You can get the first book here: amzn.to/38odU7K RUclips has a new feature where I can break the video into parts! Check the description if you would like to jump around :)
Hi! I’ve noticed that you’ve been linking your “where you can get the book here” to an amazon link, and just wanted to let you know about bookshop.org so maybe you can link your books there? Bookshop.org is basically amazon for indie bookstores-in that if you buy a book from there part of the proceeds go to help fund indie bookstores (you can even specify which local bookstore you want it to go to!!). Plus bookshop.org is just a really cool online bookstore! They curate book lists and everything (which is super fun!). I just wanted to let you know if you weren’t aware!
It's such a beautiful concept, after a long life of love, hate and hardship, you reach the end and pour all your memories, all your emotions, your regrets and your satisfactions into something that will in some way carry them forward to the benefit of the next generations, to protect your descendants in their time of need.
@@Ubersicht i only have read the first trilogy currently so my view may be wrong but that was never impression i got. I understood the building of a dragon and pouring yourself werent there for power or a sweet way to die but more a hunger that the skill pushes you to if you let it lead you there. Like addiction that if it doesnt kill u leads u to somewhere to just feed yourself to
@@harley2166 It's hard to say, knowledge of the skill and it's practice were mostly lost (at least as far as we know) so the true nature of the attraction to that place is not clear and the effects of the practice could very well be due to lack of proper training and knowledge. It seems that at some point there was a whole society that used the skill for basically everything so it probably wasn't that bad. I might be looking at it through rose tinted glasses, it's been a while since I read it, but I think it's a fact that practitioners went there generally at the end of their lives, their consciousness somewhat persists in the dragons and they act to protect their home. I'd take that over dying and that being that.
Too bad - I bet she could have kept the title if it released after HBO's Game of Thrones made bastards sexy. Course, assassins have only gotten hotter, Assassin's Creed is still going strong.
Fitz is willing to make sacrifices, but he was conditioned to be that way since he was a child. Which is so tragic, but fitting. From the moment he arrives at Buckkeep, he's lead to believe that his very existence is an inconvenience and the only way he can justify it is by serving the crown no matter the cost to himself. Robin Hobb does trauma SO WELL- even better in the Liveship series
Spoilers!! ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** Doesn't king Shrewd skill touch Fitz when they first meet and pretty much force Fitz to honor the Farseer line and stay loyal?
Spoiler!!! She does trauma really well especially when a certain lady dies in her garden with her daughter watching and a certain someone wailing his lungs out. 😶
This scene broke me like no other😭😭😭. I was on a city bus heading home from work when I got to this part. I bawled my eyes out. Everyone on the bus heard and saw me lol
Farseer is one of the best series to execute the kingship (and queenship) theme, imo. I can truly understand how he could inspire such loyalty in Fitz. It was most brilliant.
my favorite one: "Three flames burn brighter than the sun, Their blaze engulfs an evil done, Their angry mourning purpose gives, They do not know their child still lives."
There's a reason why the pacing feels slow. She's setting up an entire 16 book saga in the first trilogy! Robin Hobb is the queen of payoffs. Assassin's Quest was a mini-payoff for the first two books, but really, the ENTIRE first trilogy is the setup for the rest of Realm of the Elderlings. As a fantasy reader, you should know that the longer the setup...the better the payoff. :) World-building - she has one of the most detailed and internally consistent fantasy worlds I have ever read. Just give her time to flesh out her world. Magic system - yes, it's true, this is not high fantasy with spells blazing. But her magic system is extremely intertwined with her world in ways we cannot grasp in just the first three books. Dragons - You will change your mind, I guarantee it! Robin Hobb writes dragons like no other. Some people skip the Liveship Traders trilogy because they think it's unrelated to the rest of the series. Please don't. It's hard to appreciate Robin Hobb's genius without experiencing her slow, methodical trickle of information to the reader and all the mind-blowing implications which will dawn on attentive readers. Robin Hobb doesn't do filler. Everything is there for a reason.
Could not say it better myself, you are absolutely right :) It is important for the story that you do not skip anything and it is best to start with the short story Homecoming.
@@-Me-yl2ou Some trilogies are part of the same story (Fitz) while others are part of the same world (Realm of the Elderlings). However, they are ALL related because they work together to tell a beautiful story about love, loss, magic and dragons.
@@-Me-yl2ou they are all set in the same world, but I can't give too much away about how the Liveships series connects with the Farseer and Tawny Man series as it gives away a twist that is one of my favourite parts of the series, so just trust me, it will make sense, but enjoy the ride at the same time.
The Tawny Man trilogy stands out to me the most when I think back on the Realm of the Elderings. There's significant expansion on the world-building (naturally) but her character work and the way the relationships develop just catapulted the series to the top of my favourites list. it's just ... It's so Robin Hobb. Thoughtful, layered, never easy. It's such a rich reading experience, and so much more than I expected when I first started the series. And the Fool. The Fool, the Fool, the Fool. I have never loved another character like I love the Fool.
My library doest have ber ship trilogy books. Only tawny and then the fool series. Can I read tawny now after farseer? Or will i miss something? Also, yeah, but i heard everyone said they loved the fool in the 3rd book, i started loving him so much on the 2nd and i still it is still the place where i got to know him more and loved him more. We saw how loyal and strong he was while maintaining trying to make others laugh
That's actually one of the few book series were they changed the title in German to the better. The assassin titles just don't suit it 😅 In German it's titles are 1. The gift of kings 2. The brother of the wolf and 3. The Heritage of the Shadows
@@waynear6856 Ik lees meestal de Engelse edities als het goeie proza heeft. Vertaling lees ik alleen wanneer proza een zwakker element is van de schrijver. Of als de vertaling zeer sterk is gedaan, zoals bij de meeste werken van poëzie.
I just finished Liveship Traders yesterday. Imo, it was even better than Farseer! Hoooly shit, it was so god damn fantastic. One of my favorite series ever and Ship of Destiny is one of my favorite novels. Started Tawny Man today, very excited.
@@kieran7265 read the soldier son trilogy, a mix of 17th century and fantasy and is wholly different than what she even usualyl writes; its incredible.
@@gilbertozambrano6182 Molta's character journey is one of the best one's I've ever read. From someone you can barely stand into someone who can be genuinely admired.
This series reads like a very intense drama, with the addition of magic and fantasy elements. It really feels like you're there with Fitz and living his life along with him. Rothfuss's writing feels like poetry, no doubt, but Hobb's writing just feels like life. No other author makes me transport myself to their world so effortlessly
Have just finished the last of the entire series, I took the recommendation and also read the Liveship series before starting Assassins Fate. As a 61 year old man I have been entranced,enraged and enthralled with this series, was quite emotional towards the end , really recommend that you keep going , there are flat spots but it really is worth it !
Hello Fellow elder reader! I've been on "a dry spell" as reading goes for some years now, what would you recommend to me to get re- accounted with the genre? Not Robin Hobb, I already read them (almost all, as I stopped reading some years ago now). Some other suggestions?
Awesome review, I just finished assassin’s quest myself, and dove straight into the Liveship traders. Honestly, I didn’t WANT to do that. I wanted to pick up the tawny man trilogy and continue fitz’s journey, but reddit has convinced me to check out Liveship. Apparently it fills in the gap between Farseer and Tawny Man. I didn’t expect to dig into the book, but I’m on chapter 4 and honestly compelled to finish it already because it’s just Robin Hobb’s beautiful writing that really grabs me.
Oh enjoy. Such a FANTASTIC trilogy. I'm rereading Farseer trilogy right now and while I am enjoying myself immensely, I VERY much look forward to Liveship.
Oh, I agree with you, starting Liveship was really hard because I wanted to continue on with Fitz. But it says something that it will get you to appreciate it for itself instead of resenting it not being about Fitz. I do think that the connections to the Tawny Man aren't as important to understanding and enjoying it as some people make it out to be, there is a certain character in Liveship traders you should keep a lookout for, since she is the one that connects the two trilogies the most.
dude please, plesae, i need links to the reddit comunnity i have been enjoing this books since i was like 11 , and i never find any comunnnity, i just discover this video and im excited(sorry for the bad english)
Now imagine being so drawn in by the characterwork and the next three books will have no Fitz and STILL you will think the next 3 are even better than the first 3!!! Please read the Liveship Trader series!!! It's so good.
@@lizclegg7556 Oh, don't say that. I know it's true, but I just wish she'd leave that sleeping wolf lie... I, for one, did not hugely enjoy Fitz and the Fool for many reasons. And the ending felt like a great ending... for another story. Oh it did punch me in the guts in the customary RH way, but the way it got there was... all kinds of unimpressive. I think the lore was getting too heavy, and that was only some of the baggage. I got so numb for the emotional baggage at points. Ugh. I just hope she's done with Fitz now. For real this time.
For me the saddest and most beautiful ending in the series was the death of Nighteyes when in his mind he goes out with Nighteyes in the early morning. That was beautifully written.
Please continue on to Liveship Traders. I think it's Hobb's best work. The characters are some of the best I've ever seen in a fantasy series. The worldbuilding gets a huge expansion. Kennit is one of the greatest villains ever and is up there with Glokta in terms vile characters that you just can't look away from. Malta has one of the most genuinely heartwarming character arcs I've ever read. The whole thing is beautiful, infuriating, captivating, cruel, and I love every second of it.
Having read Robin Hobb years and year before reading Kingkiller, I can 100% say that the reason I responded so readily to Kingkiller was because of Hobb
The ending of this trilogy felt like it wounded my soul. I seethed at the ending thinking that was it, since the next book moved on from Fitz. However years later I found out about the Tawny Man trilogy, reading that was so satisfying. I'm currently in the middle of the Liveship Traders trilogy, while I like it, the fact that there's another Fitz trilogy out there is distracting me greatly.
I want to hear his thoughts about kennit and paragon, two of the best characters I have ever read. Kennit for sure, he is my favorite character of the series.
@@CaoCao_0707 not gonna disagree I really enjoyed Kennit's story, but I can't remember a series that was able to drastically change how I feel about a character like Robin Hobb did with Malta.
@@user-zb9jn8fl7v I understand, I really disliked malta in the first book, I started to empathize with her in the second book and I loved malta in the third. Great character. But I loved kennit so much, especially (spoiler)......................... his relationship with paragon and the way we discover his background story is amazing. His story is so tragic, and despite the fact that you shouldn't like a person like that, you can't deny you understand him. And the comparison with fitz that you understand only in the third book of the tawny man trilogy is fantastic. (I'm sorry for my English, I'm Italian)
Daniel, once you get to the end of all the World of the Elderlings books, you will realise just how clever Robin Hobb is; you say the dragon was a bit incidental, wait, oh just wait! So many threads get pulled together it makes you gasp! You didn't mention Nighteyes or Fool! Please, please continue reading; the next series (the Tawny Man trilogy) is just mega. You can skip the Liveship Traders trilogy, BUT, I would strongly recommend that you read them - they really are something else and add to the world building.
I havent read tawny man, and I just finished MadShip, and I can already tell that livdship traders MUST be read. There's info that Im seeing a lot of forshadowing it drops about dragons and elderlings Spoilers but not quite: All that happened with Malta, the dragon and bit her bf whose names in english idk). Now I can see there's lore in there that will be explored later on
I enjoyed the third book a lot, poor Fitz was so abused by the Farseers. I liked the conclusion of the relationship with Molly, the way they both realize that they loved their old selves was refreshing. Also I loved that Regal was killed by a ferret, a well deserved end.
I loved that ferret! 😭 It was so loyal and and followed its final orders to pass a message before going to carry out it's vengeance. A ferret on a mission to kill a prince!
Please, tell us you intend on continuing Fitz's story. I want you to go through all the feels I just went through when I finished his story. You wont regret it. The Tawny man Trilogy is good, its Fitz's next adventure, and it really starts to get into more world building and magic. Daniel asks for world building and magic? Tawny man will deliver.
!!!! SPOILERS FOR THE TAWNY MAN TRILOGY !!!! The death at the end of Fool's Errand (1st book of The Tawny Man) still haunts me 7 years after reading the book. It is, to me, the saddest death every fantasy books, series, etc combined. I can't wait to hear what Daniel thinks of it.
@@alexislaurin5299 You can't wait for Daniel to have his heart brutally ripped out of his chest? You monster! I know what death you're talking about, and it's even sadder how when reading it you know it's coming throughout the whole book, like you know a bomb is about to go off but you can't do anything to stop it. Then it happens and it's so unbelievably sad it crushes your soul.
@@coleton7048 Exactly and the way Robin Hobb wrote this passage ... just thinking about it brings tears to me eyes. "I'm so tired that rest won't ease me. Only the hunt."
My favorite thing about book three was Fitz realizing his name was Keppet when he was born, and then rushing to pick up my copy of book one to review the scene with the two women arguing/fighting in the marketplace early-on. And realizing that there are now Layers of Sadness.
The very final book though... the beautiful echo/framing structure had me spontaneously burst into tears for weeks after reading it (being ambigous on purpose here, in case you haven't read it).
And it was on the same day he used his ability to read to give molly her mom's recipes, her mom's memories of her birth, and learned that his father had been killed out on withywoods... why are my eyes wet?
I finished the whole saga of the Farseer from the original trilogy to the last three that came out recently... And honestly, it's one of my all-time favorite fantasy series.
I've never experienced a story where you follow a character almost their entire life, from childhood on. Fitz's nine book story is a masterpiece. I don't think there is anything else like it (and maybe never will be.) Yes, continue with Robin Hobb. Just don't pick up the Soldier Son Trilogy. That's only for Hobb completionists.
Keep going with it. Fitzs and the fool trilogy is even better. I'm not a fussed with the liveship books as much but it's essential reading for the later series so it's worth getting through.
It's a great story. The part where The Fool "betrays" Fitz is the only part that had me shaking my head cause that was just too obvious of a situation where Fitz had been thru enough and learned enough of the Skill where he should have known the Fool was being controlled by Regal.
I'm really thrilled to see you are reading "The Realm of the Elderlings". But how can you talk so much about Fitz and not mention the Fool a single time? He is so essential to the plot, to Fitz and to the whole series. In regards to world building, just like you said, Robin Hobb is taking her time to build up her characters and explore them, and it is just the same with the worldbuilding. Read the rest of the books and don't skip the The Liveship Traders (I see that advice around the internet and it would be sacrilege to do so) and you will get all the world building you need! Don't judge the dragons too quickly either ;) The whole series is fantastic and left such a deep impact on me when I finished book number 16, rarely do I have to sit and reflect for a long time after such a series, but with this one I couldn't pick up anything else for a quite a while. I knew it just wouldn't have this world and especially Fitz and the Fool in it.
I would recommend that you go down the route of 'Liveship Traders' next, when I read her books I really enjoyed 'Farseer' and was tempted to jump straight into 'Tawny Man' but didn't, so glad I didn't or it would have spoilt the world building for me. These stories just get better and better, you will find out things as you go along the journey and I believe it is a journey with Robin Hobb, trust me. Any why never a mention of The Fool, one of the best characters from the Trilogy, mysterious, funny and lovable all in the one packet.
I wept for the entire hour that it took for the narrator to read the final outcome of FitzChivalry Farseer. I could not stop crying because it was so beautifully written and I was so invested in him as a character. His relationship with The Fool and Molly and his little daughter Bee. The Fitz and the Fool series is excellent.
You're my favourite RUclipsr, and the one who encouraged me to finally read WoT. I'm on Lord Of Chaos, nearly done with it, and I'm so far in love with the series. To see you finally pick up MY FAVOURITE SERIES EVER alongside my second, Tad Williams Memory Sorrow And Thorn, delights me so much! I think WoT joins them in my top three...
Glad you enjoyed the first trilogy, a lot more good stuff to follow still in this world! Robin Hobb can take some time to build up a story and her characters, but she does it so well that even when seemingly not much is happening, it never feels boring. That's how good her prose is and that - besides the great characterwork - makes her one of my favourite authors. And this 16 book series (if I remember correctly) one of the most enthralling - and often heart breaking, yes - reads ever :-)
Favorite series for realistic characters in a fantasy book. It couldn’t have ended in any other way and be believable or not feel cheap. Loved it. And she builds on it so well in the next six books that deal with Fitz. And with that context in mind the dragon at the end will not seem like convenience any more
But ofc, we needed to read Farseer (and liveship traders, to a lesser extent) to really get the full impact of the Tawny Man trilogy. Farseer is great on its own, but it really does set up Tawny Man to be amazing for what it does.
You left me wondering about your feelings on his bond with Nighteyes and that element of the magic system. We know your feels about animal characters and you get a whole new presentation on those kinds of relationships.
You're taking Farseer out of context. You need to read the other trilogies in the series, too, in order to see more of that world and the characters evolve. And - OMG - no mention of the Fool??!!!
I'm happy you liked the ending. I'll recommend trying to read the Realm of the Elderlings books without putting too much time between the books. Because the lore and events you will learn about in the following books will put into context many of the weird things that you had to "just accept" in the Farseer Trilogy (you probably know what I'm talking about, stumbling into a random city and so on). The fresher the previous books are in your mind, the bigger the pay off will be when reading the rest of the series.
You just get me. Assassin’s Quest was an amazing conclusion to the trilogy and had so much payoff! I always felt in the minority in that opinion, and it’s the beginning to something else for Fitz.
I feel like the Fitz and The Fool series (Tawny Man?) is EVEN better. I just love RH's writing. Fitz is one of my all time favorite characters....even tho he pisses me off quite a bit. haha
The Farseer Trilogy is only the beginning of the best fantasy series of all time, because the Farseer trilogy is only the first 3 books of like 16 books. And it gets BETTER AND BETTER. The Fool is the best fantasy character ever created, period.
So glad you enjoyed the trilogy, and I'd wholeheartedly recommend diving into the rest of the Realm of the Elderlings. I started reading it in 1995, and -- for me -- no one does characters better than Hobb. The whole series is now my comfort read (what that says about me, I hate to think!) but even now I find more layers each time I re-read. Liveships is next, and it's a far cry from Fitz's adventures but the threads do all connect, eventually... Have fun and thanks for the review. :)
Yesssssssssssssss so glad you liked it Daniel. I was afraid the ending of this one would sour you on wanting to continue the series, but trust me when I say it only gets better from here.
Farseer is my all time favorite fantasy series, especially because of the prose and character work. Hobbs writing is wonderfully complex, which results in the characters being believable people to me. My heart bleeds for Fitz throughout the books because of his hardships and loss. At the same time I can't describe in words, how much I hate the Kingkiller Chronicle. The prose is good, but isn't utilized to make compelling characters. Quite the opposite. My heart do not bleed for Kvothe. I don't feel the same emotions, because of the prose and descriptions. I see why you think they are for the same sort of readers but for me at least, these books don't compare when it comes to making me feel strongly about characters throughout these books. Robin Hobbs are capable of making me feel deeply. That is what she do best.
100% agree. The main difference I see in Kingkiller v Farseer is the main character. Kvothe seems to be miraculously the best ever at everything he does, which honestly just makes him annoying, whereas Fitz never seems to be supremely great at anything. In fact most of the big events in his books maybe become possible because of him but are ultimately done by someone else. That can be so unsatisfying at times but at the same time leaves you rooting for him even more.
"I wanted more worldbuilding" ... oh you sweet summerchild hahahaha. Read the rest :D I am not sure if you've read the Liveship series? Please please please do. Pleaaaaase. I remember going like "how the f*ck is she going to resolve this incredible mess in that last book" when I'd hit the ending of the second. But she did. And SOOOO satisfactory, my god. Hobb takes her time but when she pops off it is magnificent. Also, the last series in the Fitz arc, from the viewpoint of Bee. And then especially the last book. I cried.
You can go on to the Liveship Traders now!!! I'm genuinely excited for you lol !!! If you impressed now, my god, your gonna be blown away with whats to come!!!
I totally agree with the “Fitz goes through a lot but it’s easy to miss.” I actually think that’s part of why so many people dislike this book, bc I’ve seen lots of reviewers call Fitz “whiny” when he’s clearly suffering with PTSD. Robin Hobb’s subtle with it, but I find it super effective. Also -other thoughts - one of the things I love the most about Assassin’s Quest is how much every character changes in the year Fitz’s away. We see Fitz constantly, and we’re aware of how much he’s changed, but to come back and see how Chade coped, how the Fool and Kettricken grieved and changed.. idk it just makes it feel so *real* to me. Anyway - rant over. Loved your review!
I actually picked first book as a kid due to cool title. Then I just kind of grew up with the series, it was for me like Harry Potter to others, because I could relate to main character so much. ...Boy, that sounds sad.
I didn’t think the ending was so depressing. His child and woman was safe. They were happy. We also get lots of prewarning about it. And we’re well introduced to the idea of sacrificing for others. And he puts those feelings into the stone too. So it’s just... bittersweet I guess.
It's the Realm of the Elderlings and Farseer is just the beginning. You'll get much more world building. Especially with Liveship Traders. I'm glad that you like it so far! And I think it only gets better (with the exception of the Rainwild Chronicles I hear; I personally have read everything other than that and the last trilogy which I'm currently on)
This whole series is fantastic and I have never found a series that world builds and continues to push the world and characters forward through the 15 book series such as this Live Ship Traders trilogy, Tawny Man trilogy, and The Rain Wild Chronicles (prob 4 of my favorite books) are FANTASTIC some of the best fantasy I personally have read in years AND THE FINAL TRILOGY OMG I WAS NOT READY im still trying to recover and find other worlds and epics as good as this, so far Storm Light has fit in nicely cant wait for you to get to the others!
When I tell people about this series.....I dont bring it up unless they are a fairly consistent reader because it's rather slow as you mentioned. The people who read a lot I suggest it to strongly and tell them it is a slow burn, that had me gripped all the way through. Even when nothing is happening, her prose and her characters still had me wanting for more. It may be a slow burn but the embers are oh so bright. Robin Hobb is one of only a few authors who has had me sobbing. She is phenomenal at her craft. @danielgreen , I hope you plan to continue the series as a whole. The world building gets better and better as you go on. You have really been killing it lately. I feel like your tbr was hand picked by me. Lightbringer, mark Lawrence, robin hobb....all in my top 10 and I love seeing you talk about them. I give free suggestions if you ever want more. Haha
This is exactly my approach to recommending these books! I tell them it's slow going and that they'll wonder why I've raved about it, only to suddenly finish book one and be desperate to read the next one.
Finally, you have read Farseer trilogy❤️❤️❤️❤️ But the story doesn't end with 3rd book. The story continues for 6 more books, which completes the book😭😭😭😭😭 truly complete it. Edit: Fitz is my favorite character of all time. No one can match me living fitz life with him from birth to end.
I really want to see you review the Liveship Trader series. It is third person and the characters are fascinating. Especially Kennit. The worldbuilding mysteries revealed in this series are amazing. They also feed into the Tawny Man Trilogy, which is a really rich tapestry compared to the Farseer Trilogy.
Me, every video: Is he going to mention Fool? Daniel, every video: Nope! But, really, I've adored all your reviews and your measured and reasonable critiques. I really hope you explore more Realm of the Elderlings books in the future! I think especially with your desire for more world building from these books you'll just love where it goes. Also, if "unless you're N.K. Jemisin" isn't a whole ass mood, I don't know what is. I could say this about...a lot of things, but especially second person haha.
This series is why I don't like assassin fantasy. I can't read any book with an assassin in it and not make a disparaging comparison to Hobb. Same thing with Firefly, btw. There's only one true space cowboy series.
I've just finished The Farseer Trilogy and while I found it masterfully written and I struggled to put it down, I was disappointed in the ending. I like happy endings and while most of the plots' problems were resolved, I wanted more satisfaction for Fitz. I really wanted him to kill Regal. I also really wanted to know more about Chivalry and Fitzs' mother. I was truly weary when I finished the last page. I felt every one of Fitzs' scars and wounds.
I don't know I really don't agree with everyone on here saying Liveship Traders is better than Farseer Trilogy. I think Farseer is more contained, more intimate, more emotional, more special, more interesting. I liked Liveship, but Farseer for me is genuinely ground-breaking, whereas Liveship was just particularly good.
Honestly if you didn't mind the duex ex machina with the dragons, then I don't think there's anything stopping you from loving the rest of the Realm of the Elderlings. The only problem I had personally with the third book of the first trilogy was the pacing and stone-dragons. Fitz is a much more interesting protagonist in his next trilogies; he's older, wiser, and broken. The new characters introduced in the next trilogy are amazing and some fan favorite characters from this trilogy also stay relatively relevant as Fitz's story treads on. Chade in particular, I think, gets a glow-up in the second and third trilogies. Chade in this first trilogy pales in comparison to his future characterization. Also, like others have mentioned, you should read the Liveship Traders trilogy before the Tawny Man trilogy. The Liveship Traders is written in multiple third-person pov so it may be more familiar to you.
As part of the Farseer trilogy, the stone dragons are a weird fit. As part of the Realm of the Elderlings, the stone dragons are interwoven at a fundamental level of world building.
@@derrisreaditbefore 100% agree. After reading the liveship traders and tawny man trilogy, understanding will don regarding the overall importance of the stone dragons and what it means in relation to the Elderlings.
I'm so happy you loved the Farseer trilogy! Hobb writes wonderfully and I was worried her style wouldn't gel with you but I'm chuffed that it did. :) "Fitz my sweet summer precious child stop what you're doing" when it comes to Fitz making decisions is a pretty universal thing across the Hobb fandom, as far as I believe (myself included hahahaha)! You've met my favourite character in any book ever: Nighteyes. Enjoy your journey into the rest of the Elderlings books. :')
I have to agree with MegaD96, in the comment below. The Liveship books SLAY. I was leery. (Really, talking ships?) But, the depth, the expansive world, the politics... the pirates! (Usually not too excited by pirates, but, wow.) And I really loved Hobb's use of multiple-POVs in third, too. As you can imagine, it really expands the reader's view of a world with a coolness that's only hinted at in the Farseer Trilogy. Hope you go there. And I'm delighted that you're enjoying one of my all-time favorite authors.
As a big King Killer fan, this was a wonderfully different story but with all the same joys of reading a story well written, like Rothfuss does. I loved the whole thing! 😊
I just finished the last book. Robin Hobb is truly great at subverting expectations. We are so used to stories about heroes being perfect in every way. That they always make the best decisions and get the girl in the end. Hobb discards most of that. It’s what I ultimately appreciate about this series. And yes, I am a Kingkiller fan and loved this. There were a lot instances I could see where she influenced him.
I actually started the farseer triology on the wrong book. I started with volume two and was so impressed by the level of trust shown to me by the author in regards to picking up on an ongoing story. The way the backstory was referenced made me genuinely think it was just backstory. I thought it was so refreshing to have an author just skip the origin part of the story. I actually only figured it out when I had to find the next volume and realised it was volume three. But I didn't feel I missed anything, so I just continued. And 15 books later, having completed it all, I finally returned to the very first book. And man, was that a nostalgic experience. It was like watching the first Harry Potter movie, never having seen it before, but knowing all the plot. Oh, and I also mixed up Tawny man and Dragon keepers series, but that didn't really matter.
After reading 5 books Robin Hobb can't convince me to read any more of her books. She hooked me in Assasin's Apprentice and Ship of Magic but things never picked up or took off. I was expecting at some point to fall in love with the characters, setting or plot but and ended up feeling hallow, like I wasted my time. I eventually left when I realized nothing was ever going to change, it was never going to get better.
Something that helps me is having a physical book and ebook (if you can find them cheep). When I feel burnout from the physical book I switch to the ebook, which has smaller pages. I then tell myself something like "just two more pages" and I'll usually get through slogs or fatigue by the time I get through it.
I also use an app called Libby that connects to my library's backlog of audiobook. I'll read a few chapters to understand the tone and world, then switch to the audiobook to help cement voices and traits of characters. Then I'll switch between the two while going for walks, then relaxing before lunch, then wTwring the lawn, and so on...
You can get the first book here: amzn.to/38odU7K
RUclips has a new feature where I can break the video into parts! Check the description if you would like to jump around :)
Hi! I’ve noticed that you’ve been linking your “where you can get the book here” to an amazon link, and just wanted to let you know about bookshop.org so maybe you can link your books there? Bookshop.org is basically amazon for indie bookstores-in that if you buy a book from there part of the proceeds go to help fund indie bookstores (you can even specify which local bookstore you want it to go to!!). Plus bookshop.org is just a really cool online bookstore! They curate book lists and everything (which is super fun!). I just wanted to let you know if you weren’t aware!
@@jamiemurphysoika5745 but then he wouldn't get his affiliate kickback.
AshtheViking yeah I thought of that after I wrote my comment :/
Just wait til you meet Kennit 😆
Your videos and content are getting so good
Daniel: I wanted more world building.
Liveship Traders: Allow us to introduce ourselves.
No but fr there was so much
"We dream of carving our dragon." - One of my favourite final sentences in all of fantasy
... if you enjoyed that, then definitely need to go thru all the books.
@@OvidiuHretcanu un roman de-ai mei pe aici :)
It's such a beautiful concept, after a long life of love, hate and hardship, you reach the end and pour all your memories, all your emotions, your regrets and your satisfactions into something that will in some way carry them forward to the benefit of the next generations, to protect your descendants in their time of need.
@@Ubersicht i only have read the first trilogy currently so my view may be wrong but that was never impression i got. I understood the building of a dragon and pouring yourself werent there for power or a sweet way to die but more a hunger that the skill pushes you to if you let it lead you there. Like addiction that if it doesnt kill u leads u to somewhere to just feed yourself to
@@harley2166 It's hard to say, knowledge of the skill and it's practice were mostly lost (at least as far as we know) so the true nature of the attraction to that place is not clear and the effects of the practice could very well be due to lack of proper training and knowledge. It seems that at some point there was a whole society that used the skill for basically everything so it probably wasn't that bad. I might be looking at it through rose tinted glasses, it's been a while since I read it, but I think it's a fact that practitioners went there generally at the end of their lives, their consciousness somewhat persists in the dragons and they act to protect their home. I'd take that over dying and that being that.
“But once they did go there, I was like.. Wow, I’m gonna sneeze”
~Daniel Greene 2020
I don't know why but the way it came out sounded so perfect
I may even adopt it as a saying when expressing how much I liked something.
First book was meant to have the title "Chivalry's Bastard". Publisher changed it to Assassin stuff.
Damn. The original title sounds so much better. A good contradiction, almost a question.
That sounds so much better and less generic than Assassin's Apprentice
That’s a way better name! They could have named the next two after Regal and Verity with the same sort of word play.
Ooh I wonder whether the others would’ve been “Bastard” something. But yeah that’s a way better title
Too bad - I bet she could have kept the title if it released after HBO's Game of Thrones made bastards sexy. Course, assassins have only gotten hotter, Assassin's Creed is still going strong.
Fitz is willing to make sacrifices, but he was conditioned to be that way since he was a child. Which is so tragic, but fitting. From the moment he arrives at Buckkeep, he's lead to believe that his very existence is an inconvenience and the only way he can justify it is by serving the crown no matter the cost to himself. Robin Hobb does trauma SO WELL- even better in the Liveship series
Spoilers!!
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Doesn't king Shrewd skill touch Fitz when they first meet and pretty much force Fitz to honor the Farseer line and stay loyal?
Spoiler!!!
She does trauma really well especially when a certain lady dies in her garden with her daughter watching and a certain someone wailing his lungs out. 😶
This scene broke me like no other😭😭😭. I was on a city bus heading home from work when I got to this part. I bawled my eyes out. Everyone on the bus heard and saw me lol
Mychal West I feel like, “Fitz was skill messed with” should be a drinking game
😂😂
5:54 "the magic system is about FORGING bonds" oh no nononono
06:00 "it's about FORGING bonds" Sure you wanna use that word?? I couldn't use that word randomly ever again after reading this series...
Noticed this too, sweated a little. 👀
@@becklebooks Same here, I think I gasped!
Oh god, sends shivers 😬
One Wiseman came to Jhaampe-town.
He set aside both Queen and Crown
Did his task and fell asleep
Gave his bones to the stones to keep.
Poor Verity.
