Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb (The Tawny Man Trilogy, Book 3)

Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb (The Tawny Man Trilogy, Book 3)

Completion Date: June 19, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with Series.

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.

It amazes me that I read the first two books in this series and loved them, but am only just now getting around to the third book. With this years Once Upon a Time challenge I actually made a list of books that I would like to get to during the challenge. I didn't read everything I wanted, but I did finally read the conclusion of this trilogy. It reminded me that I love Robin Hobb and I really need to read more from her. Since finishing it I have also read the first book in Farseer's Trilogy. I am hoping to finish that trilogy in a more timely manner. This book also reminded me how much I love fantasy. I was always a fantasy reader, and that is the majority of what is on my TBR pile, but I have not been reading it as much the last couple years as I would like. I am hoping for the rest of 2011 to get back to the genre I love and revisit the authors that I have come to love as result.

For those of you that are wondering, it is currently 2011. The last time I read Robin Hobb was in 2007. That is how deplorably bad I am at reading series and part of my inspiration for my post on the subject of series. Normally I can handle trilogies, but I think part of my problem was I did not want this trilogy to end. I also had heard that young Fitz, the technical main character in this trilogy, was an annoying brat in the first trilogy dedicated to him, so I wasn't a hurry to move on to that. Since I am reading that trilogy right after this one, I have to say that he isn't bothering me as much as I expected him to bother me. Fitz bothers me period, but now I know why that is and it makes everything make much more sense. When I read about him as a young character I know what he is going to grow up to be like, so I think I can make allowances I cannot normally make for young main characters in fiction.

Back to this book. This is the final book in a trilogy that appears to be dedicated to the character of the Fool. When you actually read the trilogy, though, you will find that it is about a lot more than that. In the end it is about Fitz and the Fool together, but the three books are a really a progression for Fitz. He has been living in solitude with his foster son and far away from the life he grew up in. The first trilogy is actually him writing his memoirs of sorts. He may think he wants to stay away from court forever, but there are things at play that make that impossible. He is part of a larger picture and all the pieces need to be present for all that comes to pass to happen. There is a lot in the background about this idea of fate. It makes it a fitting title for the book, but really for the trilogy overall.

I have been blogging for almost 6 years and I still never know what to say in reviews. I know I could follow a structure, but that's boring. I also hate giving too much away in a post because I don't want to spoil the book for other people. I really should just do a short and sweet post. An example being: This is the final book in one of my favourite fantasy trilogies ever. There is something about Robin Hobb that I really connect with; to the point I knew I was going to love her books before I ever even read her. The characters are human, flawed, personable, and thus alive on the page. Hobb has an enjoyable writing style that does not get too bogged down. If she was writing this review, you would go out and see about getting your own copy of a Robin Hobb book. You should still give her a try even if I am writing this review and not her. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more books by her in the future. Strongly Recommended!

Tawny Man Trilogy:

Fool's Errand

Golden Fool

Fool's Fate