icon caret-left icon caret-right instagram pinterest linkedin facebook twitter goodreads question-circle facebook circle twitter circle linkedin circle instagram circle goodreads circle pinterest circle

Robin Hobb's Infrequent and Off Topic Blog

Audio Books for Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven

Original US cover art for Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven. Image on left is blue dragon with a girl standing beside it.  Image on right is a ship approaching a city with dragons overhead.
Original US cover art for Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven

Several months ago, I began hearing from readers that they could not order the audio books of Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven, the first two books in the Rain Wilds Chronicles. Audio books for book three, City of Dragons remain available, as does book four, Blood of Dragons.  But I certainly understand that readers don't want to skip the first two books in a set and jump into the middle of a story.

 

The issue seems to be that there was a lapse in the contract for the audio rights for those two books.  I think most readers understand that the creation of an audio book is outside the realm of my being a writer.  How it works is that an audio book company requests to buy the rights to create the audio book.  The audio book company creates the version using their readers and equipment and distribution system.  It's something that most writers have little control over once the contract is signed. 

 

The news I have right now is what you may already have seen on Amazon.com   The new versions of the audio books will be available in June of 2020.  That's an eight month wait, and I can do little except apologize. 

 

What I can recommend in the meantime is that readers check with their local libraries.  My library uses a wonderful app called Libby.  Using my card, and from anywhere with wifi, I can check out ebooks and audio books.  It is my hope that you can check out the older versions of Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven from your local libraries and enjoy them as audio books that way. 

 

Thanks for your understanding!