Book One of The Soldier Son Trilogy - Shaman's Crossing

With the conclusion of the Tawny Man trilogy (Fool's Fate), Robin Hobb has decided to move on, at least temporarily, to another world she's created. Shaman's Crossing is the first book in the "Soldier Son" trilogy, but it is quite self-contained. In fact, if the front cover didn't mention the trilogy, I would never have known (though I probably could have guessed, considering everybody's writing trilogies these days). I do like the fact that it's a story in itself, and it's fairly complete with no dangling ends. Unfortunately, it is also incredibly slow which makes it really hard to get through.

In Hobb's new world, the first son of a noble inherits the title and property of the lord. The second son of a noble is destined to be a soldier. Recently, the king has raised certain soldiers who acquitted themselves well in the previous wars versus the Plainsmen to a "new" series of lordships, which has created a lot of class tension between the originals and the new. Navare is the second son of one of the new nobles, and he can't wait to grow up and go to the military academy and become an officer. All of his childhood is geared to that destiny, and he can't think of anything else that he could be. But when he gets there, all is not what it seems. A strange encounter as he was growing up seems to be affecting his dreams now, and his very odd cousin, Epiny, sees another aura around him that doesn't appear to be his own. Will his hard times at the academy grow into murder? Or worse? And what of the magic that appears to be affecting his very soul? Navare's first year at the academy may be his last.

Hobb has set up an interesting world with conflicting nobilities, a history of warfare and an honour system that ties everything together. Everything in Navare's childhood is geared to teach him lessons and prepare him for life as an officer, yet one of these events may completely turn him away from the academy. The pull between the magic that Navare doesn't even understand and his determination to do what the Good God has laid out for him is striking, and keeps Navare an interesting character. The story is told in first person from Navare's point of view, so we see this struggle quite clearly. At times, Navare gets annoyingly archaic in his attitudes and he sounds too much like a prig, but this is all part of his growing up process.

Characterization has always been Hobb's strong suit, and here is no exception. Everybody is clear and there is little confusion. Though some of Navare's fellow cadets tend to blur together, none of them are important to the plot, and the important ones are easily remembered. When Navare gets in the middle of a quiet power struggle between two of the other cadets, it's very immediate because of the viewpoint we see. Even the antagonists are quite clearly defined and while we never see anything from their side, we can usually tell what is going on behind their actions.

One caution (I wouldn't call it a fault) if you're used to books with either short chapters or easy stopping places where you can put the book on your bedside table and go to sleep. There is none of that here. The chapters are usually at least 20 pages long, and they are one continuous narrative. So if you don't like stopping in the middle of the action, choose your reading times wisely.

The one fault I would say that Shaman's Crossing has is the very slow pace of the entire thing. If the story wasn't self-contained, I would say that it was all set up (and it may still be for the rest of the series, for all we know). We get a lot of detail about Navare's childhood, with the initial chapters only jumping a few years each. Several encounters are important to what happens later, but there are others that appear to be just character-building or establishing the setting. In fact, the first chapter is a perfect example, where Navare meets a Scout and his daughter (the Scout married a Plainswoman, so the daughter has some magic). Scouts aren't exactly looked upon well, and this Scout is no exception. An altercation happens and Navare feels some kind of attachment to this girl. I'm sure this sets up something in subsequent books (if it doesn't, I'll be extremely annoyed) but it doesn't do much for this story other than establish part of the world and give the reader a little action to start off with. This is even more important because there isn't much action after this point.

Honestly, it's only the strength of Hobb's characterization and my faith in her storytelling ability that kept me reading, as the pace was almost glacial. In fact, it's even slower than Fool's Fate and we don't have established characters that we already know and love to help us through. The last third of the book is quite good and moves quickly, though the final confrontation is a bit of a let-down.

If you're a Robin Hobb fan, you will probably really like Shaman's Crossing, for the characterization if nothing else. If you're not already a fan, I would suggest that you don't start here. Read one of the "Assassin" books or even the "Liveship Traders" first. If you don't, it's very possible you'll get bogged down here and never want to try Hobb again. Once you have some grounding in her writing style, Shaman's Crossing will be worth picking up again. I'm giving this book four stars because I ultimately did enjoy it and I'm very glad I read it, but I'd give it 2 stars for first-time readers.

David Roy

I am a solid Robin Hobb fan and was thrilled when I found that she had a new trilogy out....and I read this book, cover to cover, with no skimming even when I hit the parts that did actually bore me - something I never thought Hobb could do - because her incredible descriptive abilities are almost mesmerizing and hold me glued to the page....even when a voice in my brain is screaming, "is she going to go through the bit about soldier's sons and noble's sons one more time?!" She must have gone over and over several issues pertinent to the story as though this were the second book in a trilogy and she needed to keep reminding you of this...that, or she thinks her readers are incapable of remembering the basic relationships on which her story is based (duh!)...it borders on insulting at times, Robin!

I think that the repetitiveness throughout the book is what causes a lot of the slowness and dryness and sense of boredom that prior reviewers complain of....there is simply no reason to keep repeating over...and over...and over....and over.....how the battle lord's sons and noble's soldier sons differ.

While this certainly isn't the most interesting of Hobb's worlds I've lived in......it is crafted as fully....and drew me in as completely....and that is what I look for in a book....to go somewhere different, have some different experiences and marvel at how someone can think up all that!

Several previous reviewers have stated that they didn't like this new series (Soldier's Son trilogy), especially compared to Robin Hobb's earlier works. My wife and I have disagree greatly: while we loved Robin's earlier works (the Assassin series, the Liveship Traders, and the Tawny Man books), we felt Shaman's Crossing was an excellent book, and were sad to reach the end of it.

Shaman's Crossing is the beginning of a trilogy, so don't expect everything to be wrapped up by the end. As others have noted, it also starts somewhat slowly, as you learn the background and makeup of the protagonist, Nevare Burvelle. Even this background, however, is an enjoyable read, with the story throwing you into an "adventure" of sorts within the first few pages.

The characters in the novel are very believable, each with their own backgrounds and points of view, and the situations and locations keep the story moving along, while also providing a real depth to the world. By the time we finished this first novel, we felt we really understood Nevare's world, and were eager to continue the story.

What more can I say -- it's a great book, doesn't require any previous series knowledge, and should be picked up and read immediately! :)

his review is for the whole of the trilogy.

I must admit that after reading the reviews here on the store I was worried that these books would be inferior to her earlier works.
Being a fan of Hobb I did not want this to be the case.

Unfortunately I found myself in agreement with many of the other people who have written reviews.

This trilogy is slowly paced, I found myself missing pages just trying to find something worth reading.
The writing and the characters are repetitive, the story at it's best is average the fight scense are at best c**p.

For all the Hobb fans, give this trilogy a miss and wait for her next trilogy, I have heard it i to be set in Fitz's world.

For those interested in reading Hobb start with Assassins Aprentice you'll be in for a hell of a ride.

I am a fan of Robin Hobb! This is another hit for this talented and creative author. (She can make magazine adverts and the phone book interesting) I am an avid reader and she is definitely one of my favorites for many reasons - not the least her well-developed and varied characters.

This is the first book of Robin Hobb's that I have read. Going by other reviews, I gather that many do not consider this one of her best efforts. Being a new reader of hers I have to say that if this book is as poor as some fans have suggested, I definitely have to read her other series. I won't rehash the summary, and I definitely agree that the action was a little slow building. The main character takes a while to empathize with as he is very stiff and formal. However, the more you learn about him, the more sympathetic you grow. This is a young man who wants to be everything that his family expects him to be, and instead winds up finding his true self. As I was finishing this book I told my husband bemusedly that I shouldn't have liked it. Not only did it not have much in the way of magic, but it had a distinct western flavor to it and quite a lot of military background. All themes that I do not usually care for. Somehow though, Ms Hobb drew me in, and that I consider the mark of a truly great author. Now I have to try to make the time to read her other series while I'm waiting for the second book in the "Soldier's Sons" trilogy. I have a feeling it will be worth the effort.

I'm a fan of Hobb's other books, but I avoided reading this book for a while due to the negative reviews I read here. But I finally decided to try it, and I just finished it last night, having stayed up four hours past my bedtime to do so.

The main criticisms that other reviewers have brought up so far have been that the book is slow and dull, that nothing really happens, that it's only a setup novel, and that the main character, Nevare, is uninteresting. I find none of these to be true. Actually, based on the negative reviews, while reading the book I kept expecting to get bored or bogged down. I didn't. In almost every chapter there's something happening, something changing, something moving forward. You'd have to be blind not to see it.

Other reviewers have remarked on Nevare's lack of uniqueness. I really do not understand this. Sure, there's the distinct absence of a stereotypical prophecy saying that he's destined to save the world, but there's no dearth of interesting things about Nevare. One reviewer said that "Nevare does not question his society, his role, his society's racism or destructive policies; he is as stuffy as most of his kind." Another noted that he is "shallow and accepts things as they come." I must disagree. I feel that there is tension in Nevare's personality stemming from his being disgusted with the state of affairs (e.g. the way Plainspeople are treated; the destruction of the forest), and not understanding why things are the way they are, yet being commanded by people he respects to accept those things. This polarization of his character -- on the one hand, firmly believing in the rightness and immutability of his place in the world, and on the other, deeply questioning it -- is at the heart of the story, and is a theme that surfaces again and again and again. What is the right thing to do? When should one have faith, and when should one question? When is it right to obey, when to rebel? When do you accept and when do you question authority? There is a place for both; how ought one choose to do each? What do you do when doing the right thing will lead only to punishment?

Like any of us -- like FitzChivalry -- Nevare forgets or denies what he knows to be true -- quite often, in fact. This frustrated me in the Fitz novels as well as this book, but it's realistic.

I found Shaman's Crossing much like Assassin's Apprentice. They are both character studies at heart, following a protagonist through a variety of different, quirky experiences that come to shape who he is. In all of Hobb's stories, the character is what shapes the plot more than vice versa. These character-driven plots tend to meander into places that violate the conventions of standard fantasy because there is no grand prophecy to fulfill; the chips fall where they will. I find this to be no different between Fitz's story and Nevare's. One difference between Fitz and Nevare is that Fitz started out with more overtly interesting qualities, e.g. he has magical abilities, is a prince's bastard, and is trained as an assassin. Perhaps some readers of Shaman's Crossing will feel comparatively stifled by Nevare's commitment to his obligations and responsibilities, by his lack of political importance or magical abilities. But for reasons I've already outlined, I think there's plenty about Nevare to interest. It doesn't at all require patience or interest in philosophical topics to do so.

I also find fascinating how Hobb subverts our preconceived ideas. For instance, I mentioned earlier that there's no prophecy that Nevare will save the world. Actually, though, the whole experience with Dewara and then Tree Woman makes clear that each of them expects him to save their world. But this once again begs the question of what it means to do the right thing. What does it mean to "save the world," if saving one world will destroy another? There's no clear-cut answer.

The setting is a bit strange to me, as the government is feudal, with kings and lords, yet many aspects of it resemble 18th or 19th century United States, with muskets and spiritualistic seances and such. It's a strange juxtaposition. And you have Plainspeople who are clearly a parallel to Native Americans, and many of the social issues are the same. I was a bit nervous that Hobb would take the easy way out and simply set up a Natives-good colonists-bad dichotomy, which is just as stupid as the old Natives-evil colonists-good thing. But this gets very tangled and confused in a very satisfying way, as both sides (more than two, actually) are willing to cause death and violence to achieve their ends. Again, through Nevare's eyes we come back to the question of what is right and just and honorable, how much do you accept of your reality. Who's good? Are the Plainspeople good? Is Tree Woman good? Are the colonists good? It brings up the question of why people do what they do -- again, the heart of the story.

I think that those who saw only a flat, boring story didn't explore what the story offered. Unlike in the Fitz stories, nobody dies except from plague. No great wars are waged. Nevare is not in contact with people in power. But much is happening.

So, in closing, I'd like to reiterate that I disagree with the negative reviews, as I think a tremendous amount of importance occurs in the book, and that it is yet another fascinating character study from Robin Hobb. I recommend it and I look forward to the next in the series.

I'm a big fan of Robin Hobb- the Farseer Trilogy and the Tawny Man Trilogy are by far my favorite books. I think, unfortunately, that these books suffer by being written by my favorite author. This trilogy just doesn't stand up to the others.

The setting is a bit odd....a confusing mix of old and new, but completely foreign. The politics and situations between the races I found interesting, but a bit confusing, and rehashed way too many times. The plot seemed to stop and start unevenly.

I think my biggest disappointment was that I didn't find the main character all that likeable. He seemed nice enough, but I just didn't GET him. Somewhere that development that was so great in the Fareer and Tawny Man trilogies just got lost, and I ended up with a kind of bland main character.

