the dragons are unable to fly. This book is more like the first book in that the focus is not solely on the dragons. The story spends time with the "first" dragon Tintaglia, who hasn't been in the story since early in the first book and her new dragon companion, the Chalcedeans and their quest for dragon parts, Alise's husband Hest and his life back in Bingtown, and what is going in back in the Rain Wilds. Because of the other storylines, this book limits the focus to just a few of the dragons and dragon keepers and their reaction to the new location.

Initially I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first two, partly because it wasn't going the direction I expected it to go and partly because the various storylines about the Chalcedeans, Bingtown, Tintaglia, etc. seemed to take attention away from the dragons. But once I finished the book and thought I understood where the author was doing in this book, I appreciated it much more. With all the things that were set up in this book, I'm excited to see how things play out in the next book(s). Also, don't skip over the correspondence sent by birds that precedes many chapters. In addition to noting the passage of time, they contain information about things going on that may be important to the story.

I have become so fond of the Rain Wilds that I now want to read the Liveship Traders Trilogy, which takes place in the same world.

This is the 3rd book in a series...

However, unlike some series books that can be read by themselves or out of order, this is part of one with an overarching storyline that's quite involved and it jumps right in leaving the uninitiated reader to just figure it out.

That took a bit of effort with all the characters I didn't recognize and plot lines that picked right up in the middle...at first it felt a bit like a typical Anne McCaffery dragon/rider rip off as well...but once I finally got caught up I could see it had a pretty good complex plot of its own that was really fascinating. Unfortunately upon reaching the end of the book, it just left right off with no real resolution of any of the plot either.

Really this is just like the middle chapters of some much longer novel, so for that reason I have to knock off a star as it really doesn't give a good stand alone experience.

HOWEVER, I think I could recommend the series and I might (someday when I have fewer books in my backlog) seek out some of the others. The story of the series is that dragons are born of sea serpents and form relationships with humans that causes their chosen humans to change, developing dragon features, longer lives, etc. (these humans are known as Elderlings and created fantastic cities full of their magic and tech) But dragons haven't been around for a long while...but a bit of their magic infects the area known as the Rain Wilds causing slight changes in some of the people who live there. Some dragons in their cocoons (I think...I kind of am gathering this w/o having read previous books) were found and hatched, but they came out not fully formed. They are highly dependant on their keepers and cannot fly.

As the town they were hatched in didn't like having them around (too much trouble I presume), the town kicked them out and sent their keepers with them to relocated them after making an agreement with Tintaglia (one of the only true dragons left...not entirely sure her story as it's covered in one of the earlier books) that they'd not kill them.

There are other plots that must have happened too...something with freed slaves from another area who are now part of the society, lots of keeper back story, back story of some of the other Elderlings changed by Tintaglia and her mate, etc...you kind of just have to guess at it if you haven't read any book bu tthis one.

Anyway, this story picks up after the malformed dragons and their keepers have settled in their new home near a previously undiscovered ruin of an Elderling city and covers the events as they struggle to figure out the city and figure out how to get the dragons to mature fully. Really it is very much a transitional story in the larger plot.

Anyway, I enjoyed it and think I'd like the series...but I really have to say if you're considering it, start at book 1 and don't bother starting here.

I am a big Robin Hobb fan, and enjoyed all of her other works very much (including the first two Rain Wilds books). However, this book just didn't get me very excited. My main issue is too many loose ends were left...it just felt like the book stopped too soon. I kept waiting for things to get more exciting, but they just didn't :(

Also, Selden should not have even been in the book, so few chapters are dedicated to him (one of the loose ends...).

I look forward to the next installment where we can see Hest finally confront Alise and Sedric. I did enjoy fleshing out Hest's dilemmas regarding the two, but again, I just feel like this whole book was a buildup to that meeting, and knowing Ill have to wait a very long time to see the confrontation is a bit frustrating.

You should still read this book, if only to learn a little bit more about Kelsingra and Sedric.

I found this third book to be a enjoyable, engrossing addition to the series. Ms. Hobb is a fine conductor of her worlds. It is hard to do an ensemble book of this nature and strike a good balance between characters internal worlds, plots, and which characters you choose to move the story forward. I found the choices made to be very good ones.

Ms. Hobb choose to follow just a few of the dragon keepers; Thymara and Rapskal most and their dragons. Leftrin and Alise's stories were followed and to a much greater extent than the first two books Malta and Reyn had major parts in the plot along with Selden. It is not easy but it must also be a lot of fun to have laid the groundwork for so many interesting characters and then to be able to continue to develop them and weave their stories together in interesting ways. As always, Ms. Hobb is among the best of contemporary fantasy writers at doing this.

The book starts of right where Dragon Haven leaves off and right from the beginning the Duke of Chalced's involvement and interest in dragons intersects with many of the characters' lives. While the story moves forward this book is very much flirting with annoying long time fans of Ms. Hobb with not being quite enough in terms of length. The story does move forward in many interesting ways and you do find out more about Kelsingra and the people and forces that are going to shape its future. But...it was a bit short.

I have never felt `cheated' by a Hobb book before and I don't here. But this book was the closest to doing that. Not in terms of quality. I could not put the book down. But it seems 100 to 200 pages too short. I expected more books in the series but this is about a three quarters of a book, compared to most books Ms. Hobb writes. I think this can be rectified somewhat if the turnaround for book 4 is quicker than for her previous books. I will say that since the Assassin series Ms. Hobb has been great to her fans in getting books out regularly. The relative brevity of this book calls for, as noted above, at least an average turnaround for the next book.

Compared to most of her books this one just stopped sooner than I expected. Hence the 4 stars. Entertainment wise, enjoyment wise though, I had a great time. You learn more about the what life might have been like at the height of Dragons and Elderlings while being brought to the cusp of big changes for the Rain Wilds, Bingtown, the dragons and keepers, and Kelsingra. To the cusp but not beyond. Beyond the cusp will be book 4. I find myself caring about so many of the characters in a Hobb book. They make mistakes, they aren't sure of themselves, but they lead interesting lives in amazing settings. Some fall to temptations and the easy way out, others grow beyond what they ever expected of themselves. Some do both. At the same time they also feel like they could be a friend or family member or even you. I slowed down at the end of the book trying to keep the story going for just a day or two more. Alas nothing more to do now but try to somewhat patiently wait for book 4.

I just noted, after writing the review, that book 4 is already slated to come out and is showing up as a late July release date on the store. I hadn't seen that along the side of the the store page till just now. Very fast turnaround and very much a nod to where this book cuts off and the length of this book. As I said this book comes really close to not being a full book. I will reserve thinking that Ms. Hobb and publishers tried to get 2 books out of fans rather than what should have been one until I read book 4. Hopefully that one will be closer in length to most of her books.

Having read the Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies, I was excited to start another series by Robin Hobb. Thus far, the Rain Wilds Chronicles have fallen somewhat short of my expectations after reading these other books. While still solid reads, they are centered on younger characters, and therefore, have a less mature feel to them. City of Dragons, the latest installment in The Rain Wilds Chronicles, seems to emphasize this immensely. Compared to the last two books, City of Dragons is full of teen angst and love triangles, while somewhat empty of plot. It seems that this book was meant for nothing more than to set up the next book, introducing several plot points without going into any major detail and resolving nothing. While perhaps necessary to bridge two books, City of Dragons does not stand on its own very well. By the time I reached the end, I could not believe how little had happened. I was left feeling unfulfilled and disappointed. This is not to discourage anyone from reading the series, but perhaps wait for the next book to come out before purchasing this one so that you have the rest of the story and, hopefully, a sense of completion.

City of Dragons (2012) is the third Fantasy novel in the Rain Wilds Chronicles series, following Dragon Haven. The initial work in this series is Dragon Keeper.

In the previous volume, the copper dragon was dying. Mercor and Sylve were guarding her. Mercor said that Relpda was infested with parasites and had been attacked by a predator.

Alise discovered that Sintara has been infested by a rasp snake. Soon rasp snakes were found on other dragons. Alise insisted on checking the copper dragon.

Alise used rushes to wash off the mud coating Relpda. She found a stab wound in her side. When Mercor and Heeby turned her over, they found at least a dozen rasp snakes in her belly.

In this novel, Tintaglia is an adult azure dragon. Her mate is the black dragon Icefyre.

Sintara is a blue dragon. Her keeper is Thymara.

Mercor is a golden dragon. He has more memories than the other dragons and often suggests new ways of obtaining their goals. His keeper is Sylve.

Heeby is a red dragon. Her keeper is Rapskal.

Fente is a green dragon. Her keeper is Tats.

Relpda is a copper dragon. Her keeper is Sedric.

Spit is a silver dragon. His keeper is Carson.

Thymara is a Rain Wilds girl. She is heavily marked by her mutations.

Rapskal is a Rain Wilds boy. He is heavily marked by mutations.

Tats was a Chadcedian slave. He and his mother gained their freedom in the Rain Wilds. He and Thymara have been friends since childhood.

Carson Lupskip is a native of the Rain Wilds. He is the chief hunter on the voyage upriver and a friend of Leftrin.

Alise Kincarron Finbok is a Bingtown woman. She married Hest Finbok late in her life. Now she has spurned her husband and taken Leftrin as her lover.

Sedric Meldar is a Bingtown man. He has known Alise for many years and is a close friend of Hest Finbok.

Leftrin is the captain of the Tarman. He is infatuated with Alise.

Reyn Khuprus is a Rain Wilder. He and his wife Malta have been changed by Tintaglia into Elderlings.

Tillamon is Reyn's elder sister. She has been heavily marked by the Rain Wilds mutations.

Selden is Malta's younger brother. He is a captive in Chalced.

Tarman is a Live Ship. Recently he had been modified with wizardwood found by Leftrin.

In this story, Tintaglia and Icefyre return to a desert lake to wash off the gore from their hunting. They are attacked by armored men and archers. After the dragons slaughter their attackers, Tintaglia finds one injured boy who confesses that the Duke of Chalced sent them.

The Duke has also sent men to Bingtown for dragon parts. These agents have inserted two men among the humans searching for Kelsingra. But nobody has reported back to the Duke.

Unknown to the Duke and others, the dragons and their escorts have reached the vicinity of Kelsingra. But they are on the wrong side of the river. The Tubman has tried to cross the river, but the current is too strong and only one dragon -- Heeby -- can fly that far.

Sintara fell into the river while practicing her flight skills. The humiliation was so great that she now refuses to fly publicly. She does practice as night while everybody else is sleeping.

Thymara has strong motivation to encourage Sintara to practice flying. The dragon is growing and needs more meat. She is always hungry and Thymara is having problems keeping her fed. Naturally, Sintara doesn't tell Thymara that she is practicing.

Thymara is also having boy problems. Both Tats and Rapskal are lusting after her body. Tats has been her friend from childhood and she does not want to lose him. Rapskal is becoming more handsome, but he has fantastic ideas.

Carson and Sedric are now lovers. Carson worries about Sedric's weak moments. Sedric is still upset about his former relationship with Hest and has attempted suicide. Sedric tries to convince Carson that he is no longer suicidal, but he does confess to being weak.

Carson is trying to tame Spit and encourage him to practice flying by withholding his meals. He suggests that Sedric try the same tactic with Relpda. Sedric's dragon is not as wild as Spit, but providing food for the dragons is becoming a major problem. They must learn to fly or they will starve despite the best efforts of their keepers.

Alise is studying Kelsingra. Heeby flies her over the river and then picks her up in the evening. Alise despairs of finishing her studies before the traders and treasure hunters descend upon the dragon city.

Leftrin tries to talk her into returning to civilization, but she does not want to go back to face Hest and his friends. Finally, Leftrin goes down the river toward Cassarick. They both miss each other while he is gone.

Reyn, Malta and Tallamon are preparing for a trip to Cassarick. Reyn has business affairs to discuss with the town council. Malta is going along to stay close to Reyn while she is pregnant. Tallamon is just getting away from home for a while.

Selden is kept on a chain and shown to paying customers during the day. One customer gets a private viewing at night. The man sees the dragon scales and wants to buy Selden for treatment of the Duke.

Malta is also taken by the Duke's agents, but they know that her blood will not have the same effect as a dragon's blood. Nonetheless, they hope that the Duke will be fooled by the scales. If the Duke falls for the scam long enough, they can get their family hostages back and escape from Chalced.

This tale keeps a number of subplots in the air. The news about the discovery of Kelsingra is already flying down the Rain Wilds river. Sooner or later the Duke is going to die of his numerous afflictions. The river level is going to drop during the summer. And more dragons will be able to fly.

Meanwhile, a few people get to explore the wonders of Kelsingra. The last installment in this series is due March 2013 (unless you live in Holland).

Highly recommended for Hobb fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of alien creatures, human intrigue, and a touch of romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

Engrossing, flew through the book and I am now on book four, the last in the Rain Wild Chronicles. I've read the Farseer Trilogy, LiveShip Traders Trilogy and the Tawny Man Trilogy. The Rain Wilds Chronicles does a wonderful job of returning to some characters from previous books and introducing new characters with their own story lines. It all ties together with wonderful surprises and tense drama to unfold the closing story of these Rain Wild characters. I have the first book in the new Fritz and the Fool Trilogy on my wish list. Robin Hobb is a wonderful author, one of my favorites.

As this is the third book in a trilogy, I will not bother with summarizing the plot thus far; either you have read the first two books, or you should be reading reviews for Dragon Keeper (the first book of the series) instead.

If you enjoyed the first two books of the Rain Wilds Chronicles, then you will truly enjoy the third book. For me, one of the delights of reading Robin Hobb's work is savoring the characters. While it is true that the pace of this book is slow, what makes it enjoyable is the storylines and character development. If you found yourself not liking Dragon Haven, there is really no need to read any further. However, if you are invested in the fate and relationship of Thymara and Sintara, or the wonderfully mismatched pairing of Alise and Leftrin; if you want to know more about the mysterious Elderlings and the fate of the dragons, keepers, and Kelsingra; if the politics and intrigue of the Traders and Rain Wilders interest you; if you wanted to see Hest or the dragons Icefyre and Tintaglia reappear; if these issues interest you, then you will enjoy this third installment.

Again, I do agree that the book moves slowly, but it feels like the right pace to me. You are drawn in to the lives, cares, and concerns of an ever-expanding list of characters in this book. These are characters that I care about, and I will gladly spend many more afternoons reading about them when the next book becomes available in July. The pace of the book also seems to be building towards something. The tension and intersecting storylines are all building towards what I believe will be a climactic finale in book 4. The pacing seems deliberate. My only real complaint - this book was too short!

A group of stunted dragons and their human keepers have set up a village across the mighty Rain Wild River from the dead city of Kelsingra. Without the ability to fly, the dragons cannot hunt, and their human companions (servants/slaves/friends?) are gradually hunting out the large animals in the area. As winter approaches, it's essential that they get supplies, but any contact with the outside world brings danger. First, abandoned dragon cities are highly sought after and Kelsingra is the most complete and undamaged city ever discovered. Second, the evil Duke of Chalced is desperate for the dragon parts he believes can cure his diseases and restore his energy and life.

CITY OF DRAGONS follows the lives of the dragons and their humans as they see the promised land across the river without the ability to reach it, and the efforts of merchants and nobility elsewhere to profit from the dragons. Romance has broken out among the human dragonkeepers, several of whom have escaped abusive relationships in the cities they left behind, giving them added reason to fear contact with others on the river.

I've always loved stories about dragons and Robin Hobb is a strong author so I was optimistic when I grabbed this book. CITY OF DRAGONS has its moments: I loved the scene where the city of Kelsingra partially comes to life, and the scenes involving the Chalced assassins are also strong. For the most part, however, I found this book to be too slow, setting up problems but not resolving much, flipping between characters too quickly to let us really care about them, and giving us dragons with a lot of potential but that are largely unlikable.

Robin Hobbs's City of Dragons, the third book in the Rain Wilds Chronicles is the story of a group of dragons in the Rain Wilds. These dragons aren't like their ancestors, though. They are not strong and well-formed; they cannot fly; they cannot hunt for food. Their keepers, humans who, over time, start to look more like the dragons they care for, are a motley group - some young, some older, some closer to human in appearance, some appearing almost like the dragons they care for.

To try to survive, the dragons and their keepers must find an ancient city called Kelsingra. This is accessible only by flight (and some earlier dragons have failed and died) or by Liveships made from special wood because the Rain Wild River is toxic and dissolves traditional woods.

In this final part of the trilogy, we have more going on than just the dragons' need to learn survival skills such as hunting and flight and find Kelsingra. The dictator of Chalced is becoming old and increasingly feeble and must have dragon parts to regain his health. He will stop at nothing - even execution of those who fail to return with dragon parts - to become more than the shadow of a man he now physically is. This is a "thundercloud" throughout the whole plot of the novel.

I found the characterization in this book of both the humans and the dragons to be strong. It is natural when jumping into the middle of a series, as I did, to be a little confused about who's who, but, particularly with the front matter outlining the characters and showing the connections between them, I had few problems there. There is one caution about the characters: there are several same-gender relationships, so this book is not for people who are offended by such relationships or for younger than high school age.

