Product Description

The acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of Dragon Keeper returns with a second enthralling tale of dragons and humans, adventure and discovery, love and freedom

Customer Reviews (57)

Robin Hobb is capable of so much more than this
I really enjoy Sci-fi/Fantasy novels.Allow me to over simplify a large portion of this genre of writing as "adventure books with DRAGONS!...(and maybe a little romance)."This series, from Robin Hobb, is "romance books, devoid of adventure...oh and some dragons."If you read book 1, you know EVERYTHING.I made a comment halfway through the first book that I knew what would happen.And that required no skill on my part.I have never read a more obvious story in my life.As I continued to read (a decision I question) the story unfolded without suspence, excitement or intrigue.I have absolutely loved books written by Robin Hobb.This series was not written for me.This series is not written for people who want to read about adventure.That is not to suggest that there is no target audience for this book, I am sure there is.I am just not a part of it.For fans of this series, apparently there is a third installment on its way.Two was more than enough for me.

(4.5 stars) Excellent book but the chronicle overall feels incomplete
"Dragon Haven" picks up right were it's more than slightly slower starting first half ended. The fifteen misshapen, underfed and sun-light deprived dragon's continue to make their up the massive and uncharted rain wild river aided by their keepers, the first Liveship Tarman (who as a barge has no figure head but moves far too well for a boat with such a small crew), it's Captain and crew and three hunters-all hired by the city council of Cassarick with the two fold goal of getting the dragons away from one of the very small areas of solid land in the rain wilds so it could be used for more profitable means and as a way to track the path the dragon's took to a city they ancestrally remembered-the unburied but long lost Elderling city of Kelsingra-which may on its own be rich for humans to plunder.

All in not as it seems on this expedition though. The dragon keepers-all but one (Tats) so deformed by the rain wilds they normally would have been killed at birth are discarding the rules of society the grew up obeying-including the most important-that they must not procreate least their children die before birth, in infancy or never be able to provide for themselves, depriving others of the very scarce nature food resources. This causes strife among the keepers-especially between our main character Thymara and the self appointed leader of the keepers Greft-who continues to preach about a new life for all at the end of the journey where only their own rules will apply

The Tarman's captain is waiting for contact from a shady dealer who knows about an illegal operation Leftrin himself under took-leaving the captain in a bad place as he has nothing but contempt for the unknown person on the expedition who needs to collect dragon body parts to sell to the very elderly and very wealthy Duke of Chalced, who believes they will save his life. And Leftrin is desperate that nothing compromise the opinion lady Alise, the Bingtown self educated dragon and Elderling expert who he is fast falling in love with.

Alise herself is infatuate with Leftrin-who is so very different from her cruelly inattentive husband. But at the same time she is finally beginning to make some connections between her horrid marriage and her companion on this journey her cousin Sedric...

...who is falling and spinning and whirling and changing as much as a man can from all the dragon blood he was compelled to drink when he went to steal the samples he would need to keep himself as a wealthy man for the rest of his life in the only way he could live and be free.

And all along our journeys push forward along the uncharted, always changing river. Not a patch of dry land in sight-only huge trees to climb. The Dragons are becoming more aware of their ancestral memories, their bodies growing healthier, and their minds more supple. But they are still very dependent on the humans to save their lives-and sometimes the humans are dependent to save theirs. Because as we all know-the Rain Wild River can be so very dangerous-especially when the earth moves...

This book moves at a break neck speed. The characterization sometimes feels a little bit rushed because it bounces around from so many people but the action just cannot be beat and the scenery descriptions are wonderful. I couldn't help wishing some of the dragons were a little bit nicer but that's not really something I can complain about. And the Pigeon keeper notes finally develops into a little bit of a plot, which was nice.

I really enjoyed this novel and speed right through it. And I am sincerely, right now, down on my knees begging Robin Hobb to continue with this story in some way. I so badly want to know the future of these keepers and dragons. Because while these two books together make an amazing story, they don't really feel complete in some way. Or at least not in the way the Liveship Traders' Trilogy did.

As a side note-this book contains a great deal about the origins of Elderlings. And if you pay close attention, the origins of another species with was not mentioned in the Rain Wild Chronicles but made several appearances in the Liveship Traders Trilogies. I'll give you a hint-they don't like cats.

Four point five stars.

Cost kills
$14.99 for the kindle version is an insult.I refuse to buy at any price over paperback.Stop trying to rip us off!

Another great Robin Hobb book
I've read a large number of Robin Hobb books and really enjoy the writing style, pace, and character development of the books.This second volume of the Rain Wilds Chronicles did not disappoint and I can't wait for the next volume to come out!

Good from start to finish
While it took me awhile to get into Dragon Keeper (the first installment of this series) I was immediately immersed in this book. Two nights of staying up extra late reading and I was finished. The characters seem to grow so much more in this book than in the first. And in their growth you start to see the people you wanted them to be. The dragons get very little face time in this book because it focuses much more on the keepers and the people on the Tarman. I look forward to reading more from this series. I would definitely recommend reading these books if you enjoy adventure, exploration, and characters who grow with the story. ... Read more

Product Description

Enter the spellbinding world of dragons . . . and those who tend them

Customer Reviews (104)

Compelling charactersand richly detailed worlds
With Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven, award-winning fantasist Robin Hobb returns to the richly drawn world of her bestselling Liveship Traders series.Now she takes the reader deep into the dangerous and mysterious Rain Wilds on a quest for the mythical city Kelsingra, the ancient home of dragons and their Elderling keepers.More importantly, she draws us deep into the lives of the outcasts that take this journey for reasons both secret and public, benevolent and vile.

Alise Kilcannon Finbok, bound by contract into a loveless, soul-crushing marriage of convenience, takes an opportunity to leave the niceties of Bingtown life to study newly-hatched dragons far into the acidic jungles of the Rain Wilds.Thymara, shunned by Rain Wilds society due to her bizarre physical aberrations wrought by the strange environment, seizes a chance to prove herself on the expedition to find a new home for the deformed, yet still expensively destructive, creatures.Sintara, a newly hatched dragon queen, is hobbled by physical deformities that belie the proud memories of her majestic birthright.

Change is the driving theme of this series.Alise struggles against the dictates of her marriage and the shackles of her weak sense of self to blossom into an assertive young woman who knows what it is that she wants from life.Thymara comes of age in hard circumstances; her stubbornness is tempered into a firm resolve that will serve her well as a band of similarly disfigured outcasts form their own community. Sintara, as well as the other malformed dragons of her tangle, begins to grow and develop into a true dragon, wrestling against the need to be "kept" by humans and her desire to change them...though knowing that as dragons change their human companions, they too, are changed.The hardships of the journey, shifting alliances, unearthed betrayals, and kept secrets will ensure that everyone who undertakes the journey, human and dragon alike, will find themselves changed irrevocably: there can be no return to what they knew before.

Dragon Keeper, volume one of the presumed trilogy, sets the stage for the conflicts that are mostly resolved in volume two, Dragon Haven.In fact, Dragon Keeper is very much a first act; were it not for the high quality of the writing, it would not stand alone without the resolutions presented in the next volume.Dragon Haven ties up many of the loose ends, and like a good second act, introduces new conflicts that lurk in the shadows of the next volume.Hobb's strength has always been her ability to create compelling characters to inhabit her richly detailed worlds.The Rain Wilds Chronicles is no exception.

This book rocks!!!!!
This book was very entertaining!I couldnt wait to read at nite. I was glad I had the second book to start after I finished the first one. Robin Hobbis an excellent writer.The characters are so real and so human and the Dragons are so unpredictable . The story keeps you quessing.Theres no way to know which way the story is going to go therefore it was unpredictable(which I like)I would recomend this book to anyone. It has it all!!! Janny

Best writer in Fantasy
Robin Hobb's books leave me breathless when taken as a whole.Dragon Keeper and all the Rain Wild Chronicles books are the culmination of an incredible original story which began with the first live ship book.Another reviewer noted how differently Hobbs presents dragons.Very true, and that fact alone is an indication of Hobbs' originality in plotting, world building, characterizations, etc.

No imitation Tolkien, no medieval borrowings, no Harry Potter.In fact when you finally get around to reading about Bingtown, you'll feel quite at home.Yet a home with VERY original touches.

She's built a world for her stories and her very unique dragons which is unlike any other world you'll find in fantasy.That one thing alone makes it worth while to buy this book. It's simply wonderful, written by an excellent writer.Dragons have almost completely disappeared from the world except for the one, Tintaglia.There's a chance to renew the species which once dominated the world, but something goes terribly wrong.A small handful of humans have dedicated themselves to nurturing the mishapen and sometimes unhealthy newborns to health and maturity while they guide them up the Rain Wild River to a new home.These people are the outcasts of a Rain Wild city and culture which would rather not see or deal with those born at birth with scales and growths on their skin; effects of being born on the River?People who should have been killed at birth, as right and proper.The small tales of the individual relationships between a dragon and his/her personal keeper are themselves fascinating and often touching. For the most part the dragons are so proud and arrogant, they look down on their personal humans distainfully.But, despite deformities, the dragons are so beautiful and godlike, their keepers overlook this and love "my dragon." Mental linking make the bonds tight; if uncomfortable.Meanwhile, people are also having to work out their own human relationships and attempts at building a cohesive unit.The Rain Wild River and forest where all this takes place is also beautiful yet incredibly dangerous and uninviting as a place for humans.The very water of the River is so acidic even at quiet times it'll eat through your clothes and burn your skin.But, then, so will dragon saliva; let's not even mention dragon venom!I don't want to be a plot spoiler, so am unsure if I should add more details.

This book taken by itself, good as it is, is a "small" book in that the story is written on a small stage.No world shaking events it seems.Some times a quiet, though always fascinating story.

I happily read it and went on to continue the entire series.Then went on to read all her books, realizing while reading of the live ships in the first series that all of her books make up one big links-on-a-chain "Big" story.

Originality, excellent plotting, world building, characterization, beauty.I cannot praise Hobbs high enough.

Product isn't worth the price
Below average story from Hobbs, some interesting character development but that's it.Charging that much money for an electronic version of this book is unacceptable.Re-think your pricing strategy.This goes for book 2 as well!

A slow starter that burns steady-and make sure to have the sequel ready for the second you're done!
"Dragon Keeper" was an impossible find for me to pass up on even though I had given up on the Liveship Traders trilogy about a third of a way through "Mad Ship" (for reasons of hating characters-it had nothing to do with Robin Hobb's writing which is fantastic and amazing) because I knew just enough to know that I wanted to read this story-and that I'd have to finish the Liveship Trilogy to do it. So I went back, re-evaluated my position of a great deal of the trilogy and headed forth into the unknown.

"Dragon Keeper" is the first in an a duology dealing with the serpents who survived the perilous journey up the rain wild river to their spawning grounds at the long ago destroyed Elderling city ofCassarick, managed to cocoon themselves for the coming winter and emerged as newly formed dragons.

Only unlike Tintaglia, the great blue dragon who emerged at the end of "Mad Ship", each of these very dragons has something wrong with it. Some have a limb that is too short or too long, some misshapen wings, and some poor intellects. And none of the dragons can fly-making them a huge burden on the nearby community who must feed them constantly.

And the Dragons themselves are sick of wallowing in the mud and eating near rotten meat. So they hatch a plan- and soon rumors reach the humans ears of an older Elderling city far away-one that was likely not buried in whatever cataclysm changed the surface of the world so long away-and so is still ripe for plundering for the magical goods the rest of the world will pay nearly any price for. The Dragon's ancestral memory may take them there-but first these creatures have some demands.

The Dragon's require keeper's to accompany them on their journey-to clean them and help feed them. For the Rain Wilds this is a perfect opportunity to get ride of some of the more harshly marked citizens who for reason where not exposed at birth when their claws or overly scaled bodies first appeared. People whose deformities are so severe that they are forbidden to procreate because of the likelihood of the offspring dying and taking up valuable resources in the meantime. One of these people is Thymara. Born with claws like a lizard she was saved from an early death by her father-and sees this expedition as a chance to make a life for a her self within the strict rules of her society-especially since her best friend Tats-a former slave boy, signed one.

But all is not as it seems. The boat hired to take the dragons, keepers and hunters up river is the oldest liveship around- a river barge named Tarman who has no figurehead but at the same time operates far to well to be as ordinary as it seems. Its owner is on the look out for a man seeking dragon parts (as the Duke of Chalced is dieing and request dragon parts at any price to save his life) and two well to do Bingtowners-A self educated dragon and Elderling expert and her escort and cousin end up along for the ride.

With no map, no real guide other than murky memory's, no leadership among the young keepers and multiple potential side agendas-some of which could be harmful to the Dragons-all who signed on are in for a trip of a lifetime. For the dragons may be large, amazing creatures, but even they are headed far into uncharted territory.

This book starts off pretty slow-the first hundred or so pages span about five years-but once things start to pick up they really start to pick up. And having read the Liveship books it is so amazing to read a novel that dedicates so much of its world building to the Rain Wilds society and scenery. It's equally fascinating to realize that the dragons in this book where characters in the Liveship book's-they were just serpents then-so it becomes a kind of guessing game to figure out who was who as they all take on new names and appearances.

The only kind of annoying thing in this book is the constant communication between the keeper of the carrier pigeons in Bingtown and the keeper in the Rain Wilds. Normally there's some sort of message that has to do with the story and then a little personal or professional note attached to that. But a lot of it feels just unnecessary.

All in all, once you get into this book it's an exciting read. And make sure you have "Dragon Haven" handy when you finish-you won't want to delay starting the second part to this story.

Four stars.
... Read more

Product Description
Robin Hobb has emerged as one of today’s foremost fantasy authors. Now she continues the adventures of one of her most popular heroes in the first book of what promises to be her most spectacular trilogy yet.

Fool’s Errand

For fifteen years FitzChivalry Farseer has lived in self-imposed exile, assumed to be dead by almost all who once cared about him. But that is about to change when destiny seeks him once again. Prince Dutiful, the young heir to the Farseer throne, has vanished and FitzChivalry, possessed of magical skills both royal and profane, is the only one who can retrieve him in time for his betrothal ceremony--thus sparing the Six Duchies profound political embarrassment...or worse. But even Fitz does not suspect the web of treachery that awaits him or how his loyalties to his Queen, his partner, and those who share his magic will be tested to the breaking point.Amazon.com Review
This first volume of a new trilogy from one of fantasy's most popular and skilled authors will delight longtime Hobb fans as well as first-time readers of her work.

FitzChivalry, the hero of The Farseer trilogy, now lives an isolated and quiet life with his foster son Hap and his Wit partner wolf, Nighteyes, until he is sought out by his old mentor Chade and the enigmatic, charming Fool. Once again, duty calls: Fitz must find a missing prince and prevent political chaos in the Six Duchies. The mission will test his conflicting loyalty to country and family, his uneasy compromise with his own magic, and all the relationships he values most.

If you're a fantasy fan who hasn't yet explored the Farseer world, this is a fine place to start: Hobb deftly provides new readers with all the needed information. The finely detailed world building and intensive character development rarely slow down the action of the story. Fool's Errand is a complex, beautifully written and sometimes heart-rending examination of the consequences of duty and love. --Roz Genessee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (140)

Excellent Writing...
From the first time I read a Robin Hobb story, I was hooked on her style of writing. Definitely start with the Farseer Trilogy series, and the Liveship Traders before reading the Tawny Man series. There are so many pieces that fit together as you read through this series.

From the first page of this new series, I found myself jumping through my memories about all the characters from the Farseer Trilogy. It was great to see how they all fit back together, and how Robin crafted details from the first series into this one. She is an excellent storyteller, and made this trilogy as much a pleasure to read as the first.

Another awesome Hobb book
Keep em coming, such a good book coming off of the Assassins Apprentice series. LOVE IT

A Great Book!

Even though I have not yet read this book the deliver and condition of the book were excellent. I was very happy to see that the coniditon of my book was in great conidition and the delivery was quite fast.

TAWNY MAN BOOK # 1Great Book
I read and reviewed the three books in the Farseer Trilogy.They were wonderful.I was surprised picking up FOOL'S ERRAND, The Tawny Man Book 1 that FitzChivalry was back, sure 15 years later but the adventures in the Six Duchies continue, with the characters from the other books.Robin Hobb does a great job filling in the reader about the past and I think this series could be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading the other trilogy first.They are both great stories.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

wonderful writer, enjoyable read
I'm no literary critic but I know what I like and I like Robin Hobb's writing style enough that I've read six books. Plots aren't necessarily a strong point but character development is wonderful. A writer that begs to be read. ... Read more

Product Description
Bingtown is a hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships--rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness. The fortunes of one of Bingtown's oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia.

For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy unjustly denied her--a legacy she will risk anything to reclaim. For Althea's young nephew Wintrow, wrenched from his religious studies and forced to serve aboard ship, Vivacia is a life sentence.

But the fate of the Vestrit family--and the ship--may ultimately lie in the hands of an outsider. The ruthless pirate Kennit seeks a way to seize power over all the denizens of the Pirate Isles...and the first step of his plan requires him to capture his own liveship and bend it to his will....Amazon.com Review
Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world for a new series. Ship of Magic is a sea tale, reminiscent of Moby Dick and Patrick O'Brian'sAubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also afantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, andall sorts of magic. Theliveships have distinct personalities and partner with specificpeople, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey'sBrain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full crews.

Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.Mostof the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader familywhich owns the liveship Vivacia.Their stories are intercut withthose of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion ofanother family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and Paragon, anold liveshipabandoned and believed mad. The sentient sea serpents havetheir own story hinted at, as well.

Though Ship of Magic is full of action, none of the plotlines getresolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questionsand few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting,or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't betoo prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you caredesperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrificstoryteller. --Nona Vero ... Read more

Customer Reviews (212)

Don't let the cheep cover fool you..."judging a book".
Bought this book because I was given "Mad Ship"...the second in the series and loved it.
The books are a mix of intelligent High Fantasy and deep philosophy...rich complex characters...and intriguing multiple plots.
The cover of the book is terrible...as it makes one think of a cheep tawdry romance.
As soon as I finish this trilogy I will have to read more from the same author.
I'm Hooked.

Great series
This entire series is a great one with a novel (and I believe unique) concept about the "Live Ships".

Great read... always kept me turning the page.I didn't "like" the turn of events in the last book, but it was... real. ;)

Read it if you like novel sci-fi/fantasy.

Dissapointing
I can see why people would love this book, but it wasn't for me. Having read and fallen in love with the Farseer Trilogy, and then the Tawny Man Trilogy, I was thrilled to hear of another series set in the same world, and ordered book one of the Liveship Traders immediately.

I got to about page 60, before I really decided to give up. Knowing that there was a whole other two books as well as this one, and not at all enjoying much of it so far, I decided not to waste my time.

The problem with this book is that it reads, mostly, like a collection of character profiles and backstories. Huge, huge info-dumps. It's called character development, I suppose, but it's not at all how I like to see characters established.

The writing was good, excellent, as is Hobb's standard. But I was bored, immensely so. And there just didn't seem to be an actual plot that was important enough to hold my interest. Everything felt like a kinda side-story, but I'm not sure where the meat and action was supposed to be.

I was very much dissapointed having expected great things from this series after reading Farseer. But Liveship is completely different and not nearly as good.

Fabulous High Fantasy!
Awesome HIGH FANTASY!

If you like your characters highly developed, ones that will step off the pages and into your heart... if you like action on the high seas with ships that have come alive(!)... if horrifically drawn sea serpents who follow them, waiting for "food" to go overboard sends a chill up your spine... if you like your politics and relationships between adversaries quite nasty... then this is the book for you!Cheers!

Don't skip this series to read about FitzChivarly....
After reading the Assasians Apprentice series (and loving every sentence), I was going to skip the Liveship Traders series and go right into another three books about Fitz...
I am not a big ship fan or a big pirate fan...but on the strength of Hobb's writng I figured I would give it a try.
It's amazing.
Kennit, Althea, Brashen, WIntrow, Etta, Keffria, Ronica, Davad, Malta, Vivicia, Paragon... every character is just as interesting and unpredictable as people in real life.
And the concept of wizardwood is a new and quite original idea.
These books are works of art.The words make the sentences which make the paragraphs, but the ideas they create are painted on the page and the picture they reveal is pure magic.

... Read more

Product Description
From an extraordinary new voice in fantasy comes the stunning conclusion to the Farseer trilogy, as FitzChivalry confronts his destiny as the catalyst who holds the fate of the kingdom of the Six Duchies...and the world itself.

King Shrewd is dead at the hands of his son Regal. As is Fitz--or so his enemies and friends believe. But with the help of his allies and his beast magic, he emerges from the grave, deeply scarred in body and soul. The kingdom also teeters toward ruin: Regal has plundered and abandoned the capital, while the rightful heir, Prince Verity, is lost to his mad quest--perhaps to death. Only Verity's return--or the heir his princess carries--can save the Six Duchies.

But Fitz will not wait. Driven by loss and bitter memories, he undertakes a quest: to kill Regal. The journey casts him into deep waters, as he discovers wild currents of magic within him--currents that will either drown him or make him something more than he was....

... Read more

Customer Reviews (286)

Too good to read
The characters are too real for me. I can't read anymore. Too much tradgedy. The story continues with the Tawny Man series, but I won't pick it up. I have never read a novel whose protaganinst has troubled me so deeply. An awesome read if you can handle the pain of FitzChivaley's life. I cannot.

great story leading to an ok ending
This has honestly been one of the best series i have ever read. I dont have enough time on my hands to go into great detail, so i will say this. Fantastic storyline leading up to a way too short ending. There are way more things i would have like seen happen in the end. spoiler alert...... i was a bit pissed it didnt really go into detail with wht happened down in buck and especially that molly and fitz didnt finally end up together.

