While dragons with personalities is not new in fantasy fiction, Hobb's still-growing dragons evolve and change over the course of the two novels, and more especially this one. No, Hobb's deft hand extends to the dragons, as well. Not only the adults, too, Alise, Captain Leftrin, Sedric and the other adults. Not only the young adults, Thymara, Tats, Rapskal and the other keepers. Well drawn, complex, conflicted and most importantly, capable of change and growing, Hobbs characters continue the development they started in the first volume, and grow to meet the challenges they meet. Robin Hobb is one of the most acclaimed writers of 'low fantasy' (fantasy without tremendous amounts of magic), and the conclusion to the Rain Wilds series, Dragon Haven, shows us why.įirst, its all about the characters, especially female characters. A misfit group of keepers, hunters and dracophiles banded together to take the young proto-dragons deep into the Wilds in search of an ancient dragonĭragon Haven completes and concludes the story of those keepers, their dragons, and those with them, as the physical challenges of the deadly Rain Wilds, dissension amongst theĬrew of the Tarman, and doubts about whether the mysterious dragon city of Kelsingra even exists anymore threaten the health and well being of not only the expedition, but all In the Liveship novels), a group of dragon eggs, entrusted to the inhabitants of the dense and deadly Rain Wilds rainforest, have hatched into pale imitations of the dragon After the events which allowed the Traders to become independent (as chronicled In Dragon Keeper, Robin Hobb started a duology of novels set in her 'Farseer' universe. Returning to the territory of her beloved Liveship Traders and Tawny Man trilogies, New York Times bestselling author Robin Hobb creates a lush and ultimately triumphant tale set in an imaginative world of magic and wonder as compelling and emotionally resonant as our own. But dragons and humans soon learn that the most savage threats come from within their own company. While the bonds between them solidify, starvation, flashfloods, and predators will imperil them all. But is Kelsingra real or merely a fragment of a glorified past buried deep in the dragons' shared memories? No map exists to guide them, and the noble creatures find their ancient recollections of little use in a land changed by generations of flooding and seismic chaos.Īs the dragons, the humans - including the strong and defiant Rain Wild girl Thymara the wealthy dragon scholar and Trader's wife, Alise and her companion, the urbane Sedric - and their magical supply barge, captained by the gruff Leftrin, forge their way ever deeper into uncharted wilderness, human and beast alike discover they are changing in mysterious and dangerous ways. They, too, yearn to find Kelsingra and create a home of their own, one in which they may make their own rules and decide their own fate. The dragons are accompanied by a disparate group of human keepers, rejects from Rain Wild society. With their survival at stake, fifteen dragons - among them the wise golden Mercor, the haughty and dazzling silver-blue queen Sintara, and the delicate copper beauty Relpda - have set off on a dangerous trek into the unknown, up the Rain Wild River, in hopes of rediscovering the ancient Elderling city of Kelsingra, the lost haven for dragons and Elderlings alike.

For years now they have been trapped on a swampy riverbank between forest and river, hungry and barely alive, reliant on humans to provide for them. But their arduous journey exacted a heavy toll, and the proud serpents emerged as sickly, half-formed beasts, unable to fly or hunt.

But as peace once again settled upon the land, a lost generation of sea serpents - ancient, half-starved, and weary - returned to cocoon, certain that they would be reborn as the beautiful and powerful dragons of legend.

The acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of Dragon Keeper returns with a second enthralling tale of dragons and humans, adventure and discovery, love and freedomĬenturies had passed since dragons last roamed the war-torn world of the Rain Wild River.

Dragon keeper 2