There Are Inkspots On My Page!

City of Dragons not only continues the journey to Kelsingra, but shows us quite a few things referenced in the first couple of books.

I enjoyed this one a little better than Dragon Haven and while it's still not quite at the level of previous series, it's a lot more interesting than the previous book. I loved the inclusion of Tintaglia, and seeing more of what's happening outside of the river and Kelsingra - particularly with Chalced and Bingtown.

It was fantastic seeing Malta and Reyn again too, and while we don't get to watch them grow as such, seeing their character growth through their actions in this book was great.

The book does end quite abruptly, that was a bit frustrating, but I've no doubt that the final book will wrap everything up nicely, and I enjoyed being able to see the different arcs develop.

The only thing I found jarring was Alise - her behaviour towards the other keepers with regard to Kelsingra being looted felt quite out of character. She went from being excited about exploring, to panicking that the city would be looted before she could document everything, but there was nothing in any other part of the book to suggest it was more than an irrational fear. We know from previous books (the Liveship Traders series in particular) that the Rain Wilders excavate and sell Elderling treasures, but the sudden change in behaviour did throw me off a bit.

It's still a very solid novel though, and I can't wait to see how it all ends.

You can read this review, and others, on my blog.