Fool's Assassin
2014 • 688 pages
Ratings85
Average rating4.5
15
Ratings85
Average rating4.5
Tom Badgerlock has been living peaceably in the manor house at Withywoods with his beloved wife Molly these many years, the estate a reward to his family for loyal service to the crown. But behind the facade of respectable middle-age lies a turbulent and violent past. For Tom Badgerlock is actually FitzChivalry Farseer, bastard scion of the Farseer line, convicted user of Beast-magic, and assassin. A man who has risked much for his king and lost more. On a shelf in his den sits a triptych carved in memory stone of a man, a wolf and a fool. Once, these three were inseparable friends: Fitz, Nighteyes and the Fool. But one is long dead, and one long-missing. Then one Winterfest night a messenger arrives to seek out Fitz, but mysteriously disappears, leaving nothing but a blood-trail. What was the message? Who was the sender? And what has happened to the messenger? Suddenly Fitz's violent old life erupts into the peace of his new world, and nothing and no one is safe.
Series
3 primary booksFitz and the Fool is a 4-book series with 4 primary works first released in 2014 with contributions by Robin Hobb and Arnaud Mousnier-Lompré.
Series
15 primary books20 released booksThe Realm of the Elderlings is a 19-book series with 15 primary works first released in 1995 with contributions by Garth Nix, Scott Lynch, and 18 others.
Series
3 primary booksNarri ja Näkijä is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2014 with contributions by Robin Hobb.
Reviews with the most likes.
Such great start for the last section of Fitz's story!
As always, Hobb's writing is spectacular. She took some elements of the Rain Wild Chronicles (2 narrators specificaly) and used them here with great success.
The idea behind the book is brilliant and I'm excited to see where she will take it in the next 2 books.
4.25 out of 5 stars – see this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.
In Fool's Assassin, we return to our beloved protagonist, FitzChivalry Farseer, who is living a peaceful life as Tom Badgerlock at Withywoods manor. Of course, said peace is quickly disrupted by events that threaten Fitz's closest family and friends.
I would happily read an entire book about Fitz puttering around his retirement home, fixing things, and training apprentices (he's certainly earned the break), but I'm equally delighted to see him called back into action. There is no permanent retirement for the “Witted Bastard”.
The narrative arc here is less defined than in previous Fitz books, as Robin Hobb once again delves into the dizzying array of complex characters and relationships that are so engrossing to read about. Even though these books are ostensibly about Fitz, no one book feels the same and with the addition of a wonderful new character POV, fresh life has been breathed into Fitz's tale once more. The book ends with the first real cliffhanger I can remember in all of Hobb's books — as if I need any other reason to read more of this series...
Robin Hobb is one of my favorite fantasy writers, and I was incredibly happy when I first heard the news that she was writing more about the two characters in this trilogy title. While this was a slower book that spent a lot of time setting up the rest of the trilogy, I loved every moment of it even before Exciting Things happened at the end. I am in awe of Robin Hobb???s ability to make me care about her characters so much that I want to read everything about them whether they're involved in interesting events or just going about their everyday lives at home.
Full Review: http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2015/08/mini-review-of-fools-assassin-by-robin-hobb/
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