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Robin Hobb
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Book
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Publisher | Harper Voyager | ||
ISBN | 978-000733581 | ||
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Reviewer
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Ann
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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 dragon keepers and the fledgling dragons are forging a passage up the treacherous Rain Wild River. They are in search of the mythical Elderling city of Kelsingra, and are accompanied by the liveship Tarman, its captain, Leftrin, and a group of hunters who must search the forests for game with which to keep the dragons fed. With them are Alise, who has escaped her cold marriage to the cruel libertine Hest Finbok in order to continue her study of dragons, and Hest's amanuensis, Bingtown dandy, Sedric. Rivalries and romances are already threatening to disrupt the band of explorers: but external forces may prove to be even more dangerous. Chalcedean merchants are keen to lay hands on dragon blood and organs to turn them to medicines and profit. Their traitor has infiltrated the expeditionand will stop at nothing to obtain the coveted body parts. And then there are the Rain Wilds themselves: mysterious, unstable and ever perilous, its mighty river running with acid, its jungle impenetrable and its waterways uncharted. Will the expedition reach their destination unscathed? Does the city of Kelsingra even exist? Only one thing is certain: the journey will leave none of the dragons nor their human companions unchanged by the experience.
Review
The dragons and their keepers are following the river upstream to try and find the fabled Dragon city of Kelsingra, aided by Captain Leftrin and his liveship Tarman. On the way, as one would hope, relationships and plot develop with detail and unexpected twists.
Robin Hobb writes with consummate ease and skill, I would put her up with Anne McCaffrey in the fantasy hierarchy. Hers are some of the few books that I don't want or have to skip through. One cares about her characters, scales and all, the imagined worlds are complete and believable and the dialogue and descriptions are real and relevant.
It is great to read and experience an adventure unfolding before you, without the feeling of dread that is engendered by many ‘fighting against the enemy type' stories around.
Can't wait for the next - highly recommended.

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