Fool's Assassin: Book I of the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy

Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb, was described by George R. R. Martin as “fantasy as it ought to be written.” Until I read the novel, I didn’t really know quite what Martin meant, but having devoured this next episode in The Fitz and The Fool fables, I understand. This is a simply sublime book that takes the reader on an incredible emotional and psychological journey into family, love, paternity, childhood, and the difficulties of raising a child who’s deemed “different” and the immense suffering that comes with great love and loss. This novel reintroduces Fitz, the unwilling assassin, gifted with both The Wit and The Skill, the man who’s described as The Fool’s Catalyst and a power to be reckoned with in his own right. It also plunges readers back into the hauntingly beautiful and wonderfully imagined wider world Hobb has crafted over so many books and of which Fitz is an integral part. Now a middle-aged landholder, who goes by the name of Tom Badgerlock, Fitz is living a contented existence. Hiding in the counties, happy to live out his final years with his beloved wife Molly, he resists and resents the occasional call of the Farseer rulers and his former mentor, Chade. One cold, Winterfest night, a pale messenger seeks out Fitz. With the house of full of guests and strangers and as host, Fitz is much distracted. Too busy to see her, he sends a request she waits till morning. When she vanishes in a trail of blood before she can deliver her message, it’s a decision he lives to regret. Trying to put his perturbation behind him, Fitz cannot dismiss the messenger’s presence let alone disappearance entirely. What happened to her and what did she want? More importantly, who sent her? Years pass and it’s not till a miracle happens in Fitz’s and Molly’s life and a series of events follow that do not augur well, that the night of the messenger comes back to haunt Fitz. On the footsteps of great joy, tragedy must follow but it’s not until someone from Fitz’s past reappears in dire need that the king’s former assassin knows his life and that of all those he loves will never be the same again. I really cannot say too much more without risking spoiling what is an incredible, heart-wrenching, moving, joyous, tragic and simply astonishingly beautiful tale. There is a raw honesty and truth in every page, every word that lingers long after you close the novel for the night. I found the story and those populating it were at the back of my mind most days. When I finished the book, I wanted to discuss it with my friends, not only to shed light on the characters and their choices, but so I didn’t have to leave Fitz’s world. Each and every character in this tale is so real and raw – whether it’s a servant in the house, a distant relative, an unwelcome guest or a member of the immediate family. You live and breath each moment with them as their thoughts and thus hearts, souls and minds are laid bare. I think this is what made the book so utterly special and unputdownable. I made excuses not to work but to return to the novel over and over and felt so lost when I finished it. The hardest thing of all is knowing how long I have to wait to read the next instalment in the series… This isn’t just fantasy at its best – this is writing at its very finest. A story to be treasured and savoured.

An intense history driven plot, intricate character building filled with intriguing conversations so fulfilling, both imaginary and real, between an adult, child and beast. This is the story of father and daughter, of man and wife, and of long lost friends finally found. It was a thoroughly detailed, perfectly paced and captivating relationship between parent and child. Never before while reading had I felt such a strong and special bond between two characters that slowly transforms from fear and despair to one of love, respect and devotion. The only other time I felt this way was with Fitz and Nighteyes. She pulls you in, from the minute Molly announces her pregnancy to the day that will ultimately change Fitz's life forever. Now quoting the last line of the book ""Nothing warned me on that bright day that the darkest time of my life had begun"". Chills. Hobb brings you the chills. But I am getting way ahead of myself so I should start like this: The romantic and intimate beginning, detailing the loving relationship between Molly and Fitz, their utmost respect for one another, eternal love that kept getting bigger despite all the past tragedies that they've encountered in the past. A real and honest courtship, with never ending disagreements, yet always stood strong when faced with hardship, only overcome by plenty of time and patience, lots and lots of patience. With every chapter a tiny reminder of how past characters are in the now, from the talented Nettle who was promoted to the King's skill coterie's leader Skill Mistress (Fitz and Molly's first daughter raised by Burrich), with her lover Riddle, both guided by the one and only Chade Fallstar, former assassin turned King's advisor. Along for the ride are King Dutiful and his queen mother Kettricken, and their attempt to include the Mountain Kingdom as a seventh Duchy, the king's wife, the Narcheska and her two sons, although those three never make an appearance in this novel. All sorts of mishaps start to go down, from Chade's near death experience to the possible murder of a child messenger. The long and agonising pregnancy that Molly endures that finally brings about Little Bee into their world, naming her so for being "so small". Bee is the star of the novel, by giving her her own POV, Hobb surprised yet delighted many of us by digging deep, into territories unknown, especially where Fitz is involved. Into the mind of Fitz's daughter, his own daughter, being raised by him. Not the absentee father that we so famously know him for with Nettle, a very different upbringing style to the one he gave Hap, yet a more compassionate one as we see him for the first time through his 9 year old daughter's eyes. I loved the emphasis on her clothes, from her leggings and tunics to her short hair that was impossible to braid. I especially enjoyed the rare occasions where Wolf-Father was instrumental in her up bringing. To the new characters, I will point out that I despised lady Shun, like her name I think she should be shunned. I also believe every reader despised her, not just me, she was such an annoying and unlovable character. Fitz Vigilant was growing on me, only because I saw him as Bee saw him, the handsomest person she had ever seen. All I'm going to say is this: I can't wait for the next book. I am looking forward to everything, every surprise, every sad moment and every decision that Fitz will have to make; I'm looking forward to another of many Fitz and the Fool adventures.

Like another reviewer, I received the first installment in the Farseer Trilogy as a free Kindle release a few years ago and was immediately hooked. The characters are so well-developed that they came to feel like family, and the world they live in is both fantastic and believable. I was particularly drawn to the concept of the Wit, although all of the magical aspects are interesting. The Farseer and Tawny Man books are some of the best fantasy I’ve ever read, on a level (in my mind) with George R.R. Martin. I was thrilled to learn that Hobb was releasing a new trilogy centering on these characters. Fool's Assassin picks up about ten years after Fitz and the Fool parted, and focuses almost entirely on Fitz and his new life. I have to admit that I had a hard time with this one. Fitz the quiet Holder has far fewer reasons to be morose and self-doubting than Fitz the Assassin, and yet he is as morose and self-doubting as ever. He’s also much more dense than he should be, given his special gifts. The reader can see plot points hundreds of pages before he does, and it’s just not credible that he wouldn’t catch on earlier. Moreover, he seems surrounded by people who doubt his competence to tie his shoes, much less raise a daughter. This didn’t ring true for me. All of these characters are aware of his true identity and talents, and it seems that they would be at least a little more deferential to him. That aside, I really did end up liking the book. Hobb catches us up with some beloved characters from the older books and introduces some new characters for us to love --and love to hate. I was particularly happy to see the “return” of Nighteyes, one of my favorite characters of all time. There is also an extraordinary description of what it’s like to see the world as the Fool does. I’ve always understood his role, but really enjoyed “seeing” it. The action builds slowly in this book, but it does snowball into a great cliffhanger at the end. My only regret now is that I didn’t adhere to my usual practice of waiting until the last book is released before starting a new series. Luckily, Hobb is a prolific and reliable writer unlike, well, you know who I mean.

Fool’s Assassin is the first book of The Fitz and the Fool Trilogy, which I think is at least the second trilogy concerning FitzChivalry Farseer and the Farseer family. So, as so often happens, I have started in the wrong place. However, Robin Hobb has done a good job of filling us in on enough of Fitz’s background that we are not too confused in the telling of this part of his life. It seems that FitzChivalry is the bastard son of Prince Chivalry Farseer. The Farseer family are the rulers of The Six Duchies. They have a thing about giving their children the names of various virtues in hopes that the children will grow up to display these same virtues. This seems to be rather a hit-or-miss proposition; some seem to display more virtue than others. And the prefix ‘Fitz’ attached to a man’s name indicates that he is a bastard. I do not know if this prefix has the same significance in the real world, though there is at least one country where it is occasionally used. The most outstanding thing about this book is the characters. There is FitzChivalry, who is now mostly, but not completely retired from a career as a spy and assassin for his family, a career he was not especially fond of. He spends a lot of time reminiscing about, pondering the significance of, and regretting this career. But he also appreciates the life he has come into now. Fitz has two sort-of magical abilities that helped him out in his career. He has the ‘skill,’ which is partly something like telepathy but may include healing and some other useful abilities, depending on the talents and training of the individual skill users. There are several people associated with the royal family in one capacity or another who have the skill, including the current king, Dutiful, and Fitz’s daughter Nettle. He also has something called the ‘Wit,’ which is an affinity for animals. A person with the Wit may bond with a specific animal. Fitz was once bonded with a wolf, but the wolf has since died. This ability is frowned upon and seems to have once been outlawed. Another interesting character is Fitz’s wife, Molly. They have only been married about eight years at the beginning of the book, but have a long history going back to their childhood. Nettle is their daughter, but sort of secretly, as they were unable to marry before she was born, apparently mostly due to Fitz’s obligations to his family. Instead, Molly was married to a man named Burrrich with whom she had about a half dozen sons. Burrich was a retainer of the royal family – groom or hunter or something – and a close confidant of Prince Chivalry. FitzChivalry indicates that Burrich practically raised him, but Burrich has now passed away. Fitz and Molly think they are too old to have any more children, but after a couple more years, Molly suddenly insists she is pregnant and has the staff at Withywoods (more on Withywoods in a moment) fix up a nursery for her baby. Another couple of years pass with no baby, and Fitz and the household staff fear she is beginning to suffer from dementia. But then suddenly, she gives birth to the tiniest little baby girl. Eventually, they name her Bee. Withywoods is the name of the estate where they have retired. FitzChivalry is known at Withywoods as Tom Badgerlock, the estate holder. This is apparently to disguise his connection with the royal family. Withywoods is a character in itself, and one of the more tragic characters because, in the end, it dies., along with most of the staff who have made it a well-functioning estate for so long. Many of these people are interesting characters in their own right as well, and most of them are good and loyal, although young Bee runs into difficulties with a few of their children. After FitzChivalry, Bee is the most interesting character. We come to find out that she too has the Skill and the Wit. As a newborn, she finds that Fitz’s use of his mental abilities overwhelms her, and for some time she can’t be around him without screaming. Gradually he learns to tone down his mental intrusions around her, and she builds up defenses against him. And after Molly suddenly passes away peacefully in her garden, they become very close. In his youth, Fitz was friends with another young man, known mostly as the Fool, because he worked as a juggler and entertainer at the court. But the Fool was primarily a Seer – he could foresee, not just the future, but all possible futures and could discern which would be the best outcome from a possible current situation. Later, Fitz and the Fool traveled together, subtly influencing the future in little ways until the Fool considered that he had completed his mission. Then they went their separate ways, although Fitz has been wanting to reconnect with the Fool. The Fool has been trying to send him messages as well, but the messengers have been brutally hunted down and killed before they can deliver their messages. In the end, the Fool appears in the nearby town. But he is unrecognizable at first. He is followed by the same people who have pursued the messengers, who also try to kill him, and precipitate disaster for everyone, separating Fitz and Bee and destroying Withywoods. But what we learn is that Bee is also a Seer. Not sure this is quite a cliffhanger ending, but now I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

One of the fortunes of being new to Robin Hobb’s work is having the next book immediately available, though soon this will no longer be the case for me! I have never before spent so many hours with a single author. It’s time to share the joy by writing a recommendation for "Fool's Assassin". My trip through Ms. Hobb’s landscape has not been perfectly chronological. I began with the Liveship Traders, and went on to the Rain Wilds Chronicles. Backtracking to "Assassin’s Apprentice" was not at all a problem. Stories are interconnected but spoilers are mild. However, I would most emphatically recommend reading the Farseer books in order. The achingly bittersweet conclusion of The Tawny Man trilogy could very well have made a suitable ending to the Farseer stories. It was a classic fantasy situation, where the fates of the uncanny and their human companions lead to heartache, if not disaster. Relationships among the fantasy races are often irreconcilable. Even so, there were enough loose ends in The Tawny Man books to warrant a new series, especially concerning the Fool’s dedication to the world at large. As he(?) departed for his home country, I wanted to warn him to be careful. His participation in the defeat of a false profit would not be welcome news to the society that supported her. And of course, “happily ever after” is never guaranteed in the complex political and social landscape of Robin Hobb’s imagination, especially for FitzChivalry Farseer, however deserving of peace he may be. In the absence of the Fool, I almost expected to resent a story that begins with Fitz in a period of contentment as a country squire. But thanks to Ms. Hobb’s compassionate observations of the human heart, her talent for mounting tension and chapter-ending cliffhangers, I found this book to be as much of a pager-turner as any of her others. Her fluid and detailed writing deserves to be lingered over--but I can’t help but paddle faster and faster on the smoothly flowing prose. Fool’s Assassin is essentially a domestic drama, even with its undercurrent of mounting anxiety and its bookends of horrific violence. The human story is the essential foundation for the traumatic events that inevitably follow. There is much that is new: New characters and new revelations about the old. Happily, after a long absence, Fitz’s childhood love Molly is important as a persona, not just a memory. A small complaint: It can be frustrating when connections easily made by readers evade the characters for many chapters. Part of the suspense, though, is in wondering when their eyes will be opened. Though told again in the ever self-deprecating voice of Fitz, a new voice is sweetly introduced in a moment of crisis. The presence of this young voice brings a welcome new perspective, but it concerns me. Will the aging Fitz one day be left behind, no longer writing his story with the benefit of hindsight? The Fool haunts Fitz’s memories throughout. His late reappearance is distressing. Prophets often suffer for their dedication, but none more so than the Fool. Any fun he may have had during his secretive life seems a thing long past. Will Fitz and the Fool ever enjoy a friendship unburdened by peril or conflict or obligation? Perhaps. I hope it doesn’t take a final dip in the Skill stream to make it so. How I will miss them when I close the cover on the final book in the series.

If you've been suffering from withdrawal symptoms since the release of the last book about FitzChivalry Farseer, you may have greeted the arrival of "Fool's Assassin" with heartfelt cries of joy. And for the most part, they're well deserved. I've always found Fitz to be enthralling and enraging as a character in equal measure, and in "Fool's Assassin" he is, if anything, even more so than in previous books. His willful blindness to what's going on around him, and his refusal to heed the advice of his friends and family, is infuriating, but boy, does it carry along the plot. Some readers might argue with that, since this is hardly what you'd call a tightly plotted book. Like the other Farseer books, especially the first in each trilogy, a good portion of the book is taken up with Fitz's day-to-day life, while the events in the outside world slowly build up enough momentum to engulf him and sweep him away on some unwanted adventure. Readers wanting something quick and easy will want to steer clear, especially since this is not so much a book as the first installment in one enormous book that has been split into three parts. That all being said, the trilogy is by far the best epic fantasy I've read all year, and probably the year before that, too. Hobb's worldbuilding is excellent, as is her characterization, and in FitzChivalry Farseer she's created one of the iconic characters of epic fantasy. I don't want to say too much for fear of giving the plot away, but major changes happen in Fitz's life, some happy, some tragic, and I for one was completely swept away by the story and the world, and couldn't wait to read the next part of the story. Fans of epic fantasy will not want to miss this magnificent piece of, well, epic, epic storytelling.

Wow. An entire book as just the set up for the actual story. I wonder if that is unique in the annals of literature? Yet it is beautifully written, eerie and unique. Of course I was utterly unprepared for the story of the birth, infancy and childhood of a magical 'pixie' with prophetic dreams. Robin Hobb never ceases to amaze me. Unique may actually be an understatement for Fool's Assassin. At times this book is so strange it is unsettling. But it pulls you in and never lets go. Putting this story down and walking away from it isn't even an option. Fitz, the hero of several earlier books by Robin Hobb, is now in his fifties but is in anguish because he has the health and body of a man of about thirty five, due to a Skill healing he once received which is still at work. This has to be another first. I've never heard of a person in fiction or the real world who would rather be old and falling apart than young and healthy. Apparently his wife Molly felt the same way. Go figure. Perhaps the author is trying to tell us that growing old and decrepit is nature's way after all and we shouldn't interfere in that process. If that's the case I don't buy it. Fritz and Molly just come off as weirdly eccentric in that regard. Fitz has become eccentric in a number of ways at this stage of his life. As with the previous Six Duchies books, Fool's Assassin takes place in a fantasy world which is roughly equivalent to our late medieval/early renaissance period of history. Fitz is the "Holder" for a large manor house and estate and has ample reason to believe that dangerous men may invade his domain and yet he is determined not to hire soldiers or security for the estate. Considering the world and history of the Six Duchies Fitz should have had at least twenty seasoned men at arms guarding the manor house and estate. That's a minimum. If Withywoods Manor is ever attacked the resulting death and chaos will be largely Fitz's fault. Exceedingly odd and irresponsible for someone who has experienced war in his own homeland! It's strange to care so much about a character, through so many books, who can never get his act together. What's really irritating about this is it's all too obvious the author is "setting up" a catastrophe. Nevertheless I'm hooked once again on a Robin Hobb story and can only continue to hope that Fitz will somehow grow up and become miraculously blessed by common sense in his older years. Perhaps he will find a new wolf Wit companion who will whisper wise advice in his ear. Bee is a fascinating, wonderful and unique character. Shun is a composite of everything that could possibly be wrong with a person. Chade is Chade and is always welcome. And then of course there is the Fool, who is another absolutely fabulous character! The Fool's story of "The Servants" and how they tortured him was one of the creepiest, strange and well written stories I've ever read. The author does not rely on the expected, classic formulas for evil people. The story the Fool tells is a totally unique and chilling. A masterful and utterly original journey into the gruesome, inhuman and macabre. It is all the more amazing coming from an author who writes so genuinely of love, beauty and tenderness. This author certainly has her moments of brilliance. Highly recommended despite (and sometimes because of) its quirks and oddities. Minus one star for a major character (Fitz) who is obsessed with protecting his daughter Bee and yet goes out of his way to do absolutely nothing to protect her. That doesn't ring true and in the end it was completely unnecessary to write it that way. Oh well, I'll just use my handy dandy suspension of disbelief and move on. I'm ready for book two!

To be honest, I was very nervous about reading this book. I am one of those readers who did NOT like the way this tale ended 10 years ago with "Fool's Fate". I was emotionally crushed to think the story was over, leaving Fitz and the Fool parting ways and never knowing what happened to each other. And I've not been able to get that interested in Hobb's books since then. But, of course, I HAD to read this book. I had to know what happened, like it or not. Well.....I LOVED IT! I really and truly loved it! All of the glorious magic of Robin Hobb is back! Yes, the pace is quite slow, but I think it gave us readers time to reconnect with the characters and feel that very close, personal intimacy that made us all fall in love with Fitz, the Fool, and Nighteyes to begin with. The reader feels so intimate with the main characters in this story, so familiar with each nuance of who they are, that you can almost feel yourself crawling inside each character's skin and becoming that person. That's why each joy or sorrow is so intense that you just can't help but laugh or cry. It really takes your emotions on a roller coaster ride, and Hobb can do that like no other writer. And I simply love the new character Bee. She gives us such a wonderful new perspective of Fitz and also a special insight into the Fool that we wouldn't have had otherwise. She's a unique, feisty, and lovable little person all on her own, yet so much a part of those we already know and love. I'm very excited as to where this story might take us because of her existence. To those of you who haven't read the Farseer or Tawny Man trilogies before this, I strongly urge you to start from the beginning and read those books before heading into Fool's Assassin. Not that you wouldn't enjoy this book without having read them, but there is so much depth and history with these characters that you really would be doing yourself a huge favor to have experienced everything that came before this so you can truly appreciate where we are now. I believe that Fool's Assassin may be one of Hobb's finest masterpieces. It was so carefully and beautifully written that it really brought all of that wonderful old magic that I used to feel back to me again. For that, Robin Hobb, I thank you. Bravo! Update 8/25/15 - Book 2 - Fool's Quest - 5 stars for the brilliant writing, but excruciatingly slow-moving sequel! I loved it regardless.

Anni fa, un po' per fortuna, un po' per caso, avevo scoperto i romanzi di Fitz e del Matto. Traduzione italiana, nomi diversi... ma la stessa, medesima storia. Una storia meravigliosa, originale, toccante, vasta e spaziosa nei suoi ritmi, nei suoi spazi, nei suoi personaggi. Avevo sentito una forte malinconia, al pensiero che, dopo la seconda trilogia, non avrei più incontrato FitChivalry - FitzChevalier, come lo conoscevo in italiano.oggi quel mondo mi è stato restituito, ed è grande come un tempo, è ancora più grande. Altrove ho letto eh questo sarebbe un romanzo "lento" - è vero, vi sono pochissimi colpi di scena, è la narrazione - APPARENTEMENTE - ci mette molto tempo a ingranare. Eppure non è così: nella quotidianità di un'esistenza lontana dai riflettori, nelle minute esperienze che ogni insegnante desiderate smettere ai prorpri figli, ogni istante, per quanto appaia insignificante, non lo è affatto. Nel lento procederei di grandi eventi si dipana una fitta rete di semplici eventi quotidiani. In questo romanzo Robin Robb ci ha regalato un pizzico di quotidianità

Todos los trabajos de Robin Hobb son maravillas, éste no es menos. Los primeros libros de sus trilogías suelen ser algo más densos que los demás, éste no es una excepción, pero una vez que te adentras en él te absorbe totalmente. Muy recomendable.

シリーズ第1、第2作は翻訳されているが、第2作の訳者あとがきによるともう翻訳はされないようです。 Kindleだと１クリックで辞書も引けるので、わりと快適に読了することができました。 本作ではまだ出ませんが、この後Book2,3では翻訳されていない外伝的シリーズが深く関わってきます。 Liveship Traders Trilogyと、The Rain Wilds Chroniclesを先に読んでおくことをオススメします。 ロビンホブ作品は着地点が分かっていると一気に面白くなくなるので、時系列順（出版された順と同じ）で読むべきです。

Je ne suis pas une spécialiste de la critique littéraire mais je vais quand même donner mon avis. J'ai lu plusieurs autres livres de Robin Hobb (The Farseer Trilogy, The Tawny Man Trilogy, The Liveship Traders Trilogy et tous les préludes) et du coup j'avais certaines attentes. J'avais quelques appréhensions avant de démarrer la lecture car j'avais passionnément aimé les deux premières trilogie qui font toujours partie de mes livres "absolument préférés". Du coup j'étais extrêmement heureuse de retrouver Fitz et tous les autres et le début m'a comblée. L'histoire commence quasiment in medias res, on retrouve tout de suite d'anciens personnages, bref: excellent début. La suite m'a un peu surprise en revanche. Une bonne partie du livre étant consacrée au traitement des relations entre personnages, on est témoins de tâches quotidiennes... etc mais tout cela reste très intéressant et prendra tout son sens à la fin. Je ne dis pas qu'il ne se passe rien dans toute cette partie ! Loin de moi cette idée d'ailleurs mais je rester persuadée que l'auteur géniale qu'est Robin Hobb fait exprès de nous donner l'impression qu'elle pédale dans la semoule pour mieux nous secouer à la fin. (J'évite d'entrer dans les détails afin d'éviter tout spoiler.) Et cette fin....parlons en de cette fin....ou plutôt n'en parlons pas pour la laisser intacte pour ceux qui ne l'ont pas encore lue. Mais enfin vous savez, c'est comme quand un tas de choses se passent à toute vitesse et que vous hurlez dans votre tête "Ouiiii !!!! Noooon !!! Ouiiii !!!" (ou non d'ailleurs). Des milliards d'émotions, des personnages d'une richesse incroyable, un style sublime...voilà pourquoi j'ai mis cette note. Ce livre a rempli toutes mes attentes et elles étaient hautes....très hautes. D'ailleurs, c'est tellement convainquant que je suis encore sûre que FitzChivalry existe quelque part.

Again true master piece, cannot wait to read the next episode What will happen with Bee, and the Fool. Exiting