Old Friends & New Beginnings
***Spoilers for The Rain Wild Chronicles through chapter 9 of Dragon Keeper. Mentions of the events of The Farseer Trilogy, The Liveship Traders Trilogy, and The Tawny Man Trilogy are fair game, too.***
After starting off with a good amount of stage-setting and introductions, our story is picking up quickly! Each time I start a new RotE series, I’m never quite sure what to expect, and the transitions from one storyline to another can be a bit jarring. Let’s examine:
- Starting The Farseer Trilogy: Who’s this little boy? Oh yay, a puppy! 😦
- Farseer -> Liveship Traders: I miss Fitz. Who are all these awful people? Talking Ships?!
- Liveship Traders -> Tawny Man: Yay, Fitz! I miss Malta. Booo, Chade.
- Tawny Man -> Rain Wild Chronicles: I miss Fitz. A whole new cast of characters? Serpents be struggling!
I suppose with each change, I worry about leaving the magic of the previous series behind. But with every new installment, it never takes long before I find myself swept away by the incredible characters and plots- whoever and wherever they may be.
The moral of this rambling prologue: never doubt our supreme leader, Robin Hobb.
So what exactly is hooking me so far in RWC? Thank you for asking.
Trehaug
I’m enthralled by this new slice of life we are getting in Dragon Keeper. We’ve spent most of our time in the realm among the upper echelons of society. Sure, our characters may be down on their luck and facing hardship, but by and large, our main POVs have come from the privileged class.
So spending time in the slums of Trehaug with Thymara was a real breath of fresh air (kind of literally, since the poor live in the treetops). I’ve been fascinated by the social strata of the Rain Wilds, especially how Thymara’s family is forced to move higher and higher into the trees as their status sinks lower and lower.
Trehaug itself is such a unique setting. It’s hard to grasp the sheer immensity of this treehouse town, but Hobb does a fantastic job unfolding it for us. We got a small peek into life in the trees during Liveship Traders, but having so much additional color and detail filled in now is incredible. No offense to that smelly, sewage-filled pirate town – or even my beloved Buckkeep – but this may be my favorite setting in all the realm.
One of my favorite details is the naming of the various housing regions. Thymara’s family currently lives high up in the Cricket Cages, having been pushed there after being forced out of the art district, the Bird Nests, due to rising costs from gentrification. The only place higher to move from here is the Tops.
These details add so much whimsy and texture that it’s impossible not to feel enveloped in the Rain Wilds’ rich ambiance.
wizardwordship 