Robin Hobb -Dragon Haven (Possible Spoilers)

Somnus

So has anyone else read it yet?

I finished it there the other week. Thought it was very good, too short though. I felt the same way about the first in the series.

Also, it's interesting how in this series

there's no real "bad guys" in the sense of a group. Like in Farseer you had the Raiders, Liveship you had the Satraps men and the Pirates etc.

If you anyone found the last book boring then you most likely will with this one too.

Despite the fact it's mostly set around the barge again its still quite captivating.

So anyone else read it to have a bit of a discussion?

pwd

I lost interest and stopped reading it a few weeks ago. First time this has happened on a first reading of a Hobb book (unless you count Wizard of the Pigeons). I intend to pick it up again. I thought it was ok and looked like it could get really good when I stopped - it's better than the Soldier's Son trilogy anyway. Not too many new ideas in it so far though tbh.

pwd

Only one vote in over 10 days. I guess that's how badly those soldier's son books damaged her fanbase.

Shryke

I think its more a case that this forum doesn't get a lot of traffic. I haven't read this yet but I'm working my way toward it. Still on the Liveship trilogy so I have the Soldiers Son books to come..

Trojan

Shryke wrote: »

I think its more a case that this forum doesn't get a lot of traffic. I haven't read this yet but I'm working my way toward it. Still on the Liveship trilogy so I have the Soldiers Son books to come..

Traffic issue might be true, but the Soldiers Son series really did destroy a lot of people's opinion of her work.

eVeNtInE

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Trojan

I added 2 other options on the poll to make it a bit more open.

pwd

I agree with the above opinions.
It was very much about the characters rather than the plot. The plot was a little flat and straightforward
Sometimes it felt like a really good book had gotten tangled up in a romance novel somehow...I think she needs to get a boyfriend or something. At least

having several gay characters was a bit different

in that regard.
I agree it suffered from the lack of a real antagonist

- the main villain from the first book just stayed at home and was just talked about lots. Jess was killed of fairly early, although I enjoyed the death scene. Gresp[sp] just sort of faded out of the story. Conflict with the environment replaced conflict with antagonists largely; and that's just not so interesting

. It's a shame because I think she can write villains particularly well - The LiveShip Trilogy had a great villain I thought.
It did stir my imagination. I really liked

the return and transformation of Heeby's keeper

. I was interested in the characters. I liked the underlying positive message that was put across, and think she managed to avoid being cheesy in that regard

I thought the flood was a little cheesy incidentally

I did like the ending.

It wasn't very dramatic or a big climax or anything, but it was fitting, and I liked the way you were left wanting to know what happened next for everyone (but not in an annoying way)

Somnus

Wow. I thought I had subscribed to the thread when I made it but never got any message about it so completely forgot.

Glad to have a few replies though.

I half agree with you pwd about the ending. I thought it was good how it was left open but at the same time I felt it was missing just something.

I also like how you see more of

the transformation of the keepers. I know that from Liveship it's obvious the dragons caused humans to change to Elderlings but I loved how we're seeing it happen again. New beginning sort of thing.

I'm really left with no idea as to what the final part will be like. I just hope it's longer.

Anyone have any ideas?

I mean

Kelsingra is found (the mention of the tower etc links it to when Fitz went through the transport stones. My guess is same city). But now that it's found and the Dragons are safe etc what will happen? It seems like there's not much of a direction it can go in other than dragons and Elderlings return to their former glory. But you can't possibly have a full book about a happy ending.

eVeNtInE

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Somnus

eVeNtInE wrote: »

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I was convinced it was a trilogy for some reason. Probably because all of her other one's were.

Can't seem to find anything else about another book but I find it hard to believe she'd just leave it like that. I mean, the keepers were only beginning to discover themselves...

But at the same time I can see how it might be taken up as the end.

Where did you hear that can I ask?

eVeNtInE

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pwd

Yeah. It was intended to be a single book, but it got too long so it was split into two volumes. That's why the first one just sort of stops instead of ending properly.
I think it ended appropriately. There would be scope for a third volume sure, and I could see her writing another book about what happens when they get there. But to me the story was about characters that find themselves cast off by society, striking out in hope and desperation. Nobody else believes in them or what they are doing, and just see it as a way of getting rid of them. Yet at the end

they've overcome everything. They've grown into themselves, and found a rich haven. The ones who succeed first are Rapskaal and Heeby, who are on the periphery even in the group. AFAIR the last scene was Sintara finally taking flight, which was very fitting, and didn't seem corny in the context.

It was the right place to finish such a story really. Quite positive and inspirational.

Somnus

eVeNtInE wrote: »

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Ah so it is. Thanks for that.

@pwd Yeah I agree that it was a fitting ending then. To be honest I was wondering what the third one would possibly be about seen as there's no real enemy as such. Although I feel kinda let down that that's the end of it. I guess I was just expecting to see more at the end.