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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Book 1 - Assassin's Apprentice - 5 stars
I absolutely loved this. I don't know what I was expecting, but I admit going into this a bit under-enthused. I know this first book is not overly long, but I've been feeling a bit daunted by long books lately (says the person who just before this read Stephen King's massively long [b:Under the Dome|6320534|Under the Dome|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511289992l/6320534._SY75_.jpg|6760952]). But, it was in part because I enjoyed Under the Dome so much that I decided I could still tackle big books without feeling bogged down.
Anyway. People have raved to me about Robin Hobb for years, and I'm glad I finally read this because it was so much better than I hoped for. I loved the depth of character development, and the slow and steady way the story was detailed up to that pretty fast finish at the end. Over the next few months I'm planning to read the rest of this trilogy, and I am now very much looking forward to that.
Book 2 - Royal Assassin - 5 stars
This book picks up directly from Assassin's Apprentice, with things (as expected) continually going from bad to worse for Fitz. On the upside, we have a wolf!
I was a bit reticent to start this only two days before the end of the year, but...I just loved the first book so much that I couldn't help but go on with things right away. Needless to say, I finished off this 675 page tome in those two days, making Royal Assassin my final read for 2019, and also my final add to my favourites-2019 shelf.
Basically I loved this as much as the first. Loved the writing, the story, the characters, and the slow burn pace with the fast finish. It was all good and the perfect way to finish up the year.
Book 3 - Assassin's Quest - 5 stars
So, notwithstanding all the travelling, which I know some people find tedious to read, I loved this book. I think reading the Farseer Trilogy books in succession was definitely the way to go, as all 2000 or so pages really do sit firmly in my mind as a single tale.
Some (but definitely not all) favourite things from this final book:
*Hobbs' treatment of PTSD and residual trauma. Wow, just so excellently done, not just for Fitz, but Kettricken, and all the characters who suffered so in the making of this story.
*The relationship between Nighteyes and Fitz is an obvious highlight, and I love how it grows and changes. Nighteyes and his burgeoning personhood, as well as his growing relationships with others of his found family/pack was also a standout element for me.
*The dragons! Ok, these were truly excellent. Their emergence was harrowing, emotional, and had me trying to decide whether I was pleased or horrified (both, really).
Again Hobbs shows what a master she is at characterisation. If I have one complaint, it might be that Regal, while absolutely and truly horrible, is not quite as complicated as I might like. That's a minor complaint though in a huge cast of exceptionally well rendered players.
Overall just so excellent. As a whole the Farseer Trilogy ranks among my all time favourites.
I absolutely loved this. I don't know what I was expecting, but I admit going into this a bit under-enthused. I know this first book is not overly long, but I've been feeling a bit daunted by long books lately (says the person who just before this read Stephen King's massively long [b:Under the Dome|6320534|Under the Dome|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1511289992l/6320534._SY75_.jpg|6760952]). But, it was in part because I enjoyed Under the Dome so much that I decided I could still tackle big books without feeling bogged down.
Anyway. People have raved to me about Robin Hobb for years, and I'm glad I finally read this because it was so much better than I hoped for. I loved the depth of character development, and the slow and steady way the story was detailed up to that pretty fast finish at the end. Over the next few months I'm planning to read the rest of this trilogy, and I am now very much looking forward to that.
Book 2 - Royal Assassin - 5 stars
This book picks up directly from Assassin's Apprentice, with things (as expected) continually going from bad to worse for Fitz. On the upside, we have a wolf!
I was a bit reticent to start this only two days before the end of the year, but...I just loved the first book so much that I couldn't help but go on with things right away. Needless to say, I finished off this 675 page tome in those two days, making Royal Assassin my final read for 2019, and also my final add to my favourites-2019 shelf.
Basically I loved this as much as the first. Loved the writing, the story, the characters, and the slow burn pace with the fast finish. It was all good and the perfect way to finish up the year.
Book 3 - Assassin's Quest - 5 stars
So, notwithstanding all the travelling, which I know some people find tedious to read, I loved this book. I think reading the Farseer Trilogy books in succession was definitely the way to go, as all 2000 or so pages really do sit firmly in my mind as a single tale.
Some (but definitely not all) favourite things from this final book:
*Hobbs' treatment of PTSD and residual trauma. Wow, just so excellently done, not just for Fitz, but Kettricken, and all the characters who suffered so in the making of this story.
*The relationship between Nighteyes and Fitz is an obvious highlight, and I love how it grows and changes. Nighteyes and his burgeoning personhood, as well as his growing relationships with others of his found family/pack was also a standout element for me.