Farseer is one of the best series to execute the kingship (and queenship) theme, imo. I can truly understand how he could inspire such loyalty in Fitz. It was most brilliant.
my favorite one:
"Three flames burn brighter than the sun,
Their blaze engulfs an evil done,
Their angry mourning purpose gives,
They do not know their child still lives."
I think he was happy to give his bones. He wasn’t scared to give his queen his nephews bone 😂
Verity is my favorite
@@neriumsuitedher "I never doubted it. Never doubt that I loved you."
There's a reason why the pacing feels slow. She's setting up an entire 16 book saga in the first trilogy! Robin Hobb is the queen of payoffs. Assassin's Quest was a mini-payoff for the first two books, but really, the ENTIRE first trilogy is the setup for the rest of Realm of the Elderlings. As a fantasy reader, you should know that the longer the setup...the better the payoff. :)
World-building - she has one of the most detailed and internally consistent fantasy worlds I have ever read. Just give her time to flesh out her world.
Magic system - yes, it's true, this is not high fantasy with spells blazing. But her magic system is extremely intertwined with her world in ways we cannot grasp in just the first three books.
Dragons - You will change your mind, I guarantee it! Robin Hobb writes dragons like no other.
Some people skip the Liveship Traders trilogy because they think it's unrelated to the rest of the series. Please don't. It's hard to appreciate Robin Hobb's genius without experiencing her slow, methodical trickle of information to the reader and all the mind-blowing implications which will dawn on attentive readers.
Robin Hobb doesn't do filler. Everything is there for a reason.
Could not say it better myself, you are absolutely right :)
It is important for the story that you do not skip anything and it is best to start with the short story Homecoming.
How others trilogy related to each other??? I have just started the first book
@@-Me-yl2ou Some trilogies are part of the same story (Fitz) while others are part of the same world (Realm of the Elderlings). However, they are ALL related because they work together to tell a beautiful story about love, loss, magic and dragons.
Yes, the Tawny Man series blew my mind when I realised who Amber was from Liveships. I was like WHAAAAAAAT!!!
@@-Me-yl2ou they are all set in the same world, but I can't give too much away about how the Liveships series connects with the Farseer and Tawny Man series as it gives away a twist that is one of my favourite parts of the series, so just trust me, it will make sense, but enjoy the ride at the same time.
The Tawny Man trilogy stands out to me the most when I think back on the Realm of the Elderings. There's significant expansion on the world-building (naturally) but her character work and the way the relationships develop just catapulted the series to the top of my favourites list. it's just ... It's so Robin Hobb. Thoughtful, layered, never easy. It's such a rich reading experience, and so much more than I expected when I first started the series.
And the Fool. The Fool, the Fool, the Fool. I have never loved another character like I love the Fool.
Agreed! The Fool is the best character I’ve ever known. Just glorious brilliant beautiful Fool
I looove the Fool so bad 😭♥️ just want to give him a hug 😢
Couldn't have said it better myself
My library doest have ber ship trilogy books. Only tawny and then the fool series. Can I read tawny now after farseer? Or will i miss something? Also, yeah, but i heard everyone said they loved the fool in the 3rd book, i started loving him so much on the 2nd and i still it is still the place where i got to know him more and loved him more. We saw how loyal and strong he was while maintaining trying to make others laugh
@@dianaayt Read liveship, its totally worth it in itself. There are references that will be related to livship.
That's actually one of the few book series were they changed the title in German to the better. The assassin titles just don't suit it 😅
In German it's titles are 1. The gift of kings 2. The brother of the wolf and 3. The Heritage of the Shadows
Definitely better!
Our dutch titles are: apprentice and master, royal assasin(same), skill and wisdom
@@writingwofl5836 dat wist ik niet heb de Engels versie gelezen maar dat is beter ja.
@@waynear6856 Ik lees meestal de Engelse edities als het goeie proza heeft. Vertaling lees ik alleen wanneer proza een zwakker element is van de schrijver. Of als de vertaling zeer sterk is gedaan, zoals bij de meeste werken van poëzie.
Not a Kingkiller fan who likes Farseer.
I'm a Hobb fan who likes Rothfuss.
Same
yup yup yup loved it toooooo
I just finished Liveship Traders yesterday. Imo, it was even better than Farseer! Hoooly shit, it was so god damn fantastic. One of my favorite series ever and Ship of Destiny is one of my favorite novels. Started Tawny Man today, very excited.
you have about three more trilogies to go :P enjoy!
My man the next two trilogies are gonna be a treat, really savour it
@@kieran7265 read the soldier son trilogy, a mix of 17th century and fantasy and is wholly different than what she even usualyl writes; its incredible.
The Liveship traders trilogy is a masterpiece. The ending it's one of the most tragic and satisfiying things I've ever read.
@@gilbertozambrano6182 Molta's character journey is one of the best one's I've ever read. From someone you can barely stand into someone who can be genuinely admired.
So glad you picked up Hobb! The Liveship Traders series is my all time favourite trilogy - I hope you get to it!
I second this, Liveship traders is fantastic. Probably pushed Hobb into being my favourite fantasy author
This series reads like a very intense drama, with the addition of magic and fantasy elements. It really feels like you're there with Fitz and living his life along with him. Rothfuss's writing feels like poetry, no doubt, but Hobb's writing just feels like life. No other author makes me transport myself to their world so effortlessly
Have just finished the last of the entire series, I took the recommendation and also read the Liveship series before starting Assassins Fate. As a 61 year old man I have been entranced,enraged and enthralled with this series, was quite emotional towards the end , really recommend that you keep going , there are flat spots but it really is worth it !
Hello Fellow elder reader! I've been on "a dry spell" as reading goes for some years now, what would you recommend to me to get re- accounted with the genre?
Not Robin Hobb, I already read them (almost all, as I stopped reading some years ago now).
Some other suggestions?
The Farseet Trilogy is one of the best examples of how fantasy can transcend its own genre and tell a realistic emotional true story.
Awesome review, I just finished assassin’s quest myself, and dove straight into the Liveship traders. Honestly, I didn’t WANT to do that. I wanted to pick up the tawny man trilogy and continue fitz’s journey, but reddit has convinced me to check out Liveship. Apparently it fills in the gap between Farseer and Tawny Man. I didn’t expect to dig into the book, but I’m on chapter 4 and honestly compelled to finish it already because it’s just Robin Hobb’s beautiful writing that really grabs me.
Oh enjoy. Such a FANTASTIC trilogy. I'm rereading Farseer trilogy right now and while I am enjoying myself immensely, I VERY much look forward to Liveship.
Oh, I agree with you, starting Liveship was really hard because I wanted to continue on with Fitz. But it says something that it will get you to appreciate it for itself instead of resenting it not being about Fitz. I do think that the connections to the Tawny Man aren't as important to understanding and enjoying it as some people make it out to be, there is a certain character in Liveship traders you should keep a lookout for, since she is the one that connects the two trilogies the most.
dude please, plesae, i need links to the reddit comunnity i have been enjoing this books since i was like 11 , and i never find any comunnnity, i just discover this video and im excited(sorry for the bad english)
Now imagine being so drawn in by the characterwork and the next three books will have no Fitz and STILL you will think the next 3 are even better than the first 3!!! Please read the Liveship Trader series!!! It's so good.
The FItz & the Fool story arc ends in the most beautiful ending I've ever read in fantasy. I still get a lump in my throat just thinking about it.
I completely agree it's such a sad yet fitting end. Almost cried ngl.
Its possible that it hasn't actually ended.
@@lizclegg7556 Oh, don't say that. I know it's true, but I just wish she'd leave that sleeping wolf lie... I, for one, did not hugely enjoy Fitz and the Fool for many reasons. And the ending felt like a great ending... for another story. Oh it did punch me in the guts in the customary RH way, but the way it got there was... all kinds of unimpressive. I think the lore was getting too heavy, and that was only some of the baggage. I got so numb for the emotional baggage at points. Ugh.
I just hope she's done with Fitz now. For real this time.
For me the saddest and most beautiful ending in the series was the death of Nighteyes when in his mind he goes out with Nighteyes in the early morning. That was beautifully written.
@@lizclegg7556 It was beautiful.
