Blood of Dragons

February 11, 2013
The fourth Rain Wilds Chronicles epic (after City of Dragons), Hobb’s 13th novel set in the world of the Elderlings, wraps up the current set of storylines involving a new generation of dragons and the Elderlings (human-dragon hybrids) who serve and protect them. As most of the dragons and their keepers repopulate and reinvigorate the lost city of Kelsingra, the ailing Duke of Chalced sends people to hunt dragons for their life-extending and transformative properties, and the ancient dragon queen Tintaglia fights for her life. With a wide scope of coverage and a narrative that jumps among members of the sprawling cast, this tale feels both leisurely and unfocused, and knowledge of previous installments is essential to full comprehension. Hobb makes up for this breadth with a wealth of detail and language bordering on poetic.

The final book in the Rain Wilds Chronicles will be better understood with the background from the prior books. Anne Flosnik picks up the tale as the young dragons and their human caretakers struggle to recover knowledge of dragon magic. Flosnik's presentation of characters is consistent with that of the prior books in the series; voices for male characters are a bit strained and hoarse but effective. Narrating at a steady pace, she chronicles the parallel stories of the neighboring duke who is seeking dragon parts to stave off old age and the dragons who seek to recover their former glory. Overall, Flosnik creates atmosphere and builds on the characters' relationships. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine