Soldier Son: Shaman's Crossing

[Ranwulf]

I just finished the Farseer Trilogy, and I saw this at the book store and picked it up. The cover caught my eye, and I DO judge books by the cover

The reviews for it on Amazon aren't that great though, apparently it's repetitive? Has anyone read this book?

[nixie]

well, it has some good points, I rather enjoyed it, yes a little slow, Nevare is annoying. Overall I was disappointed with The Soldier Son trilogy, it had the potential to be better than The Farseer books but in the end it was a big let down.

[the_faery_queen]

started it. couldn't finish it. didn't like the main character and as it's first person, that's a problem

[Ranwulf]

Is he like retarded or something?

[nixie]

In the first book he is his father's son, obey orders, wanting to be the best at the academy. Wanting to prove that the new nobles sons deserve to be there, that they are officer material that the academy shouldn't only be open to the older nobles.Nevare is very stuffed shirt, never questioning orders, no fun if it interferes with his studies. No he is not retarded he's very intelligent. The problem is the book is slow. Normally I don't have an issue with this, in fact in Shaman's Crossing, I found I enjoyed it, the details of the academy.The feel of the old west discovering civilisation. No my gripe isn't really with Shaman's Crossing I found it the best out the trilogy. Its the overall series that I was disappointed with.

[Mouse]

I actually quite like the Solider Son books. Not read the last one yet and I think Forest Mage was better than Shaman's Crossing.

[Tansy]

I quite enjoyed the series as a whole, but was disappointed with the ending. It was a bit deus ex machina and all tied up a little too nicely.

The 3rd book was the best as you get to learn a lot more about the Specks and their magic. I just wish she'd surprised me a bit more with it all.

[manephelien]

I've just started the last book. I liked Forest Mage better than Shaman's Crossing. Robin Hobb should try writing a female lead, her male protagonists are all whiny, if not out loud, at least in their heads. I really liked Althea Vestrit in the Liveship Traders trilogy, and it's no surprise it's my favorite trilogy by Hobb so far.

I can't say how much I despised FitzChivalry as a character. What a horrid personality, and we're supposed to sympathize with him?

[sassy1]

I was a bit let down by the Soldier Son trilogy... but it may have something to do with the fact that I loved her last 3 trilogies so much my expectations were too high, but I did find them quite repetitive in parts (espcially the second book, forest mage), as well being quite depressing. I'm abouthalfway through the last book at the mo and I think it's better than the 1st 2 books, but overall the series seemes a bit too much like hard work.

[tawnylyra]

I loved Robin Hobbs Assassin/Liveship/Tawny books, they are on the top of my list of all time favorites, but I could not get into the Soldier's Son books, I read the first one, really did not like it, and got halfway through the second one and stopped, I didn't even bother buying the third one. It wasn't even that I couldn't "get into" them, I genuinely disliked reading them. It's hard to explain, but maybe it's because I couldn't stand the main character. I'm not sure. Still though, everyone likes different things so you should still try reading them, you can always stop if you don't like them.

[dreir]

I must agree with tawnylyra - and probably most other readers - here.

The Farseer and Liveship series blew me away, but I've given up on the Soldier Son. I have the first two books but I can't see myself reading the third any time soon (although I'd prolly still buy it to complete my collection). It's just too painful to go through any more.

It's not that the writing or the story is bad - Hobb couldn't write badly even if she tried. It's just that I found myself getting completely overwhelmed by the voice of Nevare. Hobb's probably written the Nevare books as much as an experiement as anything else. She's always been very good in getting into the main character's head and in so doing pulling her readers along, but becoming so deeply enmeshed in Nevare's circuitous thoughts and self-doubts and constant second-guessing proved to be just too much for me. I really wanted to beat him up at certain points. I found it so hard going that it even brought me to the brink of despair at times, and reading a book is supposed to transport me into another world and make me feel better!

As someone said in the many reviews I read for the Soldier Son, this series is not for every fan. Real fans (like me) would still probably be able to appreciate what Hobb's tried to do, but it doesn't necessarily mean I have to pretend to like it!

Here's to the next non-Nevare series! And may there be plenty more to come!

- Dreir -