"Very little worth knowing is taught by fear."
As a baby, my first plush toy was a dragon. I grew up on The Hobbit, Wild Magic, the series that must not be named, Eragon (obviously!), A Wizard of Earthsea, How to Train Your Dragon, Dragonriders of Pern, The Neverending Story, Narnia, Tolkien, and yes, the original Beowulf.
As an adult, nothing’s changed. You’ll still find me chasing dragons. I’ve read Fourth Wing, When The Moon Hatched, Temeraire, The Priory of the Orange Tree, and of course, the OGs Thea Harrison, Gena Showalter, and Sherrilyn Kenyon. I’ve spent my whole life immersed in stories that paint dragons as allies, foes, and ancient beings brimming with wisdom.
So, of course, when I think about Robin Hobb, I think about The Rain Wild Chronicles.
Recently at OwlCrate, our awesome blog team has been asking Team OwlCrate members to share their love for authors who have shaped their reading lives. So when Marlena first asked us where to start in the world of Robin Hobb, I suggested to Cori that she write this article. She’s a big fantasy fan, and I thought it would be great to get her perspective. But her honest response was, “I sat down to write this, but what would the article even be about? I got into Robin’s books because I like fantasy, and I only started reading them in 2018. The first three series were wonderful, and I’m looking forward to reading more.”
That got me wondering, where do you even start with an author like Robin Hobb? I’ve admittedly only read two of her series. The answer, I think, is simple: you start with what you love most. Because, and I’m not kidding, no matter what that might be, Robin Hobb has probably written it.
I’ve read Farseer and The Rain Wild Chronicles, and I will forever admire Robin’s ability to write dragons as beings with such empathy and intelligence that they often outshine their human characters—deliberately so. Her dragons aren’t just creatures; they are fully realized beings with desires, fears, and complexities that sit with you long after you’ve shut the book.
The Rain Wild Chronicles is also more than a dragon story. It’s about pilgrimage, found family, values, empathy, and community. It’s the kind of series where the journey matters more than the destination and where every character—scaled or not—finds commonality in belonging in a world that feels indifferent. I think we can all relate to that right now.
So, where should you start if you’re new to Robin’s work? Start with what you love.
If dragons are your thing, too, The Dragon Keeper is your gateway. If you’re drawn to stories of identity, the complexities of power, and nature magic, then Assassin’s Apprentice from The Farseer Trilogy is where to begin.
Maybe you’re looking for tales that explore what it means to grow up, to face destiny, to carry burdens that aren’t entirely your own—trust me, there’s a Robin Hobb book for that, too.
Robin Hobb is the uncrowned ruler of character-driven fantasy that isn’t drivel. Her worlds deserve a space on your shelf. Whether you’re diving headfirst into her books for the first time or revisiting them like an old friend, my advice is to start with what calls to you and let her storytelling do the rest.