Everyone keeps reiterating the same thing...slow, boring, main character never seems to try to change his predicaments he is faced with. I will say one thing: what? No it didn't have any big battles, and it was a little slow at many points, but he is also still an adolescent. How many of you can say that many things happened to you when you were a youngin' that were worth reading about? What you should do when reading this book is honestly answer these questions: If i had the same upbringing with the same moral code, would i have questioned the things he questions? Would i have stood up and fought back with all my might against the maelstrom of things going on around me? NO! You wouldn't have. Nevare does the best he knows how to do with the little experience he has in life other than soldiering. He doesn't know how to react, and he handles it quite well compared to what a normal person would. How at his age would he be expected to be able to take the things that happen to him in stride like many reviewers say that he should? Facts: He is a good boy who is naive about the world around him, but starts to realize that the world doesn't work the way he was always told. His little world is crushed around him, and at a young age he has to figure out a way out of the quicksand of the events that happen around him. I say give the book a chance and remember while you are reading how realistic the book is to true life. I would have given it a five if he weren't so naive, but find myself battling my 4 stars since that is one of the points of his character development: to realize for himself what is moral and immoral, fair & unfair.

Somewhere in the not to distant past, like a couple of years ago, I recall Robin Hobb finishing a brilliant trilogy - the third in a trilogy of trilogies. Now she starts a new trilogy in a new world and there is a definte 'dashed' air about this book.

Our hero. Nevare, is the second son of a recently elevated second son. In this world of Gernia, second son's are soldier son's and thus our hero is born and raised to be a soldier - and by golly does he dogedly go about it.

As the book progressed, getting tediously bogged down in mind numbing details about Nevare's upbringing, military encounters, spiritual encouters and dreams, I realised Hobb has chosen to tell this novel from one view point only - Nevare's. Unlike her previous books where she has woven the talk around one or a few strong and interesting encounters, this book is told from one person's point of view - every single solitary chapter. With teeth-grinding detail, Hobb informs of us all the good, the virtue's, the flaws and values of this one character. Some other characters take shape within the book, but never does Hobb stray from telling the story from Nevare's viewpoint and only his viewpoint. It gets tiring at times because he isn't exactly the most likeable character in the book.

And then there are the names... I don't know why but there seemed to be an incredible lack of imagination devoted to creating names for this new land and tale by Hobb. Everyname, be it city, country or person's name seemed to be the result of a 2 second think job beforehand. What is a country with stolid values? What is a country with great fictional fantasy significance? Combine those 2 and voila, we get the country name for this novel! What is a fine sounding estate in the UK? Change a vowel and voila, we have an fine estate-sounding name for a Lord's place/village etc. What is a masculine spounding name? Change a vowel or consonant and voila, you have a character's name. Some of these were so obvious it made my eyes roll as I read them...

But despite the burgeoning flaws in this book, it is not a bad read, even if it gets tedious in places. It defintely could have done with some chapters devoted to developing other characters and plot lines, but I recall the first book in the "Liveship Traders" trilogy by Hobb's not being particularly exciting either. So I can only hope this trilogy will improve like a fine wine as Hobb's developes it as well. But if this is your first time in reading a book by Hobb's, then its best to start at the beginning and read the King's assasin books first and work through her other trilogies, because I'd hate for you to give up on this author before you've read her best stuff, ie the previous 9 books she wrote!

Having read and enjoyed the Farseer, Twany Man and Liveship Traders trilogies, I was very much looking forward to this series. What a disappointment. As stated by many other reviewers, this series is slow and dull, and the main character simply becomes unlikable and pathetic as the series goes on. It is commonplace in fantasy novels that the primary character is a bit self-doubting and downtrodden. But, Nevare, the main character in this trilogy, is such a "sad sack" character that it gets to the point that you hope someone kills him off just to put and end to his (and the reader's) misery. Too bad George R.R. Martin did not write the series considering his penchant for knocking off main characters!

To say the plotting is sluggish is a compliment. This trilogy drags on with seemingly very little happening, other than Nevare's never-ending "woe is me" introspection. Had I not enjoyed Hobb's other books, I likely would not have finished this series, but I kept reading thinking that it just had to get better. Unfortunately, it did not. With so many good books to read in the world of literature (including Hobb's other works), this trilogy, sadly, is a waste time.

I'm not sure what those other people are talking about, I thought the book was interesting from the start, and actually started getting a little less interesting only at the end. I definitely felt like I was inside Nevare's head, and I love when I can get lost in a book like that. I wasn't a fan of the bridge scene at the end, mostly because I think the fat lady is too nebulous and contrived to enjoy her presence in the novel. But, I'm assuming we'll learn more in future books.

I liked this book better than some of her Tawny Man series' books, and finished it thinking, dang, now I have to wait several months for the next one to come out!

If you like "Robin Hobb", and have the ability to process complex thoughts, you will like this book. She really is one of the better writers in the fantasy genre.

I have devoured everything Robin Hobb has written and anxiously awaited more; from the first sentence to the last, every one of her books has been masterfully written. She's one of the few fantasy writers I put in the same class of JRR Tolkien. Shaman's Crossing is no exception. If anything, it demonstrates how she is still growing as a writer. The detail of her world-creation amazes me, and the quality of her writing makes a very reflective book engrossing - who needs action? Not me, not in this book. I enjoyed every quiet word. Unusual for Hobb, this book feels nearly like a stand-alone - hey, it has a satisfying ending! I'm just glad it states on the cover it's the first of three. I'm dying to learn more about the Specks; surely the most interesting people she's created since her 'Rain Wild' culture.

I've always enjoyed the work of Robin Hobb, and Shaman's Crossing is another welcome addition to my collection, and an enjoyable read-even when my copy was littered with spelling mistakes-so much for editing.

Set in the world of Gernia, the main character Nevare comes of age and enters a military academy, as is the custom of the second-born son. Gernia is a more modern world than fantasy readers will be familiar with, but retains the usual Hobb touch of magic that always leaves me wanting more.

It's difficult to rate a book when it's part of a trilogy, especially the first, when there are still a lot of questions to answer. The characters develop well, although I did find the girl-cousin Epiny lacking in something that I can't quite put my finger on, and the sudden marriage at the end didn't sit well with me, it seemed implausible and too sudden. The fantasy is believable without being grandiose, and enriches the story with its feathery touch.

What more can I say? The world of Gernia is rich with possibilities, history and characters. There's no point A to point B quest to lead you by the nose. It's an enjoyable read that any fan of Robin Hobb will like.

I've been an enthusiastic fan of Robin Hobb for ten books now; the first nine of those books being the fantastic and captivating tales of Fitz-Chivalry and the Six Duchies.

I went into this book expecting the usual mesmerizing ambiance and deep, interesting characterizations that marked all nine of her previous books. I was on the whole not disappointed; while Hobb's new world of Forests and Plains and Cavalla, Shamans and Magics warring against each other, schoolboy drama and teenaged antics reminds me of a weird cross between Harry Potter, a Civil War re-enactment and a really long game of Magic: The Gathering, she actually pulls it off, and her world comes alive and envelops you into it just as much as the Six Duchies ever did. Hobb is truly a master of descriptive writing and she has never been stronger on that account.

Her characters for the most part are equally good. The Six Duchies and the Liveships were stocked with amazing, vibrating, and most of all truly LIVING characters, that felt like actual people that you could love or hate for their own unique personalities. From Caulder to Epiny to Spink to the Tree Lady, this remains true in this book; all but for one gigantic, hideous, glaring exception: The protagonist.

As in the Assasin's Trilogy, the reader is firmly captured inside the persona of the main character. But where Fitz was deep, complex, captivating and a joy to follow along with, Nevare Burvelle is the single most boring, insipid, horrifically predictable piece of cold turkey ever to be coldly slapped across my eyes.

I mean, it's really quite amazing. As you read the book, you simply will NOT believe the depths of shallowness, contrivance, and predictability that you are excrutiatingly subjected to as you ride on this mumble-drone's shoulder for the entire duration. The image I had in my head for pretty much the entire book was of the Tree Lady actually physically materializing before him in a brazilian carnival costume and dancing the conga in front of him while slapping him repeatedly in the face going, 'I'm controlling you! I'm controlling you! I'm controlling you!' and afterwards Nevare putting his hands on his hips and going 'Gee willickers, what a strong daydream I just had.' What is really sad is that this is, pretty much literally, what goes on through the entire book. His reactions and decisions to everything going on around him, from fights between his roommates to finding Caulder drunk, are so deliciously and moronically boring that you will find yourself wondering if Hobb is actually mocking you on purpose.

Now, it might sound like I didn't enjoy Shaman's Crossing, which is far from true. I immensely enjoyed being swept up into Robin's mind and world through her excellent narration and descriptions one more time, and will certainly read the next book. Just please, Robin, ditch the Harry-Potter-imitation-wannabe and make Epiny the protagonist instead.

Perhaps my opinion on this book is somewhat biased due to the fact that I am a Robin Hobb fan. I do admit I might not like this book as much as I did if I had not read her previous books.

Many will critisize this book by saying that the characters are plain and shallow. That the main character himself is shallow and accepts things as they come. Indeed I believe that is the character that Robin Hobb likes the best. Nevare is not particular charismatic, he is not a "natural leader" people dont look up to him. In short... he is everything a hero should not be. And yet it is his story that we follow.

Robin Hobb creates the backdrop in this book for her new trilogy. Make no mistake, much of this book seems to be a set up. The world is described through the eyes of someone who exepts things as they are. Who does not challenge authority. This world is in many ways bland. Peoples lives are preordained to them not only by the status of yoru family (ie noble versus non noble) but also by your birth. What your father is, you are to be. And for nobles the very order of your birth determines your life. The eldest son will follow in the footsteps of his father, becoming the lord over his holdings. The second son will become a soldier. Third a preist.. forth an artist.... and so on. This is the holy writ of the good god, and as such is not questioned.

In this book we see some signes of things changing. Of the order of their world being looked at and questioned. We see signs and hints of what could be. This very stagnent world seems to be on the very edge of a major change. This change is viewed best at the ending of the book. And seems to poise the series to launch off. Make no mistake though, this book is a set up for that.

And so here we have it. A book by Robin Hobb. Keep in mind when you are reading it, that Robin Hobb writes the book that she feels needs to be writen. And not the book that she feels her audience wants to hear. As a result this book seems to go slow without the constant battles/conflicts that seem to be in all other books to keep them moving. In Robin Hobbes books you see the most character driven story of any other author out there. And if you can respect that she writes the story that is there, and not the one that people would expect, you will be rewarded with some of the best writen character, in a deep detailed world of mystery that you will come to love.

And so there we are. The story is set, its characters laid out. Now we can but wait and see what will become of it all.

If you are new to Robin Hobb I would not read this book first. Read the Farseer trilogy, as it is one of the best fantasy trilogy's ever writen. If you are already a Robin Hobb fan then pick this book up. I could not put this book down as I was engrossed in the story. It was well worth the read.

It's a testament to Robin Hobb's skill that I finished this series, even though I did not like it. I didn't like the main character or any of the supporting characters. By the time I got to the end I found that I didn't like a single character in any of the books. I found the prime plot situation of the main character actually repellant. Yet, I read them all. I had read the the Farseer and Fool and Liveship Trader series before, and very much liked them. I have not read or re-read any Robin Hobb books since finishing the Soldier's Son trilogy this March. I will probably try the Rain Wilds books later.

I'm a Robin Hobb fan and moderately enjoyed this first book in the series, but I wouldn't recommend it since Book Two is so dreadful. I do enjoy Robin Hobb's world building, and this new world has depth and history and felt very real. The young hero is likeable and sympathetic. But the plot is slow. Even sluggish. And most annoying of all, the hero refuses to understand and accept the things happening to him, when the reader has understood and accepted them long ago. I kept wanting to scream, "Get a clue, Nevare!" There's nothing worse than a stupid hero. Nevare is likeable in Book One, but he becomes very boring in Book Two -- no drive, no ambition, no good ideas. He's easily manipulated and just drifts wherever life pushes him. You might moderately enjoy this intriguing Book One, but what's the point? It only leads to Book Two, which I cannot recommend. Which is very sad, since I have loved Robin Hobb's other series.

I think that as a big fan of the Farseer and Tawny Man books, this book hardly had a chance with me. My expectations were high, yet I doubted that it could affect me the way that those trilogies did. Fortunately I was able to side-step those expectations quite a bit becaue this book is very different from those, although I can't exactly say why. The tone is different, certainly, but Ms. Hobb also seems to use a different writing style in this book. But it was good enough to keep me reading during every moment of free time that I had. Nevare's world and the societies in it are fascinating, and the opening chapter got me hooked into learning more about them immediately. Admittedly, while reading this story Nevare didn't inspire the empathy and compassion (okay, I admit it, the outright LOVE) that I had for Fitz and The Fool during their books. But I also realize I say that on the other end of having taken the full journey with them. Can I honestly remember how I felt after reading just the first book? I think it is entirely possible that Nevare and his people will come to mean a great deal to me in the end. Ms. Hobb is a gifted writer in any case, and I know that anything she writes will be well worth reading.

Marked by its almost complete absence of physical conflict (a bizarre flaw for a sword and sorcery book and one that continues into Hobbs newer Rainwild Chronicles). The Soldier Son Trilogy is nonetheless a surprisingly good read.

Taking advantage of her hard won expertise in creating a compelling first person narrative, Hobb plays to her strengths and gives us the story of the conflicted son of a successful soldier (given the title its fair to say that's not a spoiler) and his ongoing struggle to carve himself a place in the world despite opposition from mystic and mundane forces alike.

All things considered, a good read but far too similar in style (and lacking the excitement of) the authors Farseer books, the Soldiers Son trilogy still remains a quality read and one thats especially recommended for those that prefer plot over action.

I think that as a big fan of the Farseer and Tawny Man books, this book hardly had a chance with me. My expectations were high, yet I doubted that it could affect me the way that those trilogies did. Fortunately I was able to side-step those expectations quite a bit becaue this book is very different from those, although I can't exactly say why. The tone is different, certainly, but Ms. Hobb also seems to use a different writing style in this book. But it was good enough to keep me reading during every moment of free time that I had. Nevare's world and the societies in it are fascinating, and the opening chapter got me hooked into learning more about them immediately. Admittedly, while reading this story Nevare didn't inspire the empathy and compassion (okay, I admit it, the outright LOVE) that I had for Fitz and The Fool during their books. But I also realize I say that on the other end of having taken the full journey with them. Can I honestly remember how I felt after reading just the first book? I think it is entirely possible that Nevare and his people will come to mean a great deal to me in the end. Ms. Hobb is a gifted writer in any case, and I know that anything she writes will be well worth reading.

Marked by its almost complete absence of physical conflict (a bizarre flaw for a sword and sorcery book and one that continues into Hobbs newer Rainwild Chronicles). The Soldier Son Trilogy is nonetheless a surprisingly good read.

Taking advantage of her hard won expertise in creating a compelling first person narrative, Hobb plays to her strengths and gives us the story of the conflicted son of a successful soldier (given the title its fair to say that's not a spoiler) and his ongoing struggle to carve himself a place in the world despite opposition from mystic and mundane forces alike.

All things considered, a good read but far too similar in style (and lacking the excitement of) the authors Farseer books, the Soldiers Son trilogy still remains a quality read and one thats especially recommended for those that prefer plot over action.

Premise: Nevare is a second son. And as such, his future has been decided since birth - he will be a soldier. But when his well meaning father gives him over to an old enemy to learn their ways,Nevare's path takes an unexpected turn that will work at destroying that expected future. As grows older and joins the academy, not only will he find that the structured world he has been led to believe exists, is not as black and white as he'd been told, but that he could be used as a weapon to destroy all he holds dear.

Review: Wonderfully detailed world, with well constructed societies, politics, etc. The prose was smooth as silk and a delight to read. I was totally fascinated by the differing cultures and social structures as well as the hazing and other difficulties at the academy. Only difficulty I had was that the main problem was often subdued and was minimally hinted as ever getting to have an impact. When it does, it does it BIG, but it took its sweet time. Yet this only bothered me subliminally, the rest keeping me quite busy and content.

This is a very well written book. Hobb creates in interesting inner life for Nevare. The sense of a young man caught up in currents that are completely beyond him is very well communicated in his narrative. Nevare is a very real, well-written character, totally believable.

Where this book is lacking is in the drama of the conflict and climactic scenes. The underlying magical conflict of the novel is in many ways secondary to the larger conflict of the story. It is lacking in a degree of suspense and and that soaring sense, feeling more like a plot contrivance to resolve a piece of the conflict and set up the next two novels.

That said, the question that I ask myself is whether or not I am holding Hobb to a higher standard than I would other fantasy writers. Her past trilogies have been so utterly superior that I have incredibly high expectations of her novels. I think that four stars is a fair assessment; a very fine novel that doesn't rise to the highest heights.

Before this book, I had not read any of Robin Hobb's other works. I picked this book up based on the interesting premise it showed and out of a hunch that this would be a "different" kind of fantasy story.

The 19th-century-America-like world that Hobb builds in this story is amazing. The combination of the slightly modern and fantasy was very well done. Hobb describes this world very well. You can easily imagine what it looks like, feels like, etc. I found Hobb's telling of the story in the first person of the main character a welcome change from other books I have read. She did this very effectively.

This first part of her trilogy was a very good setup for the main story to come. Hobb hints at all of the important aspects of the larger story, but in the context of the "coming of age" of our main character. I found the detailed story of Nevare's life at the Academy very interesting and entertaining reading.

Now, I am a fan of "high fantasy" (Erikson, Martin, etc.) and I won't put this story up with the works of those authors. BUT, as a book by itself, I think it merits 5 stars. If you want a different kind of fantasy tale, this book is for you! Thanks, Robin Hobb, for writing something very unique.

I read quite a few reviews that complained this new book was starting too slow - most of you must have already forgotten how slow the first Farseer and Tawny Man books were!! Its just Robin Hobbs style, to give lots of background detail on her main characters, which results in that there's always something for you to connect with the main character, allowing you to invest emotionally in his struggles. The climax was intense for me, and I couldn't put the book down for the last 200 pages, I had to keep reading till I finished the book. I can't wait for the second one, I'm thrilled with where Robin Hobb is taking our new hero.

I'm a big fan of Hobb's other books, especially the Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies. Like those books, Shaman's Crossing is a first person narrative, the character as an adult looking back on his experiences as a boy. The reader sees things through the boy's eyes, but with a little adult insight.

It is a testament to Hobb's skill as a writer of strong characters that, from the very first page, the narrator's voice comes through as a new character. You would never mistake this character, Nevare for her other first person narrator, Fitz.

The book has some slow chapters, but all-in-all it was a satisfying read, and it set up intrigue for the next books without leaving readers with a cliffhanger ending.

I have read all of Robin Hobb's previous books/series and loved them. So I was naturally very excited to see there was a new trilogy coming out. However, after reading this book Shaman's Crossing I have to wonder what went wrong. Ms. Hobb is normally such a brilliant storyteller and her characters are usually top notch - but compared to her previous work this novel can only be termed a failure.

My first problem with this book would be the main character. Nevare is not compelling to me at all. I found his indecisiveness and lack of confidence difficult to read. In fact - when thinking about describing this character to others the most descriptive word I can come up with is BLAH. He is lacking in anything resembling fire or pizazz. Throughout the book I kept waiting for a transformation - for some spark of intelligence or interest - nothing.

My second major gripe is that it felt to me as though nothing had happened in the book. I think that because I found the character so unapproachable, none of the plot events seemed very exciting. There were some interesting sprouts of ideas every once in a while (the crossing the canyon scene and the the tree woman) but these sprouts never grew to fruition for me and their rarity made the rest of the reading unbearable.

I don't know. I hope that it is just me and that others like this book. Like I said, I think Ms. Hobb is a wonderful writer and I have enjoyed her other work. I just can't find anything I liked about this book and therefore, I can't give it a positive review.

Well, I didn't think this was any worse than anything else I've read of Hobb's. I mean, come on people, the lady doesn't really write trilogies anyway. She writes one big long story that gets put into three different books. (Or six for the Assassin book.) Okay, so it wasn't as lively as the Liveship books. It's hard to compare travelling the Rain Wilds to going to the Cavalla Academy. Of course the Rain Wilds are more fun. Just wait for the other books. It's better than reading about Harry at Hogwarts. More believeable, anyway. I'm waiting on the next two. Soldier Son also seems to be set in a different world. Fine, things are different. It's also written from Nevare's point of view, which accounts for a lot of what everybody seems to be complaining about. Perhaps they just don't like Nevare as the narrator. Wait a couple books, then judge it, I say. Wait til it's out in paperback and you can get a used one cheap if you're so worried about paying to read an inferior book. Though I don't think it's inferior. Just different.

One day in a Half Price Books another customer pointed out a couple of Robin Hobb trilogies to me: the Farseer trilogy and the Liveship Traders trilogy. I was an instant Hobb fan and rushed out to find the Tawny Man trilogy which was equally fulfilling. The I came across all 3 of the Soldier Son trilogy at one time and was very happy since that is almost unheard of when shopping locally at book sellers. The first book was marginally enjoyable and I won't spend a lot of rhetoric bashing this particular trilogy but I will just say I think she could have done this one in one book. I felt this story plodded on and on and while I did find some of the characters interesting it was a chore to make it through all 3 and when I was finally done I was very disappointed. I am currently reading the Rain Wilds Chronicles second book and I am anxiously awaiting the 3rd and 4th books. This series has more than made up for Soldier Son in my mind. I heartily recommend Robin Hobb and would not recommend Soldier Son, but if you must read it, read everything else first!

It's funny to read all these mixed reviews for what I thought was one of Hobbs's best books to date. True, it is a little slower paced than several of her previous works -- but this does not make it a lesser work.

Perhaps what is bothering others is that this is more of a coming of age book than a fantasy book. Sure, magic and fantasy are present, but really this is a book about a good, but imperfect, young man trying to make his way in an unfair and complicated world.

I won't provide yet another summary of the book, but this book is certainly worth your time. Nevare compares favorably to any of the protagonists found in Hobbs's other works, and I found all the characters to be well developed.

Background: I read through the Farseer trilogy a few years back, and I immediately fell in love with Hobb's knack for description blended with her masterful development of unique characters. So, I picked up Shaman's Crossing, hoping for another rich world delivered by a fantastic storyteller, including detailed descriptions of alternative magic, customs, settings, and, most importantly, people.

Unfortunately, Shaman's Crossing delivered none of these things.

Pros: The book is definitely a Hobb piece; her descriptive ability and storytelling come in full-force throughout the book. Unfortunately, however, her imagination did not give her much of a story to work with.

Cons: There are several, despite Hobb's writing ability.
-Her subject matter is, to put it bluntly, boring. The majority of the book deals with the customs and ways of Gernia, which could be described in two pages. Indeed, those two pages come early on, but Hobb insists on repeating each and every detail excruciatingly throughout the novel. After you finish the book, you realize that you don't care. The customs also seem to be lifted directly (at the very least, heavily influenced by) the Christianity-dominated Middle Ages. I understood the gist of her world within the first few chapters because of my knowledge of some European history textbooks; unfortunately, her book is less entertaining than many of said textbooks.
-The plot development is incredibly stagnant. The majority of the book deals with Nevare's time in training. The interplay and drama between him, his classmates, and his professors literally encompass more than the entire book. To add to this, the plot action she discusses throughout this section revolves around two things: boring, repeating elements (like his static relationship status or his touch of magic) or minute happenings in the Cavalla. On the latter, Hobb's work becomes like Harry Potter, where events happen without any actual substance or meaning; in Shaman's Crossing, however, these little events are barely entertaining. The book goes from slow (his transition from boyhood to the Cavalla) to a grinding halt when he actually gets to the Academy. Even the climax was not very exciting, as Hobb failed to build any real emotional bonds to supplement "the most exciting scene" with any real action whatsoever.
-The characters are stale and uninteresting. Nevare's character literally becomes annoying to follow. His only interests never change, and I can only hear so much about how much he wants to impress his father and serve his king. On top of his outlook, his attitude is completely conservative; he never wants to stray from tradition (a boring tradition, as established within the first few chapters), which makes for an un-entertaining character. He barely learns anything throughout the novel, and his development is non-existent. Her other characters are relatively unimportant, as not one departs from her original description of them. She completely discards old, developing characters (like Nevare's father, who showed potential through his training schemes) in the middle of the book, and she introduces new characters with little background or change (like Nevare's uncle). The only character who might originally be entertaining is Epiny. However, her strong-willed character gets old fast, and, by the end of the book, I was left wondering whether she was a thinly-veiled attempt by Hobb to critique feminist repression in the Middle-Ages.
-Last, Nevare's magic that she uses to add depth to the character goes wholly unexplained and, quite frankly, does not actually provide for any entertainment. Through the Farseer Trilogy, Hobb's examination of magic (like the Wit, Dragons, etc) and her descriptions of an assassin's work made even the slower parts very entertaining. But, in Shaman's Crossing, Nevare's magic (which he obtains in arguably the book's only good chapter, though in a nebulous and confusing way) plays a very minor role. Hobb decides to convey all contact with Nevare's shamanism (which is never really detailed except for a connection with the Earth) through dreams. Unfortunately, the magic she described shared about as much logic as a dream, and, even had it been fully detailed and usable on some medium outside of an REM cycle, it would not have been entertaining.

In general, Hobb knows how to write fantasy books. However, her approach to Shaman's Crossing added boring characters to an unimaginative setting with a slow, dry plot. In the end, I managed to read the book, but I cannot say I was pleased or entertained.

I came to this novel as many here did, a big fan of Robin Hobb. In her past books she had the ability to capture the human condition (the beauty within all its flaws) all wrapped in a new world with different problems. And so she does in her new book, but there's a problem: We don't care.

At least not yet.

The world is sort of a early american south meets medieval rule. There's a king and a nobility, but there are also untamed lands with wild people (the Plainsmen and Specks).

We're following Nevare Burvelle in his journey as the soldier son, second born of nobles. The second sons are expected to become great soldiers. He has the added onus that his father was also a second son, and his accomplishments on the battlefield raised him to be a nobleman.

As we're unfamilar with the world, Nevare learns as we do. This is a major problem for the book. As we plod along with him, the reader is left to wonder what the conflict in the greater story is. While we know that stepping our way through the world is the way to get there, it's hard to want to get there when the reading gets so tedious.

