Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb continues the saga of Fitz and the Fool, with Fitz living a quiet life as Tom Badgerlock until mysterious events threaten to disrupt his newfound peace. The story delves into Fitz's past, his relationships with beloved characters, and the unexpected birth of his daughter Bee, who brings both joy and danger to his family. The plot unfolds slowly, with detailed world-building and intricate character development, culminating in a cliffhanger ending that leaves readers eager for the next installment.

Characters:

The characters are richly developed, with Fitz being deeply introspective and new characters like Bee adding fresh perspectives.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is rich and introspective, encouraging deep emotional engagement from readers.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot dives into the domestic life of Fitz, integrating new characters and significant twists, with a blend of suspense and emotional depth.

Setting:

The setting transitions from political intrigue to a quieter domestic environment, highlighting thematic tensions.

Pacing:

The pacing is slow at first but ramps up towards the end, balancing introspection with key plot developments.

Burrich, old friend, Well, we are settled here, I suppose. It has not been a pleasant time for me, or for you if your somewhat terse message conceals as much as I suspect it does. The house is immense...

Notes:

Fool's Assassin is the first book in the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy, the third trilogy about the characters Fitz and the Fool.

The story is a continuation from the Farseer Trilogy, starting with Assassin's Apprentice.

Readers should not start with this book; prior knowledge from the previous trilogies is essential to avoid spoilers and to appreciate the characters.

Fitz, now known as Tom Badgerlock, has retired to a quiet life with his wife Molly at Withywoods.

A significant event at the beginning of the book involves Molly giving birth to an unusual child, Bee, when she is well past her childbearing years.

Bee becomes a second viewpoint character, providing a child's perspective on the story.

The narrative features time jumps and alternating first-person viewpoints, adding complexity to the storytelling.

The book initiates a sense of suspense, with a major cliffhanger ending that leaves readers anxious for the next installment.

Fitz's home life revolves around domestic issues, contrasting with the intense political intrigue of earlier trilogies.

The book has mixed pacing, often spending time on mundane aspects of life before introducing significant plot developments.

Readers have highlighted the emotional depth of the character relationships, especially between Fitz and his daughter Bee.

Despite some criticism about pacing, many fans appreciated the rich character development and emotional weight of the story.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book involves themes of loss, grief, aging, and includes some violence that could be triggering for sensitive readers.

Has Romance?

There is a medium level of romance, particularly in the relationship between Fitz and Molly, along with themes of familial love.

From The Publisher:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Nearly twenty years ago, Robin Hobb burst upon the fantasy scene with the first of her acclaimed Farseer novels, Assassin's Apprentice, which introduced the characters of FitzChivalry Farseer and his uncanny friend the Fool. A watershed moment in modern fantasy, this novel-and those that followed-broke exciting new ground in a beloved genre. Together with George R. R. Martin, Robin Hobb helped pave the way for such talented new voices as Scott Lynch, Brandon Sanderson, and Naomi Novik.

Over the years, Hobb's imagination has soared throughout the mythic lands of the Six Duchies in such bestselling series as the Liveship Traders Trilogy and the Rain Wilds Chronicles. But no matter how far she roamed, her heart always remained with Fitz. And now, at last, she has come home, with an astonishing new novel that opens a dark and gripping chapter in the Farseer saga.

FitzChivalry-royal bastard and former king's assassin-has left his life of intrigue behind. As far as the rest of the world knows, FitzChivalry Farseer is dead and buried. Masquerading as Tom Badgerlock, Fitz is now married to his childhood sweetheart, Molly, and leading the quiet life of a country squire.

Though Fitz is haunted by the disappearance of the Fool, who did so much to shape Fitz into the man he has become, such private hurts are put aside in the business of daily life, at least until the appearance of menacing, pale-skinned strangers casts a sinister shadow over Fitz's past . . . and his future.

Now, to protect his new life, the former assassin must once again take up his old one. . . .

Praise for Fool's Assassin

"Hobb knows the complicated workings of the wayward human heart, and she takes time to depict them in her tale, to tell her story sweetly, insistently, compellingly. . . . A book meant to be inhabited rather than run through."-The Seattle Times

"[FitzChivalry Farseer is] one of the best characters in fantasy literature."-Fantasy Book Review

"[Hobb's] prose sparkles, her characters leap off the page."-Tordotcom

"Modern fantasy at its irresistible best."-The Guardian

"Fantastic . . . emotionally rich storytelling."-Library Journal (starred review)

Ratings (29)

Incredible (14)
Loved It (11)
Liked It (2)
It Was OK (1)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (54):

Read It (34)
Want To Read (16)
Not Interested (4)

2 comment(s)

ColorfulLeo92

Loved It

1 month

Been wanting to read Robin Hobb for ages but only had the audio available so I jumped on this when I saw it in my library and saw it was the first in the series. but I understood later that it's a first in the second or third thrillogy but I really enjoyed the world and characters anywho.it was easy to get emersed in them even though I've missed a lot of context. hopefully I can find the rest in this series there as I'm very interested in the series

Pallavi

Incredible

4 months

5 *

RTC

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About the Author:

Robin Hobb is the author of the Farseer Trilogy, the Liveship Traders Trilogy, the Tawny Man Trilogy, the Soldier Son Trilogy, and the Rain Wilds Chronicles. She has also written as Megan Lindholm. She is a native of Washington State.Magali…

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