New York Times bestselling author Robin Hobb returns to world of the Rain Wilds—called “one of the most gripping settings in modern fantasy” (Booklist)—in City of Dragons. Continuing the enthralling journey she began in her acclaimed Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven, Hobb rejoins a small group of weak, half-formed and unwanted dragons and their displaced human companions as they search for a legendary sanctuary. Now, as the misfit band approaches its final destination, dragons and keepers alike face a challenge so insurmountable that it threatens to render their long, difficult odyssey utterly meaningless. Touching, powerful, and dazzlingly inventive, Hobb’s City of Dragons is not to be missed—further proof that this author belongs alongside Raymond E. Feist, Terry Brooks, and Lois McMaster Bujold in the pantheon of fantasy fiction’s true greats.
City of Dragons: Volume Three of the Rain Wilds Chronicles
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Review
“A master fantasist.” (Kansas City Star )
“fast action, deep emotional bonds and a great ending...[I] encourage you to check out Dragon Haven” (Blogcritics.com )
“Hobb creates a completely alluring portrait of dragons and their culture.” (Bellingham Herald on DRAGON HAVEN )
“Hobb has a deft hand with accessible and sympathetic characters, regardless of their fantasy trappings, and he makes effective use of the divide between what the reader knows and what the characters know to build tension.…A quick and fun read.” (Miami Herald on DRAGON HAVEN )
“Hobb’s strength has always been her ability to create compelling characters to inhabit her richly detailed worlds. The Rain Wilds Chronicles is no exception.” (Shroud Magazine Book Reviews on DRAGON KEEPER and DRAGON HAVEN )
“In a novel as good as it is massive, the first of two Rain Wilds Chronicles...Hobb continues to occupy a perch at or near the top among contemporary fantasists. This book is imaginative, literate, and compassionate from first page to last.” (Booklist (starred review) )
“A satisfying story” (The News-Star (Monroe, LA) on DRAGON HAVEN )
“The Soldier Son [trilogy] can be read as a political satire on American military aggression, but on a more personal level it is profoundly perceptive about the challenge faced by the honorable, brave and good. Nevarre is a true hero.” (London Times )
“Full throttle…[a] thrilling conclusion…Hobb’s writing unfurls here with muscular and self-assured bravado, the characters fascinating and three-dimensional.” (Realms of Fantasy Magazine on RENEGADE'S MAGIC )
“[W]e suspend disbelief with complete abandon as the pages turn and turn...Robin Hobb is one of the most important writers in 21st century fantasy.” (Contra Costa Times on RENEGADE'S MAGIC )
“Real-life resonance gives the story extra depth…Bring on the next installment.” (Kirkus Reviews on CITY OF DRAGONS )
“[A]n engaging tale with fully realized characters that already feel like friends.” (Las Vegas Review Journal on CITY OF DRAGONS )
“fast action, deep emotional bonds and a great ending...[I] encourage you to check out Dragon Haven” (Blogcritics.com )
“Hobb creates a completely alluring portrait of dragons and their culture.” (Bellingham Herald on DRAGON HAVEN )
“Hobb has a deft hand with accessible and sympathetic characters, regardless of their fantasy trappings, and he makes effective use of the divide between what the reader knows and what the characters know to build tension.…A quick and fun read.” (Miami Herald on DRAGON HAVEN )
“Hobb’s strength has always been her ability to create compelling characters to inhabit her richly detailed worlds. The Rain Wilds Chronicles is no exception.” (Shroud Magazine Book Reviews on DRAGON KEEPER and DRAGON HAVEN )
“In a novel as good as it is massive, the first of two Rain Wilds Chronicles...Hobb continues to occupy a perch at or near the top among contemporary fantasists. This book is imaginative, literate, and compassionate from first page to last.” (Booklist (starred review) )
“A satisfying story” (The News-Star (Monroe, LA) on DRAGON HAVEN )
“The Soldier Son [trilogy] can be read as a political satire on American military aggression, but on a more personal level it is profoundly perceptive about the challenge faced by the honorable, brave and good. Nevarre is a true hero.” (London Times )
“Full throttle…[a] thrilling conclusion…Hobb’s writing unfurls here with muscular and self-assured bravado, the characters fascinating and three-dimensional.” (Realms of Fantasy Magazine on RENEGADE'S MAGIC )
“[W]e suspend disbelief with complete abandon as the pages turn and turn...Robin Hobb is one of the most important writers in 21st century fantasy.” (Contra Costa Times on RENEGADE'S MAGIC )
“Real-life resonance gives the story extra depth…Bring on the next installment.” (Kirkus Reviews on CITY OF DRAGONS )
“[A]n engaging tale with fully realized characters that already feel like friends.” (Las Vegas Review Journal on CITY OF DRAGONS )
From the Back Cover
New York Times bestselling author Robin Hobb—“one of the most important writers in 21st-century fantasy” (Contra Costa Times)—continues her enthralling fantasy saga of dragons and their keepers
City of Dragons
Volume Three of the Rain Wilds Chronicles
Once, dragons ruled the Rain Wilds, tended by privileged human servants known as Elderlings. But a series of cataclysmic eruptions nearly drove these magnificent creatures to extinction. Born weak and deformed, the last of their kind had one hope for survival: to return to their ancient city of Kelsingra. Accompanied by a disparate crew of untested young keepers, the dragons embarked on a harsh journey into the unknown along the toxic Rain Wild River. Battling starvation, a hostile climate, and treacherous enemies, dragons and humans began to forge magical connections, bonds that have wrought astonishing transformations for them all. And though Kelsingra is finally near, their odyssey has only begun.