I honestly didn't think I'd finish reading the book, but I told myself it'd get better. And the last 100 pages were getting better. Then the book ended.

So, I'd like to say the book was worth reading, but I can't honestly say that until the next book is out.

I got about 1/2 way through this book but could not finish it; I was bored out of my mind. I suppose your enjoyment depends on what you look for in a fantasy novel. I am interested in a strong plot, likeable/complex/interesting characters and perhaps most importantly, larger than life situations and events which the reader can experience up close and personal (this is fantasy for crying out loud). This book did not seem to have any of these attributes.

The story (at least until I put it down 1/2 way through) follows the life of the main character, Nevare, from boyhood. The problem is that Nevare is not particularly likeable or interesting, he does not do anything extravagant or exciting and nothing terribly sensational or astounding happens to him.

I can see how others can enjoy the book however. First of all, the political commentary on the early treatment of Native Americans is compelling and well done. Nevare is a very realistic character in an average sort of way. The world is also well defined and thought out and the characters fit into it perfectly. Finally, in Robin Hobb style, the writing is quite good and flows well. All in all however, it held no interest for me as a fantasy novel.

There are so many wonderful possibilities in the world Ms. Hobb creates for this series, but somehow this book is a chore to read. I liked the idea of American Indian style shaman magic and the clash of cultures but I am 287 pages into the book and hardly anything has happened. She really could have used a good editor on this project. I like descriptive prose, but I don't care about reading page after page with long decriptions of things that don't relate to the main story. Maybe the trilogy should have been one book and she would not have needed so much tedious filler.
I logged on to see other opinions of the book because I was about to throw it away and it looks like tossing it is a good choice. I am sorry to see an interesting world go to waste. I did enjoy the Farseer series.

Robin Hobb is an excellent writer. Her descriptions are well researched and bring you right into the story. She has the basis of an excellent novel, basically the American expansion into the plains in the 19th Century. The characters are realistic with major flaws of character. Unfortunately, when I read a fantasy novel I'm looking for a hero, not a flawed character who has promised to betray the nation he so fervently believes in. There wasn't anyone to root for in the book and I like to have a cheering interest. This is the first book of Ms. Hobbs that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed.

I discovered Robin Hobb a few years ago by picking up books at random in the Fantasy section of my local book store and reading the first page.

The first fifteen books I looked at left me unimpressed -- and perhaps a bit demoralized about the genre, which I hadn't read in a long time. But when I picked up Fool's Errand, I was intrigued by the voice -- it was so real, so intimate -- and was promptly sucked into the two Fool trilogies and the Liveship trilogy.

When I picked up Shaman's Crossing, I didn't know what to expect -- but found the complete departure from the familiar 'high fantasy' world refreshing and intriguing. I always admire authors who strike out in new directions and do it well, and Hobb takes lots of creative risks. Like setting a story in a time and place that much resemble the American frontier, for example, and giving her character a very 'un-hero-like' affliction. I loved it -- the twists and turns of the plot, the depth of the conflict, the realness of the characters, the incredibly well-crafted world so completely different from ours (and from her previous creative endeavors)... and on a deeper level, the way Hobb makes me look at my own world with new eyes. I found myself feeling every bit as conflicted as her hero -- and dying to know what would happen next.

I firmly believe that Robin Hobb is the best fantasy author currently in the game -- and that the Soldier Son Trilogy is yet another masterpiece.

Bravo!

Nevare Burvelle is a second son of a noble family - in the world of Gernia, this means that he is a 'soldier-son' and destined for the military from birth; likewise, his older brother is brought up as an heir and his younger brother is to be a scholar. "Shaman's Crossing" follows his childhood, family, education, and then for a large part of the novel his training at the military academy. As a character and narrator Nevare is most respects shown as an obediant son, though by the end of the book he's starting to grow out of that. Cracks start to show in the dutiful, conventional facade that he's been brought up to believe is right; and the book becomes more interesting for it - it'll be great to see how Hobb develops this in the following books.

The scene is set in the kingdom of Gernia - their western territories have been conquered by another nation and they have expanded to the east in response. In the process the Gernians have wiped out and colonised the native plainspeople, and now they're threatening to infringe on the mountains and the mystical 'Specks' who live there. Colonisation, cultural conflict, and racism loom largely, intertwining with Nevare's inner struggle between his conventional soldier-son heritage and his independence. Thematically "Shaman's Crossing" is more complex than the standard fantasy doorstop, leading Nevare and us to critique the Gernian invasion (although, thankfully, Hobb doesn't romanticise or patronise the Specks either). In fact throughout the book Hobb is adept at creating doubt about Nevare's initially conventional worldview - it's with relief that we start to see him question and struggle with the life that has been mapped out for him.

The tone is drier and less intense than Hobb's earlier books, and the descriptive passages and expositionary dialogue seem less smoothly integrated - stylistic flaws that are minor, but noticeable. The standard ingredients of the fantasy epic (magic, quests, romance) are muted, even more so then in her previous novels. When they do appear, Hobb tends to bring a twist to them and to our expectations of what an epic fantasy should be and do. She's not as successful at confounding our expectations as she was in the Assassins or Liveship trilogies, but I really enjoyed the thoughtfulness and carefulness of the world and characters she's created, and look forward to the next.

I am happy that this is not the first Robin Hobb book I picked up. Her other series have been a delight, but up to this point, (about 190 pages in) Shaman's Crossing has been a tedious chore to read. The characters are uninteresting and the world she is developing does not have the same flair as her other works. I want to know more about the people and their backgrounds, not because I need more description (far from it), but because I think something is missing.

I am encouraged by those who say it will pick up the pace, but so far I have seen glaciers that move faster. I will finish the book hoping for a change and out of a sense of loyalty to an author who has provided me with many hours of entertainment, but if it retains the same flavor throughout, I doubt that I will read the next installment.

This book was slow to me until Nevare went to school. Then I couldn't read it fast enough. The characters are being put into the story so when you read it you remember who is who.

The story starts out with Nevare as a boy who's teacher is a leach basically and doesn't work. But later on Nevare gets an excellnt teacher in Duril. Later Nevare gets turned over to an old (but respected?) enemy of his father. That part is very long and complacated so I won't touch on it. *.*

The king granted land and nobility to some faithful soldiers. Nevare's Father was amoung what is known as the "New Nobles." Some older nobility aren't grateful to the king for that. So there is quite a few grudges. Unfortunately the new nobles soldier sons bare the brunt of what happens.

Then Nevare gets sent to a new academy for soldier sons. Of course his father is very proud. There Nevare meets his school chums. Most of them get along but there are a few sparks that fly.

The king granted land and nobility to some faithful soldiers. Nevare's Father was amoung what is known as the "New Nobles." Some older nobility aren't grateful to the king for that. So there are quite a few grudges. Unfortunately the new nobles soldier sons bare the brunt of what happened. So life at school gets a little rocky. From then on it gets to complacated to write so I'll leave you there. Hoped this helped! Enjoy the book! :)

This is a well-written tale launching a new series by Hobb. Typical "first in series" issues noted by other reviewers are far outweighed by the writer's ability to craft an engrossing and thoughtful story. There's quite a bit here for the reader: a coming of age story augmented by themes such as environmentalism, sexism, racism, and class conflict. It will be interesting to see how the author parallels the protagonist's awakening to these issues with the conflicts they create in his society in future volumes. Fans of Linholm/Hobb's other novels should enjoy Shaman's Crossing, as should aficionados of Ursula LeGuin, Sheri Tepper, and Robin McKinley.

As a service academy graduate, I also give the author credit for her accurate portrayal of a military academy. She nailed the feel of the first year experience.

I've been DEVORING Robin Hobb of late, reading through each of her triolgys and finally ending with this book. I have to say that after reading all her other books straight through, this one was a bit of a disapointment. It just didn't grip you in the same way her other triolgys did. Perhaps that world was just more real for her, I don't know.

But regardless, she is still a very good author & it was a very enjoyable book. I will definitly be reading the following books in the triolgy.

Robin Hobb is by far my favorite author in the fantasy genre. So when I started reading this book I was expecting another great epic fantasy, similar to her other trilogies. I was very surprised by what I found.

The book does start off quite slow, which is by no means a bad thing! Hobb spends quite a bit of time setting up the main storyline and the characters. If you are only looking for action, then you're probably going to be greatly disappointed with most of this novel. Another reviewer made the complaint that the main character, Nevarre, is quite dull. Well, for the beginning of the novel that IS true. But the story DOES start off when he is a child, and his personality hasn't even developed yet. Full character development doesn't even start for him until he begins interacting with his peers, later on in the novel. That section of the novel, following his time spent in the military academy, is the best section of the book (in my opinion). A lot of interesting characters are introduced, along with a lot of hardships for our main character.

The main fantasy aspect of this novel is the so called "Tree-woman", whom is introduced early on in the novel. This was my LEAST favorite part of the novel. Every scene in which the "Tree-woman" plays a role was usually VERY odd, and the dialogue between her and Nevarre was just nonsense. The ties between the fantasy aspect of novel (i.e. Tree-woman) and the realistic aspects just didn't mesh well. If Hobb had somehow used a better element of fantasy (other then wretched Tree woman), or simply STUCK with the story about a young man in military school in a fictional land, this novel would have gotten at least another star. Still a good book though, though my least favorite of all her works. For the next book, I really really hope there is no Tree-woman!

This is also in response to the negative reviews! I loved The book! I am still reading it and cant put it down and am anticipating the next one! People who haved given negative reviews obviously have no idea what good story writing is about. Yes this is very different than her last books she has written but that is the best part! Its refreshing and different! Come on people how much can you talk about the same characters and same land? It is nice to see a different approach! I couldnt put the book down once I opened it! I htink she wrote it brilliantly to keep the readers wondering where it is going! I loved it! And to those who wrote a negative review, well you need to expand your horizons, and venture a little furthur than what you are used to and comfortable with! 2 Thumbs up to Robin Hobb! I am hoping the next book will be as good as the first!!

but when I purchase a book by Robin Hobb, I expect superb.

Though I discovered part way through the book that I was disappointed by it, I did finish it in essentially one sitting, and I plan to reread it. I'll read the sequel, but I won't rush out to buy it as soon as it hits the store. It's not a book I'll recommend when friends ask to borrow something interesting.

The action takes place a historical setting, set in a time shortly after the cavalry spearheaded the kingdom's expansion into lands which had been defended by indigenous peoples. Magic is real but unknown, society is for the most part conditioned by obedience to scripture.

The story is told through the eyes and thoughts of the narator/protagonist, Nevare, who is coming of age and preparing for a military life. But it is a hard point of view - he's the focus of the story, without being particularly important to it.

Fantasy hero's are often isolated by their burdens; Nevare, however, is an introvert. At least, I think that's what's going on. A consequence of this is that we don't really see particularly good relationships between the characters - there's no pervasive mentor role that he would bond with, for example. The relationships that he has with his family and mates tend toward the superficial.

Most of the characters in this work will be familiar - it's not quite fair to say that they all sprung forth from the stereotype-o-mat, but it isn't nearly as far off as I would like. Only one of the major players really struck me as having unexpected dimensions.

The main plot itself feels somewhat muddled, as the protagonist really doesn't have a good idea what's going on much of time. This is both totally realistic, given the story, and rather frustrating for the reader (I expect this to be less of a problem when the series is complete, and the reader knows in advance where things are heading).

Let me say right from the start that I absolutely adore Robin Hobb's Farseer series. I also enjoy her work as Megan Lindholm. So when I bought this book I was ready for a fantastic novel. What a disappointment. I hate the main character. I hate the world. I hate the plot line. I hate the pacing. I just can't finish this mess.

I love the other Robin Hobbs books (liveship, assassin, dragons) but this one took me. LONG time to get into and doesn't keep quite the same pace as the other books. Once I was about halfway through, I started to care about the characters...but almost gave up before that. Will probably read the rest of the series - but not jumping into the next book immediately as I have done before.

I was quite excited when I saw that one of my favorite authors had written a new novel, even if it doesn't continue the adventures (or, more accurately, the trials) of FitzChivalry Farseer. I immediately bought it and flew home to read as much as I could (I finished the final book of the Tawny Man trilogy in 1 night).

Sadly, it was all too easy a book to put down. The main character is a complete tool -- a dutiful, boring son with an IQ that probably doesn't break into triple digits. Whereas it was a pleasure to listen to the bitter wit of Fitz, it's a chore to view the world through Nemare's eyes. He's so earnest and upright, it's the literary equivalent of eating nothing but oatmeal -- bland and continuously disappointing.

"Oh good...more oatmeal."

He literally won't even THINK things his father wouldn't approve of without squirming. He's continuously shocked by anything even slightly different from what's proper. Girl not content to be chattel? Lying to save a friend? Talking back to someone in authority? *gasp*

The plot is a snoozefest involving a bunch of young people I don't care about in a military academy I don't care about arguing about boring things I don't care about.

I had originally planned to say that this was disappointing coming from such a great author as Hobb, but I can't even do that much. This would be disappointing coming from anyone. I don't care how much you loved Farseer or the Liveship Trader books -- don't read this one. It will hurt you all the more for having experienced those great books.

