Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives 2023 #Potluck – #Mystery, #Magic and mayhem #BookReview FITZ AND THE FOOL #2 & #3 by Robin Hobb by Deborah Jay

Welcome to the new series of Posts from Your Archives 2023 where I will be sharing posts from the last six months of 2022 I have selected from the archives of willing participants. If you wish to be included the information is at the the end of the post.

I am always interested to read book reviews, especially for books or series I am not familiar with. This is the case for this second post by Deborah Jay which has encouraged me to read the first book in this series.

Book review by Deborah Jay FITZ AND THE FOOL #2 & #3 by Robin Hobb 

To get back in the swing of regular blogging I’m going to start with a pair of reviews from last year’s reading – books #2 & #3 from Robin Hobb’s FITZ AND THE FOOL trilogy: FOOLS QUEST and ASSASSIN’S FATE.

When I did my review of book #1, FOOL’S ASSASSIN, many of you weighed in with memories of how much you’d loved this series. I may be rather late to the party, but I can truly say now that having read the whole set, it is a marvellous completion to the life of FitzChivalry Farseer, sad though it is to think we will not be returning to this character again.

So, here are my thoughts on books 2&3.

Blurb

Happy endings never last…

Years ago, they freed a dragon from the glaciers on Aslevjal. Then they parted ways, the Fool returning to far-off Clerres, while Fitz finally claimed a wife, a family, and a home of his own.

Now, betrayed by his own people and broken by torment, the Fool has made his way back to the Six Duchies. But as Fitz attempts to heal his old friend in Buckkeep Castle, his young daughter Bee is abducted from Withywoods by pale and mysterious raiders who leave ruin and confusion in their wake.

Fitz must find a way to rescue his beloved Bee. At the same time it is the Fool’s fiercest wish to return to Clerres with the best assassin he has ever known, to gain vengeance and justice.

Can Fitz bear to take up the tools of his old trade again, even to avenge his dearest friend and save his child?

Fool’s Quest by Robin Hobb My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well.

Having decreed that the first volume in this series was rather slow, and more of a character study (very beautifully drawn, as one would expect from this author) than a plot-driven story, this one hits the ground running and never lets up.

Picking up instantly on the calamitous events at the ending of volume 1, poor Bee is enduring a range of hardships in her captivity, some inflicted upon her and some, seemingly the consequence of her odd nature. Back in Buckkeep Castle, Fitz is in ignorance of his daughter’s plight, but assailed by the Fool’s demands for vengeance upon those who tortured him to the edge of life and left him twisted and broken, both physically and mentally. Castle politics seethe as ever, and Fitz, finally revealed to the public as a Farseer prince (and oh, what a lovely scene that way!), is thoroughly off-balance, no longer sure where he fits in.

Even before the delayed news of Bee’s kidnapping is discovered, events turn at a startling pace, which only ramps up when suspicions rise about the strange lack of contact from Fitz’s home. The reader is subjected to the artfully designed frustration of knowing what is happening to Bee while Fitz does not, while at the same time being driven to read as fast as possible to find out what will happen when he does. At times, perhaps the suspense is sustained over-long, but when you set out to read a Robin Hobb book, you accept it’s going to be a long read, filled with exquisite detail and fraught with fantastic emotional depth.

I barely paused to take a breath at the end, before diving into the final volume of this set.

Blurb

Prince FitzChivalry Farseer’s daughter Bee was violently abducted from Withywoods by Servants of the Four in their search for the Unexpected Son, foretold to wield great power. With Fitz in pursuit, the Servants fled through a Skill-pillar, leaving no trace. It seems certain that they and their young hostage have perished in the Skill-river.

Clerres, where White Prophets were trained by the Servants to set the world on a better path, has been corrupted by greed. Fitz is determined to reach the city and take vengeance on the Four, not only for the loss of Bee but also for their torture of the Fool. Accompanied by FitzVigilant, son of the assassin Chade, Chade’s protégé Spark and the stableboy Perseverance, Bee’s only friend, their journey will take them from the Elderling city of Kelsingra, down the perilous Rain Wild River, and on to the Pirate Isles.

Their mission for revenge will become a voyage of discovery, as well as of reunions, transformations and heartrending shocks. Startling answers to old mysteries are revealed. What became of the liveships Paragon and Vivacia and their crews? What is the origin of the Others and their eerie beach? How are liveships and dragons connected?

But Fitz and his followers are not the only ones with a deadly grudge against the Four. An ancient wrong will bring them unlikely and dangerous allies in their quest. And if the corrupt society of Clerres is to be brought down, Fitz and the Fool will have to make a series of profound and fateful sacrifices.

Assassin’s Fate by Robin Hobb My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What can I add to my opinions of the previous book in this jaw-dropping series? Every time you think you know where this story is going, it takes a dramatic unexpected turn. As Fitz and the Fool journey towards Clerres to wreak revenge on the corrupt Servants of the White Prophets, their mission is constantly diverted by the people they meet along the way, re-introducing us to characters and lands from other Hobb’s series, most notably the dragons and the liveships. Any reader would be well advised to delve into earlier series to fully understand the frequently shocking twists and turns of this, the final volume of Fitz’s story.

Hobb is at her masterful best with this book – wringing every last drop of emotion from the reader as we travel with these beloved characters, and answering along the way mysteries you often didn’t realise she’d posed in her earlier works. Both joyous and heart-wrenchingly sad, we say a final goodbye to characters we’ve lived with for years, or indeed, decades, as the story draws to an incredibly satisfying conclusion.

Thank you, Robin Hobb, for being the exquisite story-teller that you are.

©Debby Lush/Deborah Jay 2022

My thanks to Debby for inviting me to share the posts from her archives and I know she would love to hear from you.

About Deborah Jay

Deborah Jay writes Epic Fantasy series and Urban Fantasy featuring complex, quirky characters and multi-layered plots – just what she likes to read.

Fortunate to live not far from Loch Ness in the majestic, mystery-filled Scottish Highlands with her partner and a pack of rescue dogs, she can often be found lurking in secluded glens and forests, researching locations for her books.

Her action adventure fantasy series, The Five Kingdoms, opens with THE PRINCE’S MAN, an Amazon Top 100 Hot New Release, winner of a UK Arts Council award, and an International Bestseller.

Book #2, THE PRINCE’S SON, #3, THE PRINCE’S PROTEGEE and #4, THE PRINCE’S HEIR, complete this series.

The first of a series of free tie-in short stories is available by signing up to Deborah’s newsletter via her website: https://deborahjayauthor.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Urban fantasy, DESPRITE MEASURES, is the first in a projected 5 book CALEDONIAN SPRITE SERIES, and a stand alone short story SPRITE NIGHT is now available.

Deborah has also published a multi-author SFF anthology THE WORLD AND THE STARS, which includes her SF story, PERFECT FIT.

She also has non-fiction equestrian titles published under the name Debby Lush.

Books by Deborah Jay

One of the reviews for The Princes Heir

D. W. Peach 5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying end to an high fantasy series  Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸

Book 4, the last in the Five Kingdom’s series, ends with a bang! The characters I’ve come to know and care about face some new challenges as well as those that have been brewing since the beginning. King Marten is in danger of losing his throne, and his wife and child are pawns in a dangerous game fueled by religious zealots. Rustum and Risada long for a quiet life, but Rustum is called on by the magical gem-eyes to battle an ice dragon, leaving Risada behind to deal with the conspiracy, murders, and kidnappings.

The duality of the twin gods, one benevolent, the other murderous, finally plays out in this installment of the tale. There are parallels to our world, both ancient and contemporary: the genuine conviction of some people that they know the will of the gods, and the rampant hypocrisy of others who preach godliness while amassing power and committing crimes.

The last 25% of the book is a gigantic confrontation with gripping action. It’s well-written and ultimately satisfying. Subplots regarding the use of magic and family conflicts also wrap up nicely. The pace moves along well.

Rustum’s foray to defeat the ice dragon and capture a mad gem-eye seemed like a bit of a tangent, but it does hone the skills that he’ll need in the final chapters. The characters were consistent throughout the four books. Lead characters, including the villains, were well-rounded, credible, and nuanced, with interesting arcs over the course of the story.

The books all form one story and should be read from start to finish in order. Highly recommended for fans of high fantasy and appropriate for YA readers as well as adults. 

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And:Amazon UK – follow Deborah : Goodreads – website: Deborah Jay – Twitter: @DeborahJay2

How to feature in the series?

• All I need you to do is give me permission to dive in to your archives and find two posts to share here on Smorgasbord. (sally.cronin@moyhill.com)
• Rather than a set topic, I will select posts at random of general interest across a number of subjects from the second six months of 2022. (it is helpful if you have a link to your archives in your sidebar by month)
• As I will be promoting your books as part of the post along with all your information and links so I will not be sharing direct marketing or self- promotional posts in the series.
• If you are an author I am sure you will have a page on your blog with the details, and an ‘about page’ with your profile and social media links (always a good idea anyway). I will get everything that I need.
• As a blogger I would assume that you have an ‘about page’ a profile photo and your links to social media.
• Copyright is yours and I will ©Your name on every post… and you will be named as the author in the URL and subject line.
• Previous participants are very welcome to take part again.
• Each post is reformatted for my blog and I don’t cut and paste, this means it might look different from your own post especially if you are using the block editor
• If I do share a post which contains mainly photographs I will share up to five and link back to the original post for people to view the rest.

N.B – To get the maximum benefit from your archive posts, the only thing I ask is that you respond to comments individually and share on your own social media.. thank you.