This novel, though not as long or complex as any of Christopher Paolini's, might be appealing to Paolini fans because it has some of the same style and plot traits - similar word choices, similar quests, similar style. Considering the caution about some of the characters that I described in the previous paragraph, I can recommend this book, but with that caution in mind.

...but I really don't think that's the author's fault. It seems pretty clear that Ms. Hobb meant the Rain Wilds Chronicles to be a duology of two fairly hefty books, but her publisher decided to give us a tetralogy of four much slimmer volumes instead. This was a big mistake, as it leaves us with a third book that suffers from the same major problem as the first: there's nothing approaching a complete story here. (Mild spoilers follow.)

We have the keepers and dragons doing not very much up by Kelsingra. We have Hest puttering around in Bingtown, going shopping and being harassed by a nasty Chalcedean. We have the Duke of Chalced threatening everyone in his vicinity but accomplishing nothing. Malta and Reyn manage to get a bit done, but then they're left stewing on Leftrin's barge as it chugs back up the river. Selden sits around, though admittedly that isn't really his idea. Way too much page space is devoted to the misadventures of our two villains (Hest and the Duke), while a number of more interesting characters get almost no mention at all. Sigh. I think the final volume will be rather exciting, but I found little in this book to hold my interest. Which is a real shame, as Ms. Hobb remains a very good fantasy author. Hopefully, if Harper ever releases a reprint of this series, they'll do it right.

Hobb reintroduced Selden Vestrit, Malta Kuprus and Reyhn Kuprus, who had briefly been mentioned in the other two books, and had been the focus of the Liveship series. She also mentioned Alethea, who popped up in the first book. I greatly enjoyed these characters. However, there were already so many storylines and character dilemmas going on from the first two books, that these additions did not allow for any answers to previous situations.

This book did keep my attention, and I was very concerned with all of the story lines. However, if I had known, I would have waited until the next book comes out (maybe years from now... who knows), and I would have just read them as one book.

I'm not going to sum up the story or provide any plot synopsis or spoilers, but I would like to talk about my experiences with this book as a fan of Hobb's other works (including the Farseer, Tawny Man and Liveship books) and as a reader of the first two Rain Wilds books. If you're in that camp, read on for my thoughts and recommendations.

At the end of book two of Rain Wilds Chronicles, I actually thought that it was the end of the series so I was surprised when I heard a third book coming out. Things actually wrapped up pretty well at the end of Dragon Haven (Rain Wilds Chronicles, Vol. 2). Then I assumed this book would be the last book (making it a trilogy like some of her others), but be aware, this book ends very open with nothing resolved! It's a cliffhanger! I hope Hobb is hard at work on the final book because this one is the best of the series so far and I look forward to seeing what happens with all the characters.

In this book, the characters are finally starting to take on more dimension and the story is becoming deeper and more intricate. Still, the characters here are not as good as Fitz-Chivalry, The Fool or even Althea Vestrit in their depth. There is no one real protagonist of this story and I think that may be part of the issue. There are many points of view. Not that this is a problem for me (I love other books with multiple points of view) but I think Hobb really shines when she focuses on one really interested and well-developed character.

One character, Thymara, has been somewhat of a prominent character through the three books thus far, but she's nowhere near the development and complexity of the aforementioned characters in previous books set in the same universe.

If you struggled through the first two books, but were satisfied enough with how the second book ended, I would still urge you to pick up this book. The pace is faster and things actually get more interesting. If you are new to Hobb, I recommend starting with some of her other books in the same world such as Assassin's Apprentice (if you want to read the Rain Wilds Chronicles, definitely don't start here in book 3).

All in all, this book exceeded my expectations since I haven't been enjoying the Rain Wilds Chronicles as much as I wanted. However, it's still not nearly as amazing as Hobb's other books I've loved so much.

In my opinion, a lot of reviewers who are blasting this book as having too many plotlines and too many characters are missing the real ambition of this series. Hobb is trying to show the creation of a fledgling society, crafted and populated by adolescents (both dragon and human/elderling), and shown through the eyes of a few key characters. There may not be many specific events which occur in this last book, but the book is more about the mental processes and slow change among the characters than about getting to Point A to do Action B; with respect to the reviewers who complained that nothing happened in this book, I wonder if we're reading the same work.

In particular, I see Thymara as being the foundational character of these books. I've read Hobb's previous works, and while she always had a gift for subtly addressing issues of gender and sexism, this book faces those issues head-on and without flinching. Thymara struggles with sexism (both internalized and in the form of external threats/pressures), painfully examines her knee-jerk and emotional reactions, and ultimately evolves into a young woman who, while obviously not completely mature, is well on her way there. Watching her interact with the other members of the party and herself was almost cathartic, and the text gently encourages the reader to consider how we approach the biological realities of sex, the social structures of gender, sexual relationships, the role of force and threats both explicit and implied in gender roles, and how sexual freedom can mean different things to different people.

These are broad social questions being tackled in the book. Can a society exist without authoritarian use of force? What is leadership? What is responsibility? But Hobb is kind to the reader, and while I think the book is much more enjoyable for a reader prepared to think about and examine these questions ultimately it's still a fine read for the more casually inclined.

Welp, the first 3rd of this book is pretty good, but my copy only has 344pgs. R. Hobb usually uses 500+pgs to fully develop an intricate, satisfying tale.

City of Dragons is a very small continuation of Dragon Haven in which very little plot advancement occurs. I felt cheated out of $15...it was as though Hobb hit a deadline and decided to sell us this expensive prologue to her next real book.

Library time for Hobb. I spend my paltry, precious book budget on less pretentious authors.

I'm starting off combative because I'm very weary of having my time wasted by piss-poor excuses for books. There's a good chance that someone will eventually convince me to read one of the other offerings by Robin Hobb or her alias, but they will have a much more difficult time to do so after I've read 2 of the 4 Rain Wilds Chronicles books and started the third. I say started, because I couldn't take how terrible this book was and put it down. 1 star for not being good enough to finish.

