Fantasy Book Club Series discussion

I see this group read the Farseer trilogy back in 2011 but I don't see any discussions about the books. I am reading this series now and thought it would be fun to compare my perspective with those in the group who read it back then, but I don't seem to be able to find the discussion threads. Can any of the mods help?

It's under the Realms of the Elderlings.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

Brenda ╰☆╮ wrote: "It's under the Realms of the Elderlings.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group..."

Many thanks, Brenda!

You're very welcome!
:)

Loved these.

I just started this series and I am wondering if anyone can give me some advice on the order to read the books. Do they have to be read in publication order or can I just read all of the Fitz books and then come back for Liveship Traders and Rain Wild Chronicles? I'm on book 2 of Farseer right now. Thanks!!

I read The Farseer, then The Tawny Man. Only Started The Liveships.
I understand this does work, but it has been suggested that I should have read it in publication order. Fitz is not in The Liveship Trilogy, but there is another character that does have appearances in both.

Highly recommend reading Farseer, then Liveships and then Tawny Man. It makes Tawny man a very satisfying reading experience although that won't really become clear until about halfway through Tawny man. Happy reading!!!

Tawny man trilogy has a few happenings that will make more sense if you have read the Liveships and Rainwild chronicles, but not enough to hold you back...there is a gap of 15 odd years between the end of the Fareseer trilogy and the Tawny man series, so I found reading the Liveships after Farseer gave me a good sense of distance mirroring the 15 year gap...not sure if I've made sense!

Thanks for the quick feedback! It sounds like I will benefit if I read them in order then. Part of me just wants to continue and find out what happens with Fitz but I don't want to miss out on the other stuff in the story. Thanks again!!

Based on my experience, I would not recommend reading Tawny Man after Rainwilds or go straight from Liveship to Rainwilds like I did.

Farseer > Liveship > Tawny > Rainwilds > The Fitz and the Fool

I just finished reading Assassins Apprentice and really liked it. It had a few issues (like most people said about the names being really weird) but overall good.

Hobbs books get better and better. It's a bit of a commitment but it's worth reading that trilogy just to move on to the others. Or if nothing else, Liveships can be read on its own. That's one of the best trilogies I've ever read.

I've read the 3 Farseer books and plan to get back to Hobb at some point. I found, even within that first trilogy, the books get better with each one. I liked them.

Rebecca wrote: "I read Assassin's Apprentice as well and generally enjoyed it, but it didn't inspire me to continue the series. Not sure exactly why, but it just didn't capture me the way some others have."

This happened to me, too. I enjoyed Assassin's Apprentice but didn't feel the urge to go to the next book right away. But after a long while, I finally got around to it, and found that the books get better and better. Now Robin Hobb is one of my favorite authors and I buy her books as soon as the price becomes reasonable (under $10).

Yeah, paying more than $10 for an ebook is too expensive. Great than most of her books now are below that price.

Recommend hitting Goodwill or St. Vinnies, or any thrift shop and seeing if they stock books. I was able to pick up all of the Farseer trilogy for under $5. It's hit or miss, but sometimes you really luck out.

I've read and love them all! They do get better and better. Now I'm really excited for the final instalment which was tie up all the stories together.

I read the Liveship Traders first, then both Fitz Trilogies and after that the Rainwilds. And now I am waiting for the last book in the new Fitz&Fool Trilogy, can't wait!!

I definitely agree that you should read the liveship traders before the tawny man trilogy - otherwise it gives away too much.

Yes, I also read The Liveships Traders first, then the two Fitz trilogies and then Rainwilds and the tie-in short stories.

Also now waiting for the third book in the Fitz & the Fool trilogy.

I'm found out about this series recently. But I started with Fool's Assassin, which I am loving. The characters are incredible. Should I finish the Fool's Assassin trilogy before I go back to the beginning??

Kirsten wrote: "I'm found out about this series recently. But I started with Fool's Assassin, which I am loving. The characters are incredible. Should I finish the Fool's Assassin trilogy before I go back to the b..."

Hoping someone will jump in and answer your question, Kirsten. I have only read the 3 books in the Farseer trilogy, which is the beginning of the overall series, so I don’t know what to tell you. I know my personal preference is always to read a series in order.

I think that is a tough call, I probably lean to start the series a the beginning, it is a great series

Kirsten wrote: "I'm found out about this series recently. But I started with Fool's Assassin, which I am loving. The characters are incredible. Should I finish the Fool's Assassin trilogy before I go back to the b..."

I would certainly at least try to go back to the beginning. The latest trilogy gets a lot of its power from what has gone before - there are big moments in the next two books that will resonate much more effectively if you've lived through Fitz's life up to that point. Although I am curious to see how they'd land for a reader who doesn't know the characters - I'm a little surprised you're liking Fool's Assassin, actually!

[of course, having read Fool's Assassin will spoil many events earlier in the books, but I wouldn't worry too much about that - they're not books you read for the shock twists anyway]

[The two non-Fitz series in between are less necessary, but do give you some useful backstory, particularly for the third book in the new trilogy]

I do think the quality of Hobb's work has increased over time (while becoming more divisive - many readers don't like the slower pace she develops), and Assassin's Apprentice will probably not be 'incredible' for you. But the Farseer books are still fun and readable, some pacing issues aside. Of course, if you find you don't like them, you can always go back to the new trilogy.



Short version: if you don't read the earlier books, you probably won't be bewildered - I think Hobb tries to explain things for new readers. But you may not be moved to tears in quite the same way as if you've read what's gone before.

You are so right. I actually reread the first 2 Farseer trilogy before I started the
last. I think one needs to invest the time to develop a relationship with the characters to get the impact of the last books. I had previously read the others but didnt feel a need to reread. It was good to reread because I had forgotten quite a few things so it refreshed my memories.