Because of the swollen waters of the Rain Wild River, the lost city can be reached only by flight—a test of endurance and skill beyond the stunted dragons’ strength. Venturing across the swift-running river in tiny boats, the dragon scholar Alise and a handful of keepers discover a world far different from anything they have ever known or imagined. Immense, ornate structures of black stone veined with silver and lifelike stone statues line the silent, eerily empty streets. Yet what are the whispers they hear, the shadows of voices and bursts of light that flutter and are gone? And why do they feel as if eyes are watching them?
The dragons must plumb the depths of their ancestral memories to help them take flight and unlock the secrets buried in Kelsingra. But enemies driven by greed and dark desires are approaching. Time is running out, not only for the dragons but for their human keepers as well.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By Marie Booth
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
City of Dragons volume three of the rain Wild Chronicals......
Good book only disappointed that I have wait for the saga to continue with a fourth book of the series. Looking forward to reading it when it is available.
Good book only disappointed that I have wait for the saga to continue with a fourth book of the series. Looking forward to reading it when it is available.
By Trikucian
Format:Kindle Edition
Robin Hobb's Elderling series is one of the best fantasy series out there, coming in close second to A Song of Ice and Fire. Can't wait for the next book.
By Patrick St-Denis
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
When she first intended to write a book about dragons set in the Rain Wilds, the original manuscript Robin Hobb turned in was too long to be published as a single novel. Hence, the story was split into Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven.
A while back, the author informed us that the same thing had happened, forcing her publishers to once again split the story into two halves, City of Dragons and Blood of Dragons. Problem is, given the relatively small size of City of Dragons, unless Blood of Dragons is a veritable doorstopper of a novel similar to works from Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin, and Steven Erikson, it does appear that Harper Voyager is sticking it to readers by forcing them two buy two volumes instead of one. And you know how I feel about the proliferation of unnecessary sequels to string readers along. . .
Here's the blurb:
Return to the world of the Liveships Traders and journey along the Rain Wild River in the third instalment of high adventure from the author of the internationally acclaimed Farseer trilogy.
Kelsingra awaits for those brave enough to enter…
The dragons and their keepers have discovered Kelsingra but so far only Heeby has succeeded in flying over the river to enter the fabled city. The other dragons, with their deformed wings and feeble muscles, are afraid to risk failure and humiliation.
But wondrous things await in Kelsingra, a city built for dragons and their Elderling keepers. Alise, overwhelmed by the treasures she finds there, records her finds for posterity. Once the rest of the world knows about the riches the city contains, nothing will ever be the same again.
Already, rumours of the city’s discovery have floated down the Rain Wild River and reached envious ears in Bingtown and beyond. Adventurers, pirates and fortune hunters are coming in droves to pillage what they can from the city. As is Hest Finbok, Alise’s husband…
Meanwhile, Selden Vestrit finds himself a prisoner of the ailing Duke of Chalced, who believes him to be some sort of dragon-man whose flesh and blood may work miracle cures.
Where is Tintaglia, the great sapphire-blue dragon, when all have such need of her? Has she really abandoned her beloved Selden and the fledgling dragons forever? Or will she too return to seek the wonders of Kelsingra?
As was the case with the last Rain Wilds novel, the worldbuilding was the most fascinating aspect of City of Dragons. Once again, we get more insight into the lives of dragons, Elderlings and their secrets, and the Rain Wilds in general. Revelations about Kelsingra were engrossing, giving us a few glimpses about the past lives of dragons and Elderlings.
As is usually her wont, Hobb's characterization remains her strong suit. The emancipation of women and society's acceptance of gay people are once again themes that lie at the heart of the tale, as was the one focusing on how individuals shunned by society strive to find their own place in the world. Thymara, Alise, and Sedric take center stage once more, but the storylines also focus on other characters. Leftrin's return to Cassarick brings a number of new plotlines to the fore, many of them quite surprising. Malta and Reyn Khuprus' storyline was the most unanticipated and most interesting. Selden's plotline is also quite intriguing. All in all, Robin Hobb takes this story in new and unforeseen directions.
