The Robin Hobb Collection discussion

Ch 11-13 So Alise finally knows the truth about Hest and Sedric. Even when he explained the locket, she still didn't get it. I wanted to throttle her. I'm glad Sedric finally spelled it out plainly.

Sedric is scaling quickly. It appears the copper is trying to turn him into an Elderling.

I'm curious about these Abominations the dragons mentioned.

Sedric gives in to Carson. Will he regret it later. Carson seems to be everything Hest is not.

I feel bad for Thymara. I don't get this rush for her to decide. Tats seems more understanding than Greft, but he is maybe just better at hiding his impatience. I hope he'll realize he can't rush or force her if he truly loves her.

ch11 - not much to report

ch12 - wow! finally some explanation on the Abomination creatures we know from Other Island!

humans change when dragons interact with them, but so do the dragons. and what hatches then is not a serpent but an Abomination doomed to stay on other island and freak out whoever arrives there. (and of course, lock She-Who-Remembers)


ch13 - glad Alise finally knows, but now Sedric managed to make her suspicious of Leftrin. can't sedric leave her alone for a while?

Hmm. Been so long since Liveship for me I forgot about the Others island. That would make a lot of sense.

CH 14 So Tarman strands them on purpose and won't say why. Were they going the wrong way? Or maybe they are there? Alise noted there is solid ground and not just mud here.

Oh and was I the only one who didn't realize Detozi was a woman? Both bird keepers are being pressured by their parents to marry. Maybe they can marry each other.

Ch 15 Looks like I was right about Tarman. He was preventing them from going the wrong way.

Also looks like Erek might have a thing for Detozi.

ch14 - i also didn't realize detozi was a woman. and looks like Erek is quite eager to visit her :)

The Kelsingra dreams are interesting, but seems also quite the platform for a high dive of disappointment. All thed dreams have the city alive and glorious, and all will be right when they arrive there. But it's more likely to be in ruin... or something in a ruin if I remember Fitz' memories.

ch15 - Sintara, you silly stubborn, bitchy animal! She really doesn't deserve a keeper like Thymara. Glad Mercor is taking charge there, or at least threatening to take charge.
And i also wonder whether Relpla knows what she's doing.

Still wonder where Heeby flew off to (and yes, i'm still assuming he was able to fly). Perhaps all the way to Kelsingra? :)
I like all the remarks on how there wings are becoming stronger and larger. These dragons might fly after all.

the revelation of these Abominations still bothers me though. these dragons are growing so close to the humans - what if their race dies out anyway? (we can't just rely on the black dragon and Selden's dragon, that would all be incest!)

what are these abominations?
humans close to dragons get scales. what if dragons close to humans loose their scales? i don't remember any descriptions of these abominations, i remember them as ghostly creatures, if anything, but that's what my imagination made up, i'm sure!

See I thought you were saying that the inhabitants of others island had to be these abominations. Now I'm confused. Lol.

they are, but they never seemed human to me. i'll need to go back to liveship traders to see how they were described though.

Hanne wrote: "they are, but they never seemed human to me. i'll need to go back to liveship traders to see how they were described though."

Well if they were part human part dragon abominations, would they really seem human?

Hanne wrote: "what are these abominations?
humans close to dragons get scales. what if dragons close to humans loose their scales? i don't remember any descriptions of these abominations, i remember them as ghostly creatures, if anything, but that's what my imagination made up, i'm sure! "

I remember the abominations as like being half human half slug or seal. They moved upright but they sort of pushed themselves along the ground. I think they may have had little legs to help push them along as well. I think some were more deformed than others. Now we find out they are offspring of dragons who get too close to humans.

Ch11-13 (I know, I'm so behind)

Tarman shares a dream of Kelsingra with Alise that he had also shared with Leftrin. Leftrin seems a bit jealous - but also, what is Tarman up to?


“Tarman, I know that dream. I thought it was mine. Something you wanted me to see.”
This time there was a shiver of assent in the air. A shiver, and then silence.
“Ship?” he queried.
But nothing responded.

Tats and Nortel come to blows over Thymara - she is not impressed. Still about men trying to decide things for her.

And the dragons are continuing to develop and become closer to true dragons - is it their proximity to Kelsingra that's changing things?

Even as we grow stronger and move closer to becoming true dragons, I am frightened every day by the holes in our memories

Also, the idea that dragons choose and MAKE their Elderlings is coming across more

Once, one of her ancestors had chosen a human and shaped an Elderling for herself.

They seem to view Elderlings as favourite pets

It was amusing, even comforting, to have such an Elderling. It was pleasant to be flattered, to be “immortalized” in verse and paintings and poetry. Elderlings became companions for dragons in a way that other dragons could not be.

Contact with dragon blood speeds up a change to becoming an Elderling - but the process has to be directed. Also, the reason Rain Wilders are marked is because their proximity to dragon stuff like wizard wood starts a change towards becoming an Elderling but without a dragon it's an abortive process that has more negative effects.

Rob wrote: "Oh and was I the only one who didn't realize Detozi was a woman? Both bird keepers are being pressured by their parents to marry. Maybe they can marry each other. "

Yeah - I didn't realise Detozi was a woman either so I think this may be a first time reveal from Hobb. I had the exact same thoughts. I like how Erek suggests he visits for educational purposes and then immediately follows up to over explain his intentions. Lol.

Just goes to show reader bias. I just sort of assumed both were dudes. Then again that's a safe assumption on the internet. ^_^

David Sven wrote: "And the dragons are continuing to develop and become closer to true dragons - is it their proximity to Kelsingra that's changing things?"

Interesting thought. I had just assumed it was a combination of i) natural growth, ii) finally moving around and using those muscles instead of sitting on that beach, iii) more and better food, iv) any of those disgusting parasites taken care of, ...

I'm not sure what I credit their growth too. I was sort of leaning towards Hanne's list though.

I could see it having to do with location. Not so much them approaching Kelsingra, but getting away from the more poisonous area of the Rain Wilds. Clean water/land/etc. However they started growing before leaving that stuff behind completely.

Maybe it's the bond with the keepers that's changing them?

Alex wrote: "With all the talk about humans changing dragons...interesting parallel with Sintara having males fight over her (and choosing to not make a choice, but walk away). Think she's taking a bit from Thymara here?"

That's an interesting thought. Nice pickup.

Alex wrote: "It makes me wonder how much of the world Robin Hobb had planned out when she first started writing the series, and how much she retro-fitted in."

That's a good question. Perhaps a bit of both? I would assume a lot of work goes into general world building, and that not everything can be fitted into a first series, or even a second. But then when she's really making this new story, she must retro-fit quite a few things.


Hest definitely is a piece of work. I like how much we're learning through the messages.


Regarding the art: i guess that might be coming. Some of the dragons seem not to have a lot of faith into the Silver creating a decent elderling it seems, and Mercor was even threatening to take over from Sintara. Some of them might have memories of that going wrong?

It's crazy how attached I feel to the bird keepers despite how small their parts are.

I love the bird keepers too. They're one of the series' best features and really showcase Hobb's technical strength with characterisation IMO. She does so much with so little.

Kevin wrote: "I love the bird keepers too. They're one of the series' best features and really showcase Hobb's technical strength with characterisation IMO. She does so much with so little."

Exactly! (I think i just wrote this somewhere as well without reading your comment here - sorry my brain is fried today)