A review by andrew_f
Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Robin Hobb knows how to make me love first person, single POV epic fantasy books. The first book in the Tawny man trilogy, we catch up with FitzChivalry now Tom Badgerlock 15 years after the end of The Farseer Trilogy. He is living in the woods with his adopted son, Hap trying to live a quiet life and forget the tumultuous years of his youth. But The Farseer line is in danger and once again, Fitz's fate as catalyst is being swept back into the politics and plots of Buckkeep.
Like the original Farseer and moreso than Liveship Traders, this is a very slow paced book. The plot doesn't really begin until about a third of the way into the novel. For those that love Hobb's writing and character work, the beginning chapters are still a treat as we catch up with Fitz and favorite characters from the original series. But those needing more plot forward books will probably grow frustrated at the snail's pace.
Since the plot isn't revealed until late in the novel, I won't mention it here for spoiler reasons, but the book centers around loyalty, duty, friendship, loneliness, and identity. Each theme is handled with compassion by the author. Though this is a fantasy novel, the emotions of these characters feel real and your heart breaks in empathy. This is why so many praise Hobb's character work and each of these sub-series so far contain some of the best character work in the genre.
I also loved the callbacks to the previous books in the series, though I think the author relied a bit too heavily on summary of the previous novels through dialogue with characters. This may have been necessary at the time since many years had passed between novels, but since I've read these books all in less than 12 months the plots are still fresh in my mind. I also really liked the expansion of the lore and the little backstories and world building at the start of each chapter was interesting.
I don't have much else to say. Beautifully written story and I'm eager to continue the series. The main reason why I'm not rating this full 5 stars is the book did feel more like a setup book and I kind of expected the big emotional moment of the book so I wasn't as deeply impacted by it. But still a very emotional and melancholy book. It's not all doom and gloom, but these characters are probably going to experience even more pain before this series ends.
Like the original Farseer and moreso than Liveship Traders, this is a very slow paced book. The plot doesn't really begin until about a third of the way into the novel. For those that love Hobb's writing and character work, the beginning chapters are still a treat as we catch up with Fitz and favorite characters from the original series. But those needing more plot forward books will probably grow frustrated at the snail's pace.
Since the plot isn't revealed until late in the novel, I won't mention it here for spoiler reasons, but the book centers around loyalty, duty, friendship, loneliness, and identity. Each theme is handled with compassion by the author. Though this is a fantasy novel, the emotions of these characters feel real and your heart breaks in empathy. This is why so many praise Hobb's character work and each of these sub-series so far contain some of the best character work in the genre.
I also loved the callbacks to the previous books in the series, though I think the author relied a bit too heavily on summary of the previous novels through dialogue with characters. This may have been necessary at the time since many years had passed between novels, but since I've read these books all in less than 12 months the plots are still fresh in my mind. I also really liked the expansion of the lore and the little backstories and world building at the start of each chapter was interesting.
I don't have much else to say. Beautifully written story and I'm eager to continue the series. The main reason why I'm not rating this full 5 stars is the book did feel more like a setup book and I kind of expected the big emotional moment of the book so I wasn't as deeply impacted by it. But still a very emotional and melancholy book. It's not all doom and gloom, but these characters are probably going to experience even more pain before this series ends.