The pace is fluid throughout, and all too quickly one reaches the end of the book. Trouble is, as this is only the first half of what was a single manuscript, there is no resolution whatsoever and the end lacks the usual Robin Hobb punch. The novel is brought to a close at the point where it probably made the most sense, but the reading experience fails to generate any satisfaction. Hence, one can't help but feel a bit disappointed by it all.
City of Dragons doesn't feel like a novel in the true sense of the word. Indeed, it feels more like a single piece in a multilayered whole. As was the case with the last two Rain Wilds installments, until we read the entire story, it's impossible to judge the inherent quality of this work on its own merit. Too much remains missing. . .
Which is too bad, for based on City of Dragons, Hobb's latest manuscript appears to be her very best work since Fool's Fate. . .
Check out Pat's Fantasy Hotlist!
A while back, the author informed us that the same thing had happened, forcing her publishers to once again split the story into two halves, City of Dragons and Blood of Dragons. Problem is, given the relatively small size of City of Dragons, unless Blood of Dragons is a veritable doorstopper of a novel similar to works from Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin, and Steven Erikson, it does appear that Harper Voyager is sticking it to readers by forcing them two buy two volumes instead of one. And you know how I feel about the proliferation of unnecessary sequels to string readers along. . .
Here's the blurb:
Return to the world of the Liveships Traders and journey along the Rain Wild River in the third instalment of high adventure from the author of the internationally acclaimed Farseer trilogy.
Kelsingra awaits for those brave enough to enter…
The dragons and their keepers have discovered Kelsingra but so far only Heeby has succeeded in flying over the river to enter the fabled city. The other dragons, with their deformed wings and feeble muscles, are afraid to risk failure and humiliation.
But wondrous things await in Kelsingra, a city built for dragons and their Elderling keepers. Alise, overwhelmed by the treasures she finds there, records her finds for posterity. Once the rest of the world knows about the riches the city contains, nothing will ever be the same again.
Already, rumours of the city’s discovery have floated down the Rain Wild River and reached envious ears in Bingtown and beyond. Adventurers, pirates and fortune hunters are coming in droves to pillage what they can from the city. As is Hest Finbok, Alise’s husband…
Meanwhile, Selden Vestrit finds himself a prisoner of the ailing Duke of Chalced, who believes him to be some sort of dragon-man whose flesh and blood may work miracle cures.
Where is Tintaglia, the great sapphire-blue dragon, when all have such need of her? Has she really abandoned her beloved Selden and the fledgling dragons forever? Or will she too return to seek the wonders of Kelsingra?
As was the case with the last Rain Wilds novel, the worldbuilding was the most fascinating aspect of City of Dragons. Once again, we get more insight into the lives of dragons, Elderlings and their secrets, and the Rain Wilds in general. Revelations about Kelsingra were engrossing, giving us a few glimpses about the past lives of dragons and Elderlings.
As is usually her wont, Hobb's characterization remains her strong suit. The emancipation of women and society's acceptance of gay people are once again themes that lie at the heart of the tale, as was the one focusing on how individuals shunned by society strive to find their own place in the world. Thymara, Alise, and Sedric take center stage once more, but the storylines also focus on other characters. Leftrin's return to Cassarick brings a number of new plotlines to the fore, many of them quite surprising. Malta and Reyn Khuprus' storyline was the most unanticipated and most interesting. Selden's plotline is also quite intriguing. All in all, Robin Hobb takes this story in new and unforeseen directions.
The pace is fluid throughout, and all too quickly one reaches the end of the book. Trouble is, as this is only the first half of what was a single manuscript, there is no resolution whatsoever and the end lacks the usual Robin Hobb punch. The novel is brought to a close at the point where it probably made the most sense, but the reading experience fails to generate any satisfaction. Hence, one can't help but feel a bit disappointed by it all.
City of Dragons doesn't feel like a novel in the true sense of the word. Indeed, it feels more like a single piece in a multilayered whole. As was the case with the last two Rain Wilds installments, until we read the entire story, it's impossible to judge the inherent quality of this work on its own merit. Too much remains missing. . .
Which is too bad, for based on City of Dragons, Hobb's latest manuscript appears to be her very best work since Fool's Fate. . .
Check out Pat's Fantasy Hotlist!
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3.8 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Robin Hobb fan
I wish she would write more trilogies and fast enough so that I can read the series in succession, instead of waiting a year for the next book in the series. Read more
Published 14 months ago by fantasyqueen
3.0 out of 5 stars
Trek to the city
It took a long, long voyage down the River Wild before the dragons reached the ancient city of Kelsingra. But... they're still not there. Read more
Published 15 months ago by E. A Solinas
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