Still, because I love Ms. Lindholm's other work so much, I do plan to stick with it. Maybe the trilogy can overcome its opening if something dramatic happens to the main character. For once.

"Damn it...more oatmeal?"

I have read and enjoyed most of Robin Hobb's novels, but this one was a disappointment. With the exception of an occasional weak ending, she usually crafts interesting characters in challenging environments. The main character here, Nevare Burvelle, is dutiful, perhaps too dutiful. The narrative in the book is fully in Nevare's voice as he describes in some detail the days of his preparation for and then his first year in the Cavella Military Academy. This book was a slog full of concerns and details about mundane activities such as studies and tests and petty social politics. The politics of the school are repeatedly analogized to conflicts in the broader community. Unfortunately, many of the plot threads are pedantically reinforced again and again. I kept asking myself, "ok, I get it, so when is the main character going to wake up." While intellectually the idea of a character so dutiful and conscientious that it becomes a fault may be interesting, reading about it was often not. I have to admit that I resorted to skimming to get through this book. While some of the material later in the book is a bit adult, perhaps a younger reader would enjoy the pace, simplicity, and clarity of this book more than I did.

This was a solid, though unspectacular, performance from Robin Hobb.

Her performance was somewhat akin to the basketball player who scores 14 points and six rebounds per game.

Such a player is a solid starter, but not a star.

this was not at all a riveting book. it took me about a week and a half to finish it. I used the book to read for about half an hour at bedtime before sleep overtook me.

I found myself skipping through the shamanistic aspects of the tale, which I did not find credible, based on how the story was told.

Some portions of the story involving Nevare and Epiny were interesting, but certainly not interesting enough to carry the book through 600 plus pages.

I think the only problem with this book is that it is by Robin Hobb. Thus, if you read her last nine books (Assasin, Liveship, Fool trilogys)you may come to Shaman's Crossing expecting the story to be at the same astounding place writing/storytelling wise as it was when Fools Fate ended. That is a foolish thing to assume (no pun intended).

Rather come to Shaman's Crossing with an open mind. Robin Hobb is once again developing a brand new world/universe for her next set of books. Much like Assasin Apprentice, this book starts the story and with any new start much groundwork must be lain. Characters have to be brought in and built up and in doing so the pace of the story may feel a bit slower. However, what you should easily grasp and appreciate is the way that Hobb puts a world together. Once again she brings the main charcter to life as if you were standing in their shoes and not just reading it. The book may not be a page burner but it is a page turner and it sets the stage for the story to develpe and grow to another amazing tale that we have come to expect from a master like Robin Hobb.

Although I've been reading SF and fantasy for 30+ years, I hadn't ever read anything by Robin Hobb so I was looking forward to a good read. Unfortunately I picked Shaman's Crossing, which now that I have read more of the the store reviews I understand is not one of her best. The protagonist is overly stereotypical and although very well described is not a sympathetic character - shallow, chauvanistic, and without original thought. I managed to finish it, but I have no interest in reading the remainder of the series, instead will try another one of her series. Somehow I kept thinking of Harry Potter, and how the description of a school year could be interesting, instead of a dry and boring narrative of the absolutely forseeable food eaten, boots polished, and military hazing.

I am happy that this is not the first Robin Hobb book I picked up. Her other series have been a delight, but up to this point, (about 190 pages in) Shaman's Crossing has been a tedious chore to read. The characters are uninteresting and the world she is developing does not have the same flair as her other works. I want to know more about the people and their backgrounds, not because I need more description (far from it), but because I think something is missing.

I am encouraged by those who say it will pick up the pace, but so far I have seen glaciers that move faster. I will finish the book hoping for a change and out of a sense of loyalty to an author who has provided me with many hours of entertainment, but if it retains the same flavor throughout, I doubt that I will read the next installment.

Like most of the other reviewers, I am a huge Robin Hobb fan. For years I've been recommending her first nine books to anyone with even a vague interest in fantasy novels.

But I wouldn't with this one.

Part of it is down to personal taste - my preference is for medieval fantasy, with castles and taverns, and magicians, elves and dragons running all over the place. But Shaman's Crossing appears to be an alternate-reality Wild West novel, complete with Red Indians called 'Plainspeople' - not my cup of tea at all.

The book starts off slowly and laboriously. Ms Hobb takes her time introducing us to the protagonist and his rigid, religious upbringinging, with his conservative, old fashioned views ("Don't all women want a husband to tell them what to do?"), and takes great pains to show us how privileged his life is.

Then it turns into what can only be described as 'Harry Potter Goes To Boot Camp'. Nevare attends classes, gets into trouble with teachers, is swamped with homework and fights with his classmates. All that's missing is a teacher who seems to hate him - oh wait, we've got that too.

Don't get me wrong, Ms Hobb still writes beautifully. But the story so far is unexciting, and her characters grate instead of endear. Nevare's extreme stuffiness - obviously exaggerated so his fall from grace in later books will be more shocking - is beyond tedious.

The most disappointing part of this book, actually, are the many, many, many typos. I honestly cannot remember reading any book that had as many mistakes. 'Soldier' becomes 'solider', 'word' becomes 'world' and even my pet hate, the 'Its' vs. 'It's' misuse, appears several times.

Ms Hobb needs a better proofreader if you ask me.

The book does pick up towards the end, but it's a case of too little, too late.

If this was my first experience with her books, I'd not bother anymore. But as it stands, I still have hope that my favourite fantasy writer will raise her game with the 2nd installment. So when it's released, I'll still be there queuing up for my copy.

Don't let me down then, Ms Hobb, please don't let me down.

I wonder if Robin Hobb is embarassed that she wrote this book. I have a signed first edition, and I'd almost rather hide it than let anyone know that the author of the Liveship Traders wrote the Shaman's Crossing. The book is a morality tale and yet, what is painted as evil was sympathetic to me. The "bad guys" seemed to be similar to Native American tribes resisting the Western (in this book, "Eastern") expansion of caucasians.? It created quite a dilemma for me - although the main character survived and saved his friends, I found myself wishing that the "bad guys" had won, and been able to keep their land and forests free from logging, etc.? The book brought up tons of ecological issues - and these were not resolved.? Any ecological thoughts that the main character thought were assumed to be brainwashing from the tribal shaman that had taken over part of his brain.? The picture of an imperialist and warlike nation was distinctly similar to the United States - and I do feel that she gave it a little too much sympathy.? She showed issues with their racist and ethnocentric society but never resolved those issues.? Nor were the class issues ever truly resolved.? The class warfare depicted at the boarding school that features in the book - the only reason?it stops is because so many people die?that the remaining people are forced to band together.? At the end of the book, there's just not enough resolution and you definitely feel that although certain nasty characters get punished (on the imperialist side)...that the dominating and technologically superior society will run unchecked over all of the remaining land, enslaving and killing the indigenous people, destroying the environment thoughtlessly, and basically end up just like us.? Sorry, but I don't want to read about REAL LIFE when I'm reading fantasy. For me, a great fantasy would involve nature's defenders winning and a true multi-racial, multi-cultural society.? In addition, the characters were stock and unoriginal - two-dimensional at best. I could predict almost every plot twist due to the plodding and trite nature of the book. It was still pretty engaging towards the end, but overall...thumbs down, Ms. Hobb. Her previous books have been wonderful and I do not understand what has happened. There's no indication that this was the first in a trilogy - and even so, I'm not sure I'd want to read on.

Ok..so this book starts REALLY slow..almost painful! The writing is so in depth about things as to be almost ridiculous. I call it a Slog when I have a book like this that I can barely read a few pages without getting tired. Around page 150, I came back to the store to see if other people were totally bored -- most were! Good thing I'm not one to NOT finish a book.

BUT!!!

About page 200 or so, in the 2nd half of the story when Nevare goes to the academy, I was hooked. The story was still slow and descriptive, but you want that in a good fantasy book (or at least I do). There are little gems in this book -- almost cliches that do NOT end up being cliche. If you like in depth stories (not ones with just lots of killing and mostly dialogue), you'll like this book.

I am looking forward to book 2 of the series. I'd recommend this to those who are Hobb fans or fans of in depth stories (sometimes too much).

I picked up a much lighter book after finishing this one, and I was in awe at the lack of detail -- I guess the book grew on me!

I'd give it 4 stars for the 2nd half of the story and 2 for the first..so 3!

I've read most, if not all, of Robin Hobb's work: the Farseer Trilogy, Liveship Traders Trilogy, and the Tawny Man Trilogy. Hobb is not my favorite author, but I've come to expect a certain level of intrigue, adventure, and character development in her books. Shaman's Crossing is not par with her other work, in my opinion. The book follows Nevare as he ages and matures, from his life at home to his first year at the Cavalla Academy. The main problem with this book (as others have said) is that it's painstakingly slow. Even the good parts aren't terribly exciting, like when he meets Dewara or finally makes some friends when he gets to the Academy. A secondary problem, which bothers me even more, is that Nevare isn't even remotely interesting. The entire book seems to be devoted to developing his character and yet there isn't much substance to him. He's completely devoted to being his father's soldier son and is entirely oblivious (in denial) about his other self and that the Tree Woman is real and not some hokey nightmare. The end of the book is very predictable and I find myself apathetic to whatever happens in the next book. That being said, I probably won't buy Forest Mage unless I'm incredibly bored or if I happen to find it at a used bookstore.

The book is marginally entertaining. It barely manages to hold the reader's attention, and requires one to slog through pages of "explanations" for why her characters act a certain way, instead of simply placing them in situations and letting the reader watch them make decisions.

I don't think Ms. Hobb did her homework very well on this one as the consequences of the character's actions are not in line with the actions themselves. I specifically refer to Nevarre's coming of age experience in the desert. This experience would tend to change a person, and we see none of that in Nevarre. His actions at the Academy don't reflect either the desert experience, or the training he got as the "son of a soldier".

As a whole Hobb has missed a good opportunity to develop her characters. The theme and plot are all wonderful, its why I picked up the book in the first place, but her execution is lacking. In this case the editor should have done his job better and made her go back and fill in the missing pieces.

This book is not worth paying full price, check it out from the library, or buy it from a used book store.

I loved Robin Hobb's other books and I loved this one just as much. Even though the first-person protagonist, Navare, has been raised to hold a rigid and two dimensional worldview, I think that some of the delight of this book (and I suspect this trilogy) is watching his perceptions change as he is thrown into the "real world."

This first book does seem more narrowly focused than the last three trilogies. For example, the first-person Farseer books also included scholarly passages at the start of each chapter to give us a richer impression of the world than Fitz was experiencing at the time. (The Liveship books followed different characters and so had a more obvious epic breadth.) Navare, like Fitz, has a tendency to deny obvious but uncomfortable truths. I didn't think this became tedious at all; I found it very believable and saw the protagonist as a complex character struggling to act out a simplified role. The world is just as rich and interesting as the one laid out initially in Assassin's Apprentice, and I'm looking forward to the mind-boggling finale that I'm sure will take place at this trilogy's end.

I think part of the problem other people have is that the are comparing this first book to Robin Hobb's previous TRILOGIES. Of course this book is not as good as the entire Farseer trilogy or the entire Tawny Man trilogy. Most of others' disappointment, I suspect, arises from not being able to read past the first book, and not that this book is lacking of itself.

This book came with the fine storytelling, insightful musings, and swelling plots that I've come to expect from Robin Hobb. I'd highly recommend it! :D

OK - so I finished it. I'm really still trying to form an opinion. I'm pretty sure I liked it but it sure is a mellow Hobbs. I think this is the "build up" or "set up" book and the next one (two) will strengthen the story. I didn't like the military twist but yet she made that interesting enough to keep me reading - it was not a turn off.

I would say, don't skip it - it is going to turn into an excellent tale.

Shaman's Crossing is a slow read for the simple fact it is devoid of drama, action, romance or humor. I gave it two stars rather than one for the fact the author has at least went to the trouble of placing the narrative in a world that could have been interesting were there a story to tell or people to care about. I recommend reading the plot summary on wikipedia as it covers the books few highlights in a couple of paragraphs rather than almost 600 pages of useless script in the book.

The setting is a thoroughly unlikable society filled with narrow-minded bigots. The story is that the characters are extremely nasty to each other while horrible things happen in their world. Who would not want to spend 30 or 40 hours imbibing the author's malice toward her characters and her readers?

I recieved this book from my daughter for Christmas. It's the best Christmas present I've gotten since I was fifteen years old, and was given Robert Heinlein and Ray Bradbury from my divorcing parents. As excited as I was by these writers as a very young man, my interest in most science fiction/fantasy has palled at three times that age. It rarely contains enough to hold my interest. Better to read the likes of Donald Harington or Richard Russo, if I'm in a mood for a book. If I just want story and pyrotechnics, I'll stick to computer games.

Robin Hobb, though, offers something different. She is the real deal: an actual writer whose interests happen to lie in the fantastic realm. Not too fantastic: we have nearly real people here, inhabiting a nearly real world, each heightened to That Which Is by Hobb's talent with language and vision.

I was particularly impressed with Hobb's handling of the shamanistic aspects of the book. Shamanism offers us profound glimpses into the fabric of reality, but those glimpses can't replace our day-to-day experience of consensual reality. At best, shamans learn to walk both worlds. (At worst, of course, people deny one reality or the other. Some choose to live in the pale representation of a world that WalMart and Dick Cheney and the folks at Budweiser hawk at us. Others lose themselves so completely in the shamanic realm that here at home they earn labels such as "schizophrenic"). Hobb knows these things. Her writerly vision is that of a shaman; she nevertheless recognizes that her characters must inhabit and come to terms with the realities of their human world. Her main character's forays into the shamanic realm always leave him wondering about their true nature. Later, of course, they lead him to questioning _his_ true nature. Perhaps as the trilogy continues, he will come to accomodate them more fully into a whole of a life. For now, they are a small but vital part of his experience, and of the reader's experience of the book. We read along, accreting the details of this young man's early years, and the shamanic passages--evocative, beautifully rendered, mysterious--give us the sense that there are deeper tropisms in play than anyone in the novel yet suspects.

Also interesting is the culture these people live within. It is at once familiar and alien. It is internally consistent, logical, and believable enough to be disheartening: it's not our culture, but it does shine a light into some disturbing recesses of our society.

Hobb's writing is graceful and precise. Several times through the course of my reading, I would share a paragraph with my wife. Not too many books would stand up to such noncontextual quotation, but this one does. It is literate, unpretentious, and moving. Definitely worth a look.

The thing I like about Robin Hobb is that she avoids the usual fantasy stereotypes. This book is no exception. I think I must be one of the few people who approached this book NOT looking for another Fitz. One of my biggest complaints (and many others will agree) with latter books by Eddings, Jordan etc, is that all the characters seem the same. I feel an author fails when they create a new series and you can easily place all the characters from the previous series, with new names.

Nevare is a fresh character. His world is a new setting. He's an ordinary person, which I feel in a Fantasy genre that has no shortage of lost kings, all powerful magicians, and beautiful princesses, is a very rare and interesting thing.

At first I found it a bit strange a premise for a story. At first look, it does seem like it would be dull. But I found the story of his days at home and his training at the academy engaging and interesting.

Expect this book to be different. Don't expect to find Fitz dressed up as a Soldier's Son. This isn't a story of kings and princesses and dragons. It's a lovely tale of a person's strengths and doubts.

No, Shaman's Crossing is NOT Assasin's Apprentice, or Fool's Fate or even Mad Ship. However, we have to understand that Hobb is venturing into a new world, with new characters and new issues.

Nevare Burvelle, our hero, does not have the same charisma as Fitz, and yet he is compelling, for his everyman-ness, the way in which he must often make his decisions whilst battling against his own fears of inadequacy.

There are many echhoes of Native American culture in the descriptions of the Plainspeople, with the addition of another, far more menacing species, the Specks. Personally, this book did not really pick up for me until about halfway through, when Nevare reached Battle Academy. The conclusion and lead to it were gripping, fascinating, and left me eager for the next book.

Some people have complained that the other characters were not developed enough, yet I disagree. I love the character Epiny, as well as the subtleties of Gord, and even the pathetic Caulder.

Overall, I recommend this book. Even if, as others have said, it is not up to par with Hobb's other trilogies, it is still far better than much of what we are offered in modern fantasy.

This book has all the elements I look for in a Robin Hobb book --poetic use of language, interesting themes, meaningful relationships, and complex conflicts. However, it also has antagonists who are both creepier and more sympathetic than any of those in Robin's previous books. Some readers aren't going to like this, particularly those who like their fictional worlds black and white. But intelligent readers who can appreciate the shades of gray necessary to make an imaginary world seem real will appreciate this first installment in new series.

One thing I appreciated was the departure from the typical medieval fantasy world of swords and shields and castles and faerie folk. This book sits in the borderland between traditional fantasy worlds and contemporary fantasy settings. I think this is an area too little explored. Science fiction writers do some lovely work with alternative history stories. Why shouldn't fantasy writers create more worlds that draw from more diverse historical and geographical sources? Hobb isn't the first person to do this, but I am glad to see another writer step out and stretch past the commonly accepted boundaries of a fantasy novel.

I think this is Robin Hobb's best book to date. I loved her previous nine books, but I think this one is darker, rife with possibilities, and I found it a sheer pleasure to read.

I loved this book. I've always been disappointed with Robin Hobb's previous books. I've bought them all but finished only a few. I've found them filled with brilliant ideas and landscapes, but the characters are moody and introspective and passive. Nothing seems to happen. In contrast, this book has it all: a lucidly imagined world that makes military and economic sense, great characters, and fast pacing. I read it in two days.

I think that if you loved her previous books you'll be unhappy with this book: it reads more like military science fiction than classic fantasy. Contrary to some of the negative reviewers, I found the viewpoint character of Nevare to be engaging and believable. Over the course of the book, he matures from a naive, obedient, callow boy to a more hardened, young man who begins to understand the complexities of his society.

Shaman's Crossing (2005) is the first fantasy novel in the Soldier Son trilogy. In a world much like our own during the nineteenth century, the country of Genria is following a Manifest Destiny. Yet their war with the Landsing had gone poorly and their ports and coastline had been lost in the peace treaty. The new king turned his eyes to the east and took the plains from the natives.

In this novel, Lord Keth Burvelle was the second son -- the soldier son -- in his family. As a youngster, he had attended the old Arms Institute, training to become a coastal artillery officer. The end of the war with the Landsing eliminated any need for such skills, so he became a cavalla officer.

The newly reformed cavalla had been based on the hereditary knights of the old kingdom, but was equipped more like the horsemen of the eastern plains. Keth Burvelle had reached the rank of Colonel when his feats of arms at the battle of Bitter Springs had been rewarded with a title and lands from the King. During the ensuing years, Lord Burvelle had also been very influential in the establishment of the new King's Cavalla Academy.

Nevare Burvelle is the soldier son of Lord Keth Burvelle. Nevare has known his role in life since his earliest memories. As the Holy Writ says, the first son is the heir, the second is a soldier, the third is a priest, and so on. He has been training for the role of soldier son since his eighth year.

After a year of unsatisfactory tutors and keepers, Sergeant Duril had arrived and became his primary keeper when Nevare was nine. Duril had taught him how to ride and maintain Sirlofty, a fully trained warhorse. Duril had also taught him situational awareness and other skills that he would need as a soldier.

In this story, Lord Burvelle turns Nevare over to Dewara, a Plains warrior, in his twelfth year to teach him the ways of the Kidona. Dewara shows him how to survive in the desert places and finally leads him on a journey into the dreamworld, where they meet Tree Woman of the Dappled Folk. Dewara brings Nevare back to his father more dead than alive, with two notches cut in his ear.

Later, Nevare learns that his father had wanted him to learn to use his own judgment rather than to blindly obey orders. Instead, Nevare learned to question his father's judgment. He also tries to forget the things he has experienced in the dreamworld.

Then, after his eighteenth birthday, Nevare is taken to Old Tares to attend the King's Cavalla Academy. He also visits his Uncle Sefert -- the Burvelle heir son -- and his cousin Epiny -- his uncle's eldest daughter -- before entering the academy. Epiny is a very strange girl, old enough to be considered a woman, but acting childish.

At the academy, Nevare finds that several things have changed in recent years. Colonel Stiet -- the new commandant -- is not a cavalla officer and seems to favor uniformity over effectiveness. Moreover, he also seems to favor the old noble families over the new nobility.

Nevare finds himself immersed in a conflict between the sons of the new nobles and the old nobles. The academy has more cadets from the new noble families than from the old nobles. Under Colonel Stiet, the new noble sons are assigned separately from the old noble sons and are culled periodically to correct this imbalance.

This story relates Nevare's training as a soldier son. It also tells of his experiences with the magic of the Plainsmen and the Specks -- the Dappled People -- of the forests. He sometimes tries to tell others of his experiences with the magic, but only finds a few people who believe him. His father is one of those who disbelieve, so he mostly tries to forget these happenings.

Highly recommended for Hobb fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of strange magic, exotic societies, and cultural conditioning.

-Arthur W. Jordin

For those of you who live in a mobile, wifi, txt world and can't be bothered to read a long review I'll put my summary at the top in `Hollywood film pitch style'.

If you fancy a quasi Cowboy & Indian tale involving one dimensional characters and a magical primitive race with a skin disorder in the style of a very bad Barbara Cartland/Mills & Boon Romance: then this is the book for you!! Oh, and by the way, I'm a huge fan of Ms Hobb.

And now to the extended version: I thought & hard about what to write in this review as I am a big fan of all this authors' previous works as Robin Hobb and have a lot of respect for those great books. I even went so far as to, once completing them, buy one of her books written as Megan Lindholm. I did not enjoy it but put that down to her "finding her `fantasy' teeth" as a new author.

This book sadly seems to be a return to that style but without the excuse to hide behind of her being new to the field.

The main problem with this book, despite my comments above, is not even the weakness of the alternative Georgian/Victorian world she has set it in. I can just about accept the scenario but what I can't accept, and what ultimately lets the book and story fail, is the cardboard cut-out characters from an author who, normally, creates people of such lifelike depth in her books.

Her main character is "Young Nevare" who would have been far more believable as a 12 year old then 18. If Hobb was hoping to create the image of a young country gentleman with strong principles coming to terms with a traumatic event then being shipped off to the big bad city, then she should have written him better. I, like his father in the book, was waiting for him to grow up and stop whinnying! By the end of the book I was, to be frank, hoping he would die and there was clever twist to the plot I hadn't seen. If you're hoping that the female characters are any better, the bad news is that they are on the whole (shockingly) even worse and lightweight. The main female character, in this book, is Epiny (Nevare's cousin) who I think Hobb was tying to pass off as a younger Lady Patience (Farseer Trilogy) `type' came out only as slightly less annoying then her plank of a cousin.

So why did I give it 3 stars if I hated it so much. Well as stated all the way at the top, these are not stars of praise and love: 1st Star for the fool of an editor/ publisher who let her publish this under the name Hobb when it might have escaped notice under the name Lindholm. 2nd Star for Ms Hobb for her previous works that normally merit at least 5 Stars and should have no excuse for this. Finally for fairness sake; 3rd Star for me for being such a mug and buying this in hardback, despite reading the other reviews here on the store beforehand, when I should have waited for it in paperback, second hand from a market stall!

As I do like this author so much and now I've invested in this story I will, probably, buy the second book in the vain hope that she manages somehow to turn it all around. But it will have to be an "the store Super Special Saver Deal Ends Soon Last Ever Buy One Get A Completely Different Book Free Offer" and the paperback version!

After the great series of stories from the realm of Fitz and the Fool, this was a disappointing book. I felt that the protagonist's behavior was unrealistic and inconsistent (even though she spent *way* too much time rationalizing and justifying his decisions).

Perhaps it was just that I couldn't quite empathize much with the characters. Most of the book really dragged along; seemed like it could have been half the number of pages.

Perhaps the next one...

Shaman's Crossing is a new direction for Robin Hobb. She has left her already created world of dragon magic and liveships to try a new direction in multiple ways.

She tells this tale with a greater level of detail and from only a single POV character. This limits what she can tell the reader. It can be a very frustrating way to write. My own personal experience shows this, as my editor would gladly attest.

The Soldiers Son Trilogy seems to be developing a couple of themes, some of which she has explored in earlier work. I look forward to reading the rest of this trilogy.

I ran out and picked this book up as soon as I saw it, delighted that one of my favorite authors had come out with a new one. I loved her previous trilogies and was excited about this one. Sorry to say, but this book was not up to her best, and I love military history.

I found the hero, Nevare, to be a superficial, cardboard cutout of a soldier. He is too obedient, too good, and his narrative is so dry it's like watching bread rise--boring. Also, this book reads more like a bad epic of North and South, when I first began it, I felt like I was trapped in the 19th century, only under disguise. The cavalla=US cavalry, the new nobles=white settlers, the Plainsmen=Indians of various tribes and so on. I expected more orginiality from an author of Hobb's caliber. There were no really interesting supporting characters the way there were in the Assassin and Tawny Man trilogies--no Fool, Chade, Nighteyes. The women were your typical steretypes, quite, genteel, and very boring. Just when Navarre's sister starts to show a hint of a mind, she is slapped down by her father and brothers. Navare himself is overly naieve(one wonders why after what he has seen) and overly straightlaiced (you'd think after what he learned from Dewara and the shaman he'd be more apt to question authority). Even at the academy, where things have the potential to get really interesting, it falls flat. You don't have the closeness between Nevare and his classmates that you had with Fitz and Chade or Patience, and the romance part between Nevare and the girl (I can't even remember her name) was so lifeless it was funny. The academy's obvious similarites to West Point really bugged me, you think she'd come up with something a bit different than the usual hazing and all of that. Even Caulder as the snitch grew old, and I was hoping someone would take a stick to the brat, but no such luck. I wanted to see some new noble cadet emerge as an antagonist to Nevare, but no one did. Another thing was that there were no strong female characters, which really detracted from the story. Epiny was OK, but I would have liked to see a daughter of a soldier stand up and say she was going to be a soldier too, and to hell with marriage. Or anyone's son stand up to authority and say--no I'm not suited to be a soldier, a priest, or whatever, I want to be this. It's the rebels and the nonconformists that make stories interesting,after all, the way Fitz did in the Farseer books.

The few interesting characters, like Dewara, and Captain Halloran and his daughter, are never heard from again, which is a crying shame. I seriously hope the rest of this trilogy gets better and that Nevare develops a spine.

And that is half of a book.

This was a pretty decent first half of a book. Good characters, interesting/unusual plot line. However, my recommendation is to wait till the second book comes out so that you can read them back to back. Most books(in series) want to leave you ready and salivating in your need for the next book. However, this book will piss you off more than usual in cutting off the story in seemingly midstep.

Still, Hobb will get my money when the next one comes out.

This novel (and trilogy) was painful to get through. I re-read the Liveship series after this just to make sure I enjoy the author. I do. For me, it really plodded. This is a departure from Hobb's other works an is paced much more s.l.o.w.l.y. Even knowing what I was getting into was not enough for me to enjoy this trilogy. If you are sophisticated enough to have enjoyed this, please take the high road and refrain from trolling, this is my opinion and one shared by many others.

After reading all of the negative reviews about this trilogy I was pleasantly surprised when I actually read it. It's not my favorite set by Robin Hobb but it is enjoyable. I remember one review mentioned that Nevarre wasn't likeable which made me nervous about reading this series. But he seemed to be a likeable and honorable enough character to me that did the best he could with what life handed him.

I have read all of Robin Hobb's books and have noticed that all of her series tend to start out with a whimper and end with a bang. I read "Assassin's Apprentice" back when it first came out and was unimpressed. It was only years later when I went back and was able to read the entire Farseer series in one sweep that I became a diehard Hobb fan.

"Shaman's Crossing" is a setup book. It revolves around a young man Nevare who as second son to a noble is destined by his culture to become a soldier. The first half of the book deals with his training at his father's estate and the latter half deals with his experiences at a prestigious millitary school for the children of nobles.

The book sets up all the protagonists and antagonists. One struggle will involve a struggle between the old nobles and new nobles(Nevare's father). Another story arc will be between Nevare's people and a race of sorcerous forest dwellers called dapples whose lands Nevare's people are invading.

Overall the excellence of this book will depend on the quality of the finished series. This is rather an excellent building book to a great series or the first book of a series that will drag on to an uninteresting conclusion.

The reason for the four stars and not five is that even in a book that is a building block to a larger story I like a little more contained story, but upon finishing this book I immediately wanted to read the next book of the series.

Like many others, i went into this series on the heel of Hobb's OUTSTANDING past efforts. But this book was a chore to finish. Dry, boring, no real plot. None of the characters appealed to me, the story was vague and confusing. I won't be reading any further.

I loved the Farseer series and the Liveships stories. Even when I didn't particularly like a character (in terms of personality), they were always well-described and 3-dimensional, and it was obvious that I wasn't meant to like them - but I was meant to understand them. The story was always nuanced and intriguing. I really wanted to know what was going to happen next.

Not so with this book.

I wanted to like this book, I really did. I was looking forward to another series by one of my favourite authors. I read it thoroughly, even when - as has been noted by other reviewers - it was a slow and boring slog to get through. (Boring? Hobb? But yes, it is true - this book is frequently boring.)

I found the story to be dull, but I'd have given it the benefit of the doubt as it's the first book in a series, if only I'd been able to care about the characters. I couldn't, though. They're largely one-dimensional, and when they're not they're just unlikeable. I found myself totally not caring what happened to any of them. Worse, I kind of got to the point where I rather hoped they'd all die just to make it end.

Honestly, it's enough to make me wonder if she didn't get it ghostwritten by someone who more-or-less knew how she puts words together, but didn't know enough to craft an immersive world filled with complex, interesting characters.

This book is a huge disappointment. I may check out the others from the library, out of sheer morbid curiousity, but I am really irritated that I wasted my money on buying this one.

The mystical scenes were quite strong, worth four stars or better. The long interlude at the military school, however, was slow and unconvincing. There are a ton of interesting characters and potential plot lines set up for the sequel -- I'll keep my fingers crossed.

If you are a fan, I'd recommend the book.

The mystical scenes were quite strong, worth four stars or better. The long interlude at the military school, however, was slow and unconvincing. There are a ton of interesting characters and potential plot lines set up for the sequel -- I'll keep my fingers crossed.

If you are a fan, I'd recommend the book.

SHAMAN'S CROSSING is the first book in Robin Hobb's new series. More importantly, after nine novels, Robin has left her "Realm of the Elderlings" and has created a new fantasy universe. Some people would have liked if Robin had kept on writing about Fitz and the Fool forever, but Robin is a real writer looking for a new challenge and not satisfied to write the same book over and over again. Her new book is a subtle piece of literature and a wonderful opening into a new realm as yet unexplored. Be courageous and make the journey together with Robin, but keep an open mind and an open heart. You will not regret it!

I enjoyed this book. It's not quite as good as the "Fool and the Fitz" books but still quite good. Sometimes the characters actions seemed a bit contrived.

Robin Hobb is a tremendous author and overall the book has interesting characters in an exciting new world. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

Normally I love Robin Hobb's novels, and I was very excited by the prospect of a new triology.

Unfortuantely this new series was just not that great. I did finish all three books, but unlike the Farseer Books that I read over and over again, these I would not read again. I admit that it's largely because I like your typical fantasy books with romantic heros and heroines, and grandesque storylines of intrigue and power struggles.

These books are entirely different. Not bad, not poorly written. Just different....unfortauntely just not the kind of different I happen to like.

I loved Robin Hobb's Assassins books and the Liveship trilogy. I was hoping for more of the same (epic fantasy of course, with great characters) and this trilogy does NOT deliver. This first book is horribly boring, as the main character, Nevare is dragged along by one of his father's former enemies (a dreaded plainsmen) to try and teach him some life lessons. He ends up on some spirit journey that will have later repercussions. The latter half of the book deals with his life at the soldier's academy. Unfortunately none of this is written in an entertaining manner, with Nevare musing over everything to the point of repetitive boredom. None of the characters in the world are intriguing, much less Nevare himself, who is too properly raised to be of any interest at all (he is shocked that women have thoughts other than "women's thoughts", oh whatever Nevare!)

A by the numbers fantasy that doesn't really grab you.

Much the same as Tad Williams' latest effort.
This could just be your everyday book about a soldier with very few changes. In fact, that would probably be an improvement. A terrible disappointment after the wonderful Farseer series, indeed. Hope she can come up with another series after this that is more interesting.

If I hadn't known this book was written by Robin, I would have put it down after the first 50 pages. I realize this is a "set-up" book but, for me, the intros to her other 3 series - within the first chapter and sometimes even the first few pages - I was hooked. In this book I felt you only had a good sense of the main character and the others just faded into the background. I found her characters in her other books to be far more numerous and interesting right away and the plots unfolded at a faster and much more interesting rate. I'll get the next one and hope I find it more interesting. I have all of her other books in my library and love them all. This one I'm not so sure about.

Don't know what happened to her all of a sudden. I've read her Live Ship books, her Fool books and the other trilogy connected with those two and enjoyed them all. So when I saw this new one, at an airport bookshop on the way home from a holiday, I bought it with joy expecting another meaty and enjoyable trilogy. In the event I found it so dull, so unengaging that I actually gave up before I was even half way through - and I wouldn't have got that far had she not been an author I normally really enjoy. I found the plot dull and I had no interest in the central character and therefore no desire to find out what happened to him. What a disappointment. I've written this before I read any other reviews on this site. I'll now read a few to see what others found in it.

The redoubtable Hobb is floundering in tepid waters with Shaman's Crossing.

As a long-time fan of hers, I was looking forward to another great read. Alas, not to be.

Nevare Burvelle is the most unbelievably naive young man I've yet to encounter.

Hobb's setting is a mishmash of the antebellum South and early Nineteenth century England, with American plains indians and "Specks" tossed in for good measure. The result is a bubbling brew of racism, aristocratic intolerance, environmental disaster, and rampant militarism. One would think that these ingredients ought to create an incendiary stew capable of blowing Gernia into another solar system. Instead, when the mess is finally ignited, there is barely a "poof".

Shaman's Crossing begins with a "bang". The opening pages are the typical Hobb's "grabber". She's off and running, I think. And she stays on course until Nevare begins his lengthy convalescence. From that point, it's all downhill. There's little action, and even less cohesion to the story.

Shaman's Crossing is neither worthy nor representative of Robin Hobb. Hopefully, she pulls it together in book two.

I'm amazed at all of the negative reviews by Hobb fans. While Shaman's Crossing isn't packed full of action, its a very fascinating and brilliant piece of literature. Maybe Nevarr isn't the most exciting character in the world, but he is very well fleshed out and I find the insights into the way he thinks and his travails at the academy very engrossing. This series is off to a great start, and I expect things to only get better from here on out.

This excellent new novel by Hobb contains the same elegant prose and complex characters of her previous work. "Shaman's Crossing" stands out from other traditional high fantasy through its richly textured world and beautifully rendered prose. The main character, Nevare, narrates in an eloquent voice that manages to be both reserved and poignant. Robin Hobb's work contains more sophisticated language and story arcs than most popular literature published today. Thus, "Shaman's Crossing" will necessarily appeal to a more limited audience. Though the novel seems to conclude with a tidy resolution, Hobb's style in the past suggests this to be mere illusion. "Shaman's Crossing" is an outstanding first installment of what promises to be an original and exciting high fantasy.

I can see the same flaws as the Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies. Characters who are so innocent that they stink. Then a coming-of-age which is being portrayed as an exploitation of that innocence. Then add massive amounts of pathos, guilt, shame, idealism, self-pity.....

On the whole, you would feel like banging your head against the wall and pulling out your hair when you read her books. Avoid at all cost if you want to remain at peace.

My review is essentially the same as that of Craig Daniels. I was a huge fan of her first three trilogies and also glad that she ended them when the time was right. I started reading this new book with much anticipation and was sorely disappointed. The character development is there, and so is the plot but it's just... boring. It never picked up speed. I am still hopeful for Hobb's future books and that later additions to this series may shine, but this book was not a page-turner.

...then wait for the last book in this series to come out in paperback and buy all three. If you like Hobb's imperfect heroes, then Nevare (the Fitz of Soldier Son) will give you the same enjoyment. Nevare grows up, doesn't become the king of anything and faces the destruction of his nation- all the while exhibiting the usual lapses in judgement and moral righteousness that her main characters seem to wallow in.

Anyway, the long and short is simple. I read the first two Soldier Son books back to back and enjoyed them. They're not the greatest books Hobbs has written, but if you liked the Farseer books, then these are worth your money.

I have greatly enjoyed Robin Hobb's previous works, but this would have been the last book I would read by her if it had been the first. The pacing is lethargic, the characters are dull, and the storyline not particularly interesting. That, and the editing is abysmal. For example, on page 2, she writes: "And that was why they remained a poor, wandering folk, prey to the Kidona raiders who preyed on them and to the vagaries of the seasons." This is like writing "they were victimized by those who victimized them." Really? Fancy that; I never would have imagined that people were victimized by those who victimized them, or killed by those who killed them. Reduce the flabby redundancy from her sentence and it reads better: "And that was why they remained a poor, wandering folk, prey to the Kidona raiders and to the vagaries of the seasons."

I will probably read the second volume of this trilogy, hoping for improvement. However, I'm not holding my breath. It would take an awful lot to recover from this stumble.

This book is not Ribin Hobbs greatest, I share this opinion with many who have read her previous novels which are defenitely better.

But I would be remiss if I did not point out that like in her first series ( Assasin series ) her first novel was ok, not great, but ok. In this series I believe that the character development does take time and it has a lot to set up so any person can understand how the main character is and how he acts and will act to what happens in his life.

So I hope that the second installment of this series will mark the return of the type of writting that marks great fantasy books like in Tawny Man series and Assisin series.

As a fan of Robin Hobb's Assassin series, and a slightly less enthusiastic fan of her other trilogies, I picked up this book expecting to at least be intrigued by her imagination. Unfortunately, what I found instead was a detailed description of a boy growing up to be a soldier with a background full of possibilities that fails to ever achieve its potential.

The disappointments in this book include a less than sympathetic and rather whiny main character, only a few chapters being devoted to advancing the story while you wade through endless chapters of minute detail of military school life, and typical characterizations for all the other characters. In fact, those chapters that are devoted to the plot almost seem out of place in this book.

Recently, I read "Ender's Game", an older sci-fi book which has all the elements of this book, but delivers much more satisfaction. If you are interested in this book, I suggest you read "Ender's Game" first. This one will pale in comparison.

I have read everything she wrote-- twice and could not wait to start a new book and a new series. What happened to the person who created facinating characters and interesting plots with an imagination the size of the universe??? Has she been kidnapped by aliens?

The plot of this is non existent, the characters are so boring, and the hero- well I think insipid pretty much says it all. At the point in the book when I thought for a brief momnet the hero had been killed I was relieved and hoped that it meant something more interesting and alive might come along, alas it turned out to be untrue.

