Dragon Keeper

Dragon  Keeper (Volume One of the Rain Wilds Chronicles)by Robin Hobb

For years, the Trader cities valiantly battled their enemies, the Chalcedeans. But they could not have staved off invasion without the powerful dragon Tintaglia. In return, the Traders promised to help her serpents migrate up the Rain Wild River after a long exile at sea—to find a safe haven and, Tintaglia hopes, to restore her species. But too much time has passed, and the newly hatched dragons are damaged and weak, and many die. The few who survive cannot use their wings; earthbound, they are powerless to hunt and vulnerable to human predators willing to kill them for the fabled healing powers of dragon flesh.But Tintaglia has vanished and the Traders are weary of the labor and expense of tending useless dragons. The Trader leadership fears that if it stops providing for the young dragons, the hungry and neglected creatures will rampage—or die along the river's acidic muddy banks. To avert catastrophe, the dragons decree a move even farther up the treacherous river to Kelsingra, their ancient, mythical homeland whose mysterious location is locked deep within the dragons' uncertain ancestral memories. (goodread.com - snipped for length, because it was hella long)

I recently developed this deep and unyielding desire for wanting to read something high fantasy. After all, fanatasy novels are my crack. Or, rather, they used to be. I often forget as I am whisked away by the never ending urban fantasy and paranomal novels that I just need to sit back and read REAL fantasy to clear my head. No vampires. No angsty love triangles. No paranormal. A world that's just magic and quests and horses and hunks of bread and cheese.I honestly cannot afford to buy books right now, but when I went to the store to pick up the Clean Eating magazine they held for me, I knew I needed to leave with something of a fantastical sort lest my brain give in to the depression that's forming. I have a love-hate relationship with Robin Hobb. I loved the first series I read by her (Farseer) and I sort of liked the second (Tawny Man) but I did not like the Soldier Son trilogy and only because I went back and searched my blog for any Robin Hobb posts did I see that I even read the SECOND book in that series! I honestly thought I'd only read the first. Shows how much impact that second book had on my life.As the world waits for the third book in the Rain Wilds trilogy to come out, I am embarking on the first. I knew that Hobb would at least provide a well thought out and new fantasy world for me. I needed that. Liking any of the characters was a risk I was willing to take as I am that strong in my longing for a fantasy novel.A very good friend of mine, (and my former bookstore boss) let me know that this series was great. So I took the risk. I have to admit that for most of the 482 pages I was wondering why I took that risk. It was a rough start, there were prologues and the method the author used to show the passage of time was confusing to me. There were too many different stories going on with characters that I wasn't sure I liked because I didn't get to spend enough time with them. Of course by the second half of the book the characters all come together and it's a little easier to keep track, but I don't think I liked the way each of their stories were written into the book. I know why it was done - you needed background on the characters so that by the time they are all together you know more about them and they have depth. Only, I feel like this could have been done in another way. I might have preferred flash-back scenes myself.As for the characters, I am not sure which ones I like and which ones I don't. I was just getting to really know them and the story was over! Gah! Of course the store near my house doesn't have the second book in stock (which is happily in mass market, as well). Since I am on sick leave getting into town is going to be a rare thing due to both lack of money for public transit and you know, PAIN which keeps me from being able to DO ANYTHING. Frustrating.One thing that really hit me and stirred emotion, was the journey these dragons are undergoing. I was shocked to find myself emotional over the hatching of the cocoons. Those that were not strong enough, or badly deformed, or that didn't make it - made me tear up. I felt so strongly for these creatures that my heart hurt and I almost couldn't keep reading. Later on, when there are fewer dragons on their journey with the Keepers, my heart was aching once more for those who were weaker and not doing well. Towards the end when it looks like one dragon, who was very dim-witted, isn't going to make it...I did that thing where you take an involuntary gasp of air in shock and sadness right before you might burst into tears. I couldn't handle it. I also thought it was odd to be feeling so much for a creature that isn't even in the story much and I have no connection to other than the description given by the main characters and yet, I didn't feel nearly anything as close about any of the human characters. Robin Hobb writes these dragons well.That being said, I don't particularly like Sintara, the female dragon that is one of the main characters of this novel. She's just not likable at all. I thought I might like her early on, but she's way too arrogant (which is what she's supposed to be, I think) and irritating for my liking. I am curious about her personal growth as the series progresses. Will Sintara realize she needs to think of humans in a different light? Will her arrogance endanger her in any way? Will she eat a human? (I have a list of characters she could start with.)Another odd thing about this story is that half of it feels like a fantasy novel (Thymara's home of the Rain Wilds) and half of it feels like a historical Victorian novel (Alise's life in Bingtown). The two worlds meld in an oddly harmonious way once the characters meet up. Although I find it somewhat strange to read these genres together. Strange in a mostly good way. It's certainly different than I am used to!On my next trip into down for a doctor's appointment, I might see how I am feeling and try and pick up the next book because I just spent two days in this world that Hobb created and as soon as I wanted to know more about the characters the story ended. I was happily ensconced in the Rain Wilds world by then and I'd like to go back. All I have left on my TBR is paranormal stuff and a couple of contemporary novels. I don't really feel like being in those worlds right now. I need slightly stronger escapism than those books will provide.Rain Wilds Chronicles

1. Dragon Keeper
2. Dragon Haven
3. City of Dragons  - February 2012