*The dragons! Ok, these were truly excellent. Their emergence was harrowing, emotional, and had me trying to decide whether I was pleased or horrified (both, really).
Again Hobbs shows what a master she is at characterisation. If I have one complaint, it might be that Regal, while absolutely and truly horrible, is not quite as complicated as I might like. That's a minor complaint though in a huge cast of exceptionally well rendered players.
Overall just so excellent. As a whole the Farseer Trilogy ranks among my all time favourites.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read all three books in the trilogy together over 15 days. It took 34 hours to read in total. And I am SO glad I did.
I had tried to start the books a year ago, and just couldn’t get into them, but I’m so glad I tried again, because I loved this trilogy so so much.
I don’t think it’s for everyone, some people might find the books too slow. However, once you get invested in the characters, hearing about the little details of their lives is just as fascinating as the big plot points. The characters are the best thing about this series, they are so well fleshed out and so riveting to read about.
Hobb’s writing style has this weird ability to make you not want to put the book down even if nothing big is happening. Also it was a real treat to have such a massive trilogy of books to sink my teeth into and get lost on for two weeks!!
10/10 I can’t wait to read the other 16 or so books set in the same world lmao
I had tried to start the books a year ago, and just couldn’t get into them, but I’m so glad I tried again, because I loved this trilogy so so much.
I don’t think it’s for everyone, some people might find the books too slow. However, once you get invested in the characters, hearing about the little details of their lives is just as fascinating as the big plot points. The characters are the best thing about this series, they are so well fleshed out and so riveting to read about.
Hobb’s writing style has this weird ability to make you not want to put the book down even if nothing big is happening. Also it was a real treat to have such a massive trilogy of books to sink my teeth into and get lost on for two weeks!!
10/10 I can’t wait to read the other 16 or so books set in the same world lmao
What a treat to return to a series not touched in 15+ years and find it still as heady and engaging as it was as a teenager.
Hobb weaves a slow, inexorable narrative with the development of each of her characters the stepping stones on the journey, chiseled away page-by-page.
The trilogy is truly one story over three books. In this Folio Society edition there is a foreword from Hobb describing that she sought to write the story of a side-character. Verity is the protagonist of these three books: his struggle, his quest. Fitz is a witness, a resource, and a tool. And these books are as much about what that means as they are about the main plot.
Each book follows Fitz during a period in his life: a colorful, whirlwind childhood; a depressive adolescence; and (to quote Le Guin) a journey into adulthood: "ever the path grows narrower till at last he chooses nothing but does only and wholly what he must."
Apprentice was better than I remembered. The plot moved fast, it was more sensory, and the climax surprised me. I had forgotten how out of left-field Hobb's endings were. I leapt into Royal Assassin ready for more. Unfortunately it was a chore. The first 60% should have been about a third as long as it was. The first few chapters full of call-backs also felt unnecessary. I wish, since this was sold as a collected edition, they had cut out the recaps in the first 100 pages.
Fitz and Regal are tedious characters in book 2, which helps make the ending so exciting.
And so, onto book 3, Quest, which is the best of the lot. There are some things I remembered and some that I didn't . Something I did remember is that I started reading the last 400 pages of the book at 10pm on a school night when I was a teenager and calling in sick the next day because I stayed up all night to see what Fitz was going to find at the end of his quest. Even though I stuck to more work-friendly hours this time around, the rush of the ending felt the same. It was such a satisfying conclusion to the story and has me set up for the Rain Wilds - which I remember enjoying even more than this trilogy.
Here's hoping Folio does editions of all of Hobb's books!
These books meander. They stay with each character likely too long for most people's enjoyment. They make you get to know the ponderous, loyal, foolish Fitz better than a close friend. The characters are emotionally intelligent and get caught up in their own narratives and ideas. Fitz is pushed and pulled by powers both political and magical too complex for him or us to fully comprehend. This aspect of his youth was very convincing and I appreciated it much more in my early thirties than I did as a teenager. I wonder if I will feel the same way in another 15 years.
This reread also showed me some weakness in the trilogy: most of it lying in the bloated wallowing of book 2. And it showed me an emotional nuance I didn't realise I was missing until I found it again. I don't think anyone writes people with the tenderness of Hobb.
4.5 stars rounded up.
John Howe's covers and illustrations will always be my favourite. This one is from the cover of Assassin's Quest.
Hobb weaves a slow, inexorable narrative with the development of each of her characters the stepping stones on the journey, chiseled away page-by-page.