I hope the aliens let the real Robin go so she can write books like she used to.

Robin Hobb has amazing skill at creating a full and complete universe and inviting us, the readers, in to become part of it. I began this book on the first day or a vacation and could not put it down until it was done...Then I mourned for a day or two that the second book of the series is not yet out.

Superb story, by a superb author. Highly recommended.

hobb is a good writer... well, at least she used to be. this book is the most boring thing i've ever read. the main "character" is supid and as interseting as a brick wall.
if you love a good story, good fantasy and a good robin hobb book... don't read this book.

0.2 out of 5 stars.

I've never in my life come across a book series I've absolutely loathed as much as this one. The entire premise of the series made me uncomfortable and, to be completely honest, brought back a lot of childhood memories that I had wished were left buried and dead. I wasn't exactly a prom queen as a kid and EVERYTHING about this series is just nothing but "Let's hate on the fat kid because he's fat". There's not a single sympathetic character to be found anywhere, and not one I didn't want to strangle or punch in the face. Basically the book rubs in your face and emphases that fat people are lesser human beings who need to be ostracized by everyone, but WAIT there's this society of forest folk who love fat people because they're fat with MAGIC and somehow this justifies ruining a kids life WHO JUST WANTS HIS LIFE TO BE NORMAL.
Let's just keep punching him in the face! I mean, we got two more books to go through!
This entire series just s**ts on the fat kid throughout and oh my GAWD is it depressing. I kept hoping and praying things would turn around, or there'd be some huge plot reveal that would blow my mind in the end.
Yeah, no, there's none of that.
I traded the books out to a local bookstore about a year ago and still to this day anytime I think of the trilogy it just makes me angry. This is seriously the worst thing I've ever read in the fantasy genre. I'm going back to the Fitz series and staying there. :\

Character development was sound. Characters actions were consistent while still complex. The plot was engaging if, at times, predictable. This is not intended to be great literature, but it succeeds at being entertaining.

I found this to be one of Ms. Hobb's best books. Although I thoroughly enjoyed her previous series, as a whole, there definitely places where she "meandered like Melville", apparently lost in her fascination for that which she had created. This book is more concisely written without losing the impact of one of Hobb's significant talents - characterization.

Despite some of the negative reviews offered below, I can't wait for the next one!

I believe people who didnt enjoy this book emphasized too much on the farseer trilogy. You really have to let go of her previous trilogies and read like a fresh start. With that in mind, i really really enjoyed this book. It's hard to describe why, because as people previously stated, the book wasnt filled with mind bending action and magic, but it was very mature i felt. Even the day to day routines others talked about in the book were fine, Hobbs is just a remarkable writer, and i cannot wait for the next 2 books. I felt i was right inside this book alongside the character. Very surreal stuff

I really enjoyed all of Robin Hobbs' other books. This book, however, is a very slow read. Yes, tbe shaman twist is something different, but the vast majority of the plot has been done so very, very many times. I don't think I'll pick up the next book in the series. Too boring!

with an author whose work I really loved - until now. After reading the Assassin series and the Liveship series, I was truly looking forward to another Hobbs series, but this is a book to read only if you have trouble falling asleep at night. The sheer boredom will work wonders for insomnia. I almost felt like I should force myself to finish it. After all, it's Hobbs, right? Or did someone else ghost-write this one? A real disappointment that I finally gave up on before I'd gone a hudred pages.

To say this entire series doesn't even approch the quality of her earlier works is an understatement. Endlessly reinterates the same themes, unappealing characters and a barely considered plot which goes nowhere.
Based on my enjoyment of her earlier works, including the Megan Lindholm books, I persevered, waiting for something to happen. It didn't.

Having read this book i have no idea how it is reviewed as high as most of the reviews out there (must be employed by the book company.)
Shamans crossing starts out Fantastic up till about page 80 or so, it then takes the biggest nose dive out of any books i've ever read. The main character goes from what you think is going to be a tough guy and turns into a whinning loser. He does nothing but complain throughout the whole book and made me wish he'd just get killed off like a character in one of Martins book. After reading a review on the 2nd book, it'll be more of the same so i'm not going to waste anymore time on this series.

I picked this book up from a little shop on an Army base in Iraq and read it in about 2 days. First thing I did when I got back from overseas was to pick up the 2nd book and then I bought the 3rd as soon as it was released. Great series and the characters and civilization's Robin Hobb creates are amazing.

I was only able to struggle through the first 200 pages. Normally, I finish a book no matter what. I hate unfinished business, but with my time taken up with family and work, I simply just didn't have the time to waste, and it felt as though it would have been if I would have continued.

Hobb's writing is still superb, but the plot was simply not going anywhere. I was bored out of my mind.

After reading the reviews, I am shocked that a few Robin Hobb fans did not like this book. If you go back and read book 1 of the Farseer series, you'll find the pacing is exactly the same. Shaman's Crossing is not slow; it's her style. A wonderful read.

Normally I love Robin Hobb's novels, and I was very excited by the prospect of a new triology.

Unfortuantely this new series was just not that great. I did finish all three books, but unlike the Farseer Books that I read over and over again, these I would not read again. I admit that it's largely because I like your typical fantasy books with romantic heros and heroines, and grandesque storylines of intrigue and power struggles.

These books are entirely different. Not bad, not poorly written. Just different....unfortauntely just not the kind of different I happen to like.

I can hardly wait to read the rest of this trilogy! Her world is so real I can almost smell the woods, the river, the school. Who cares if she used prey and preyed in the same sentence? What about the sentence that speaks of bare branches imploring the skies - beautiful. In my mind's eye I'm in that world with Navare.

The Soldier Son Trilogy is the first set of books by this author that I have "tried" to read. I don't know where to begin to describe my disappoinment. I actually am trying to wade through the 3rd book in the series and doubt seriously that I will make it. If Ms. Hobb represents the future of Sci Fi Fantasy, I will just continue to re-read my 3500 book library and stop buying new books. These books leave you with a bad taste in your mouth and a depressed feeling from nearly the very beginning. If you like masculine, manly heroes, don't read these books. I was indoubt about the "hero" from page 1 where she describes him as being raised in a nursery with his sisters. The books read very much as though they were written by someone who despises men and everything they are. Her main character is effeminant and indecisive ALL THE WAY THROUGH the series. If I could return these 3 books, I would. I refuse to take them to a used book store as I wouldn't inflict them on anyone else. I am sorry this is so negative, however, these have to be the worst 3 books that I have ever TRIED to read. Also, I am sorry that it is so unproffesional, but I am not a proffesional critic. I do however read for entertainment and not elightenment. These books were neither entertaining, nor do I think they would serve to enlighten anyone trying to read them for the "artistic" value.

Robin Hobb's "Shaman's Crossing" is a wonderful book. I admit that it started slow but once Nevare reaches school the story picks up and becomes a wonderful tale that is continued in the second book. Worth getting through the beginning and sticking with it!

An enjoyable book that I found difficult to put down. The main character will seem familiar if you've read Hobb's other works. I typically find that she puts her main character into a very "bad" situation and I can't stop reading until something good happens.

One of the better fantasy writers today.

The Soldier Son Trilogy is the first set of books by this author that I have "tried" to read. I don't know where to begin to describe my disappoinment. I actually am trying to wade through the 3rd book in the series and doubt seriously that I will make it. If Ms. Hobb represents the future of Sci Fi Fantasy, I will just continue to re-read my 3500 book library and stop buying new books. These books leave you with a bad taste in your mouth and a depressed feeling from nearly the very beginning. If you like masculine, manly heroes, don't read these books. I was indoubt about the "hero" from page 1 where she describes him as being raised in a nursery with his sisters. The books read very much as though they were written by someone who despises men and everything they are. Her main character is effeminant and indecisive ALL THE WAY THROUGH the series. If I could return these 3 books, I would. I refuse to take them to a used book store as I wouldn't inflict them on anyone else. I am sorry this is so negative, however, these have to be the worst 3 books that I have ever TRIED to read. Also, I am sorry that it is so unproffesional, but I am not a proffesional critic. I do however read for entertainment and not elightenment. These books were neither entertaining, nor do I think they would serve to enlighten anyone trying to read them for the "artistic" value.

Robin Hobb's "Shaman's Crossing" is a wonderful book. I admit that it started slow but once Nevare reaches school the story picks up and becomes a wonderful tale that is continued in the second book. Worth getting through the beginning and sticking with it!

I suppose it just goes to show that the well of creativity for some writers definitley runs dry. David Eddings had two excellent series with the Belgariad and Mallorean, and now writes totally unreadable [...].

After reading Shaman's Crossing, I actually wondered if Robin Hobb even wrote this book. It is the polar opposite of the Royal Assassin trilogy. Dull, empty, retread characters in an even duller setting of thinly veiled political sentiment. What the hell happened to the quality? Maybe these authors have taken their profits, settled on a nice island, and hired ghost writers.

I really enjoyed this first book of R. Hobb's new series. It is a solid story that is interesting by itself, and yet, I'm also excitedly waiting for the next installment, as by the end of the book, one is only just STARTING to really get to know the main character Nevare.

DO NOT bother reading this series. Great author, awful trilogy. This book and the following books are a punishment not a joy.
The main character has virtually no redeeming qualities, and is totally unlikable. I guess this is the end of the review. I could go on and on about what a disappointment these books were but so many have already expressed it better.

I am a long time fan of Robin Hobb, but I hated this book. The story was slow and very repetitive. The main character was boring and the one character that was interesting was taken away. Trust me, if you have not read this book and are thinking about reading it, DON'T. The second book is worse than the first one; I couldn't even finish it.

I was forced to read Jane Austen. I suppose if Jane wrote a fantasy novel it would read like Shaman's Crossing. I made it to page 150, then came back to the store to check other people's experience.

Look the writing is fine, but the story is really dragging along. I can't keep propping my eyeballs open with tooth picks. I going about 20 pages then falling asleep.

I'm sure this kind of book works for other people. Robin Hobb has a lot of fans.

I'll probably try something else she has written.

my dear fellow readers.

i have all 9 of our fabulous writer in paper and in e-books as well. i am an avid reader. when this book came out i got it stright away. fast shipment...

as i read the book i became astoished. this book is actually boring. weak, frail STRANGE carecters with no "meat" on them -roam this book aplenty.

no serpents, no dragons, no fool/golden/

or even a skilled magician no beast magic here no skill (double meaning...). just strange efany or what's here name... no magic

ship here...time and time again i turned the pages to find more boring un-even plot.

again and again i found myself woundering if this is even a book robin hobb even looked at in her spare time.

who wrote it? i can say it's not the same hobb woman...

i got to page 50... and died from boredom...

I loved it, Robin Hobb is my favourite writer, and the story of Fitz was my favourite one. Then i read Shaman's Crossing and it is better than Fitz, not much, but better anyway. I can't wait for Forest Mage to be released... Thanks so much miss Hobb.

I am on page 153 and am bored to death. I don't know if I want to finish it. Robin Hobb is one of my favorite authors, but this book is killing me. Maybe because it is the 1st of a trilogy? Anyway I do hope it get's better soon, or I'm going to give up.

I respect Robin Hobb and what she has done in her previous work; I respect that she didn't tire out three very successful fantasy trilogies and ended them when it was clear that the characters and story line were ready to end (unlike Goodkind and Jordan who pedantically struggle onward with their trilogies that have turned into multiples of what they should have been). I digress; the main point I wanted to make first was that I respect and greatly enjoyed Robin Hobbs previous work and was therefore very excited to purchase her new work in a new series.

I (and you the reader) will be sorely dissapointed if you read this book expecting a typical Hobb performance. The book was dry, boring and uneventful and struggled through the 500+ pages. I doubted myself as I was going through the book and found myself continually waiting for Hobb to "turn on" the talent and somehow trick me with one or two very exciting chapters that would have made the rest of the droll literature worth my time to read. I was wrong; once or twice Hobb inserted some magic and excitement into the book, but the telling of it was was so slow and mundate it was hardly worth the effort.

The setting is in a medieval archetype where each son proper born has a place in the world (first born to rule the estate, second born to be a solder, third to be a priest, and so on). The book follows the soldier son of a man who himself was a soldiers son and the first 220 pages are filled with a day to day recounting the drills, practicing, studies that this solders son goes through under the tutelidge of his father. At one point excitement almost took hold, but the scene ended and was barely mentioned for 150+ pages. The characters are lifeless and devoid of emotion; there are hints of depth, but nothing is expounded on in a timely fashion. If I had a dollar for every time the father lectured the son on how to be an obediant soldier and respectful genetleman, and 50 cents for how many times the son responds in a stuffy and gentlemanly like manner; this book would have paid for itself many times over.

The basic storyline takes hold after the 220 pages of home studies when the protagonist goes to the Kings military school to further learn in this studies in becoming a cavalry officer. The stuffiness and droll recounting continues mostly through this portion of the book as well with a few highlighted characters, but nothing is ever done with them so the net net in overall excitement is zero.

I read this book out of duty to Robin Hobb. I think she is overall a fantastic writer and can be forgiven this misstep in her otherwise impeccable career; I can only hope that the following books are all the more exciting to make up for this one.