Reviews with content warning for Animal death - Fool's Errand

"It's strange, isn't it, how you don't know how big a part of you someone is until they're threatened? And then you think that you can't possibly go on if something happens to them, but the most frightening part is that, actually, you will go on, you'll have to go on, with them or without them." (Fitz speaking to himself with an unconscious Dutiful)

It was such a pleasure to return to Fitz and Nighteyes' story and have the Fool once again play a huge role in it. I loved the other returning characters too, including Chade and Kettricken (although she didn't appear as often as I'd have liked). And the new characters, including Hap, Jinna, Dutiful, and Laurel, were great as well. The callouts to the Liveship Traders were amazing. Ugh, and the meaning behind the quote I chose is devastating!!!

I didn't even realize Nighteyes' death scene until I started the next chapter!

I look forward to continuing this trilogy!

Content Warnings

josiah17's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Edit 9/25/24: I think about this book and trilogy way more than I anticipated. I don't think Fools Errand is perfect, but it's so so lovely and it's 5 stars to me now.

--------

Original review:

"Some speak of the savagery of beasts. I will ever prefer that to the thoughtless contempt some men have towards animals."

After not loving The Farseer Trilogy, what a wonderful surprise this was. I wasn't particularly excited to get back to Fitz's story after such a fantastic trilogy in the Liveship Traders, but I was swept away with adult Fitz and his fatherhood. Adult Fitz is simply far more enjoyable to read about than Fitz as a teenager. Beginning this book with him, his son Hap, and Nighteyes on their little homestead was such a lovely treat. I actually care about Fitz now and his relationship with Hap and his companions. I absolutely love The Fool now and I was so happy to see Nighteyes again, and even Chade and Kettricken.

Hobb's prose remains just spectacular. It somehow felt even more enriching with this book, perhaps because this might be the most enjoyable book in Realm of the Elderlings thus far. The plot was not my favorite, and I felt some of the resolution may have been a little convenient. But it really didn't detract from the overall reading experience. Nor did I feel the pacing dragged at all when I felt it often did throughout the Farseer Trilogy.

I just had a great time with this one. The last 50 pages broke my heart and left me empty inside though. Which of course means I'm starting the next book immediately 😀

Nighteyes why couldn't you live forever 😭

Content Warnings

kaitain's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

luise96's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

So good to be back with Fitz and the others (although I am sad to leave behind Bingtown). This book felt very much like the first book in a trilogy, quite slow at times, but clearly establishing themes and building up to something. I am excited for what to come. (This was the first book that made me cry in quite a long time)

Content Warnings

shellbellbell's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Oh, my heart. Robin Hobb does it again. What more is there to say? Her writing, and the first person pov perspective, draws me in completely. Opening this book up a few years after finishing the Farseer trilogy felt like greeting an old friend.

Some spoilery thoughts:

I wish they could have saved the cat.

The wolf's end was beautifully done.

The Fool's unrequited love for Fitz is so painful and heartbreaking. When will Fitz see it??? Probably never, but I will keep reading to find out.

Content Warnings

katieo156's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Oh we are BACK! I wasn't crazy about the end of the Farseer Trilogy and enjoyed The Liveship Traders enough (through no fault of their own I wasn't super into them) but being back with my boy Fitz was all I needed. Robin Hobb's character work continues and I resonated so strongly with the Fool's comment about still wanting to protect the child he was because my heart broke every other chapter. The way Chade reacts to seeing him (and the way

Dutiful

thoughtlessly mentions how Chade refers to Fitz with so much affection that he assumed Fitz was his son??? "My first boy" 😭). Fitz has always been so loved and it was just as hard to read it now as it was in the first trilogy because he doesn't get it!

We are not talking about Nighteyes because I can't yet, but that death scene was one of the most beautiful ways I could imagine saying goodbye to a character- feeling all of life at once as they go.

Finally: "I recognized and pushed away a truth I did not want to know". Fitz I will beat you myself

Content Warnings

inthebrineydeep's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

micallab's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Content Warnings

More...