City of Dragons by Robin Hobb

Title: City of Dragons

Author: Robin Hobb
Type: Novel
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Yes. Volume Three of the Rain Wilds Chronicles

Copyright: 2012

Publisher: Harper Voyager an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

Rating: 4 out of 5


Summary: from Good Reads.
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.

Feelings:

I enjoyed reading this book very much but I have to say it wasn't so much a complete book by itself. It feels like it is something that happens between stories and it is well written but compared to the first two books not much happens in it.

This is not to say I think you shouldn't read it. I think it is a good continuation of the story it was just shorter than her other books and there wasn't as much action. Maybe there are beginning to be an over load of characters that the story follows as well. We now have narrative from the point of view of: Thymara, Sintrara (Thymara's dragon), Tintaglia (dragon that helped in the hatching of the serpents), Alise Kincarron Finbok, Hest Finbok, Sedric Meldar, Leftrin, Malta Khuprus (Tintaglia's Elderling), Selden Vestrit (Tintaglia's Elderling), and the Duke of Chalced. This is nine characters that the story follows we have added five since the last book. I didn't even count the letters that are written between keepers or this list would have been much longer. I think that this isn't a bad thing it just makes it feel like not all that much happens because we don't spend that long with any one character.

This book addresses some of the sexual tensions but not in that much detail. I have to admit I was kind of glad it happened because I was getting tired waiting around for something to happen.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoyed the rest of the series and who have the fourth book available to them to start once they finish this one. Hobb's lack of endings is hard to deal with and this one while slightly better than previous ones isn't an exception. I enjoyed reading the series so far and am looking forward to the last book.