Please continue on to Liveship Traders. I think it's Hobb's best work. The characters are some of the best I've ever seen in a fantasy series. The worldbuilding gets a huge expansion. Kennit is one of the greatest villains ever and is up there with Glokta in terms vile characters that you just can't look away from. Malta has one of the most genuinely heartwarming character arcs I've ever read. The whole thing is beautiful, infuriating, captivating, cruel, and I love every second of it.
Having read Robin Hobb years and year before reading Kingkiller, I can 100% say that the reason I responded so readily to Kingkiller was because of Hobb
I like king killer, I did not like farseerer.
@@markcastellanet9672 Huh. I loved and read the whole Realm of the Elderlings. Liked the first KKC book, and was meh on the second one.
@@azurepulse1870 I was the opposite, I like the second kkc better.
Kingkiller and Realm of the Elderlings are my favorites! I think there are quite a few parallels you can draw between their storytelling
The ending of this trilogy felt like it wounded my soul. I seethed at the ending thinking that was it, since the next book moved on from Fitz. However years later I found out about the Tawny Man trilogy, reading that was so satisfying. I'm currently in the middle of the Liveship Traders trilogy, while I like it, the fact that there's another Fitz trilogy out there is distracting me greatly.
Can't wait for you to read the Liveship Traders Trilogy and hear your thoughts on Malta
I want to hear his thoughts about kennit and paragon, two of the best characters I have ever read. Kennit for sure, he is my favorite character of the series.
@@CaoCao_0707 not gonna disagree I really enjoyed Kennit's story, but I can't remember a series that was able to drastically change how I feel about a character like Robin Hobb did with Malta.
@@user-zb9jn8fl7v I understand, I really disliked malta in the first book, I started to empathize with her in the second book and I loved malta in the third. Great character.
But I loved kennit so much, especially (spoiler).........................
his relationship with paragon and the way we discover his background story is amazing. His story is so tragic, and despite the fact that you shouldn't like a person like that, you can't deny you understand him. And the comparison with fitz that you understand only in the third book of the tawny man trilogy is fantastic.
(I'm sorry for my English, I'm Italian)
Love Malta!
Just want to see what he thinks about Althea's fate...
lol I couldn't stand Malta in the beginning, oh how things changed.
Daniel, once you get to the end of all the World of the Elderlings books, you will realise just how clever Robin Hobb is; you say the dragon was a bit incidental, wait, oh just wait! So many threads get pulled together it makes you gasp!
You didn't mention Nighteyes or Fool!
Please, please continue reading; the next series (the Tawny Man trilogy) is just mega. You can skip the Liveship Traders trilogy, BUT, I would strongly recommend that you read them - they really are something else and add to the world building.
Don't you dare skip the liveship traders,they are the best!
No don’t skip it! It’s really important for that Thread pulling att the end you mention.
It's better not skiping it, it's good and add so much to the worldbuilding 🙂
I havent read tawny man, and I just finished MadShip, and I can already tell that livdship traders MUST be read. There's info that Im seeing a lot of forshadowing it drops about dragons and elderlings
Spoilers but not quite:
All that happened with Malta, the dragon and bit her bf whose names in english idk). Now I can see there's lore in there that will be explored later on
Don't skip the Liveships series. You think it doesn't connect but WOAH it does when you read Golden Fool.
I enjoyed the third book a lot, poor Fitz was so abused by the Farseers. I liked the conclusion of the relationship with Molly, the way they both realize that they loved their old selves was refreshing. Also I loved that Regal was killed by a ferret, a well deserved end.
I loved that ferret! 😭 It was so loyal and and followed its final orders to pass a message before going to carry out it's vengeance. A ferret on a mission to kill a prince!
How did you not even talk about the Fool he’s my favorite character in any book ever
Please, tell us you intend on continuing Fitz's story. I want you to go through all the feels I just went through when I finished his story. You wont regret it. The Tawny man Trilogy is good, its Fitz's next adventure, and it really starts to get into more world building and magic. Daniel asks for world building and magic? Tawny man will deliver.
!!!! SPOILERS FOR THE TAWNY MAN TRILOGY !!!! The death at the end of Fool's Errand (1st book of The Tawny Man) still haunts me 7 years after reading the book. It is, to me, the saddest death every fantasy books, series, etc combined. I can't wait to hear what Daniel thinks of it.
@@alexislaurin5299 You can't wait for Daniel to have his heart brutally ripped out of his chest? You monster! I know what death you're talking about, and it's even sadder how when reading it you know it's coming throughout the whole book, like you know a bomb is about to go off but you can't do anything to stop it. Then it happens and it's so unbelievably sad it crushes your soul.
@@coleton7048 Exactly and the way Robin Hobb wrote this passage ... just thinking about it brings tears to me eyes.
"I'm so tired that rest won't ease me. Only the hunt."
Fool's Fate might be the single best fantasy book I've ever read, besides a storm of swords.
Cant wait for you to get to it.
Assassin's Fate you mean? Yes. I cried like a small child for that ending.
Eric Woerner no, Fool’s fate is awesome. Really did not enjoy Assassins fate.
@@fionamarshal9150 is that the end of tawny man?
@@fionamarshal9150 exactly! Fools fate is next level
@@rickywoerner yeah it is
My favorite thing about book three was Fitz realizing his name was Keppet when he was born, and then rushing to pick up my copy of book one to review the scene with the two women arguing/fighting in the marketplace early-on. And realizing that there are now Layers of Sadness.
The very final book though... the beautiful echo/framing structure had me spontaneously burst into tears for weeks after reading it (being ambigous on purpose here, in case you haven't read it).
And it was on the same day he used his ability to read to give molly her mom's recipes, her mom's memories of her birth, and learned that his father had been killed out on withywoods... why are my eyes wet?
I finished the whole saga of the Farseer from the original trilogy to the last three that came out recently... And honestly, it's one of my all-time favorite fantasy series.
What's your thoughts om Fitz's relstionship with the Fool? One of my favorite literary friendships ever.
I've never experienced a story where you follow a character almost their entire life, from childhood on. Fitz's nine book story is a masterpiece. I don't think there is anything else like it (and maybe never will be.)
Yes, continue with Robin Hobb. Just don't pick up the Soldier Son Trilogy. That's only for Hobb completionists.
Keep going with it. Fitzs and the fool trilogy is even better. I'm not a fussed with the liveship books as much but it's essential reading for the later series so it's worth getting through.
It's a great story. The part where The Fool "betrays" Fitz is the only part that had me shaking my head cause that was just too obvious of a situation where Fitz had been thru enough and learned enough of the Skill where he should have known the Fool was being controlled by Regal.
I'm really thrilled to see you are reading "The Realm of the Elderlings". But how can you talk so much about Fitz and not mention the Fool a single time? He is so essential to the plot, to Fitz and to the whole series.
In regards to world building, just like you said, Robin Hobb is taking her time to build up her characters and explore them, and it is just the same with the worldbuilding. Read the rest of the books and don't skip the The Liveship Traders (I see that advice around the internet and it would be sacrilege to do so) and you will get all the world building you need!
Don't judge the dragons too quickly either ;)
The whole series is fantastic and left such a deep impact on me when I finished book number 16, rarely do I have to sit and reflect for a long time after such a series, but with this one I couldn't pick up anything else for a quite a while. I knew it just wouldn't have this world and especially Fitz and the Fool in it.
And Nighteyes!!! How can you talk about THAT relationship?
@@cherylmcintosh3131 definitely Nighteyes too!
I cried so many times reading her books that my husband was kind of worried about me. After I explained why he just laughed at me.
I would recommend that you go down the route of 'Liveship Traders' next, when I read her books I really enjoyed 'Farseer' and was tempted to jump straight into 'Tawny Man' but didn't, so glad I didn't or it would have spoilt the world building for me. These stories just get better and better, you will find out things as you go along the journey and I believe it is a journey with Robin Hobb, trust me. Any why never a mention of The Fool, one of the best characters from the Trilogy, mysterious, funny and lovable all in the one packet.
Fitz makes dumb decisions...never heard that one before, nope, not at all, never nada uh uh
Ugh, another series to my TBR list...
It will take some time 👍
I wept for the entire hour that it took for the narrator to read the final outcome of FitzChivalry Farseer. I could not stop crying because it was so beautifully written and I was so invested in him as a character. His relationship with The Fool and Molly and his little daughter Bee. The Fitz and the Fool series is excellent.
The for people that were expecting a big epic assassination fantasy, that is why you want the English Book covers.
"Sneeze like a real man" - Pearce Hawthorne
Always a thumbs up for a good community reference.
Troy sneezes like a girl! How about I pound you like a boy? That didn't come out right.
It is just the beginning...loved all the Fitz and Fool trilogy
You're my favourite RUclipsr, and the one who encouraged me to finally read WoT. I'm on Lord Of Chaos, nearly done with it, and I'm so far in love with the series.
To see you finally pick up MY FAVOURITE SERIES EVER alongside my second, Tad Williams Memory Sorrow And Thorn, delights me so much!
I think WoT joins them in my top three...
The ending of the very last book in the realm of the elderlings is incredibly good
Glad you enjoyed the first trilogy, a lot more good stuff to follow still in this world! Robin Hobb can take some time to build up a story and her characters, but she does it so well that even when seemingly not much is happening, it never feels boring. That's how good her prose is and that - besides the great characterwork - makes her one of my favourite authors. And this 16 book series (if I remember correctly) one of the most enthralling - and often heart breaking, yes - reads ever :-)
Oh yes! So excited! Especially when you began with Robin Hobb being amazing.
I love this series so much, I had my parents read it.
They are so beautiful and metaphorical.
The books are my ultimate.
Favorite series for realistic characters in a fantasy book. It couldn’t have ended in any other way and be believable or not feel cheap. Loved it. And she builds on it so well in the next six books that deal with Fitz. And with that context in mind the dragon at the end will not seem like convenience any more
The best part is both the liveship traders and the tawny man trilogy blow this one out of the water..
Yep. They made this whole series my 3rd favorite of all time. Still need to get read the next two series.
@@myfasmarine the Fitz and the fool trilogy is really great
But ofc, we needed to read Farseer (and liveship traders, to a lesser extent) to really get the full impact of the Tawny Man trilogy. Farseer is great on its own, but it really does set up Tawny Man to be amazing for what it does.
You left me wondering about your feelings on his bond with Nighteyes and that element of the magic system. We know your feels about animal characters and you get a whole new presentation on those kinds of relationships.
I'm thrilled you liked it! One of my favorites. Her characters will stay with me forever.
You're taking Farseer out of context. You need to read the other trilogies in the series, too, in order to see more of that world and the characters evolve.
And - OMG - no mention of the Fool??!!!
Tbf, the fool only really comes into his own in the other books.
@@azurepulse1870 "His"? 😋
Oh, fool. "I've never been wise.." *sigh*
I'm happy you liked the ending. I'll recommend trying to read the Realm of the Elderlings books without putting too much time between the books. Because the lore and events you will learn about in the following books will put into context many of the weird things that you had to "just accept" in the Farseer Trilogy (you probably know what I'm talking about, stumbling into a random city and so on). The fresher the previous books are in your mind, the bigger the pay off will be when reading the rest of the series.
Kettricken is my queen.
A most excellent bitch!
@@Irishdazza Wolf Father has spoken.
really? i always liked Patience more.
@@leenox23 Patience is your queen
You just get me. Assassin’s Quest was an amazing conclusion to the trilogy and had so much payoff! I always felt in the minority in that opinion, and it’s the beginning to something else for Fitz.
I feel like the Fitz and The Fool series (Tawny Man?) is EVEN better. I just love RH's writing. Fitz is one of my all time favorite characters....even tho he pisses me off quite a bit. haha
Please continue. Live ship is fantastic, tawny man is so good, rainwild is okay, but man that last trilogy. It changed me as a person it was so good.
The Farseer Trilogy is only the beginning of the best fantasy series of all time, because the Farseer trilogy is only the first 3 books of like 16 books. And it gets BETTER AND BETTER. The Fool is the best fantasy character ever created, period.
So glad you enjoyed the trilogy, and I'd wholeheartedly recommend diving into the rest of the Realm of the Elderlings. I started reading it in 1995, and -- for me -- no one does characters better than Hobb. The whole series is now my comfort read (what that says about me, I hate to think!) but even now I find more layers each time I re-read. Liveships is next, and it's a far cry from Fitz's adventures but the threads do all connect, eventually... Have fun and thanks for the review. :)
"When she does swing a sword or have a knife be thrust, it's-!"
"Febreeze!"
Yesssssssssssssss so glad you liked it Daniel. I was afraid the ending of this one would sour you on wanting to continue the series, but trust me when I say it only gets better from here.
Farseer is my all time favorite fantasy series, especially because of the prose and character work. Hobbs writing is wonderfully complex, which results in the characters being believable people to me. My heart bleeds for Fitz throughout the books because of his hardships and loss.
At the same time I can't describe in words, how much I hate the Kingkiller Chronicle.
The prose is good, but isn't utilized to make compelling characters. Quite the opposite.
My heart do not bleed for Kvothe. I don't feel the same emotions, because of the prose and descriptions.
I see why you think they are for the same sort of readers but for me at least, these books don't compare when it comes to making me feel strongly about characters throughout these books.
Robin Hobbs are capable of making me feel deeply. That is what she do best.
Cannot express how much I agree with you!
100% agree. The main difference I see in Kingkiller v Farseer is the main character. Kvothe seems to be miraculously the best ever at everything he does, which honestly just makes him annoying, whereas Fitz never seems to be supremely great at anything. In fact most of the big events in his books maybe become possible because of him but are ultimately done by someone else. That can be so unsatisfying at times but at the same time leaves you rooting for him even more.
"I wanted more worldbuilding" ... oh you sweet summerchild hahahaha. Read the rest :D I am not sure if you've read the Liveship series? Please please please do. Pleaaaaase. I remember going like "how the f*ck is she going to resolve this incredible mess in that last book" when I'd hit the ending of the second. But she did. And SOOOO satisfactory, my god. Hobb takes her time but when she pops off it is magnificent.
Also, the last series in the Fitz arc, from the viewpoint of Bee. And then especially the last book. I cried.
You can go on to the Liveship Traders now!!! I'm genuinely excited for you lol !!! If you impressed now, my god, your gonna be blown away with whats to come!!!
I totally agree with the “Fitz goes through a lot but it’s easy to miss.” I actually think that’s part of why so many people dislike this book, bc I’ve seen lots of reviewers call Fitz “whiny” when he’s clearly suffering with PTSD. Robin Hobb’s subtle with it, but I find it super effective.
Also -other thoughts - one of the things I love the most about Assassin’s Quest is how much every character changes in the year Fitz’s away. We see Fitz constantly, and we’re aware of how much he’s changed, but to come back and see how Chade coped, how the Fool and Kettricken grieved and changed.. idk it just makes it feel so *real* to me.
Anyway - rant over. Loved your review!
Not to mention he was a child when all this started. And the things that happened to manipulate his thinking!
YES YES YES all of this! And I think you will love Liveships even more.
I actually picked first book as a kid due to cool title. Then I just kind of grew up with the series, it was for me like Harry Potter to others, because I could relate to main character so much.
...Boy, that sounds sad.
Same! I read the series when I was 11 I think, and it’s almost a part of me now, the way Harry Potter is for so many people
How can you have made 3 videos and not once talk about the fool? He's one of my favorite characters in all fantasy.
Each trilogy is just a chapter in a larger story. The last book will definitely give you "The End" feel.
I didn’t think the ending was so depressing. His child and woman was safe. They were happy. We also get lots of prewarning about it. And we’re well introduced to the idea of sacrificing for others. And he puts those feelings into the stone too. So it’s just... bittersweet I guess.
It's the Realm of the Elderlings and Farseer is just the beginning. You'll get much more world building. Especially with Liveship Traders. I'm glad that you like it so far! And I think it only gets better (with the exception of the Rainwild Chronicles I hear; I personally have read everything other than that and the last trilogy which I'm currently on)
The next two trilogies are even better. My favorite of the whole series is Tawny Man. Have fun reading them.
That one broke my heart
@@Grimfaxe Me too. But it's so good. Fool's Fate may be my favorite book ever.
Yes! Always re-read them at least once a year!!
@@Grimfaxe I just started my reread of Assassin's Quest yesterday. So this video was like a great treat.
@@Shella132001 nice, I'm just picking up assassins Apprentice again. Enjoy your journey 👍
This whole series is fantastic and I have never found a series that world builds and continues to push the world and characters forward through the 15 book series such as this Live Ship Traders trilogy, Tawny Man trilogy, and The Rain Wild Chronicles (prob 4 of my favorite books) are FANTASTIC some of the best fantasy I personally have read in years AND THE FINAL TRILOGY OMG I WAS NOT READY im still trying to recover and find other worlds and epics as good as this, so far Storm Light has fit in nicely cant wait for you to get to the others!
One of my all time favorite characters. I love this entire series! Look forward to hearing your thoughts on the other series in this world.
When I tell people about this series.....I dont bring it up unless they are a fairly consistent reader because it's rather slow as you mentioned. The people who read a lot I suggest it to strongly and tell them it is a slow burn, that had me gripped all the way through. Even when nothing is happening, her prose and her characters still had me wanting for more. It may be a slow burn but the embers are oh so bright. Robin Hobb is one of only a few authors who has had me sobbing. She is phenomenal at her craft.
@danielgreen , I hope you plan to continue the series as a whole. The world building gets better and better as you go on. You have really been killing it lately. I feel like your tbr was hand picked by me. Lightbringer, mark Lawrence, robin hobb....all in my top 10 and I love seeing you talk about them. I give free suggestions if you ever want more. Haha
This is exactly my approach to recommending these books! I tell them it's slow going and that they'll wonder why I've raved about it, only to suddenly finish book one and be desperate to read the next one.
Trivia, the song Hand of Sorrow by Within Temptation is inspired by the Farseer trilogy.
Give it a listen if you want.
Yup, and its one of my favourite WT songs
Would love a tv series covering all three trilogies. Long live FitzChivalry Farseer!
Finally, you have read Farseer trilogy❤️❤️❤️❤️ But the story doesn't end with 3rd book. The story continues for 6 more books, which completes the book😭😭😭😭😭 truly complete it.
Edit: Fitz is my favorite character of all time. No one can match me living fitz life with him from birth to end.
Glad you enjoyed it, one of my favourite fantasy series.
I really want to see you review the Liveship Trader series. It is third person and the characters are fascinating. Especially Kennit. The worldbuilding mysteries revealed in this series are amazing. They also feed into the Tawny Man Trilogy, which is a really rich tapestry compared to the Farseer Trilogy.
Me, every video: Is he going to mention Fool?
Daniel, every video: Nope!
But, really, I've adored all your reviews and your measured and reasonable critiques. I really hope you explore more Realm of the Elderlings books in the future! I think especially with your desire for more world building from these books you'll just love where it goes.
Also, if "unless you're N.K. Jemisin" isn't a whole ass mood, I don't know what is. I could say this about...a lot of things, but especially second person haha.
This series is why I don't like assassin fantasy. I can't read any book with an assassin in it and not make a disparaging comparison to Hobb.
Same thing with Firefly, btw. There's only one true space cowboy series.
Cowboy Bepop?
I've just finished The Farseer Trilogy and while I found it masterfully written and I struggled to put it down, I was disappointed in the ending. I like happy endings and while most of the plots' problems were resolved, I wanted more satisfaction for Fitz. I really wanted him to kill Regal. I also really wanted to know more about Chivalry and Fitzs' mother. I was truly weary when I finished the last page. I felt every one of Fitzs' scars and wounds.
2:28 Daniel Greene sneezes like a big macho man after a chest workout.
I don't know I really don't agree with everyone on here saying Liveship Traders is better than Farseer Trilogy. I think Farseer is more contained, more intimate, more emotional, more special, more interesting. I liked Liveship, but Farseer for me is genuinely ground-breaking, whereas Liveship was just particularly good.
Honestly if you didn't mind the duex ex machina with the dragons, then I don't think there's anything stopping you from loving the rest of the Realm of the Elderlings.
The only problem I had personally with the third book of the first trilogy was the pacing and stone-dragons. Fitz is a much more interesting protagonist in his next trilogies; he's older, wiser, and broken. The new characters introduced in the next trilogy are amazing and some fan favorite characters from this trilogy also stay relatively relevant as Fitz's story treads on. Chade in particular, I think, gets a glow-up in the second and third trilogies. Chade in this first trilogy pales in comparison to his future characterization.
Also, like others have mentioned, you should read the Liveship Traders trilogy before the Tawny Man trilogy. The Liveship Traders is written in multiple third-person pov so it may be more familiar to you.
As part of the Farseer trilogy, the stone dragons are a weird fit. As part of the Realm of the Elderlings, the stone dragons are interwoven at a fundamental level of world building.
@@derrisreaditbefore 100% agree. After reading the liveship traders and tawny man trilogy, understanding will don regarding the overall importance of the stone dragons and what it means in relation to the Elderlings.
I'm so happy you loved the Farseer trilogy! Hobb writes wonderfully and I was worried her style wouldn't gel with you but I'm chuffed that it did. :) "Fitz my sweet summer precious child stop what you're doing" when it comes to Fitz making decisions is a pretty universal thing across the Hobb fandom, as far as I believe (myself included hahahaha)!
You've met my favourite character in any book ever: Nighteyes. Enjoy your journey into the rest of the Elderlings books. :')
If you’re big on character development, then you will absolutely love Hobb’s Liveship Traders trilogy. I think it has her best character work to date.
I so want you to read The Tawny Man and Fitz and the Fool trilogies after you finish the Liveship Traders ! It is soooo good !
My favourite trilogy of all time.
I have to agree with MegaD96, in the comment below. The Liveship books SLAY. I was leery. (Really, talking ships?) But, the depth, the expansive world, the politics... the pirates! (Usually not too excited by pirates, but, wow.) And I really loved Hobb's use of multiple-POVs in third, too. As you can imagine, it really expands the reader's view of a world with a coolness that's only hinted at in the Farseer Trilogy. Hope you go there. And I'm delighted that you're enjoying one of my all-time favorite authors.
As a big King Killer fan, this was a wonderfully different story but with all the same joys of reading a story well written, like Rothfuss does. I loved the whole thing! 😊
I just finished the last book. Robin Hobb is truly great at subverting expectations. We are so used to stories about heroes being perfect in every way. That they always make the best decisions and get the girl in the end. Hobb discards most of that. It’s what I ultimately appreciate about this series. And yes, I am a Kingkiller fan and loved this. There were a lot instances I could see where she influenced him.
I actually started the farseer triology on the wrong book. I started with volume two and was so impressed by the level of trust shown to me by the author in regards to picking up on an ongoing story. The way the backstory was referenced made me genuinely think it was just backstory. I thought it was so refreshing to have an author just skip the origin part of the story. I actually only figured it out when I had to find the next volume and realised it was volume three. But I didn't feel I missed anything, so I just continued. And 15 books later, having completed it all, I finally returned to the very first book. And man, was that a nostalgic experience. It was like watching the first Harry Potter movie, never having seen it before, but knowing all the plot. Oh, and I also mixed up Tawny man and Dragon keepers series, but that didn't really matter.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of the liveship books! One of my favorite series of all time!
After reading 5 books Robin Hobb can't convince me to read any more of her books. She hooked me in Assasin's Apprentice and Ship of Magic but things never picked up or took off. I was expecting at some point to fall in love with the characters, setting or plot but and ended up feeling hallow, like I wasted my time. I eventually left when I realized nothing was ever going to change, it was never going to get better.
My man it took me two weeks to finish a 50 page novella how the hell did you read a whole trilogy so quickly
Full time job 🤷♂️
Something that helps me is having a physical book and ebook (if you can find them cheep). When I feel burnout from the physical book I switch to the ebook, which has smaller pages. I then tell myself something like "just two more pages" and I'll usually get through slogs or fatigue by the time I get through it.
I also use an app called Libby that connects to my library's backlog of audiobook. I'll read a few chapters to understand the tone and world, then switch to the audiobook to help cement voices and traits of characters. Then I'll switch between the two while going for walks, then relaxing before lunch, then wTwring the lawn, and so on...
Reading is like a muscle. The more you read, the more you can read.
Two weeks? You don’t read much lol
Cannot wait for you to read Liveship Traders, it's even better. ;)