Oh my, what a feast of fantasy is Robin Hobb’s The Farseer Trilogy! When I first read Book 1, I ended it feeling as if I had eaten the finest meal of my life - fully satiated, yet longing for more. And Books 2 and 3 did not disappoint.
Book 1 tells the story of Fitz, a young boy of royal Farseer blood whose existence has caused his father to abdicate his position as Heir, being put into the protective care of the Heir’s man Burrich, and being secretly apprenticed by night to the shadowy Royal Assassin. Books 2 and 3 continue the story of Fitz as grown man following the death of King Shrewd.
Court politics and inheritance, mind magic and beast magic, loyalty and integrity, and relationships between man and woman, father and child, king and king’s man, are all explored in depth through the eyes of Fitz as he matures.
Hobb is a master of stories that satisfy, but which include tragedy, pain, and sorrow for the heroes. These stories are not for those who want a quick, easy read, or who insist on happy endings with all the ends neatly tied up. But if you like fantasy, and you like Arthurian themes and characters who are fully-rounded, then give the Farseer Trilogy a try, and let me know what you think.
5 comments:
Oh, no! You are kidding me! I promise I am not stalking your book preferences: except for Dorothy Dunnett's books. I have read all of Robin Hobb's books that I could find in my library. Now that we have moved, I have to see if there are some unread Hobb books at our new library. :) The first books I read were from the Liveship Traders Trilogy, which remain some of my favorites of hers. I also really liked the Tawny Man trilogy.
Hey, that is pretty funny!!! I didn't much like the Liveship Traders, but everything else of hers I loved, including the Tawny Man trilogy.
I don't suppose you're a fan of George RR Martin as well? Review coming soon to a blog near you. ;-)
And I'd love to get your book recommendations as it seems we have very similar tastes!
I do like the George RR Martin book I started (Game of Thrones), which was also highly recommended by my brother, associate book editor. I found it too gory/hard at the time. Must have been some BF-ing hormones or something influencing me! I will get back to it sometime.
Are you on Goodreads by any chance?
My brother gave me The Magicians, by Lev Grossman, which has been touted as the adult story for Narnia and Harry Potter lovers. That's pretty accurate, I think. It's the realistic-seeming adult Narnia/Harry Potter. The sequel, The Magician King, is now out so I will have to pick that up.
Yeah, I found the Martin books pretty gory too, but I found they were quite similar to the Hobb stories with similar tragedy and rounded characters, as well as lots of political intrigue.
Thanks for the Grossman tip - I'm off to the library today, so I'll have a look.
I've never heard of Goodreads, but it looks really interesting!!! Thanks!
If you ever decide Goodreads is worth your time, look me up there! I think it's an easy way to share book likes and reviews and I don't spend a whole lot of time on it (a good thing).
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