I am astonished that someone can be such a good writer and write such an uninteresting story and have characters with little to no redeeming qualities continuing to be jerks.

I really wanted to enjoy the Rain Wilds Chronicles, and perhaps that is why I am taking it so poorly.

And do the authors and reviewers paid to write blurbs not even bother reading the books? One actually said the characters were sympathetic! I've never encountered LESS sympathetic characters. Sauron was more sympathetic than any of the whining, sniveling, base morons piloting these books.

I am disgusted.

I wanted to know what happened. The writing, and by the writing, I mean strictly the prose, was so good. The directing was so bad. I've never encountered such a dichotomy before in all my years of reading.

I read close to 1000 pages in order to get an ending worthy of a short story and I was OK with that. Do you understand how nuts that is? I was OK with having my chain jerked around for 1000 pages in order to get the hint of an ending that wasn't really an ending but was infinitely better than the "ending" supplied in the first 500 pages.

And then within two chapters of this book they took THAT 1000-page, short-story ending away. Literally, they reversed the course of the expected and took away the ending by saying that a few seconds after we left off it ended disastrously and it's been the same-old, same-old with no change other than more male characters trumpeting their male-ness to be all-out jerks.

What kind of person would *want* to read about this?

I understand that many people think that art should imitate life and that if it occurs in life then it can be written about artfully, but WTF?

So what sort of lives would imitate the Rain Wilds Chronicles? The sort of life that no one would want to associate with. Why would we want to hear about these creatures? Even if it's a different sort of life than one we want to imitate, they're not even entertaining. It's monotonous and slower than any story ever has a right to be. I can forgive not being sympathetic if it is at least entertaining or if there is SOME REASON FOR ME TO BE READING.

Is this what happens when you become an upper-tier author? Any drivel that you float gets picked up and turned into a book? It should have been flushed. Or some beta reader or editor should have realized the stink they were reading and ask for a stronger director.

The Rain Wilds Chronicles has been one of the worst reading experiences of my life, and I suppose I have no one to blame but myself for not giving up on it in the first book and mistakenly believing that so many satisfied readers couldn't be wrong. I have some idea of what sort of crap those readers were smoking, and I should have trusted my instincts when its odor first reared its ugly head. I will not subject myself to a book as though it were medicine or vegetables ever again, and if it is not enjoyable, I just won't read it.

The Rain Wilds Chronicles are not enjoyable and not worth your time. I regret the hours of my life spent reading them and hope that I never come across another paragraph authored by Robin Hobb for the remainder of my days.

In a distant past, dragons and human-type people lived together cooperatively in high tech, elegant cities. Then something happened, and most of the dragons died out, and people lived in simpler ways. The Rain Wilds Chronicles tells how some humans want to bring back the good old day with dragons, while others live simply for profit and self-aggrandizement. The problem with this series is that it is has too many characters with overlapping stories, and in order to keep up with each individual, the story just plods along, up and down the river. Some of the characters could have been left out as major focal points, and a little more action brought in.

I truly do enjoy Robin Hobb. I have yet to read anything by her that I hate, but these Rain Wilds Chronicles simply do not live up to other works of hers. As much as I loved the Rain Wilds as introduced in the Liveship Traders Trilogy and even more so loved the idea of further exploration the books have yet to reach the level of what the Rain Wilds could be.

Rather than a trilogy, this is appearing to be a true chronicles and I'm not enough into the fantasy ring to know just what the plans are. My question is why. While there is a definite tangle of solid plots here they are falling into fatigue as they are stretched out over books. Why not consolidate?

There are things to love about this series. The writing is solid, the ideas fascinating. Robin Hobb has developed a fine cast of characters with stories that are, in essence, quite interesting. But the drawn-out events leave little time to give characters proper focus. While I trust that Hobb will wrap everything up neatly, the experience is in the meantime tedious.

This is pleasant reading that shouldn't turn away any fans, but as for me I would prefer a tighter story.

About the same as the first two of this series. Some action mixed in with her storytelling. Not a spoiler as the title of the book gives it away we finally get there. The characters of the keepers, dragons, other travelers are getting more developed. While I am reading/ listening to on audible I am waiting on her new book Fitz and the Fool which comes out in August, which is a continuation is the "Assassins" trilogy and the "Fool's" trilogy. Thankful she is a much faster writer than George R R Martin. I remember ordering the last Fools book from the UK in HARDBACK, LOL everything Kindle now, because there was a several week delay in getting it from the US publisher. Hobb and Martin are my two favorite authors, but 5 Years between books for Martin can get annoying. Thankfully Hobb's is going back to two of my favorite characters, especially the Fool.

I have been reading Robin Hobb's books for the past 15 years, ever since the 7th grade. One thing I have liked the most about her writings is that although all of the 'sections' of her work (minus the Soldier's Son) are separate, they happen in the same world in a mostly linear fashion and certain details tend to bleed over a bit into all the books.

I read this book in one day. The progression that I felt was lacking in the last book I felt was definitely in this one. I also very much liked it when Alise found the map room at the top of the tower in Kelsingra where Verity and Fitz visited the city (from the Farseer Trilogy). It speaks of finding the quarry and all the skill-stone carved dragons.

I liked this book pretty well, I was very disappointed by the length though. I could have happily read another 300-500 pages. If you like grand fantasy epic's (a la Wheel of Time) I would highly recommend starting with 'Assassins Apprentice' and working your way forward.

Robin Hobb takes us on another visit to a place of soaring imagination where dragons are becoming whole and starting to rule the skies once again. Ms. Hobb leads us down many paths with a lot of subplots to track and unravel. The picture she paints of unbridled greed and its effects on people seeking to profit from the discovery of another Elderling city are both sad and prophetic. We also want to care deeply for those like Leftrin and Alise who finally find love, but realize that their relationship, and those of many others around them, are about to get more complicated. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

I am addicted to this author with her steady flow of vivid action and thought provoking ideas set in a world of marvels. But oh boy do I wish I'd realized this was a quartet rather than a trilogy. I had to scrabble to get my hands on the next one.