The final installment is a bit weaker than the first two, but it's good nonetheless
"Assassin's Quest" is the final book in the Farseer Trilogy, and while I greatly admired the first two, I seem to like this one a bit less. Some of the scenes tend to drag (few of which look like filler), and the ending is fairly unsatisfactory (it goes on way too quick, and it doesn't really wrap up in a smooth manner). Still, it's a worthwhile conclusion to the trilogy: it still has action, adventure, drama, adult situations, and a little bit of dark humor. This, along with the entire trilogy, is a whole lot better than other standard fantasy novels. It avoids many cliches, and it manages to make us care about the plot, characters, and even the environments. I enjoyed reading all three novels: the trilogy is an underrated marvel.

Grade: 7.5/10

A Review for the Trilogy
"All too often I find I have wandered far from a history of the duchies into a history of FitzChivalry. Those recollections leave me face-to-face with who I once was, and who I have become."

Robin Hobb is, in many ways, a one trick pony. Wait, wait! Don't leave yet. I don't mean that in a particularly negative way. There's nothing wrong with the majority of her style; it's just utterly overshadowed by one aspect. She has less in common with a dog standing on its high legs and more in common with a dog learning to drive a racecar.

As anyone who's ever read Hobb can likely attest, her strength is not plot. Farseer's plot is, ultimately, fairly generic. There is an abandoned bastard son, brought to the castle to serve as an assassin. There are three brothers, two honorable and brave, one spiteful and cowardly. There are barbarian raiders from another land, and there are magics both old and very old. Have I intrigued you yet? No, I thought not.

Her strength is not setting. We're in the Six Duchies, a confederation of six former states, all ruled under one king. The coastal Duchies fish; the inner Duchies farm. There is conflict between the two; the coastal Duchies are reluctant to pay taxes to defend a coastline they do not share. It's thought out better than most of its ilk, I'll admit, but it's still not exactly the kind of thing that you view with your jaw on the floor.

Robin Hobb's strength is character. It's not an intellectual strength; I'm not talking about revolutionary backstories, or motivations, or anything like that. Her strength is visceral. These people feel real in every way possible. We see Verity trying to fill his older brother's shoes, trying to guard the kingdom. He does everything he can, and he is wasting away, and it is not enough. We see him, and we know that he cannot succeed, and he knows he cannot succeed, and yet he cannot - will not - stop.

Fitz is the main character, the aforementioned bastard son of Price Chivalry. He has a depth that can only be had when the reader experiences his growth alongside the author, alongside the character. When we first meet Fitz, he is a blank slate:

"My memories reach back to when I was six year old. Before that, there is nothing, only a blank gulf no exercise of my mind has ever been able to pierce. Prior to that day at Moonseye, there is nothing. But on that day they suddenly begin, with a brightness and detail that overwhelms me..."

It's said that our experiences shape us, and so it is here. We experience everything that Fitz does, and so is it that surprising that we are shaped in the same way the he is? In book one, we see Fitz develop loyalties in friendships. In book three, these loyalties are tested. The reader cannot look on with detachment, cannot wonder if he will stand fast or not. There is no intellectual contemplation, no thoughts that he should simply bite the bullet and move on. By that point, it is not Fitz that is being tested, at least not wholly. The reader is invested along with him. Every bond that Fitz forges is shown with meticulous detail, and the reader himself becomes friends with Prince Verity, Molly, and Burrich. These friends may not speak to us directly as we read, but there interactions with Fitz are, on every level that matters, interactions with us.

We become so deeply immersed with Fitz that his reasoning becomes our own. I would wager that everyone has had the unsettling experience of having someone tell us our own motivations and realizing that what we thought we were acting for was just blissful, comforting delusion. It is the same experience when Fitz's motivations are called into question. Acts that felt so pure at the time are suddenly given new light, and we feel almost sullied as we contemplate them afresh.

A large portion of your enjoyment of Farseer depends on how much you like to meander. Hobb is anything but direct. I've heard it said that her writing is eighty percent filler, and it's hard to really dispute that claim. All the same, I think that it's the so called filler that makes Hobb worth reading in the first place. The reader lives through Fitz's life, and I do not mean just the important moments. No, the books - and Hobb - shine through the monotony of day to day existence. If you are willing to simply cut yourself loose, to lose yourself in Fitz's existence, you'll find yourself living a life no less complete and complex as your own.

I suppose that that is, quite literally, escapism. All the same, I've never understood the term completely. It's defined as: "Habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine." I suppose I can't argue with that, but the term seems to far more often carry a negative connotation. I've often heard it said that it's taking refuge from the real world. Ignoring the tone of the novel in question, something has never struck me as accurate about this definition. Just because what we're doing does not directly tie into our own lives, why is it inherently meaningless? I'm not defining meaning as a simple recharging of the batteries here, either, though it can do that too. But books can do so much more. Who says that, just because the terms in question are not those of the real world, we are not learning, are not experiencing?

Besides which, if I was going to escape to somewhere else - a Hawaiian vacation for the soul, say - I'd make it somewhere les depressing. The titles and covers all seem quite carefree, but the actual text is anything but. This is, despite all appearances to the contrary, anything but standard fantasy. We are in Fitz's head for his triumphs, yes, but also for his tragedies, and we feel both with equal force. Just because Fitz tries something, and just because Fitz is one of the "good guys," does not mean that he will succeed. Be prepared for disappointment of the most bitter flavors while reading.

"'I always believed, perhaps childishly, that if you followed the rulers, you would be protected, that things like that would not happen to you. Afterward, I felt...tricked. Foolish. Gullible, that I had thought ideals could protect me. Honor and courtesy and justice...they are not real, Fitz. We all pretend to them, and hold them up like shields. Against those who have discarded them, they are no shields at all, but only additional weapons to use against their victims.'"

Of the individual books, the first is at once the one with the fewest flaws and the weakest. The second, by contrast, has glaring problems, and yet it's undoubtedly my favorite. The first book lays down the connections, and it is half the size of the others. It's not focused, no, but it never meanders too much, and we always have our ending goal in sight.

The second, on the other hand, is almost nothing but meander. It's an attempt to preserve the status quo as seen in book one, but for half the text exactly how we're doing so is quite hard to see. That being said, Hobb's writing gets better as it goes on, and every interaction between Fitz and another character only makes the overall story that much deeper.

The third novel is an odd mixture of the two. It should, by all rights, be the most driven. A goal is immediately established, and Fitz sets out to accomplish it. Perhaps because of this, it's the first time where the repetitive nature of the story began to become somewhat irksome. When there's no set destination, I'm fine with exploring every little town that I pass on a long drive. When I'm late for something, however, I'm far more tempted to ram the pedal to the ground and get somewhere. This is not an urge that Hobb shares, and the cycle of Capture-Escape goes on to the point of insanity. At which point we're finally given a break, and the book takes a hard right turn. Everything changes, and it's at once totally brilliant and anything but. The ending is powerful, yes, but also rushed. As it is, it's a decent closing to a brilliant series, but it's impossible to shake the feeling that it could've been an amazing ending.

If you're looking for something exciting, or something uplifting, Farseer is not for you. This isn't about a gripping plot or fascinating locales. This is about people living their lives, and, though it's fantasy through and through, Fitz and Hobb's other creations feel as real to me as anyone I know. If character driven is what you're after, I'm not sure it's possible to do better than this.

Farseer Trilogy Worth the Read
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb includes three books: Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin's quest.When I first started reading this series I was skeptical.I made the classic mistake of judging a book by its cover, which, in mass market paperback, is tacky at best. Once I started reading the series I realized how wrong I was as I was quickly drawn into the plot.This series is a must-read for any fantasy lover.

Robin Hobb's literary strong point is her ability to bring the story's characters to life.Fitz, the main character, is the illegitimate son of a dead prince.The story follows him from his childhood when he was taken from his village home to the political life of those with royal blood.It is not easy to live in a castle as a "bastard" son. Even as a child, he is considered a possible heir-competitor to the throne.His two uncles Prince Regal and Verity are both direct heirs to the throne. As his relationship with his uncles becomes more complicated, Fitz also becomes sworn to the king and starts training as the King's assassin, hence the names of the books.

Also vital to the plot is the use of the Skill and Wit.These are the two main types of "magic" employed in the book.Although we don't understand all aspects of this magic, it is because we are seeing everything through Fitz's point of view, and he does not understand everything.Hobb does a good job of incorporating the Wit and Skill into the story without making it a distraction.

As the three books progress Fitz matures from a stubborn child to a still stubborn but more knowledgeable teenager.Over the three books, he never seems to catch a break.Things go from bad to worse and then even worse.By the end of the third book, he is left in a position of being emotionally and physically beaten.In my opinion, the lack of complete resolution left the author open to the second trilogy about Fitz.

The most amazing part of these books is how easy it is to slip into the roles of the characters.The reader sees everything from Fitz's point of view and it is easy to fall into his character.By the end of the books, I felt like I knew Fitz as a person.I felt his pain and wished that his life could have been better.I would recommend these book as a definite read to anyone who loves fantasy.
... Read more

Product Description

Loyal, privileged, and brave—a soldier in the service of the King of Gernia—Nevare Burvelle survived a devastating plague of enemy sorcery, but at a terrible cost to his soul, body, and heart. Now he stands wrongly accused of unspeakable crimes, including murder, the most heinous of them all. Suddenly an outcast and a fugitive, he remains a hostage to the Speck magic that shackles him to a savage alter ego who would destroy everything Nevare holds dear. Perhaps, however, this curse that has long abused him can be used by him instead—a mighty weapon he can learn to wield for his own purposes. But down what perilous road will this desperate new quest lead him? And what will be the ultimate incarnation of Nevare Burvelle?

Customer Reviews (79)

Hobb takes the easy way out, not the triumphant conclusion I was hoping for
Of all the series I've read by Hobb, this was has the weakest ending.I won't go into detail, but suffice it to say that Hobb takes the easy way out with RENEGADE'S MAGIC.She had done such a great job of building Nevare's personality and setting the stage for a dramatic finale, where Nevare would finally come out of his shell and triumph!But in the end, there is very little triumph, and especially no glory for Nevare.Actually, the ending really doesn't do much to solve the problem anyway, maybe just delay the inevitable for a couple of generations.Personally, I had so much anticipation of Nevare uniting his soul and figuring out how to save the Speck ancestor trees without destroying his own people, I was completely surprised (and disappointed) when things turned out the way they did.

Where Shaman's Crossing and Forest Mage succeeded in getting the reader emotionally connected, this book simply lost its effectiveness in that regard.No matter if you liked or hated Nevare in those first books, we all felt sorry for him and were frustrated by his continual abuse.Here however, with Nevare the Narrator taking a back seat to Soldier's Boy, simply telling the story from an observer's perspective, the emotional connection was lost.Eventually, the reader is just wishing for the story to be finished, and for the tormenting of a helpless bystander trapped in an awful body to end.Then, when the end finally comes, and it won't be the way you expect it, it just seems like the easy way out.

It may be because of my unfair expectations for Hobb (I've rated every other book of hers a perfect 5-stars), but this one just didn't live up to what I thought it could have.Really a disappointing ending to what had potential to be one of my favorite series.Still recommended for fans of complex epic fantasy.

Compelling
As always with Hobb, too many marvelous possibilities spoiled for a much simpler (but captivating) plot. Same feeling happent with the Farseer and Tawny man books.
Even so, always a pleasure to read.

Confused, bored and finally lost
I had given the first and second installments of this series four stars. I had wondered why there were so many negative reviews. I found the first two books nicely paced and nicely told. Then comes the third and final installment of the Solder Son Trilogy, Renegade's Magic.I simply can't defend this book at all. It lost me almost from the beginning.I was shocked chapter after chapter when this book just didn't take hold.The split personality thing was so annoying and I was astounded that it lasted so long.It just didn't work for me. The world building for this book just couldn't hold up the more things were revealed, especially the Speck Culture and mysterious trading partners.
I have to say that Robin Hobb is a very workmanlike author. She delivers thick series that are properly told.For me, with this last book, it just really sours the whole seris. It was really boring. I was skimming through pages time after time.Honestly I probably only reaed 3/4ths of this book so perhaps I'm unqualified to rewiew, but it wasn't that I didn't read the end. I just skimmed by things that were completely uninteresting and predictable to me.
I think that if I were to give reviews now on all three books I would probably have changed my first two reviews to three stars instead of four.This series had potential and drive. It just had no wings, and no roots to take off or take hold.

Great Ending
Once again, this author does a wonderful job of putting it all together at the end.No loose ends.Brilliant.

Die, Nevare, die!
Seriously, something's wrong when you're rooting for the protagonist to drop gloriously dead throughout the series.Why oh why couldn't the whole thing have been about Epiny?I would've enjoyed that...

Renegade's Magic, book III in the Soldier Son Trilogy, unfortunately doesn't solve many of the problems of the first two installments (i.e. slow pacing and a useless main character).It doesn't, however, introduce any new issues either.Hobb is still an excellent writer.Her prose never fails to transport me into whatever world she's writing about, her dialogue is fantastic, and her characterization, always a strong suit for her, is just as immaculate as anyone experienced with her work would expect.

All of these things the book has going for it.But oh, Nevare, Nevare...

Hobb generally manages to include at least one good male character, from Captain Kennit in Liveship Traders to Fitz in the Assassin books.Okay, as time has gone on, her female characters generally tend to outshine them, but they've still remained at least readable...up until now.Nevare Burvelle is a bland, whiny, uncharismatic moron.He sighs, sobs, and whimpers his way through three novels, maddeningly unwilling to act on or even recognize what the reader sees to be obvious.He's everything that Fitz was threatening to become in Tawny Man, and while, this being Hobb, it's not actively bad...it's inescapably just boring.

Irritatingly, the reason for Nevare's faults is generally the same as the reason for Fitz's in Tawny Man...and, actually, it's even hinted at being the reason for a few of Kennit's in Liveship Traders.So...may I just take this opportunity to say...ENOUGH with the split souls already, Ms. Hobb.It was an interesting experiment the first time around, and I was actually very impressed by how you managed to eliminate certain characteristics from your protagonist.But I found it very hard to keep reading about a protagonist I not only didn't admire but actively disliked. There's only so far the godliness of the debut trilogy can keep us reading before we all just get fed up.If we MUST continue to see the soul-cut-in-half trope recur, can the hero of the next one at least end up getting the extroverted and action-oriented tendencies for once?

I think that's really it: it's rare that my opinion of a book is as simple as this, but it really is a simple divide this time.

I love the world, I love the supporting characters, I love the idea, and I adore Hobb's prose.

But I simply cannot find it in myself to like the protagonist.Call me shallow, but when I read a trilogy of books, I generally want at the very least a character I can endure, at best a character I admire in some way.Nevare is impossible to admire in almost any respect, intentionally constructed that way.And while I can admire the craft and artistry put into creating such a protagonist, while I can appreciate what Hobb has done with the elements of characterization, I still can't figure out WHY she had to do this not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES.Arguably, Kennit doesn't deserve the same severity as the rest of them, so let's exclude him.Still...she's DONE THIS BEFORE.WHY do it again?I can't figure that out.Creating an unlikable lead is an interesting idea, but it's basically an ego project, done simply to show off her skill and cleverness more than to give the reader a good time.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I just think that's a little backwards. ... Read more

Product Description
Young Fitz, the illegitimate son of the noble Prince Chivalry, is ignored by all royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has had him tutored him in the dark arts of the assassin. He has barely survived his first, soul-shattering mission, and returns to the court where he is thrown headfirst into the tumult of royal life. With the King near death, and Fitz's only ally off on a seemingly hopeless quest, the throne itself is threatened. Meanwhile, the treacherous Red Ship Raiders have renewed their attacks on the Six Duchies, slaughtering the inhabitants of entire seaside towns. In this time of great peril, it soon becomes clear that the fate of the kingdom may rest in Fitz's hands--and his role in its salvation may require the ultimate sacrifice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (162)

***** 10 stars
Is everyone reviewing the same book here?

This page turning series is one of the best I have ever read.
If you all (3 star and below) want to write a book, then just keep writing lousy reviews.

AMAZING
Such a great book, the entire series was completely amazing and one of my favorites of all time.Move onto the Fools Errand gets better and better the more Hobb writes!

Great Middle book...
I thought this was a good middle book.It keeps your interest with new things that develop the plot, as well as, giving you the information about the history of the Buckeep and the surrounding lands of the Six Duchies.

The life of an assassin continues...
Picking up where the first book left off, "Royal Assassin," the second in the Farseer Trilogy, is a sequel that's surprisingly just as good as the original. It has the same amount of drama, suspense, and occasional bits of (light and dark) humor. The only difference is that there is much more plot and character development, and there's an actual romantic subplot which is refreshingly convincing (unlike those in other fantasy novels in which the romance feels forced and looks like it's only filler). In addition, the story really progresses to the point that after you have finished reading this, you desperately want to know what's going to happen in the final installment of the trilogy. You really believe in the characters so much, that you care about them (at least the protagonists, anyway). Adults themes are prevalent, but not as much as in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice & Fire.

Overall, I admire "Royal Assassin," and The Farseer Trilogy in general. If you haven't read it, then you're probably missing out on some very good stuff.

Grade: 9/10

A Review for the Trilogy
"All too often I find I have wandered far from a history of the duchies into a history of FitzChivalry. Those recollections leave me face-to-face with who I once was, and who I have become."

Robin Hobb is, in many ways, a one trick pony. Wait, wait! Don't leave yet. I don't mean that in a particularly negative way. There's nothing wrong with the majority of her style; it's just utterly overshadowed by one aspect. She has less in common with a dog standing on its high legs and more in common with a dog learning to drive a racecar.

As anyone who's ever read Hobb can likely attest, her strength is not plot. Farseer's plot is, ultimately, fairly generic. There is an abandoned bastard son, brought to the castle to serve as an assassin. There are three brothers, two honorable and brave, one spiteful and cowardly. There are barbarian raiders from another land, and there are magics both old and very old. Have I intrigued you yet? No, I thought not.

Her strength is not setting. We're in the Six Duchies, a confederation of six former states, all ruled under one king. The coastal Duchies fish; the inner Duchies farm. There is conflict between the two; the coastal Duchies are reluctant to pay taxes to defend a coastline they do not share. It's thought out better than most of its ilk, I'll admit, but it's still not exactly the kind of thing that you view with your jaw on the floor.

Robin Hobb's strength is character. It's not an intellectual strength; I'm not talking about revolutionary backstories, or motivations, or anything like that. Her strength is visceral. These people feel real in every way possible. We see Verity trying to fill his older brother's shoes, trying to guard the kingdom. He does everything he can, and he is wasting away, and it is not enough. We see him, and we know that he cannot succeed, and he knows he cannot succeed, and yet he cannot - will not - stop.

Fitz is the main character, the aforementioned bastard son of Price Chivalry. He has a depth that can only be had when the reader experiences his growth alongside the author, alongside the character. When we first meet Fitz, he is a blank slate:

"My memories reach back to when I was six year old. Before that, there is nothing, only a blank gulf no exercise of my mind has ever been able to pierce. Prior to that day at Moonseye, there is nothing. But on that day they suddenly begin, with a brightness and detail that overwhelms me..."

It's said that our experiences shape us, and so it is here. We experience everything that Fitz does, and so is it that surprising that we are shaped in the same way the he is? In book one, we see Fitz develop loyalties in friendships. In book three, these loyalties are tested. The reader cannot look on with detachment, cannot wonder if he will stand fast or not. There is no intellectual contemplation, no thoughts that he should simply bite the bullet and move on. By that point, it is not Fitz that is being tested, at least not wholly. The reader is invested along with him. Every bond that Fitz forges is shown with meticulous detail, and the reader himself becomes friends with Prince Verity, Molly, and Burrich. These friends may not speak to us directly as we read, but there interactions with Fitz are, on every level that matters, interactions with us.

We become so deeply immersed with Fitz that his reasoning becomes our own. I would wager that everyone has had the unsettling experience of having someone tell us our own motivations and realizing that what we thought we were acting for was just blissful, comforting delusion. It is the same experience when Fitz's motivations are called into question. Acts that felt so pure at the time are suddenly given new light, and we feel almost sullied as we contemplate them afresh.

A large portion of your enjoyment of Farseer depends on how much you like to meander. Hobb is anything but direct. I've heard it said that her writing is eighty percent filler, and it's hard to really dispute that claim. All the same, I think that it's the so called filler that makes Hobb worth reading in the first place. The reader lives through Fitz's life, and I do not mean just the important moments. No, the books - and Hobb - shine through the monotony of day to day existence. If you are willing to simply cut yourself loose, to lose yourself in Fitz's existence, you'll find yourself living a life no less complete and complex as your own.

I suppose that that is, quite literally, escapism. All the same, I've never understood the term completely. It's defined as: "Habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine." I suppose I can't argue with that, but the term seems to far more often carry a negative connotation. I've often heard it said that it's taking refuge from the real world. Ignoring the tone of the novel in question, something has never struck me as accurate about this definition. Just because what we're doing does not directly tie into our own lives, why is it inherently meaningless? I'm not defining meaning as a simple recharging of the batteries here, either, though it can do that too. But books can do so much more. Who says that, just because the terms in question are not those of the real world, we are not learning, are not experiencing?

Besides which, if I was going to escape to somewhere else - a Hawaiian vacation for the soul, say - I'd make it somewhere les depressing. The titles and covers all seem quite carefree, but the actual text is anything but. This is, despite all appearances to the contrary, anything but standard fantasy. We are in Fitz's head for his triumphs, yes, but also for his tragedies, and we feel both with equal force. Just because Fitz tries something, and just because Fitz is one of the "good guys," does not mean that he will succeed. Be prepared for disappointment of the most bitter flavors while reading.

"'I always believed, perhaps childishly, that if you followed the rulers, you would be protected, that things like that would not happen to you. Afterward, I felt...tricked. Foolish. Gullible, that I had thought ideals could protect me. Honor and courtesy and justice...they are not real, Fitz. We all pretend to them, and hold them up like shields. Against those who have discarded them, they are no shields at all, but only additional weapons to use against their victims.'"

Of the individual books, the first is at once the one with the fewest flaws and the weakest. The second, by contrast, has glaring problems, and yet it's undoubtedly my favorite. The first book lays down the connections, and it is half the size of the others. It's not focused, no, but it never meanders too much, and we always have our ending goal in sight.

The second, on the other hand, is almost nothing but meander. It's an attempt to preserve the status quo as seen in book one, but for half the text exactly how we're doing so is quite hard to see. That being said, Hobb's writing gets better as it goes on, and every interaction between Fitz and another character only makes the overall story that much deeper.

The third novel is an odd mixture of the two. It should, by all rights, be the most driven. A goal is immediately established, and Fitz sets out to accomplish it. Perhaps because of this, it's the first time where the repetitive nature of the story began to become somewhat irksome. When there's no set destination, I'm fine with exploring every little town that I pass on a long drive. When I'm late for something, however, I'm far more tempted to ram the pedal to the ground and get somewhere. This is not an urge that Hobb shares, and the cycle of Capture-Escape goes on to the point of insanity. At which point we're finally given a break, and the book takes a hard right turn. Everything changes, and it's at once totally brilliant and anything but. The ending is powerful, yes, but also rushed. As it is, it's a decent closing to a brilliant series, but it's impossible to shake the feeling that it could've been an amazing ending.

If you're looking for something exciting, or something uplifting, Farseer is not for you. This isn't about a gripping plot or fascinating locales. This is about people living their lives, and, though it's fantasy through and through, Fitz and Hobb's other creations feel as real to me as anyone I know. If character driven is what you're after, I'm not sure it's possible to do better than this. ... Read more

Product Description

Plague has ravaged the prestigious King's Cavalla of Gernia, decimating the ranks of both cadets and instructors. Yet Nevare Burvelle has made an astonishingly robust recovery, defeating his sworn nemesis while in the throes of the disease and freeing himself—he believes—from the Speck magic that infected him. And now he is journeying home to Widevale, anticipating a tender reunion with his beautiful fiancée, Carsina, and a bright future as a commissioned officer.

Customer Reviews (104)

Continuijng to surprise
Again I was surprised that I enjoyed this book. I had read the reviews for the second book and was again cautiously pessimistic at what was to come.With that said I must say that I enjoyed this book just as much if not more then the first one. I enjoyed the pacing and story.My only criticism is that on the dream sequences the author is much too descriptive for my liking. Other then that I like the world she created and the characters as well.If you are a fantasy reader that loves to love the main character then this might not be the series for you.He is definitely the central character in the story however he is not an archetypical fantasy hero.He's kind of an uninteresting character thrown into an interesting situation.I find it entirely very interesting though. I think the author is at her best with this story.The story might not be as enticing as the Farseer Series but her writing is topnotch.

A great book, but not an enjoyable read.
Robyn Hobb writes great books. Forest mage is no exception, but there is a reason it has got such mixed reviews.
The first book in the soldier son trilogy impressed me to no end. It had that lively Hobb mix of great characters, suspensful action, surprising twists, and was full of deep feeling nevertheless. The originialty of the setting was also refreshing. I was hoping for more of this in the Forest Mage.
What I got instead was another book with great characters and a deep story, but one which was very difficult to read and finish.
The protagonist of the book Nevarre suffers from the awful side effects (or at least that is how everyone precieves them) of his plague. This is key to the plot and drives Nevarre throughout the novel. Unlike in the first book (or any of Hobb's others), Nevarre's greatest enemy is his own self-loathing. This is of course driven by the preceptions and actions of his family, friends, and aquaintances. I know Hobb's other books have dark moments, but this is a very different kind of darkness. It is gloomy and Nevarre's hopeless struggle to become what he once was and to deny what he has become, as well as the reactions of the other characters to his change, which range in the best case from pity, to in the worse case scorn and brutality. The end of the book is extremly well written, and was at least a consilation after suffering through most of the book.
Forest Mage is slow paced. The main conflicts here are more psychological and social. Don't expect the action you get in most of Hobb's other works. There are good parts to this books. There are still the typical Hobb plot twists, wonderfully human characters, and a super setting with a great atmosphere. For me it was a mixed bag. Something I'll admit to being a great fantasy book, while still saying I didn't enjoy reading it, and have decided to pass on the last book of the series.

Cheap Writing
I personally need to see a protagonist to get through a book, and this series offers none. I never cared about the main character and by the first quarter of the second book I hated him.The characters seem to follow a script rather than a pattern of normal behavior and this becomes blindingly obvious when he gets fat and EVERYONE rejects him to the point that they want to kill him. Conflict is driven by a malicious unseen force that no one has any hope of overcoming. It's like reading about a hobo who walks along a train track knowing that he's going to get hit by a train and he keeps walking. And he's got his wife and kids with him. But I don't care about the hobos family either because I have no reason to. There is no good or bad it seems, just a constant force of nature that's going to kill everything, but it happens three books too late. I didn't finish the third book. I got so sick of all of it, don't waste your time with any of them. Bad plot devices and worse character writing tied together with an awful story.

In Defense of Depression
I can't say that I'm really surprised by all the negative reviews for FOREST MAGE, but I would like to challenge the majority opinion here, and defend the quality of this story.I do hope that the negative reviews don't discourage potential readers from reading these emotionally-charged stories from one of the best epic fantasy authors of all.

Most of the negative reviews here have focused on these books (and this one in particular) being depressing, boring, or overly-long, and while I certainly see their points, I have to contest all three points.First of all, the fact that Hobb has the power to cause actual feelings of depression in her readers testifies to the emotional intensity of the story and the connectedness readers feel with Nevare.I mean, no matter how bleak Conan the Barbarian's life gets, you don't start feeling sorry for him to the point of being actually sad.There's no emotional attachment there!Nevare's story is absolutely brutal, unfair, sad, and frustrating.And it has incredible emotional impact on readers precisely because Navare as a character is intimately knowable, believable, and sympathetic.It simply demonstrates the talent of the author that she can craft such fleshed-out and like-able characters.And despite the obese, depressed, whore-visiting Nevare not being exactly the typical fantasy hero or easy-to-love, it is his very imperfections and self-doubt that drive the reader up the wall with frustration (and sometimes down the drain with depression).Any story that has such emotional power ranks as well-worth the read to me.

As for being boring,keep in mind that this isn't your typical hack-and-slash, fire-and-lightening, orcs-vs-dwarves fantasy.This is a carefully set up study of our vulnerability and helplessness to fate, as well as our resilience in the face of incredible hardship.And while there might not be many sword fights with between elves and orcs, or midnight flights from Ring Wraiths, there is still lots of more subtle action here.A marked increase in the amount magic in FOREST MAGE (compared with Shaman's Crossing) is also evident here, with a greater involvement of the Specks, and Nevare's growing understanding of his own power.I suspect that many of the people that complain of this book lacking action are the same that complained of the first being too mundane.In some ways, it is the very mundane-ness and Navare's inaction that make the few moments of true excitement all that much more powerful.

And, while this book is certainly long, I don't think it can be consider TOO long by any means.Every chapter chronicles some new and important event that continues to shape Nevare into who he must become, and the descriptive style of Hobb's is what makes her worlds so intimately knowable.If you can allow yourself to enjoy the detail of the tastes and textures of food for Nevare (that in itself is some of that subtle action), and really get emotionally invested in Neavare's future, I think you'll thoroughly enjoy this captivating story (for all 700+ pages).Personally, I can't wait to read the concluding volume, and will keep my expectation sky-high for Hobb.Highly Recommended!

I gained 15 pounds reading this...
Nevare = never?Never do anything?I managed to get through the whole thing, thinking that at some point, the character would rebel or make a stand, but throughout the whole book, he just does whatever is easiest and does not learn anything at all about himself.He just reflects the values and beliefs of whomever is with him at the time.Navare is a tool, in both senses of the word--the only reason he changes anything, is because he has no control whatsoever about his life and is literally a "tool" of Tree Woman, and she changes things through him. I finished the book because I kept thinking that something HAD to happen, but nothing does.

Robin Hobb does create a very interesting world with a lot of potential and is a good writer, ie, provides vivid detail, although plot development was lacking.This book is more painful than the first one in the series, you get that trapped, immobile feeling like Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, much of it is very detailed descriptions of food.Very sensual descriptions of food, made me want to eat to see what I was missing!Plus, if I was eating, at least I was doing something, even if the protagonist was not.I really did gain weight...

Of note, I listened to the Audiobook.If I had not listened to the Audiobook, read by one of my favorite narrators, John Keating, I would NEVER have finished it.I have only once not finished a series, the Shannara series, this is the second time in my whole life.... ... Read more

Product Description
A heralded writer of epic fantasy, Robin Hobb has given readers worlds within worlds in her heroic Farseer and Liveship Traders trilogies. Now she takes the final step in the breathtaking trilogy of the Tawny Man, as the tale of FitzChivalry Farseer comes to an epic end. Rife with boundless adventure and unforgettable characters, Fool’s Fate is destined to become a classic of the genre.

Assassin, spy, and Skillmaster, FitzChivalry Farseer, now known only as man-at-arms Tom Badgerlock, has become firmly ensconced in the queen’s court at Buckkeep. Only a few are aware of his fabled, tangled past—and the sacrifices he made to survive it. And fewer know of his possession of the Skill magic. With Prince
Dutiful, his assassin-mentor Chade, and the simpleminded yet strongly Skilled Thick, FitzChivalry strives to aid the prince on a quest that could ultimately secure peace between the Six Duchies and the Outislands—and win Dutiful the hand of the Narcheska Elliania.

For the Narcheska has set the prince on an unfathomable task: to behead a dragon trapped in ice—the legendary Icefyre, on the island of Aslevjal. Yet not all the clans of the Outislands support the prince’s effort to behead their
legendary defender. Are there darker forces at work behind the Narcheska’s imperious demand? As the prince and his coterie set sail, FitzChivalry works behind the scenes, playing nursemaid to the ailing Thick, while striving to strengthen their Skill—ultimately bringing his unacknowledged daughter into the web of the Skill magic, where the truth must finally unfold.

The quest emerges amid riddles that must be unraveled, a clash of cultures, and the ultimate betrayal. For knowing that the Fool has foretold he will die on the island of ice, FitzChivalry has plotted with Chade to leave his dearest friend behind. But fate cannot so easily be defied.