The trilogy is truly one story over three books. In this Folio Society edition there is a foreword from Hobb describing that she sought to write the story of a side-character. Verity is the protagonist of these three books: his struggle, his quest. Fitz is a witness, a resource, and a tool. And these books are as much about what that means as they are about the main plot.
Each book follows Fitz during a period in his life: a colorful, whirlwind childhood; a depressive adolescence; and (to quote Le Guin) a journey into adulthood: "ever the path grows narrower till at last he chooses nothing but does only and wholly what he must."
Apprentice was better than I remembered. The plot moved fast, it was more sensory, and the climax surprised me. I had forgotten how out of left-field Hobb's endings were. I leapt into Royal Assassin ready for more. Unfortunately it was a chore. The first 60% should have been about a third as long as it was. The first few chapters full of call-backs also felt unnecessary. I wish, since this was sold as a collected edition, they had cut out the recaps in the first 100 pages.
Fitz and Regal are tedious characters in book 2, which helps make the ending so exciting.
And so, onto book 3, Quest, which is the best of the lot. There are some things I remembered
Spoiler
the gender identity of the Fool and the stone garden of dragons of course!Spoiler
Fitz's journey across the desert, Starling, how annoying Starling isHere's hoping Folio does editions of all of Hobb's books!
These books meander. They stay with each character likely too long for most people's enjoyment. They make you get to know the ponderous, loyal, foolish Fitz better than a close friend. The characters are emotionally intelligent and get caught up in their own narratives and ideas. Fitz is pushed and pulled by powers both political and magical too complex for him or us to fully comprehend. This aspect of his youth was very convincing and I appreciated it much more in my early thirties than I did as a teenager. I wonder if I will feel the same way in another 15 years.
This reread also showed me some weakness in the trilogy: most of it lying in the bloated wallowing of book 2. And it showed me an emotional nuance I didn't realise I was missing until I found it again. I don't think anyone writes people with the tenderness of Hobb.
4.5 stars rounded up.
John Howe's covers and illustrations will always be my favourite. This one is from the cover of Assassin's Quest.
Robin Hobb, I slept on you for way too long! This series was wonderful. I loved the magic system of the Wit in particular, I cried so many times for poor Fitz and his bonded animals, and the beautiful disappointment of so many plot points was painful but satisfying. Taking a break before the next section in the series, but Fitz and Nighteyes are in the back of my mind constantly.
Fitz is the bastard son of prince Chivalry Farseer, heir to the throne of the Six Duchies. Seized from his mother to be raised in castle Buckkeep, Fitz grows up trapped in the nexus of royalty and illegitimacy. Like many Farseers, Fitz has a gift for a magic known as the Skill, but also a secret magical link with animals, reviled and outlawed, known as the Wit. King Shrewd takes an interest in the boy, and begins to mould him into the role of his assassin.
Although I haven't read much fantasy in many years, and for good reason, the Farseer Trilogy is strangely compelling and hard to put down. Many elements of the books are exquisite; the characters are rich and extraordinary, the first person narrative vivid and detailed, and Fitz's life around the court of Buckkeep feels much more authentic than most books of this kind. Hobb's world-building doesn't seem the finest in these books, and in contrast to the characters, the broader setting seems a little lacking at times; but there's much to discover and enjoy in the wider series. The trilogy can feel incredibly slow, something of an endurance challenge, but if this is the case it absolutely rewards in the end. There is a great deal to enjoy in here, and at over two thousand pages, it is particularly suitable for someone who wants a story one can become thoroughly lost in for a good long while.
Although I haven't read much fantasy in many years, and for good reason, the Farseer Trilogy is strangely compelling and hard to put down. Many elements of the books are exquisite; the characters are rich and extraordinary, the first person narrative vivid and detailed, and Fitz's life around the court of Buckkeep feels much more authentic than most books of this kind. Hobb's world-building doesn't seem the finest in these books, and in contrast to the characters, the broader setting seems a little lacking at times; but there's much to discover and enjoy in the wider series. The trilogy can feel incredibly slow, something of an endurance challenge, but if this is the case it absolutely rewards in the end. There is a great deal to enjoy in here, and at over two thousand pages, it is particularly suitable for someone who wants a story one can become thoroughly lost in for a good long while.
Deceit, treachery, twisted plots. I could be reading about the Plantagenets. Onto book three [bc:Assassin's Quest|33396914|Assassin's Quest (Farseer Trilogy, #3)|Robin Hobb|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1481883253s/33396914.jpg|503752] [b:Assassin's Quest|33396914|Assassin's Quest (Farseer Trilogy, #3)|Robin Hobb|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1481883253s/33396914.jpg|503752].
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes