Four and a half Torches (Out of Five)
With Dragon Haven, the follow-up to Dragon Keeper, Robin Hobb is back in fine form!
Actually, I suppose she was always in fine form — Dragon Haven and Dragon Keeper were meant to be one book, but the manuscript got too unwieldy and the publisher decided to split it in half. Maybe it’s more accurate to say that the second half of the Rain Wilds Chronicles is the reason fantasy fans have been lining up to buy Robin Hobb’s books for the last 15 years.
Dragon Haven picks up from the abrupt ending of its predecessor: A band of ragamuffin hunters and keepers are trekking through the Wilds with a group of misfit dragons, hoping to lead them to the ancient city of Kelsingra.
While the first book in the Rain Wilds chronicles was laden with character development and a sense of moving the pieces into place, Dragon Haven is where the real journey begins. Does the mythical city of Kelsingra even exist? Will the dragons and their keepers ever heal from their physical and emotional limitations? Who is the mole within the core group? Will they keep the traditions of their old society intact or form new customs?
I mentioned this is my review of Dragon Keeper, but it’s always so striking that it’s worth noting again: Robin Hobb creates some of the most complex, conflicted, authentic characters in any fantasy universe. What I love about Hobb’s characters isn’t just that they’re layered, but that all of them — from the main players to the supporting cast to the dragons — grow and change over the course of her stories to meet the challenges they’re faced with.
If I had one complaint about Dragon Haven, it would be a lack of any kind of action (except a flood). The plot is tight and quick without any major battles or disasters, but Hobb writes them so well, and in a way that gives most of her stories a greater sense of urgency, that it seems like a shame not to have included any this volume. It would have been interesting to see this group handle external conflict as a team, to see how it could have changed their dynamic.
Aside from the fully-realized characters, there’s plenty of other Hobb trademarks in Dragon Haven. The setting is so lush and dense that it feels like the Rain Wilds are a character all their own. And, of course, there’s the prose. Hobb has such a refreshing way with words, with turns of phrase, even with dialogue. It’s why she can get away with writing less action in an action-thirsty genre. She is, at times, mesmerizing in Dragon Haven.
Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven do not work as standalone volumes. They need to be read together to be appreciated, and, frankly, to be understood. It’s a hefty tome if you consider the books together, but it’s definitely worth the time.
Looking to buy this book (or any other media)? Support TheTorchOnline.com by purchasing it through this link.
