Shaman's Crossing, Book One of the Soldier Son Trilogy

By: Robin Hobb

Narrated by: John Keating

Length: 24 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

A Hugo and Nebula Award finalist, New York Times bestselling author Robin Hobb is hailed by the Baltimore Sun as a “master fantasist.” Shaman’s Crossing begins her epic Soldier Son Trilogy.

The second son of a recently titled nobleman, Nevare Burvelle survives the King’s Cavalla Academy—where nepotism and corruption reign—to become a soldier in the Gernian king’s army. As he and his fellow soldiers are thrust onto the front lines of the king’s brutal territorial expansion campaign, they struggle against the Plainspeople—forest-dwellers who possess a powerful magic long dismissed by the Gernians. These rebels refuse to bow to the king’s tyranny. And as the battles rage, dangerous thoughts invade Nevare’s consciousness, forcing him to question his role in the army—and the life he’s always known.

Hobb doesn’t disappoint with this intricate fantasy tale featuring larger-than-life characters and exotic landscapes.

©2005 Megan Lindholm (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Here is a master storyteller out to make a point and succeeding beautifully." (Publishers Weekly)

This book is really hard to put down from reading

I get through Books much too fast and when I have a trilogy to look forward too I just push on through them if it is a good book this is an excellent book. The characters are very well developed the theme though I thought was a little slow in getting to the point once it grabs your attention it’s got to you all the way.

Great!

Loved it! Harry Potter-ish in some ways. Great narrator too. Looking forward to the next one

First person story telling…

2.5 Stars
Reading from a single persons point of view was difficult for me – maybe that is because I rarely read a long book that only has one point of view.

The overall story was average but it seemed to be mostly terrible experiences to the main character and only a few parts that I could get excited about. The parts with the childish cousin were almost unreadable – really, she walked around with a whistle in her mouth! Much of the story was predictable as was the world, people and magic. I am not sure yet if I want to move on to the second book.

Robin Hobb rocks

I love this - my first time reading this series, and on my 2nd read of alll her other stuff. She’s the best

slow to start but good book.

it starts off kinda slow with character and story development but gets really good after that.

Good Read!

Interesting story. Not a whole lot of magic in this first book of the series. Story is centered on the main character and his friends and enemies.

I could not stop listen to it...very interesting.


Hoping that more of Robin Hobb's books become available on Audible.

Well written and very enjoyable.

I really enjoyed this. Some of the other reviews said that this trilogy was a darker style than Hobb’s normal writing, however I found it to be just as enjoyable and upbeat as the Fitz and the Fool series. Looking forward to the other 2 books in the series.

An Astoundingly Rich Read

Would you consider the audio edition of Shaman's Crossing, Book One of the Soldier Son Trilogy to be better than the print version?

It's hard to say. They're shockingly different experiences.

Any additional comments?

I cannot gush enough about how I love this book. I first read it a few years ago, but as my own life and views have changed, I wondered if it was as good as I remembered. What a fool I was for doubting. With this one novel, Hobb easily joins the list of authors to admire and study. I can tell you from experience reading a fair few other novels that she more than earns and keeps that place. She’s one of my favorite authors for a reason.

For this novel alone, I can’t help but feel awe and admiration. It’s a bold foundation for the trilogy, making a world so complete in itself that it almost makes my own perceptions of my world seem false. The awareness Nevare has of what’s going on around him, whether from his own perceptions or what he learns from others, is staggering. Just what his world does to him, how civil changes in his lifetime try to stamp him and others like him down while faith urges him to persevere, is astonishing. Robb has crafted a setting and population that are so real it’s almost unfathomable. And at the same time, it’s only right that it should all be this way. It doesn’t feel like a novel. It feels like we’ve just received a real story from another world… and I for one am grateful to have it. It is, to put it simply, masterfully crafted and worth a read. So what are you waiting for?

Fantastic book!!!

This is my favorite book ever! Fifth time reading it! So glad audible has it, and the other two books in the trilogy!

Is being fat the end of the world?

Whatever they say about this book, it is really about being fat, The author pounds you over the head about it, the characters go on and on about it. As a result of magic ad nauseum, the main character becomes obese. VERY obese. And everyone in the story (and this applies to all 3 books in the series) is obsessed by his obesity. Everyone. If you are overweight or have ever been overweight or KNOW anyone who has ever been fat, you will reach the point where you want to find the author, wherever he or she may be, and beat them soundly with a stick. I highly don't recommend this book. I kept thinking it would get better and besides, I didn't have anything else to read at the time, but when I finally waded through this loooong loooong set of books, I was embarrassed that I'd bothered. Save the embarrassment. Don't bother.