false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1198813081m/1593623.jpg 1593623 8 <blockquote> <p> The stirring conclusion to The Soldier Son Trilogy—the acclaimed epic tale of duty, destiny, and magic by <i>New York Times</i> bestselling master fantasist Robin Hobb </p> </blockquote> <p> Loyal, privileged, and brave, Nevare Burvelle proudly embraced his preordained role as soldier in the service of the King of Gernia—unaware of the strange turns his life would ultimately take. Exposed to a plague of enemy sorcery that felled many of his compatriots, he prevailed, but at a terrible cost to his soul, body, and heart. Now he stands wrongly accused of unspeakable crimes—including murder, the most heinous of them all. </p> <p> Condemned by his brother soldiers and sentenced to death, Nevare has no option but to escape. Suddenly he is an outcast and a fugitive—a hostage to the Speck magic that shackles him to a savage alter ego who would destroy everything Nevare holds dear. With nowhere to turn—except, perhaps, to the Speck woman Lisana, the enemy whom he loves—he is mired in soul-rending despair. But from out of the darkness comes a bright spark of hope. </p> <p> Perhaps, somehow, the hated magic that has long abused Nevare can be used <i>by</i> him instead. Could he not learn to wield this mighty weapon for his own purposes rather than be enslaved by it? But down what perilous road will this desperate new quest lead him? And what will be the outcome and the ultimate new incarnation of Nevare Burvelle? </p> 1202854 book 2007 Renegade's Magic (Soldier Son, #3) total:743|5:131|4:247|3:244|2:98|1:23| 743 2594 1140 107 4 4 false false Thu Mar 27 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Thu Mar 06 10:00:31 -0800 2008 Tue Apr 01 05:50:04 -0700 2008
Note: this review necessarily contains spoilers for the first two books in the series. If you have not yet started the series and are planning on reading it, skip this review.

Someday, I fantasize, Robin Hobb will write a main character ...more...]]> 5 1 false false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Fri Nov 09 11:41:02 -0800 2007 Thu Dec 27 13:15:28 -0800 2007
This one...more...]]> 3 1 false false Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Mar 26 09:33:43 -0700 2008 Wed Mar 26 09:50:50 -0700 2008
It's not quite as much the 'idiot plot' as before (where her characters have to be idiots to find themselves in the situations that they're in), and they act in a much more reasonable fashion....more...]]> 4 1 false false Sat Jun 07 23:28:23 -0700 2008 Sat Jun 07 23:55:44 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Jan 04 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 04 20:21:41 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 04 20:24:12 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 08 06:23:38 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 08 06:49:48 -0700 2009
But, I'm struggling figuring out who to recommend it to.

When I read fantasy, I like action, and sarcasm, and great characters. I like well developed religions and worlds. I like critters, full of ma...more...]]> 3 0 false false Thu Jun 04 16:52:19 -0700 2009 Thu Jun 04 17:03:55 -0700 2009 She pulled it out of the fire. Sort of. This one wasn't as bad as #2, but I don't feel it deserves a 4. Maybe #2 should have been a 2.

I don't know what to say, because I'm a sucker for her writing. Because when she's good, she's really, really good. Her settings and characters ar...more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Apr 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Apr 23 09:06:12 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 29 07:04:49 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 1 false false Fri Feb 15 18:55:21 -0800 2008 Fri Feb 15 18:57:29 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Sep 13 20:10:02 -0700 2009 Fri Sep 18 11:14:13 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Jun 24 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Jun 05 17:42:01 -0700 2009 Fri Jun 26 18:20:16 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri Jul 31 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Jul 05 00:35:01 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 31 11:28:49 -0700 2009 1
For me the crux of the book was the continuing reappearance of Orandula, the god of Balances, who kept demanding Nevare's repayment o...more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Apr 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 22 16:47:54 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 22 16:47:54 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false true Sat Aug 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 10 13:49:04 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 15 15:33:04 -0700 2009
I really liked how the body sharing had turned 180* so that now Nevare was the one trapped ...more...]]> 2 1 false false Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 06 03:59:29 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 20 06:01:54 -0700 2009
It was still readable, but her character(s) were not very endearing. The main protagonist has a split personality and both sides are equally annoying. The question remains for a good part of the book as to...more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon May 25 12:52:02 -0700 2009 Mon May 25 12:52:02 -0700 2009 more...]]> 2 0 false false Fri Mar 06 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 06 13:48:20 -0800 2009 Sun Mar 15 14:48:56 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Jun 16 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed May 20 10:59:36 -0700 2009 Tue Jun 16 15:17:21 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Feb 28 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 27 08:02:04 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 27 08:09:53 -0800 2009
Hobbs has a penchant for upending all the usual tropes and devices of fantasy. And she does this all with real characters and an entertaining and stirring plot. We see "sword and ...more...]]> 2 0 true false Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Feb 23 01:32:40 -0800 2009 Sun Mar 01 06:20:35 -0800 2009 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=1593623