*spoilers all books* Dragon Haven, Enjoy it? Hate it?

[Nuytsia]

Thanks 'thul, I had a bad feeling Carrion might have been dead.
Ah well....... bum.

['thul]

These beings have no problems clarifying such.

[redchild]

I finished Dragon Haven last night (after several days of nearly nonstop reading!) and now I'm feeling the withdrawal symptoms of having finished yet another thoroughly engaging book from Hobb, abated only by the thought of Hobb working on the next story.

Some thoughts:
Well, this was certainly a departure from the other RotE books. It didn't have the "grandness" and epic scope of the others but I felt it's strength lay in its focus of the journey of the small, rag-tag group searching for Kelsingra. Of course, Kelsingra is just the MacGuffin and the journey undertaken by the characters was as much a search for a fabled city as it is an introspective one.The way the group was completely cut off from all contact with society, combined with the harsh, oppressive environment of the Rain Wilds, set the perfect conditions for everyone to go through their own "metamorphosis."

I was also pleased with how Hobb presented the issues that the characters had to grapple with as relative outcasts of the societies they left behind. The protagonists did not give up what made them who they are, despite knowing that such traits would be rejected by people at home. How they had to face their shortcomings was so painful and palpable but their transformations as a result is inspiring.

I also liked the fleshing out of the newly re-established relationships between dragons and humans. From reading the LST and TM, it seemed like dragons were such superior beings that I wondered what sort of role humans had in their lives. Now it seems the relationship between dragons and humans/Elderlings may be much more complex than at first glance. I wonder how Tintaglia and Icefyre would think about these dragons who have formed such close bonds with their keepers.

On some of the characters:
While Thymara did have her sulky moments, well, she is a teenager. I think she did manage to "prove" herself when she stopped trying to impress Sintara and stood up to her. I think her journey was more of self validation and casting off all expectations that others impose on her that would violate her boundaries and sense of self.

Sintara seemed to be the opposite, where she had to turn down that overblown ego and narcissism. She expected too much of herself as a dragon but blinded herself to the fact that she was in just the same position as the other grounded dragons and depended on her human keeper. I don't expect she became any less proud, but she was certainly humbled by the truth in Thymara's words and by Heeby's example.

I couldn't help but relate so well with Alise Kincarron. Her personality is so similar to mine, it wasn't difficult to imagine being in her shoes. Her resolution to escape Hest and Bingtown's oppressiveness was a pivotal move for her. Finding out about her status as a laughingstock and butt end to jokes for Hest's circle of friends must have been crushing and I applaud her decision to burn the bridge and not return to Bingtown.

Sedric is such a sympathetic character, spurred on through much of the story by a hopeless fantasy. I was glad he found his way in the end.

Greft was in such a delusion most of the time, feeling he was best fit as the leader (probably due to his being the eldest keeper.) His motivations were not entirely bad, so I think that could garner some sympathy for his character. Just to show how easily intentions can go askew.

I agree with Nutysia on Slve's incredible personality. She seems larger than life and much more mature than her. Her match with Mercor fit like a glove: non-judgmental idealism combined with steady wisdom.

I look forward to learning what happens to these characters in the next installment.

[Farseer]

Was there anything else you were chasing besides 'Skrim', which I still can't find?

Bink has used a Kindle to search for a reference to Skrim for us but was unable to locate it within the actual text so, in this case at least, it seems that without the list of characters at the beginning of the US versions of DK and DH (or if a reader only had the UK version available to them), one would be in the dark regarding Skrim's identity.

[Farseer]

While reading Dragon Haven, did anyone else feel concern for Reyn and company, when the river flooded? Not only did it affect the dragons and their keepers upriver near Kelsingra but it also caused a fair amount of havoc downriver as far as I remember.

Rain Wilders had begun digging at Cassarick and that made me wonder if Reyn had been there (as the main organiser of the search on Tintaglia's behalf, looking for more dragon cases) when the flooding took place. If anything had happened to him, at least Tintaglia and Malta would have known via their Skill-links (?) but I'm pretty sure neither of them were mentioned in the storyline post-flooding...if not, there's nothing to suggest that something fatal hasn't happened to him? Hmm...

['thul]

Well, these beings did not think of him, no, but then, he was away when they departed, so even if he had returned, he might not have gone straight to dig.

[redchild]

There was no mention of Reyn by Detozi. So it's likely he escaped the flood.

['thul]

that is true. He's too important a name... it is time-consuming to develop a character...

[Farseer]

Too true, thanks! Yes, if the death of some 'cousins' were mentioned in Detozi's messages, someone of Reyn's status would surely have been mentioned, even if he had only been missing at the time.

I also hoped he was too large a character to lose (not to mention he has a family crest that is way too closely linked to some other RotE characters we know!) and feel he has an important role still to play in unearthing 'Time's Labyrinth' (something else I expect will be significant to these other RotE characters!!).

[Farseer]

Just coming back to put something straight:

Somewhere in amongst looking for the dragon and keeper names, you may remember that I mentioned that Kindle for PC doesn't have a search feature (where you can type in a name and all instances of it in the book will come up)? Well, it does now ...bring on the research!