I do enjoy Hobb's writing, I really do. Her worlds are richly described and her characters fascinating. That being said, I'm really tired of the current trend of pulling out a story through multiple volumes. It's not just Hobb, many other authors are doing the same thing. It may be more profitable for them, but it's increasing my annoyance and frustration. Just about the time things get interesting, oh, just wait! Check back in when the next book is out and be sure to buy it to find out what happens next. It really detracts from the enjoyment of the story.

I don't know how I can be annoyed so much by a writer and still love her work. I can find her characters so frustrating but still want to keep reading to find out what happens! It's kind of a soap opera kind of liking, the people only have a moment to be happy then the next awful thing happens to them! The "horrid happenings" remind me a bit of George R.R. Martin's series.. I don't remember Hobb being as gruesome in her other series but maybe I'm not remembering well. I did skip her last series, the soldier son one, or rather, didn't finish it, but this one has me enthralled.
Like Martin's books you might think things don't move fast enough for you but the writing style and
characters keep you reading.

What might matter to some people is that there is no one hero or heroine - the story switches from character to character, from country to country, from dragon to human to elderling. It can be frustrating to be led to the cliff and not know what happens for a few more chapters.

Robin Hobb has done a fantastic job with this series. I absolutely love her portrayal of the dragons. Her imagination for the characters is spellbinding. There are so many good things to say about this book that it's hard to know where to begin. The characters are so in-depth--you feel their frustration, pain and joy. The dragons are magnificent creatures and it makes you yearn to be a part of their world. With only 1 volume left in this series, I'm looking forward to see how Ms. Hobbs will wrap it up. Highly Recommended.

When I first read one of Hobb's books, it was with a sigh of relief: at last a fantasy writer who could write copious amounts of material and still hold my attention. She hasn't let me down so far, and continues to draw me back into her stories with ease. I do find, however, a lot of repetition in the books that goes far beyond the need for continuity. Have we begun to expect tomes instead of simply good books we want to read and then re-read? Excessive word use does not a good story make.

Volume Two of the Rain Wilds Chronicles seemed to complete the story arc so I was quite surprised to see Volume Three come out. Nonetheless, as I liked the story, I quickly read through this book and was not disappointed as it is just as much fun to read, and as good of a yarn as the previous volumes. This one picks up where Volume two left off, with the dragons, dragon keepers, and other attendants having reached the long-sought-after ancient city of Kelsingra. However, the river that flows by the city has a very strong current and the jetties for boats on that side have deteriorated leaving the heroes of our tale on the wrong side of the river. And in the winter time to boot!

The book fractured here and draws on the previous writings of Robin Hobb and brings in characters, situations, and cities from the past. If you are like me, and this was the first series of hers that you read, then you are at a disadvantage as many of the characters and situations don't quite seem to make sense. As an example, how did Selden get into the mess he's in, and why is he of such interest? Those who know the previous series's have assured me that all those situations are crystal clear to fans of the author, but I was at a disadvantage here.

While the previous books focused on two or three threads and carried the story between them, this book is trying to bring many things together and so we start reading multiple new threads that go along. The way the book develops is to start with chapters that follow one set of characters as they go about their story arc, but towards the end of the book, the pacing has changed and there are multiple threads in one chapter. It can prove to be difficult to follow all of them -especially when some of them appear to show up with seemingly no connection to everything else. However, some transitional chapters do help in pulling all of these threads together and the structure ultimately holds together. Nonetheless, it is obvious that this book is not the end of the series and there are many plots, sub-plots and elements that will have to be resolved in a future book or books.

The writing is quite clear and easy to follow and the growth of the characters is believably to a certain extent. The writer introduces concepts such as racism and exclusionary policies amongst the various peoples of the Rain Wild here in a rather heavy-handed way, but I suppose she is making a particular point that she felt required such rough handling. Only one of her many characters grows emotionally in this book - that being Thymara - while Sintara (the Dragon) and all the other characters do not really change. I am not sure why that is, except that Thymara has been struggling with her own growth as a person throughout the previous two books, so maybe the author felt it was time to resolve some of her struggles? On the other hand, the way it was done leads to a very definite confrontation in the nearly immediate future that is clearly foreseen here - but we will have to wait to a future book to see how it resolves itself. The lack of growth of everyone else in this book is somewhat disappointing.

Overall, I liked this book and would have given it four and a half stars to accommodate for its relatively minor blemishes. Since I cannot do that, I decided to give the book a five star rating as the blemishes are relatively small and the promise of the continuation of the series is something that I am looking forward to reading about in the future.

I always look forward to a new book by Robin Hobb, and the Rain Wilds Chronicles have been no exception. I was pleased to see so much character development- ever Hobbs' strong point. The interactions between the dragons have fascinated me throughout the series, and made this book a pleasure to read. The series has not been for the action-motivated reader, but was perfect for those that enjoy a slow unfurling of plot and intent. I loved it.

I was so excited by the continuation of this series, but for the first time in my life Hobb did not leave me breathless and dreaming of her lands and characters. That said, a less than stellar Hobb is still better than most of what else is out there. If you dreamt of whales and dragons, if you wondered what was behind the covered faces, then read this continuation, starting from the beginning, a trilogy which brings together all parts of the Live Ship Traders world.

I've been waiting for this book, hoping it would follow Hobb's pattern of concluding a trilogy. I was disappointed in the quality of the writing (definitely not her best) and the fact that more story lines were added and there were so few existing lines tied up. This book reminds me of the Robert Jordan Wheel of Time books - fans wait and wait, then buy the new book, only to find that they will have to wait, yet again, for another book. I don't think I would start another series by Hobb until it was complete.

I love Hobb's books and her books as Lindholm but what on earth?! I paid $30 NZ for this book and was so excited for it to finally arrive. Then when I open it, it's about one third of the size of her normal books. And nothing happens! You are basically left at the same place book 2 left you but with a few more villainous characters (she previously killed the others off) and a small exploration of the city of Kilsingra but nothing exciting happens.

Still written well, as all of Hobb's works are, but I feel like I'm being milked for all I am worth with the publication of what is, in all honesty, an unfinished book.

City of Dragons by Robin Hobb

City of Dragons continues to follow the stunted Dragon's and misfit keepers struggle to find the dragons homeland. The main cast from the earlier books in this series are still here.

Sintara, a dragon queen, and the rest of the stunted dragons are still struggling to become the majestic creatures their memories tell them they should be. While Thymara and the rest of the outcasts assigned by the rainwild traders to tend the dragons, struggle with helping their dragons, they under go drastic changes to themselves.

As Alise Kinncannon Finbock, the Bingtown trader, continues to explore her obession with Dragons and Elderlings, and flee her loveless marriage, Ms Hobb expands the story from the Bingtown and Chalced side of the story, with Alise's husband Hess and bringing back Selden Vestrit from previous series.

The intrigue of the plots to make money off the dragons and their city by the rainwild traders, played against the struggle of the keepers and stunted dragons to grow into Elderlings and Dragons make this an interesting read if you aren't just looking for swords and sorcery in your fantasy reads,

I liked most of what Robin Hobbs writes, but that just doesn't make it worth $10+ to read what ought to be a 4.99 paperback. Sure, prices are climbing, and some authors are putting out near-1000 pp. paperbacks which ought to cost more, but this is a simple attempt to profiteer by an unscrupulous publisher, and I hope they take note of a diminished sales volume and rething their profit strategy. Best wishes to Robin Hobbs and her fans, and all who hope the e-distribution scheme finds a happier price point.

Having read the first two in this series, I was happy to find Volume 3. Although I liked the first two, this surpasses them with a more complex plot and development of characters. Hobb does a good job of "world building" and I wished that this book had gone on further. However, Volume 4 is soon to be published and I'm eagerly looking forward to it.

I am a big fan of Robin Hobb's novels and I have been waiting for years for the conclusion of the Rain Wild Chronicles. I was rather disappointed to hold a very thin book in my hands that I finished within 24 hours.
The third part of the chronicles is as good as the first two - but do I have to wait now another two years to read the conclusion? One might think that the author was led to make two books out of one in order to make people buy two volumes instead of one. Such practices are well known in relation to other fantasy authors although those did not manage to keep their high quality level because they introduced new characters and a lot of useless information nobody is interested in.
This is definitely not true for the Rain Wild Chronicles.
I only hope that we do not have to wait that long for the last volume of the Rain Wild Chronicles.

The problem I have with this book is that nothing happens, it's just a bunch of filler. This should have been combined with the next book and been one book.

We get it Duke of Chalced wants dragon parts, and Hest is a horrible person. Lets here about the dragons and their keepers transforming!

i had looked forward to this book for so long that i even accidentally ordered 2 via the store. anyways, read it, but didn't quite hold my attention like the earlier books had. i am a alate comer to the magic of robin hobb's writing, and must confess that this felt a bit like an anticlimax. i often had to remind myself that it was ok that things did not work out as i expected for what i had thought was the end of another trilogy. it does leave one hanging, almost like the feeling of disassitfaction after a chinese takeaway: you know you've had food, but still want something to take the edge of the feeling in your belly.
not a total disappointment but i have to agree with the others, not the first book for a newcomer to mistress hobb's talents to read. i will buy the next book, and hope that it's released soon.

Like many here, I love Robin Hobb's work, so I am surprised and disappointed by this volume. It feels like ideas or sections intended to form part of a bigger novel, fleshed out to form a light-weight, unsatisfactory book. What I dislike particularly about it is the overanalysing, relationship-pondering that all the characters engage in - it reads like a teenage angst novel or a romance set in a fantasy world. What clinched it for me however is that I purchased the book last week to give me something to read over the holidays, and, as I was reading, I started to think "this sounds really familiar". Sure enough, I looked in my cupboard and there the book was. I had bought it twice. It was clearly so unremarkable, I had actually forgotten that I had read it already! I remain a huge fan of Robin Hobb, and I love the world she has created. I can only surmise that she was pressured by others to push something out when she wasn't ready.

I hope part four (to be published this summer) is an epic on the scale of the last Tawny Man book. I worship at the altar of Ms. Hobb, but I've got to say this incredibly short book reeks of a money grab to me. I'd have no qualms having to wait to devour the conclusion of the adventure as contained in one volume.

WOW! This book is amazing! When I started reading robin hobb, I started reading Dragon keeper. I thought it was a nice book. I thought that ms. hobb was an amazing story teller. When I read Dragon Haven, I thought the series was GREAT! And, I'm reading City of Dragons (Chapter 1, pg. 36) And I now know the series is exceptional! Go Robin Hobb!!!!!!!!

This third book in the series is fun and engaging. The first two books were building and with this book, I am feeling satisfied with the development of the dragons and their keepers relationships/growths. So far, I consider this the most exciting part of the series.

agree with many reviews here about the shortness and the tv like episode feel of the end. not a great finish and less than I expected from Hobbs. I noticed a wearying tendancy of characters to over-analyze to exhaustion ramifications of taking an action as if Hobbs needed extra fill. I wish I felt better about spending $14.99. It really felt like half a book. No matter though, I'm a devoted fan and look forward to Hobbs improving with book number four.

I am going to make this short - if you want to know more about the story read the other reviews. I am bummed about this book. I have read nearly everything that she has ever written and this appears to be about a payday. Every other book she has written in a series was a self contained story, with decent plot lines that all came to a conclusion by the end of the story and very cleverly at that. This is good writing, but it ain't a book. This is a set-up for about 5 separate story lines that never 'go anywhere'. For full price you should get something more.