From the Hardcover edition.Amazon.com Review
Fool's Fate is the third book of Robin Hobb's Tawny Man trilogy, and the ninth and concluding volume of the Fitzchivalry Farseer saga, one of the best high-fantasy series of the turn of the millennium. Fitz is the bastard son of the royal family of the Six Duchies, which he serves as assassin, guardsman, and Skill-magician. Fitz also serves the White Prophet as "Catalyst," the unique person who may enable the White Prophet to change human destiny for the better. In Fool's Fate, Fitz must accompany his kinsman, Prince Dutiful Farseer, to a distant northern island, where the prince must slay the world's last male dragon to win the hand of the Out Islands princess Elliania, the woman he loves. However, not even Elliania wants the dragon dead; why, then, does she require Dutiful to kill Icefyre? Are darker forces manipulating Elliania? Even worse, if Icefyre dies, the White Prophet foresees not only his own death, but a grim future for humankind. The prophet's only hope of changing the future is his Catalyst. --Cynthia Ward ... Read more

Customer Reviews (144)

Can't put it down
Absolutely love this series!! The author is fantastic! A must read for all fantasy lovers!!

I Cried...
From the first time I read a Robin Hobb story, I was hooked on her style of writing. Definitely start with the Farseer Trilogy series, and the Liveship Traders before reading the Tawny Man series. There are so many pieces that fit together as you read through this series.

When I first read the Farseer Trilogy, I was left with an emptiness inside. Not from the story itself, but a feeling of loss from leaving the stories behind. It was more an feeling of wanting to read more, even though the series had come to a close. As the first two books built the story up, this third book in the Tawny Man trilogy put together a lot of answers. Not only to this trilogy, but taking things I loved about the first trilogy and completed the series for me. I could not think of a better way to bring everything together. I found myself in joyful tears while reading through the final chapters.

I love this series
One of the best series I have ever read highly recommend it to anyone who likes adventure and fantasy books

A note about the conclusion
**Spoiler alert**

This amazing series was flawed by its conclusion. At the end the main character (the Fool) believes the one he loves the most (Fitz) to be dead. From this the reader will come to the conclusion that the Fool will be unhappy for the rest of his very long life. Some reward for saving the world! In the epilogue Fitz explains that he is not happy with the resolution either. Why then, dear reader, should you be expected to be happy? Also, a few important things are left unresolved. What is the significance of Others Island and what are the monsters hiding in the forest there? Also what happens to the other stone dragon on Aslevjal Island, the dragon that holds captive so many forged ones' spirits? Perhaps the author should be the one to say "I have never been wise".

Good like the others, but disappointing ending
I was very excited to see that The Tawny Man series was a continuation from the Farseer Trilogy that included Fitz, and greatest of all, the Fool.

I don't think this series was as interesting or gripping as the Farseer trilogy, and it didn't seem to me that a whole lot happened for how long it was (at least, compared to the other books), but I thought it was good nonetheless. It kept me interested, which was the main point for me.

As for the ending, it was nice that certain relationships got resolved, but one major one was crumbled and left hanging like nothing I've ever seen. I was insulted to read an end like that. And hurt. The protagonist couldn't have been that cool with it, after everything that happened (trying to not give anything away). I could almost not care about the resolved relationship (I got over that one long ago), I just cared about the one the author seemingly made a center of in the book then she ruined it at the end. No happy ending for that relationship.

Overall, the books were ok but the ending severely disappointed me. ... Read more

Product Description
Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman.He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him sectetly tutored in the arts of the assassin.For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill--and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family.As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood.Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission.And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (484)

be careful
The Farseer Trilogy and the next installment of 3 books in the series written by Robin Hobb is an excellent read, however, the MP3 format of the Audiobooks is a bust. It does not "play on most modern electronic playback devices". We use audiobooks for long cross country trips and were looking forward to enjoying the Farseer trilogy...BIG disappointment.

Too good to read!
The characters are too real for me. I read the other two books in the trilogy that starts with this book. I couldn't help myself. I need closure. But I can't read anymore. Too much tradgedy. The story continues with the Tawny Man series, but I won't pick it up. I have never read a novel whose protaganinst has troubled me so deeply. An awesome read if you can handle the pain of FitzChivaley's life. I cannot.

The trilogy was great...and so was the next one
I haven't found a (completed) fantasy story I liked for a long time so was very surprised this is so good.I liked that the women are strong and are "allowed" to be powerful and take the same jobs men have (like being soldiers).However, it seemed really odd to me that an unmarried and pregnant woman was still taboo and illegitimate children (bastards) were still considered lower then the lowest.That made no sense.The hero is flawed, many times I found myself wondering "why don't you just come out and say what you are thinking instead of either beating around the bush or keeping it to yourself as though someone could read your mind...."It's what gets him in trouble.In spite of that, the story moved along well and, unlike George R.R. Martin who seems to have introduced too many people and then lost track of some of them or had to suddenly get rid of some of them, Hobb keeps a pretty good handle on everyone.You come to care about these people.And by the end of this trilogy, I was rather exhausted and battle-weary.I was even a little bit (but only a little) reluctant to move on to the Tawny Man series because I didn't want to jump right back into the foray.Luckily, Hobbs eases you back into the continuing saga of the Farseers.And she ties up at the end of the Tawny Man series very nicely with everyone living "happily ever after" as I think fiction should always end (heck, if I wanted anything else I'd just stick with reality).If you read the Farseer trilogy, go on to the Tawny Man trilogy--many of the same characters, the story line continues but expands, you find out what all that Red Ship business was about and get to travel.And there be dragons, real ones, too.But now I feel as I did at the end of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, kind of breathless but at a lost as to what to read next.

Slightly formulaic, however...
Hobb makes the formulas work well - and as always, her talent for characterization is truly awesome.But wow... this Fitz dude sure is one unlucky sucker, and this is perhaps the area where a reader strains hardest to suspend disbelief, regardless of the book being a fantasy novel!Ha!

Ditto
The previous reviewer said it all.-
Read and enjoy the ride.
-BJHLandenberg ... Read more

Product Description
The acclaimed Farseer and Liveship Traders trilogies established Robin Hobb as one of the most splendidly imaginative practitioners of world-class fantasy.

Now, in Book 2 of her most stunning trilogy yet, Hobb continues the soul-shattering tale of FitzChivalry Farseer. With rich characters, breathtaking magic, and sweeping action, Golden Fool brings the reluctant adventurer further into the fray in an epic of sacrifice, salvation, and untold treachery.

Golden Fool

Prince Dutiful has been rescued from his Piebald kidnappers and the court has resumed its normal rhythms. But for FitzChivalry Farseer, a return to isolation is impossible. Though gutted by the loss of his wolf bondmate, Nighteyes, Fitz must take up residence at Buckkeep and resume his tasks as Chade’s apprentice assassin. Posing as Tom Badgerlock, bodyguard to Lord Golden, FitzChivalry becomes the eyes and ears behind the walls. And with his old mentor failing visibly, Fitz is forced to take on more burdens as he attempts to guide a kingdom straying closer to civil strife each day.

The problems are legion.Prince Dutiful’s betrothal to the Narcheska Elliania of the Out Islands is fraught with tension, and the Narcheska herself appears to be hiding an array of secrets. Then, amid Piebald threats and the increasing persecution of the Witted, FitzChivalry must ensure that no one betrays the Prince’s secret—a secret that could topple the Farseer throne: that he, like Fitz, possesses the dread “beast magic.”

Meanwhile, FitzChivalry must impart to the Prince his limited knowledge of the Skill: the hereditary and addictive magic of the Farseers. In the process, they discover within Buckkeep one who has a wild and powerful talent for it, and whose enmity for Fitz may have disastrous consequences for all.

Only Fitz’s enduring friendship with the Fool brings him any solace. But even that is shattered when unexpected visitors from Bingtown reveal devastating secrets from the Fool’s past. Now, bereft of support and adrift in intrigue, Fitz’s biggest challenge may be simply to survive the inescapable and violent path that fate has laid out for him.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (88)

Excellent Writing...
From the first time I read a Robin Hobb story, I was hooked on her style of writing. Definitely start with the Farseer Trilogy series, and the Liveship Traders before reading the Tawny Man series. There are so many pieces that fit together as you read through this series.

I found that I ended up reading the Tawny Man series back-to-back (which I ended up doing with each of the Robin Hobb trilogies prior). Book 2 wasn't as ground-breaking or involved as the first book in the series, and left a feeling that it was just leading into the third book more than anything. Even so, it was a pleasure to be a part of the journey.

Great series
Love hobbs writing you just get to latch onto Fitz so much its amazing emotional connection.Must read!

Going back to Bingtown...
There is just something amazingly fun when the author refers to little "secrets" in the Liveship Traders Series.

I won't give any spoliers, I know Robin Hobb hates spoilers....but when characters refer to events that happened in Bingtown or Jamillia and you have read that series it really feels like you are in on a special little secret.

I loved this book.

The quality of writing is great, and it is so much fun when characters reveal things that you know from reading her past works, but that Fitz doesn't know because he hasnt experienced them.

Wow.Great job Robin!

Golden Fool
I love Lord Golden/ the Fool and I love Tom/ Fitz. This series has made me laugh out loud and bawl like a baby. Excellent trilogy.

One to Read and Read Again
The adventures of FitzChivalry aka Tom just get better and better.I have read all six in both series now and the only the second book in the first trilogy was merely great and not outstanding.Do yourself a favor and get all six.Then make sure you keep track of who you lend them to!!! ... Read more

Product Description
In the second breathtaking volume of Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders trilogy, a new tide of glory and terror sweeps forward the story of the Vestrit clan, their liveship Vivacia, and all who strive to possess her.

As the ancient tradition of Bingtown's Old Traders slowly erodes under the cold new order of a corrupt ruler, the Vestrits anxiously await the return of their liveship--a rare magic ship carved from sentient wizardwood, which bonds the ships mystically with those who sail them. And Althea Vestrit waits even more avidly, living only to reclaim the ship as her lost inheritance and captain her on the high seas. But the Vivacia has been seized by the ruthless pirate captain Kennit, who holds Althea's nephew and his father hostage. Althea and her onetime sea mate Brashen resolve to liberate the liveship--but their plan may prove more dangerous than leaving the Vivacia in Kennit's ambitious grasp....Amazon.com Review
Robin Hobb returns to the sea with Mad Ship, the secondbook in a projected trilogy set in the same world as her famedFarseer series. Many unresolved questions from Ship of Magic areanswered in this tale of sea serpents and dragons; living ships madeof wizardwood; the Bingtown Trader families who sail the ships; andtheir disfigured cousins, the Rain Wild Traders, who build them.

The Vestritt family's liveship, Vivacia, has been taken by Kennit, anambitious pirate. Captain Haven is a prisoner; his son Wintrow, whobears the Vestritt blood, finds himself competing with Kennit forVivacia's love as she becomes a pirate ship. Althea Vestritt, intraining to become Vivacia's captain, arrives home to discover herbeloved ship lost. Brashen Trell, her old friend and shipmate,proposes that they sail to Vivacia's rescue in the liveship Paragon,who has lost two previous crews and is believed mad. Malta, Althea'sniece, seeks help from her suitor, the Rain Wild Trader Reyn, whosefamily is the Vestritt's major creditor. Meanwhile, the sea serpentswho follow sailing ships struggle to remember their history and returnto their place of transformation.

Each volume in this series is amajor undertaking, but those who enjoy original, epic fantasy,characters who grow and change believably, and fine writing will notwant to miss The Liveship Traders. --Nona Vero ... Read more

Customer Reviews (119)

Fabulous Fantasy, NO SPOILERS!
This book (and the Liveship Traders trilogy in summary) is one of the very best high fantasy creations I have ever read.Having been a sci-fi and fantasy reader for somewhere around 40 years now, I have read quite a lot of it, too!Hobb's writing style is unmistakably fantasy material, without being too wordy or flowery, yet still, never descending to the likes of most modern-day general fiction.Outstanding characterization, fantastic world-building without *too* much detail, avoiding the frequent downfall of some fantasy which spends too much time on what every surrounding looks like and/or means.Fat fantasy at its finest, nothing wasted, including your time!If you're a fantasy fan, this one is not to be missed!

Mad Ship by Robin Hobb -- A tale of epic boredom.
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb begins where book one of the Liveship Trader's trilogy, "Ship of Magic" left off. Althea Vestrit, daughter of the late captain Vestrit, continues on a personal journey to retake Vivacia, her stolen live-ship. Wintrow still resides aboard that ship, which is now over-taken bypirates. Malta remains determined to find and save her father Kyle, whom was also was left aboard the Vivacia; Keffria is struggling to take control of the family; and as before, everything is essentially collapsing and crumbling around the once solid family. Though the hope that once existed for the Vestrit's has been, for the most part, extinguished, the family unit still struggles to prevail and restore itself. This all, of course, leads to yet another lengthy series of drama, politics, live-ships, and yes, self discovery. This time, however, the fate of not only the Vestrit's hang in the balance, but the whole of Bingtown itself.

To begin, I have to say that this novel was a mixed bag for me - and in many ways (and for several reasons), was quite a disappointment. Although Mad Ship began with a bang and had quite a compelling and engaging start, I felt that it all quickly tapered off into an abyss of repetition. Upon approaching around the midway mark, things became bogged down and heavy. The characters kept saying the same things over and over - the writing became redundant - the natural flow and evolution of the story, for me, came to a halt. There were times when Hobb would go on and on about a particular topic, stretching out what could have been said in two paragraphs into a few chapters. Because of the overall slowness of the plot and story, there were several occasions where continuing felt more like a duty, rather than an enjoyment.

Another issue I had, was the imbalance of time given to each character. Through-out the novel, chapters would switch between characters and their situations, giving the reader a lot to take in. This was great - until suddenly a character and their story would simply vanish. By the time the character was mentioned again (many chapters later), my interest level had dropped. This really killed the experience. Another fault, was the disjointed story. For instance, while the conclusion was actually quite interesting and enjoyable, it lacked a connection with the rest of the novel. Looking back at the majority of Mad Ship, the reading experience was quite strange. About three quarters of it was this long, drawn out soap opera (complete with bitter, whiny characters), and yet suddenly, there was this intriguing fantasy piece pasted in at the end. It was all a bit odd, and for me, the flow of the novel felt broken.

Finally, at least in the complaint department, was the lack of description. Though I admit, I am a sucker for lush, flowery, poetic writings that paint surreal and vivid pictures, I don't really think that's the issue here. As a person whom' is familiar with Hobb's work (and enjoy most of what I've read), I didn't come in expecting floods of archaic depictions. Instead, I expected the comfortable, Hobb-esque styled writing that I've grown to enjoy. Unfortunately however, the further I progressed into the novel, the stronger my disappointment grew with the actual writing itself. For whatever reason, it seemed as though Hobb had acquired a severe case of "tell rather than show" when writing Mad Ship, and instead of describing the events - and describing the situation and surroundings - actually painting the picture - it was all very simplistic and dull. Person A did this; person B did that; this happened; that happened. I'm not sure what was going on here, but the style was so dry that I actually felt like falling asleep. Where was the artistic element?

Though my experience with Mad Ship, wasn't nearly as positive as expected, I can't say that all was a amiss. While I certainly didn't enjoy the characters as much as I did with the Farseer trilogy, there was still a great deal of unexpected development - especially from characters I never really cared for from the previous installment. For instance, there was Malta, who's evolution was both realistic and intriguing. Hobb did an excellent job transitioning her from little girl to young woman, and by the end of Mad Ship, I began to feel a sort of sympathy for her - one that I could never quite obtain because of her childish, bratty attitude.Reyn (Malta's destined husband), was also a pleasant surprise, as he began to show a new, more relateable side. Lastly, but certainly not least, was Kennit. Though he had already grown on me by the end of "Ship of Magic," the growing continued through-out this entire novel, and strangely, Captain Kennit has gradually evolved into one of my favorite characters of the series thus far. His complex and conflicting personality was a refreshing element that added a much needed realism (and humanity, though a darker form) to the novel.

With that said (and I hate to say it), Mad Ship for me, was an overall disappointment. While there were a handful of moments, especially toward the end, there was far too much filler, and the slow moving plot made reading this 800 + page novel more of a chore than anything. From the disjointed story, to the lack of description, to the over-all lack of progression -- Mad Ship failed to ever really pull me in. Though I truly consider myself to be a fan of Hobb, and will forever adore her Farseer trilogy, I plan to take a break from her later works to read something a bit lighter of heart -- for there's only so much one can take in the realm of misery and politics (at least for me). When going into a fantasy novel, I expect certain things -- and in this case, almost none of those things were met.

Though Mad Ship for me was clear a disappointment, I can't and won't say that it should be avoided, especially if one has already connected with the characters. Besides, my opinion is just that, and in the grand scheme of things, we all know what they say about opinions! So, with that said, if you've read the first installment and enjoyed it -- then by all means, continue on. The characters are still here; the idea is still in place; the live-ships and serpents are aplenty. But if you're looking for the same heart, soul, and intrigue that graced the pages of "Ship of Magic," then there's a fair chance that you won't find it here -- at least to the same extent. Instead, you may find the same bleak, gray, slow moving world I discovered when delving into this tome sized novel. Overall, this experience wasn't a positive one. I was expecting so much more, and Mad Ship simply failed to deliver.

[...]

As great as Ship of Magic (with less characters I wanted to murder)
After I read "Ship of Magic" for this first time I was conflicted. I loved the writing style and the story but couldn't stand some of the characters. In fact, I hated them so much that I made it about one fifth of the way through "Mad Ship" before putting it down for something happier.

But then months later the rain wilds chronicles came out and I was too curious to pass them up and knew I needed the back story of the Liveship Trader Trilogy to really understand it. So back I went to all three books.

This time I discovered that the characters I couldn't stand so much weren't much of an issue in "Mad Ship" which primarily follows three members of the Vestritt family. There is Wintrow, onboard the captured and newly awakened family liveship Vivica (who is being successfully wooed by the charismatic pirate Kennit) walking a fine line between being a captive of or for admiration of the pirate, who freed him from the slavery his own father bought him into. Malta, his sister, who is enjoying her first courtship in Bingtown-even if it from a Rain Wilds man she may have no choice to marry to save the family financially after the loss of their liveship. And Althea, who always expected to inherit her father's ship, hatches the most daring plan of all with the Vicica's former first mate Brashen, to take the abandoned and blind liveship Paragon-who killed two of his crews and is mentally unstable-out to find Vivica and attempt to ransom her back or recapture her.

At the same time political strife is stirring with Bingtown's homeland as their leader, a young and foolish man, prepares to visit the colony. Up the strange rain wilds river the origins of the fantastically strong wizardwood liveship are constructed out of is hinted at. In Bingtown itself trouble is caused by the increasing slave population. A strange prophetess with a way with wood befriends Althea and Malta and joins on to save Vivica. And the sea serpents continue their mysterious but all important search for both "she who remembers" and an illusive goal none of them can quite recall-but know the absolute importance of all the same...

This is really a great book and only enhances the mystery and overall excitement of the trilogy further. It's every bit as wonderfully descriptive as "Ship of Magic" in both landscape, history and characters but fortunately some of the more hateful characters have way less face time in this novel, or actually manage to grow a little so you don't feel like smacking them. I enjoyed this immensely and raced eagerly towards the third.

Five stars. And have the last book "Ship of Destiny" ready at hand-the ending is such you won't want to waste any time.

The Liveship Traders trilogy
Fantastic book.A must read.In fact, if anyone knows where I can get a hard copy of this triology - let me know.

Good but slow read
kind of a slow starting book/trilogy.Really wanted to read tawney man trilogy but new i should read robin hobbs books in order.Overall a good book.Don't think i'd read it again though.Has must read information about characters from the first trilogy and continued in the tawney man i think. ... Read more

Product Description

Nevare Burvelle was destined from birth to be a soldier. The second son of a newly anointed nobleman, he must endure the rigors of military training at the elite King's Cavella Academy&#8212and survive the hatred, cruelty, and derision of his aristocratic classmates&#8212before joining the King of Gernia's brutal campaign of territorial expansion. The life chosen for him will be fraught with hardship, for he must ultimately face a forest-dwelling folk who will not submit easily to a king's tyranny. And they possess an ancient magic their would-be conquerors have long discounted&#8212a powerful sorcery that threatens to claim Nevare Burvelle's soul and devastate his world once the Dark Evening brings the carnival to Old Thares.

Customer Reviews (170)

Testament to her skill
It's a testament to Robin Hobb's skill that I finished this series, even though I did not like it.I didn't like the main character or any of the supporting characters.By the time I got to the end I found that I didn't like a single character in any of the books.I found the prime plot situation of the main character actually repellant.Yet, I read them all.I had read the the Farseer and Fool and Liveship Trader series before, and very much liked them. I have not read or re-read any Robin Hobb books since finishing the Soldier's Son trilogy this March.I will probably try the Rain Wilds books later.

A pleasant surprise
I must say that I wasn't expecting much from this book and/or series up on reading some of the reviews here.With that said I found this to be a nice story and told very well.Sure there is not a lot of action in the traditional sense, drawn out romance, or action packed violence, however things are happening.I enjoyed the pacing of this book, and definitely enjoyed the world building as told from a first person account. It is like a puzzle with pieces slowly being put in place the more you read into this series the more a wider picture is displayed.
My only flaw with this book, or author is that sometimes with the dream sequences the author is much too descriptive and it can be somewhat tedious to push through, but those moments in the book are quite rare and the book moves along with a steady pace. Things are definitely happening in this book and it is progressing the story. It's just not happening in a traditional Fantasy Fiction way, with the pacing or with what is happening.The Author seems very comfortable writing in the first person, and I enjoy all of her characters and development.I must say that the more you read into this series the more impressive the world building becomes. There was definitely a lot of thought put into the magic of this world and how it would live and clash with different people.

Coming to Grips with Family Heritage
Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb (a.k.a. Megan Lindholm

This is the first book in the Soldier Son Trilogy. Nevare Burvell, a second son, is destined to be the family soldier.His naïve acceptance that birth order is responsible for all aspects oflife is challenged by his life experiences.

Once again Hobb creates a believeable society. Her characters have depth and passion. The stratitied nature of Nevare's society is the basis for much of his behavior. A clear metaphor regarding progress and environment is illustrated.I enjoyed the relationship between Epiny and Nevare. The lack of women's rights in the story helps to point out some of the continued inequities in today's world. The author does a nice job of combining modern themes in a fantasy scenario that is extremely entertaining without pontificating.

I highly recommend the book.

A Good Start
I'm not in the habit of writing reviews, but I felt this book earned the review.I'm not going to be the most literary review you read, with the dazzling buzzlines and great descriptions, but I'm going to try and convey how I felt reading it.

Somewhere about a third of the way through a familiar sensation struck me.I cared.It had been a while since it had happened and it took a bit to recognize what it was, but I cared about the characters.I wanted to know what happened to them, I wanted them to suceed and I was glued to the pages.Regardless of style, or plotline, or anything else "technical" that is why I rated 5 stars.When someone can craft a character that you have actual feelings about they have done their job as a writer.

I'm definatly off to get the next in the series.

I have to jump in and defend this book, and I'm usually the first one to throw stones!
Like you dear reader, I'm a vigorous fan of the fantasy genre.I've read it all... from the popular books that usually become movies or television to the obscure short story collections. I'm also usually the first one to rip an author when I feel like they start to lose it, because more than most genres, when a fantasy author starts to dip, they fall fast!Many a series has been ruined by authors that forget every story has an ending, or maybe some authors just lose that originality spark that helped them in the first place.I show no mercy and have even had the Harry Potter fanboys chasing me around with broomsticks when I pronounced the sixth book a bore.

Having said all that, I feel confident telling you this book Shaman's Crossing IS NOT a boring piece of work.It's been some time since I read Hobb's Assassin Apprentice series but this new trilogy reminds me of the FitzChivalry formula.A normal boy, probably more sensitive than other kids his age, deals with growing up, deals with the disillusionment of the cruel adult world, makes some serious mistakes, and so on... it's all here, it's the exact same formula with more of Hobb's colorful descriptions, but here's where I think it loses some people:

This time around, it's more about normal house poltics and intrigue. Hobb borrows the same theme from George R.R. Martin's Game of Throne series, only with even more political intrigue and less battles.There are no colorful dragons in this book.There are no "machine gun wizards" that can gun people down psychically or with lightning in their own mysical way.There aren't even any "uber cool assasins" with ingenuitive killing devices.Nope, it's really just about a boy growing up in a harsh aristocracy that takes no prisoners.And here's another clue if you'll like this book.Do you enjoy Louis Lamour?Because the first third of this novel where the protagonist grows up on the frontier plays just like a classic western.(Think A Man Called Horse if you want even more details.)Hobb has obviously borrowed from Plains Indians in building a culture for the aboriginees of her fantasy land which gives it even more of a western feel. And that's why I love this book.The hero is not a hero, he's a normal EXTREMELY fallible human being, and he does this in settings that are a cross between a western adventure and a hardcore Game of Thrones political intrigue chapter.That's why I love this book and I hope the second one will keep me just as thrilled. ... Read more

Product Description
In the powerful conclusion to the Liveship Traders trilogy, Robin Hobb weaves the spellbinding story of a once-thriving city on the brink of ruin, a glorious and mythic species on the edge of extinction, and the Vestrit clan, whose destiny is intertwined with both....

As Bingtown slides toward disaster, clan matriarch Ronica Vestrit, branded a traitor, searches for a way to bring the city’s inhabitants together against the Chalcedean threat. Meanwhile, Althea Vestrit, unaware of what has befallen Bingtown and her family, continues her perilous quest to track down and recover her liveship Vivacia from the ruthless pirate Kennit.

Bold though it is, her scheme may be in vain. For her beloved Vivacia will face the most terrible confrontation of all as the secret of the liveships is revealed. It is a truth so shattering, it may destroy Vivacia and all who love her, including the boy-priest Wintrow Vestrit, whose life already hangs in the balance....
Amazon.com Review
Robin Hobb concludes her nautical fantasy epic with Ship of Destiny, set in the world of her Farseer series. It lives up to its predecessors, Ship of Magic and Mad Ship in every way: the characters continue to develop, the plot moves swiftly, and the setting is vividly realized.

Again, three generations of Vestrit women are at the heart of the story. Ronica, the matriarch, stands alone against accusations that her family is responsible for the chaos that has overtaken Bingtown. She fights to uncover treachery and maintain the Trader's Council. Her daughter, Althea, sails on the disturbed liveship Paragon, hunting for Vivacia, the Vestrit's liveship, now the flagship of a pirate fleet under Kennit, who is both ruthless and compassionate. Her granddaughter, Malta, has disappeared following an earthquake in the ancient treasure city by the Rain Wild River. Her fiancé, Reyn, and her brother, Selden, are trapped while seeking her. They are rescued by the dragon Tintaglia, whom they helped liberate. Reyn asks Tintaglia's aid in finding Malta, but Tintaglia has her own urgent mission to accomplish, one which will change everything. Hobb weaves these plot threads into an exciting and satisfying conclusion. This is an original trilogy well worth reading! --Nona Vero ... Read more

Customer Reviews (106)

Last in trilogy = 4 stars instead of 5
Beware SPOILERS..... Liveship Traders is a favored trilogy, yet I was somewhat disappointed with the way it finished out.Giving us very little info on what becomes of Amber, Keffria, Ronica - and not a great deal more info on the rest of the gang.It seemed too tidy that both Kennit and Kyle would meet their ends within the course of a few pages, after reading the previous 2 volumes, an approx. 2400 page trilogy, I had hoped for more, particularly with such a central character as Kennit.

All that said, this was a great trilogy altogether, and I plan on reading more Hobb - bravo!

Fantastic, seven layered ending to a wonderful trilogy set in an amazing, magical world
The ideal fantasy trilogy is kind of like of a really tangled up plant. You follow the new shoots that are all straight and uncomplicated into the mass at the center and somehow find the vines that lead you back out again. The Liveship Trader Trilogy is one of the best examples of this I have ever, ever seen. And that's mostly because the main issue in this trilogy-the over riding plot line isn't even something that's hinted at in the first book in the series at all.

We come into this book with our characters spread all over the map. Selden and Reyn are trapped in the rapidly de-stabilizing underground crowned roster chamber after having freed the last remaining dragon from its wizard wood cocoon. Malta, Selden's sister is stuck on the rain wild's river after a massive earth quake (meaning the water is running white and so acidic it strip your skin) along with the satrap of Jamaillia and his last remaining concubine-both of whom are useless in the situation, complain endlessly and see her as a servant even though she saved their lives.

Bingtown itself is under attack from Chalced and its social structure is falling apart while the Satrap's last remaining concubine (who had only practicle knowledge of Bingtown and thought that enough for her to rule it) takes control and the traders fight amongst themselves and the tattooed slave's revolt. Althea continues her search on the mad liveship Paragon for her own ship Vivica, who is in thrall to Kennit, now being wildly adored by the pirate people for his work capturing and freeing slave ships and taking credit for controlling storms and serpents. On board Vivica Wintrow is nearly dead from his encounter with she who remembers, who he freed from long captivity on the others island, but now that he knows the secret of wizard of wizardwood he has cut off contact with Vivica-knowing that the secret of her true origins will harm her greatly.

At the same time the serpents continue in their struggle to find she who remembers and complete their migration-but the world has changed since the ones who's memories they possess made they journey and all familiar landmarks are gone-along with a great deal of the serpents sentience. And the risen dragon Tintaglia has a task for the lowly humans who deprived so many of her kind of life simply so they could build ships-help change the course of the serpents migrations route so that they may once again reach their final destination and complete their final task.

This is a really excellent book. It solves so many of the trilogy's mystery's-including some you may not have even really realized were there in the first place. As always Robin Hobb's word building skills remain excellent and the level of detail in this novel-both character, landscape and action sequence, is so vivid you might as well be there.

Bravo. Well done. I enjoyed this trilogy immensely and recommend the Rain wilds Chronicles to anyone looking for more to do with the dragons of the wonderful, magical world.

Five stars.

I do wonder though, if Amber's story is wrapped up in the Tawny man trilogy. Does anyone know?

Fun excape type reading
I have never been a fan of fantasy type stories. A friend recommended these series, and I have enjoyed them all.

Absolutely amazing
This conclusion to the trilogy was perfect. I couldn't stop reading it and loved every minute of it. It's definitely a different take on epic fantasy, it is truly character driven. I cared about the characters so much that at the end of the book I probably cried the most I ever have reading a book, and I've read thousands.

Liveship Traders Trilogy
This is a must read.In fact, I would recommend reading this triology before reading her current new release. ... Read more

Product Description
The untimely death of Old Trader Ephron Vestrit deprives his daughter Althea of her inheritance and places her ambitious brother-in-law Kyle in command of the live ship Viveca and the family fortunes. The author of the Farseer trilogy (Assassin's Apprentice, LJ 3/15/95; Royal Assassin, Bantam, 1996; Assassin's Quest, Bantam, 1997) launches a new series set in a world of sentient ships, merchant traders, ruthless pirates, dangerous treasures, seagoing dragons, and a mysterious elder race. Hobb excels in depicting complex characters; even her villains command respect, if not sympathy, for their actions. NOTE: This is an un-boxed set. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Long, but worth it
This is the 3rd of Hobb's trilogies I have read. Each stands on it's own, but her overall story involves charactures of the three. It helps to read the others, as the storyline is better understood with earlier references. I find Hobbs' ability to develop her charactures extrordinary, and I believe that's what draws me to her work. This set is long, but well worth the effort, and I'm glad I've read them. I'm looking forward to her other 2 trilogies, but can't deciede which should be read next. There are many strong, and interesting women in this set of books, less so with the males. Most are despicable, and not at all likable, but the reader gets a chance to see and understand why they are as they are, and that makes for very enjoyable reading. I liked this set, I enjoy this author.
Don

The Liveship Trilogy from Robin Hobb
All I can say is that this is fantasy at it's best.However, if you are going to read these, you should get the entire four trilogy set as all twelve books carry threads of the story throughout.I was fascinated and am thrilled that in her newest book she has gone back to the Rain Wild Traders and the liveships. ... Read more

Product Description
FitzChivalry, the hero of The Farseer trilogy, now lives an isolated and quiet life with his foster son Hap and his Wit partner wolf, Nighteyes, until he is sought out by his old mentor Chade and the enigmatic, charming Fool. Once again, duty calls: Fitz must find a missing prince and prevent political chaos in the Six Duchies. The mission will test his conflicting loyalty to country and family, his uneasy compromise with his own magic, and all the relationships he values most. ... Read more

Product Description