Sunday 29 August 2010

Review: Dragon Haven - Robin Hobb + another tradition post

 The Rain Wilds Chronicles, book 2

Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 576
Published: March 2010

 The dragon keepers and the fledgling dragons are forging a passage up the treacherous Rain Wild River. They are in search of the mythical Elderling city of Kelsingra, and are accompanied by the liveship Tarman, its captain, Leftrin, and a group of hunters who must search the forests for game with which to keep the dragons fed. With them are Alise, who wants to continue her study of dragons, and  Bingtown dandy, Sedric. Rivalries and romances are already threatening to disrupt the band of explorers: but external forces may prove to be even more dangerous. Chalcedean merchants are keen to lay hands on dragon blood and organs to turn them to medicines and profit.. And then there are the Rain Wilds themselves: mysterious, unstable and ever perilous, its mighty river running with acid, its jungle impenetrable and its waterways uncharted. 

This one was, I don't know, I prefer her Fitz books more, I didn't care for the liveship books, the first Rain Wilds book was nice, but now this second one, it was just that not that much happened.

It starts where the first book ended. They continue their travels down the river. Alise has feelings for Leftrin, but what can she do when she is married to Hest? Sedric wants to steal dragon parts to be rich and run away with Hest. The dragons complain about the hard journey. The dragon keepers have internal conflicts. People are starting to wants partners even though it is forbidden for the heavy touched by the Rain Wilds to mate. Thymara has issues with loosing her independence just cos their "leader" says so. And the Rain Wilds are as dangerous as ever.

The book was ok and I read on, it's just that yes not that much happened. Sure a lot of personal problems, and some dangerous Rain Wilds things happening. But other than that it was more about the journey and the journey was just in this one place. My other problem with the book is the ending. Happy, nice, but abrupt and it left me with this big "and then what?" Nothing was resolved in a way. I did hear she was writing on another book about the Rain Wilds so perhaps we can get some questions there, I sure hope so at least.

The good things are that Hobb is a remarkable writer and her worlds are great. She is truly talented, even if I prefer Fitz ;) Also she sure loves to make her heroes or heroines suffer but here, not so much. Nothing made me sick to my stomach of worry or sadness.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: I do not like these covers
Reason for reading: From that awesome library, kind of makes me wish I lived there
Final thoughts: Perhaps not a Hobb series a newbie should start with. Cos things that happen here comes to play after events in her previous books.


End of Summer Tradition



This is something that only happens in a few places in Finland. And it's called different things, we call it "summarcottage conclusion" ok weird translation there. Anyway on the last Saturday of August the summer is finished. People go to their summerhomes to celebrate the summer one last time. This is the time when you also kind of clean up there to leave the place ready for winter. Cos sure you can go there in the winter too, but we never did.


Fireworks is the big and kind of only thing. So yesteryday I watched a nice display of fireworks coming from everywhere corner around the sky, and ate some yummy grilled sausages.



22 comments:

  1. Dragon Haven sounds a little blah but I do love the sound of the end of summer tradition, I can't wait for summer to arrive here :-)

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  2. I like your end of summer tradition. Around here alot of people have Labor Day BBQ's and get togethers (next weekend) marking the end of summer. We're invited to one on Saturday. I hope I don't have to work Saturday night :(.

    I have wanted to read Robin Hobb for years, but haven't yet.

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  3. I'm crying...seriously! I love Hobb but to read that you just thought this one was o.k. makes me sad. I loved the Fitz stories too...maybe too much. Hard to compete with that series of brilliant writing!

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  4. Sounds interesting, too bad the end kind of fizzled out.

    Nice end of summer tradition, enjoy!

    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  5. I just received from the publisher a copy of The Dragon Keepers and I am struggling to read it... I keep reading it in the hopes that the end or the next book would be better... which reading from your review is not looking good... *sigh* ....gotta read it anyway... this is when I really do not like free review copies :(

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  6. Sounds like a great end of summer tradition to me!

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  7. The end of summer tradition sounds like so much fun!!! Thanks for sharing :)

    I have never read anything by this author.

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  8. Great end of the summer tradition! I love the photo of the red cabin - it looks so picturesque!

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  9. Teddyree
    I miss summer :) I should come there and experience it again, of course I'd melt away

    Amy
    Can't say I ever understood labour day, I should google it.
    I hope you have fun then, and I sure hope you can go.
    Do read The farseer books, they are epic!

    Staci
    :( I know, for me it was blah, but others have loved it. I just love the Fitz stories too much, nothing can live up to them

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  10. Naida
    It wasn't that it did that, it was just that...I need close endings, so much was left unsaid

    Cherry
    Oh no, I actually liked Keeper better then this one, and if you struggle already..hang in there!!

    Chris
    It sure is :D

    Carrie
    I do plan to share a full year so more to come later.

    Amused
    We love our red cabins here, it's so traditional and nice

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  11. I've never read any books by this author but I've always heard good things. This somewhat sounds like a "filler" type of book. What a neat tradition! I wish we had something that celebrated summer going out with a bang like this.

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  12. Hey honey, I am stopping by to shout out hello!!!! I hope you had a great weekend and a wonderful Monday!!! Hugs honey!

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  13. I love hearing about your traditions!

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  14. Ladytink,
    It did feel like that, and since this was the end of this two part series it just felt weird.
    Oh yes with a big bang

    Sheila :)

    Cecile
    Thanks, I wish you a wonderful week too hon

    Lori
    Thanks, more will come for sure

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  15. The end of summer celebration sounds wonderful! We have a large Mexican population in our town, so we have a Mexican celebration with fireworks next weekend.

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  16. Thanks for sharing your traditions. I always find these posts interesting. Our lake cottage will stay open for a couple more months still.

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  17. Alyce
    I always did love it, even if I didn't celebrate for a couple of years since we never went to our cottage.
    Have fun on that feast

    Carol
    Well of course people still go, but most don't. In the winter it's more fun to go up north

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  18. Hmmm...never heard of this author and I don't think its my cuppa.

    Love the final summer bash tradition! Ours in America I guess would be Labor Day on September 6th. Its the last weekend of the summer and a three day weekend to boot. It doesn't mark the end of the season but its the last weekend before school starts.

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  19. VFG
    I do love 3 day weekends, no such luck with this holiday tradition since only some have it. We have so few holidays in the fall

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  20. Sounds like Labor Day in the states, but I certainly don't have a summer home (I wish!). Glad you had a good time.

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  21. Anna
    Well we kind of cheated, since his parents live by the sea ;) But we did spend the time at the place next door and that's his aunts summerhome

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