by Robin Hobb
First published 2013
Thymara and her fellow dragon keepers have reached the ancient city of Kelsingra with their magnificent charges. The dragons now soar on powerful wings, reclaiming their birthright, while their human companions transform into Elderlings marked with features that mirror their bonded dragons. Tats, Rapskal, and even the reluctant Sedric bear these mystical changes as their connections deepen. Yet triumph turns to urgency when the keepers cannot locate the silver wells essential for dragon survival. Empty streets and towering buildings yield no answers. The legendary dragon Tintaglia arrives gravely wounded from battling humans who hunt dragons for blood and scales. She weakens without the healing silver. Desperate, the keepers must risk memory walking, diving into the addictive recollections of dead Elderlings to find the wells' location. Time runs short. If Tintaglia dies, the ancient memories she carries vanish forever, dooming all dragons to extinction. The fate of an entire species rests on solving this puzzle before enemies close in and the great dragon's strength fails completely.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, fantasy, epic
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family
Setting: Kelsingra
448 pages · Hardcover · Harper Voyager