Submitted by Harrison (May 17, 2008)

When I began reading "Shaman's Crossing", it gripped me right away. However, a third of the way into the book, there is a dramatic change of pace. It was like slamming the brakes on and just letting your car go along at a slow roll. The rest of the story is very descriptive and emotional and the characters are incredibly realistic, but the story never speeds up throughout the rest of the book until a couple pages towards the end. As bad as that may sound, it was the strange pace and how Robin made it work that made me actually write a review about "Shaman's Crossing". The story was mystical and deep, and makes you worried, doubtful and intrigued before delivering an incredibly satisfying ending. This book was a great way to set up the series, and I would definitely recommend it. I have to say though, if the second book just sees him through another couple of years in the Academy, I will be disappointed, because this trilogy has potential, and I really would like the pace to speed up for the next part of the story.

I have to disagree with the review. This was the first book by Robin Hobb I have ever read and I found this story slow and a bit of a slog to get through. I kept feeling that if I read a bit further then it would start to get exciting. It never did. I accept there is some good characterisation in the book but the story just fails to get going. I really wanted to like the story, I was interested in the whole shamanic world created and the race of people on the frontier but ultimately I felt let down by the book. I'll not be buying the next one, which is extremely unusual for me, and I don't feel particularly convinced to buy any other works by Hobb. It strikes me that the pace was just too restrained, even action scenes were written in such a way as to drain any energy from them. I can see that Hobb's writing has a good style and turn of phrase but for me the pace was all wrong.

I have read two other of Robin's trilogies, Farseer and Tawny man. Her ability to get well beyond the surface and compel you to truly love the heroes and abhor the villians is, in every way, first rate. Robin puts you there, in the world, in the situation, in the character's heart and mind. I have not, as yet, read the Ship trilogy, probably for some great lapse of sense, however I will shortly begin consuming them ever so slowly, a way to make the very best of literature last - at least for me. Having read the first two books in Soldier Son trilogy, Robin left me no less in awe than in the first two trilogies. Her path is a leisurely one through the story and the experiences of the character. If you are looking for immediate gratification, R.A. Salvatore is probably more your speed. If you are looking for what is probably one of the best, most lovingly written fantasy stories, Robin Hobb never fails to deliver in a way that, no matter what my expectations have been, always exceeds them. Of all the fantasy novels, trilogies, etc. that I have ever read, the Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies were the ones I would be most proud had they come from my own pen. A higher praise than that I do not know how to communicate. Robin, if you ever read this, thank you for one of the best fantasy and simply one of the best fiction stories ever written. You are brilliant. If you keep writing them, I will keep buying and reading them.

I couldn't disagree more with this review. I was just leafing through the web looking for updates on Robin Hobb and when the "Forest Mage" will be out in soft cover; as the first book did so little to inspire me that I didn't even bother purchasing the second book in hard cover. I am a huge fan of Ms. Hobb. I think her three previous trilogies were a smashing success and a new unique voice in the fantasy realm. This book however (and the series so far) has done little to be exciting, new and distinguishable from other written books in fantasy. I found the characters (especially the main one) to be very one-dimensional and devoid of substance. I think one of Hobbs superlative talents is the creation of believable (not perfect) characters that everyone can appreciate. Such was Fitz, such was Althea, etc. Nevarre just didn't do it for me, his characterization was flat, his experiences were mostly boring, and the rhetoric of the book (1st son, 2nd son, etc) reminded me of another fantasy author who is too enamored of his own philosophical musings. I will stop there. I just wanted to give my opinion on this book; although I still feel that Hobb is a fantastic author I do not feel that gives her carte blanche to publish sub-par work.