[CrazyReader]

I was at Chapters today and saw all these big Melanie Rawn books. Thought I might like to get one but had no idea where to start. So what do you all think is the best Melanie Rawn series??? And which book should I get first??

[JohnH]

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[Blizzaurel]

I love Melanie Rawn, I think she's a great author. I like her Dragon Prince the best, start with that, Dragon Star's a continuation of the same story.

I might like Exiles the best if she would EVER finish the damned books!!! At this rate, it'll be another couple centuries before the series concludes... bide your time and wait for the release of Captal's Tower before you start those books.

[CrazyReader]

Thanks for the info, all these books are now on my ever growing to read list. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Pete-Gas]

The Dragon Prince/Dragon Star series is one of my all-time faves. She has a way of making you VERY attatched to the characters, moreso than most other authors.

Great books!

[lukaspriest]

I would pass on this series. Here's why:

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MILD spoiler alert...(nothing major, trust me)


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While her characters seem to have fairly interesting personalities, nothing of interest really happens to them. Rohan and Sioned have a cool sort of "bonding" at the beginning which gets built up with marriage plans and different suitors for Rohan, but when it comes time for Rohan and Sioned to finally be able to actually have one another with an expected romantic catharsis, the author just elects to skip over the next couple of years (and the details of their marriage). Her system of magic is constantly referred to but is never explained (at least within the first 600 pages, after which I lost interest and stopped reading) - leaving you to ask "what the hell is this sun-runner person doing?" Imagine reading Jordan's books, with constant references to Saidin and Saidar, only never being told what they are and how they're used - and you'll get a good idea of how frustrating Rawn's system of magic is. Plus, aside from a brief dragon-fight at the beginning (which is what held my interest to start with) this book contains very little action or heart pounding moments. I just got bored.

Anyhow, thats just my opinion, and I'm not trying to bash the author or anything, I'm just saying why I didnt like it. I think you'd be better off reading Martin (a song of ice and fire) or Hobb (farseer trilogy). Even Goodkind, which had some pretty satisfying (no laughing!) romance.

[Ntschotschi]

I started the Dragonprince and found it very boring. People kept talking and talking and nothing much happened. I was quite disappointed and I didn't finish the book.
I wouldn't touch another book by her.

[JohnH]

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[Rob B]

Rawn has come up a few times before on this board, and has been referred to as Melanie Yawn. I can't personally say how her books are, I haven't read them.

However, there doesn't seem to be a middle ground with her, people either strongly like or dislike her work.

[Blizzaurel]

Okay, I like Goodkind, but his romance just isn't as real as Rawn's. Her characters have a very realistic marriage, people who love each other get mad at each other and do bad things- of their own free will, not like Richard and Kahlan who were forced into what they had to do.
I actually think Rawn's a little like Martin; lots of politics, lots of people who aren't definitively good or bad. There's a lot of intrigue and some parts are a bit slow, but overall SO much happens and it's mainly just the first book of Dragon Prince that's a little confusing and sometimes slow.

In fact, Dragon Star doesn't span many years at all; it just tells the tale of one war. It's also very action-packed so I would suggest it to every one who put down Rawn in frustration. But it's much better if you read Dragon Prince first.

As for the magic system- it's explained in close detail multiple times.

To conclude, READ RAWN! SHE'S GREAT!