Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand

City Of Dragons City Of Dragons
by Robin Hobb
HarperVoyager

Supplied for review by Harper Collins New Zealand

Reviewed By: Deborah Knox

City of Dragons is the third book of the Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb. The final volume is due to be released next year so don’t expect this book to complete the story of the dragon keepers.

What the story does cover is the exploration of the rediscovered city of Kelsingra by the expedition of dragon keepers. Tension in the story is created by contrasting differing views on the elderling city; from historian Alise wanting to record and preserve the city, to the dragons and their keepers who need the city and the memories it holds to continue their transformations. Meanwhile downriver the rain wild cities begin to realise what they may have lost in their haste to rid themselves of the dragons. I especially loved how this book combines all the ancient world elements that have just been hinted at in previous books set in this world.

This book followed a separate and increasingly more complex story than the two previous book with the required back story details well recapped so they added to the story rather than repeating it. I found this a more engrossing read than the previous two books of the Rain Wild Chronicles as the story develops with growing urgency. The book begins to draw together all the characters and their stories, leaving me wishing that I didn’t have to wait another year to see how the story resolves.

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