[Warewolf]

Y'know, Robin Hobb gets a lot of discussion on this board, so it surprises me that I rarely hear Melanie Rawn mentioned. Why is that? I enjoy her work immensely, maybe even more so than Hobb's stuff. She definitely plays with more characters (dozens compared to Hobb's five or six major ones). Is this a possible reason? Are readers turned off by having to keep track of so many characters.

Her scope is just as epic, if not more so. Hobb's trilogies seem to focus on a small area of the continent, whereas Rawn's characters are all over the map. She has no compunction about killing off her main characters or putting them through more misery than anyone should have to handle (anyone read the Dragon Star trilogy?).

So I'm curious...all you Hobb fans out there, have you read any of Melanie Rawn's books? If so, what did you think of them? If not, any particular reason why not?

[DarthV]

I think the overload of characters in the two Dragon trilogies is what does most people in. At least in her unfinished Exiles series, it's not as much of a porblem.

I read those a few years ago and I might be a little rusty at remembering everything, but I don't think you had the chance to understand the characters as much as you do in Robin Hobb's works.

And as for putting characters through misery, I don't think Rawn even comes close to putting her characters through what Hobb does with hers.

************** SPOILER ALERT **************

Fitz gets poisoned & partially crippled, beaten to a pulp and left for dead (buried as well) and has his woman and child ripped away from him. Not to mention what the other characters go though!

And since I'm just starting Ship of Destiny I can't say for sure what all the hell the characters will go though in this one. But the first two books have plenty. Fingers, legs, scars "oh my!"

[This message has been edited by DarthV (edited January 28, 2002).]

[Lamanai]

I'm not sure why, but I just could not get into Rawn's books. I don't think it was the number of characters so much as me just not liking her writing style. I can't put a finger on the reason, I just know that I never could get really into her books. I had the same problem with Terry Brooks. I think he tells a good story, but I just can't stomach his writing.

[Rob B]

I haven't read Rawn, but a while back a few people were discussing her work in a not-so-positive manner, calling her Melanie Yawn, so be prepared for some harsh criticisms of her, Ware.

As for Hobb, well, I said in another post I think she is the reigning Queen of Fantasy.

[Warewolf]

Fitz,

You're comment in the other thread is what made me start this topic. I've always considered Rawn to be in my top ten, if not my top five, so I really wanted to know why she wasn't as popular with other readers on this board.

And I have no idea how her writing could be construed as boring...there's always some political intrigue or war or something going on...

[Warewolf]

Darth,

Just wanted to respond to your assertion that Hobb is more brutal:

***********SPOILER ALERT***************

Sioned's husband (the Dragon Prince, I can't remember his name offhand) is kidnapped, drugged, and raped all in one book. In the second series, he is killed when the castle is stormed. And he's a MAIN main character.

Between books 1 and 2 of the Dragon Prince trilogy, there is a plague and half the characters we'd come to know are killed off. One of the other important characters has a stroke and her entire left side is paralyzed. Plus, she loses two of her children to the plague, one of them a twin, who's sibling had a psychic connection with and is now slightly mad (IIRC).

In her Exiles series, husbands and children are killed before their spouses' and parents' eyes, siblings are forced to fight each other to the death, and close friends turn out to be traitors.

On top of all this, Rawn calls the way she does summaries of previous books The Body Count Method. I don't know how much more brutal you can get than that... http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Warewolf (edited January 28, 2002).]

[Rob B]

Well, I have been off and on considering trying her [Rawn] books out for a while. The To-read pile is at 25-30 right now, so it will be a while...

I'm also sometimes a sucker for books with covers by Michael Whelan.

[estranghero]

Actually, that's the reason I picked up Rawn's first book, the incredible Whelan cover. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

Also, isn't he selective on what covers he does, i.e. only those books he liked reading? I remember reading Sean Russel's 'Initiate Brother', which had a Whelan cover and was very good. However, when I read the second book of Russel, which wasn't good, it didn' have a Whelan cover anymore? Coincidence?

Sorry for the off-topic nudge. Back to your regular viewing... http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[ChrisW]

I like Rawns Exiles series more than the two Dragon ones. As for who is the better umm I like Rawn and Hobb about equally.

Kate Elliott is the Queen of Fantasy http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif.

[JohnH]

Rawn is still one of my favorites. Queen?
I am not into tiaras and silly questions such as 'what's the one thing you want for the world blah blah blah'.

I also don't think of it in terms of a competition really.

One thing I will note, Rawn has not produced in some time now and with a series finale still pending, fans tend to move on.

Also one thing I have noted; it seems many of Rawn's fans are not into other fantasy as much as people into other fantasy are also into Rawn. Looking over the various very active lists and boards devoted to her work, there is very little activity in the 'other fantasy' category compared to others such sites.

Rawn is certainly one of the best and I rank her right up there with Hobb and Elliott. But Carey right now is my favorite female author. Much of that is based on the upcoming second book. Rawn's delviery of the third Exiles book may change all of that, too.