I honesty don't know how this book would read if you haven't read all the books before it. That being said, it a great addition to the series. This newest set of books come after a long break in this series. I enjoyed revisiting some of the characters and locations. In this third book, we finally find the lost city of the dragons, but there is a catch - it can only be flown to and of course our little dragons for the most part can't fly. It does end sort of abruptly but I am starting to expect that from these books.

More please!

Robin Hobb is showing the best and the worst behaviors that humans can display. I did not expect the city of Kelsingra to be do active, if only Fitz had been able to use the Skill to wake the city when he was there. Cannot wait for the next Fool's Assassin book to come out.

The series was wrapped up nicely in the final installment of the Rain Wild Chronicles. I especially like the way that Horst was handled in this book. There is a bit of an opening for more adventures in this realm which I liked. I've read all of Robin Hobb's work to date, and enjoy it.

I love all of robin hobb's books. Her characters are what really amaze me. When you finish a book and get sad because you don't know the people you're reading about in real life, that's a success to me. Can't wait for more! I even named my horse, Swift, after a character in her books:)

So I am hanging in there, we are at the dragon city, what will happen? I have enjoyed most of Hobbes books, but am finiding this one a non readable series, it will end. Next book and I will read it, but the first set he wrote is the one I return to. kinda sorry I wasted a vine choice on this.

I enjoyed reading the Rain Wilds Chronicles. They were imaginative and fun. I enjoyed these books more than some of the other Robin Hobb books. I have enjoyed everything I have read of Robin Hobb, but these are my favorites.

I love Robin Hobb, and I love her writing. Nonetheless, I'd counsel prospective readers to wait for the next book of the Rain Wilds chronicles - this one is too much of a bridge, with nothing really happening. I was suprised and disappointed when the narrative ended, it felt half-baked. That said, the Chronicles are set in a compelling universe, and I am looking forward to more of the storyline.

Clever writing, good story. I think that I became not only interested in the development of the story but also in the personal development of the characters, to me it does not usually happen in other fantasy writers stories in which characters and their development is flat and only in service of the plot.

i loved this book normaly am as picky as heck but this book hit very high on my list of good books frankly the story was worth twice the money what i learned for making my own book now whay wqs ii saying? oh yes, GIVE ME THE NEXT BOOK!!!

I love this series, and I was happy to just read a book about the characters and enjoy it for what it was. That being said, it felt like Robin Hobb has stopped caring about these characters and is just fulfilling a contract to the publisher. I will read the next one, but I hope it's better than this one.

I would really like to buy Robin Hobb's "City of Dragons" that is currently out.

But I cannot buy it as on my the store page it says "Not Currently Avaliable".

I am taking this to mean it is not avaliable to be sold to my country New Zealand. I wish it could be sorted as I would love this book so much to be on my Kindle with the rest of the series I already have.

Also I am also finding this problem with other books I am ordering for my Kindle and I cannt due to the Kindle book is still "Not Currently Avaliable" to New Zealand.

I love my Kindle and I want to buy the books that I want to read so much but now I feel left out...... :-(

Very disappointed with this book. Not much suspense, too much homosexuality. I am not homophobic, but that doesn't necessarily mean I am comfortable with reading about it.

I miss the quality of written work she did with the Farseer series.

City of Dragons is about a group of human "dragon keepers" trying to care for under developed dragons and to protect them from an evil ruler. The dragons are proud, snobbish, ungrateful, and cruel. These are not Anne McCaffrey's dragons from The Dragonriders of Pern. The dragon keepers are constantly being insulted by the dragons and in danger from them as well. Yet the dragon keepers stay because the dragons have used magic on the humans to make them love the dragons no matter how cruelly they are used. The enemy Duke needs dragon blood to keep from dying. He keeps his servants and soldiers working for him by keeping their family members in prison as hostages or threatening to kill the family of anyone who displeases him.

Those who might be uncomfortable reading about homosexual relationships should skip this book. The only characters I felt sorry for were the soldiers the dragons killed in the Prologue. They had fought the dragons only because the Duke had threatened to kill their families.

Robin Hobb is very detailed in the build of each character to the point that you can picture them and know them. You find yourself rooting for the dragons and the keepers and hoping for there future. a truly marvelous read. If you are a sci fi fantasy reader this is a must read

The Dragons and their Elderlings have begun to explore the ancient city of Kelsingra. Trader families bent on using dragons to their advantage are right behind them. There are a lot of different storylines happening in this installment (politics, cruelty, greed) but it is rather rambling and difficult to see the overall plot. If you read the first two novels then this one may throw you off since it doesn't seem coherent.

It looks like Robin Hobb has decided to take it easy on Rain Wild Chronicles, and "City of Dragons" only confirms this observation. Whole series lacks intrigue, action, compelling plotlines and captivating characters. After reading first half of the book and seeing that nothing really happening, I regrettably realized that this book would not be the last in the series. After finishing reading a book in some other epic fantasy series that seem to go on forever, I might have screamed "Where are the answers?!". Not with "City of Dragons". Here I just don't have any questions.

I think this is perhaps the least exciting of the books written by Robin Hobb. I hope she will do better next time.

My favorite writer of a long list of authors. Her intelligent stories are difficult to put down. A must read if you like detailed stories that are a believable tale blended with fantasy that is captivating.

In the third volume of the Rain Wild Chronicles, Robin does an excellent
job of resolving many of the issues opened in the first two volumes. She continues to open entirely new plot lines and teases the reader with the promise of entirely new twists and turns. Her ability to resolve several questions at the same time she lays the groundwork for new story lines keeps the reader enchanted with resolutions while promising intriguing futures. Widening the breadth of the plot lines without closing down the past demonstrated cleary her gift for bringing the reader back for more.