Robin Hobb’s UK publisher has revealed the cover art for the fantasy author’s next book in The Rain Wild Chronicles series. Entitled Dragon Haven, it is slated to be published in March 2010 (via Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist).
The publisher’s web site gives the following blurb for the book:
Return to the world of the Liveships Traders and journey along the Rain Wild River in the second instalment of high adventure from the author of the internationally acclaimed Farseer trilogy.
The motley band of deformed dragons and Rain Wilders continue their journey upriver towards the ancient city of Kelsingra – if it even exists – but whilst the humans are becoming used to, and more adept at controlling their dragon charges, they are completely unprepared for the discovery that the dragons are irrevocably changing them the closer they become…
The Dragon Keeper debuted this year to somewhat mixed reviews from critics disappointed by Hobb’s percieved lack of form compared with her previously fantasy epics spanning nine books in the Realm of the Elderlings series begun with Assassin’s Apprentice, which is still one of the best-selling fantasy books on Amazon.com, and was recently made available online for free for a limited time.
Keeping the Door wrote about The Dragon Keeper that while the book was a solid accomplishment, it was ultimately a disappointment due to its lack of challenging ideas:
The experienced reader will be easily able to predict the plot and much of the character development ahead of time, due to the abundant clues Hobb leaves littered throughout her text. The sense of deep mystery and Hobb’s glorious ability to gradually reveal the true workings of her complex world are somewhat lacking in her latest effort.
Elitist Book Reviews went much further in a scathing review of The Dragon Keeper published only last week, with reviewer Steve describing the book as quite possibly the worst novel he had read in 2009:
Don’t read this novel. Ever. It doesn’t matter if you are a Hobb enthusiast. The book is awful. It’s bad enough that we read it. Our worry now is that the next book we read will incorrectly seem amazing when compared to this one. Be glad this book isn’t available in the US for several months yet.
Commentary
There’s no doubt that I’m going to rush out and buy Dragon Haven as soon as it’s released. It’s Robin Hobb, after all! Hobb has pretty much earned a space in my credit card statement for as long as we both shall live. Whenever I mention fantasy literature and “masterpiece” in the same sentence, Hobb’s name is never far from my lips.
However, there is no doubt that the author is facing a few disgruntled fans at the moment. Her Soldier’s Son trilogy, which was not set in the world she created in the nine-book Realm of the Elderlings saga, is commonly spoken of amongst the fans I speak to as being below par compared to Hobb’s previous work, although it’s still worth reading.
I’ve been reading Assassin’s Apprentice on my iPhone recently as an e-book, and it’s safe to say the book still pulls me in so fast I don’t even realise it’s been several hours since I looked up. In my opinion, after reading some of this older work, Hobb has slipped a little recently.
I just hope the author and her editors are paying attention to the reviews, and realise that none of her readers are pressuring her to get Dragon Haven out any time soon. Quality, not quantity, is what matters when it comes to fantasy literature.
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It seems like a pretty puerile premise for so called “top shelf” fantasy, but then again this is a genre more plagued by Sturgeon’s Law than most.
Zephyr — a superhero webcomic in prose
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Uhm. The book has a 4 of 5 stars ranking both at amazon.co.uk and librarything and from what I’ve seen discussed in several forums (both Hobb-centered and general fantasy) almost everyone seems to have loved it. Yes, the most common complaint is about the abrupt ending (which is of course explained by the editing decision to split the book) but fans seem to have still loved the story and the writing.
hi Mervi,
you’re talking about The Dragon Keeper?
Well, as I noted in my review, it was a solid read that would satisfy fans. But as also mentioned, there is grumbling in the circles I frequent that everything past Fool’s Fate has not been up to spec :(
I recommend re-reading Assassin’s Apprentice and comparing. There is a world of difference :) AA is just so much tighter, with so much more happening.
I actually thought Dragon Keeper was fairly good. I agree that Soldier’s Son wasn’t though, I think her aim in writing changed a little – I didn’t care enough about the main characters or why any of this was happening, and got a sense there was some great mystical purpose to the series that I was just totally missing.
Dragon Keeper though, had me caring a lot about the deformed beasts and their outcast keepers. It was much easier to understand why the characters behaved a certain way and empathise. There’s no Fitz and the Fool in there, but I was fascinated by the culture of the Rain Wilds – her worldbuilding is brilliant as always. I suppose the intricacy of plot from her earlier stuff is not there, but I still had fun, and can’t wait to finish off this story.
I agree about the characters — I really did and do care about what happens to them in the new books! I think I am pretty much committed to buying every book Robin Hobb puts out for the rest of my or her life :)
your a gimp
Hey… question… random…
What App do you use for for reading Hobb on your iphone and where did you download it from? I am looking more into ebooks on the iphone.
So I loved Dragon Keeper and am suuuper excited about Dragon Haven. Suggest that the reason fans have not been clamouring for it is because we know we are damn lucky that it is coming out a scant few months after the first part was released?
I love Robin Hobb, have read everything she has published, but I hated the Soldier’s Son series and this new one is light on the caring for the character that Fitz’s story commanded. I don’t know, I’ll definitely buy it, but for the last 5 years or so, she has needed to step up to the plate.
You can get the Amazon Kindle app for free for your Ipod Touch (which I have) and Iphone.
Just finished reading Dragon Haven (ordered from UK Amazon). I couldn’t put it down till the last page was turned.
I’d like to know if this abrupt ending is going somewhere??? is there going to be a third book in the Rain Wild Chronicles?
I noticed that there was an abrupt ending in Dragon Keeper, which I did assume was because it was written as a single novel and then split in two. I have only heard that it’s a two book series, but nothing of a third. I haven’t gotten Dragon Haven yet, but I will in the next few days. I do want to know what happens, but I’m not looking forward to the ending of the series, I just love the world Robin Hobb has created.
I loved Dragon Haven!!!
I couldnt put it down. Very very good. Thansk you Robin.
Well, I bought and read Dragon Haven today. Suffice to say, I am highly disappointed. The characters were carbon copies of each other, character development was nonexistant, and the plot… wait. There was a plot?
I’m also dedicated to Robin Hobb for life. I will buy every book that she writes. I’ve read the 9-book series 15 times now (yes, I counted!). I get lost in the characters, emmersed in the drama, and, well, I’m in love. Wasn’t a fan of the Soldier’s Son trilogy, but it was alright.
But Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven? Hobb lovers, beware. It’s horribly predictable, contains much slogging through the swamp, and contains much slogging through the swamp.
It seems like a completely different author than my beloved Robin Hobb. D: