Reviews

Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb

rucsandra's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

effervescentsoul's review against another edition

5.0

FitzChivalry Farseer is one of my favorite characters in fiction, and I was delighted to discover that Robin Hobb had continued his tale. This work was engaging and I look forward to learning how the rest of the tale plays out.

a_chickletz's review against another edition

4.0

Well, here I am, at the last series in the long line of books. It's funny that before I even knew anything about this series I picked this book up first and bought it based on the cover and the description on the back. Little did I know that for five months these books would consume my reading days.

So, now that I'm here, I am so torn to give this book three stars or four. I'm settling on a timid four because I feel that there are so many new things and old things when it comes to Fitz that I haven't seemed to understand yet.

Spoiler

Bee is obviously a 'white', she is having prophecy dreams. She is also small, pale, and blonde haired. It appears that she was in the womb of Molly for two years and not only was she able to experience things going around outside of her while she was inside Molly, she is also recalling memories that happened before she was conceived that has to do with Fitz, the Fool and Nighteyes. Then, on top of it, in her dreams she is actually seeing and communicating with Nighteyes. How is this possible?! I thought his spirit moved on... but apparently it stayed? I thought that if an animal lingers it stays inside it's Wit-bonded mate. Apparently, because Fitz fathered Bee, some of Nighteyes went into her? THEN (not finished), she is sensitive to the Skill and can talk to cats. So does she have the Wit and the Skill? I need to knowwwwww.

I love character development. I do. However, I feel that there was too much dancing around when it came to Molly and Fitz and their life. Some people had problems with the chapters through Bee's eyes. I did not have an issue with it. I just think that, again, I have a problem with Molly and she was so bland and Robin had to plump the book with chapters so that when she left we'd feel sad.

As for the Fool, he finally appears in the last five chapters after Fitz shoves his knife into him a couple times.

I just got a bit annoyed with how many new questions this brought up on top of that fact that when it comes to the Farseer side of things, the Skill is still on huge mystery. Why is it a mystery? Apparently Robin said that the skill does not come from/share traits with the dragon magic that dragons give Elderlings.... I don't think Robin will be able to wrap this all up in three books. If she does, I fear it will suffer the fate of the last Rain Wilds book where everything having to do with a battle was crammed into one chapter as a 'by the way' summary.

Then again, time will tell.

I still love this series. I hope things are better explained in book two.

pragmatick's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

2.0

Everybody behaves idiotically and it doesn't make any sense.

beeword's review against another edition

adventurous emotional

5.0

storygrover's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

sabrinabarkouli's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

lizziestudieshistory's review against another edition

2.0

2.5 stars

elivanto's review against another edition

adventurous challenging sad

5.0

i can't do this anymore 

wraskai's review against another edition

5.0

This was such a heartbreaking book. I had to put it down at certain times because I was so emotionally overwhelmed. To me this is Hobb at her best. The characters are perfectly written again, there are some surprises in how the story is told. Fitz is the same old idiot he has always been, but he is so loveable still. I am glad to see this series starting off this strong after I was left disappointed by the Rainwild Chronicles.