City of Dragons

Volume Three of the Rain Wilds Chronicles

By: Robin Hobb

Narrated by: Anne Flosnik

Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Robin Hobb - "one of the most important writers in 21st-century fantasy" (Contra Costa Times) - continues her enthralling fantasy saga of dragons and their keepers.

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.

©2012 Robin Hobb (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

narrator fantastic, story mediocre

this series is easily the weakest of the all the Robin Hobb elderling books.

The Best Of The Three

I must have listened to a different recording then the other reviewers. I thought this book was the best of the first three and the first two were very good. I got lots of story for my money, more character development, and dragons that are real dragons. Dragons with attitude as it should be. You can start here and enjoy the book, but you really should start at the beginning. Matter of fact I would suggest you start with Ship of Magic and read that trilogy first. Reading the liveship trader trilogy will make this a richer experience. The Liveship Trader trilogy is my favorite fantasy trilogy of all time.

CEDRIC WOULD NO MORE RUN OFF WITH A WOMAN, THEN GROW A SPINE AND ASSERT HIMSELF.

I will agree with some others that their is a lot in this book that basically sets up the next book. I find it exciting to know that these characters are going to get involved more and what is the city going to be like? Watch out for chapter 10, it is the most emotional, scary, disgusting, and fantastic chapter of any book I have ever read. If you could win an award for best chapter, Hobb should get it for chapter 10. I will admit Hobb speaks to me, I am always amazed in how well she develops her characters. I am amazed in her insight into the human condition and how she is able to write about it in story form. I will say that if you have read any Hobb, with the exception of the Tawny Man trilogy and you don't already feel the way I do, then this will not change your mind. If you love Hobb, this is more of he same.

Flosnik is perfect for Robin Hobb books. I would not want her to read The Godfather, but her voice adds to the mood and atmosphere set in Robin Hobb's books.

Tar-MAN or Tarman

I only have one real fault, after listening to all previous stories in the Realms of the Elderlings series, is Anne Flosnik's interpretation of the text. Understandably the author wanted to accentuate the women's perception, as the stories in the Rain Wilds Chronicles are driven mainly from the viewpoints of Tintaglia, Thymara, Alise, and Malta, but over the course of these three books her pronunciation of some names have changed.

An excellent read for the right person

Hobb has quite the imagination. She prefers to create bazar plots then make them come alive. She is one of the most stilled fantasy authors. I would suggest reading the assassin's apprentice for your first book of hers. Some of her other books are better written but it is the most main stream. You need to adjust to her style. That is the first of her first trilogy. She takes more freedoms after she became popular.

Loved

Loved this whole series. Definitely recommending to others. This author is absolutely amazing with out a doubt.

Great book!

I loved the book, I don't want to spoil any of it but it's lived up to the previous story's quality, and the narrator is still the same, so no mental changes in tone : )

half a book.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

i would recommend it after the next book comes out because i feel like i made it one chapter before the climax and it ended

book 3 of 4 in the subset book 12 of 16 overall

This is not a jumping on point, and if you are relying upon reviews to decide whether to keep going this deep in I think that means you are not enjoying it enough to continue...

Story was incomplete and felt rushed

I just finished the audiobook and was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I love Robin Hobb and most all of her books, but I knew something was wrong with this book when I saw that this book was only 13 hours when all of her others were at least 20+. Without any spoilers I felt this book was all filler drama to make an extra buck. This can't be the end of the series because there was not much progress from the last book. New problems that were introduced in this book were not even resolved. Anyways all bagging on the story aside, I was glad I read it. It wasn't horrible, it just felt incomplete and like it had no real ending.

Loved It! Ready for the Next One

What did you love best about City of Dragons?

I really became invested in the characters, especially the dragons. Sintara is wonderfully developed and Thymara is her equal in every way. I frequently forgot that Mercor (was he the wise old serpent in the first Liveship book?) was a dragon and Hebe wasn’t a frisky puppy.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Thymara, of course. That girl has skills and guts. Tats was a close second.

What does Anne Flosnik bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Dragons. I never thought I'd invest in a book with talking dragons, but this one really pulled me in.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I loved when Sedric and Carson came together.

Any additional comments?

My only disappointment with the book was Hobb’s inconsistencies with Malta, one of my favorite characters. When did her dark hair become golden? And when did Ephraim Vestrit become her father? She didn’t even like the man. Kyle Haven was her adored father. Sloppy. But I’m willing to forgive and forget if Hobb writes a final book (longer this time please!) to wrap up the series.