Skip to main content

Farseer Trilogy - Review

 I finished this trilogy a few days ago and it’s safe to say that this is probably a new favourite series of mine, and Robin Hobb has definitely shot to the top of the list of my favourite authors. Rather than review each book separately, which I did on my Goodreads, instead I’m going to give a brief review of the entire trilogy. I would recommend you stop reading now if you wish to avoid spoilers

Firstly, the story. The trilogy is based in the fiction land of the Six Duchies, a medieval like collect of counties, almost, that are united rather reluctantly under one King. The story is centred around Fitz, the bastard son of the King In Waiting, who is brought to Buckkeep (essentially the capital of the fictional land) and given over to the royal family. Fitz’s childhood and upbringing is chronicled in the first book, Assassin’s Apprentice, and the rest of the trilogy tells of the adventures he undertakes in his King’s name, trained as an royal assassin. Though the books are long and the story is not always fast paced, every single piece of information that you are given just adds small but essential details to the rich and colourful world that Hobb has built, from the magic systems of Skill and Wit, to the settings of Buckkeep castle and the Mountain Kingdom. It is a truly immersive tale that makes you feel as if you are right there in the middle of the action. And what seems in the first book as a small civil war and a few acts of treason quickly blossoms throughout the trilogy to culminate in a grand adventure filled with plots, betrayals, family and emotion.

The characters are hands down the best part about this book. Fitz, especially, is written as a human. These characters act realistically given the choices they have to make, and Hobb allows herself time over the three books to properly flesh out her creations, and the relationships between each character. One thing that I adore about these books are that side characters are not neglected at all, instead they are given lots of character development and their own story arcs that fit in with the overall plot. The characters are also vey morally grey, sometimes they will do the right thing and sometimes they make horrendous decisions, but this is brilliant because it’s realistic, it’s what humans do - there’s no evil villians that are hell bet on destruction or golden princes that are too honourable for their own good. These characters each have their own issues, and that’s what makes it all the more relatable. The relationship between Fitz and Nighteyes and Fitz and Burrich are my favourite ones in this series. There were only a few characters that I didn’t like in this trilogy and they were Molly and Starling, I just felt like Molly wasn’t a nice character and Starling wasn’t really needed. A few other characters had developments (or lack of) in the last book that I didn’t feel was right, but other than that, the characters were the stand out part of the trilogy.

Finally, Hobbs writing is just brilliant, making it so that you will never get bored even in the descriptions of settings and recapping of previous events. The way she writes is just effortless, and something that you have to experience for yourself to fully appreciate.

Overall, I loved this trilogy, though I’m not sure I would read it again for a while purely because of the emotional turmoil (and length of the books). Thanks for reading my first review!

Assassin’s Apprentice - 10/10

Royal Assassin - 9/10

Assassin’s Quest - 8/10



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Babylonian Empire review

  Synopsis: The Babylonians were indisputably a formidable force in the ancient world’s stage, but how did they rise to power three separate times in Middle Eastern history? What led to their cataclysmic falls? And why did everyone keep stealing their chief god Marduk? Dive into the riveting stories of the remarkable Babylonians, who transformed the Middle East and left an enduring legacy. Thoroughly researched, engaging, and easy to read, this book will guide you through the fascinating history of a civilization that has left an indelible mark on our world. My review: A very thorough review of the Babylonian empire, includes some interesting facts and stories yet unfortunately was a little bit confusing and uninspiring. I felt that some parts of the book could have been written in a more clear manner. However, lots of good images and diagrams which helped to tell the history of this ancient kingdom. I particularly enjoyed the chapters about Babylonian culture and innovation - i di...

The Watchers - review

  Synopsis: You can't see them. But they can see you.  This forest isn't charted on any map. Every car breaks down at its treeline. Mina's is no different. Left stranded, she is forced into the dark woodland only to find a woman shouting, urging Mina to run to a concrete bunker. As the door slams behind her, the building is besieged by screams. Mina finds herself in a room with a wall of glass, and an electric light that activates at nightfall, when the Watchers come above ground. These creatures emerge to observe their captive humans and terrible things happen to anyone who doesn't reach the bunker in time. Afraid and trapped among strangers, Mina is desperate for answers. Who are the Watchers and why are these creatures keeping them imprisoned, keen to watch their every move? My Review: A brilliant debut novel with an eerie, dark atmosphere, filled with tension and a twisty story.  I loved how the story focused on only a handful of characters which meant that each one...

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs - Review

    Synopsis - ‘66 million years ago the dinosaurs were wiped from the face of the earth. Today a new generation of dinosaur hunters, armed with cutting edge technology, is piecing together the complete story of how the dinosaurs created a hugely successful empire that lasted for around 150 million years. In this hugely ambitious and engrossing story of how dinosaurs rose to dominate the planet, using the fossil clues that have been gathered using state of the art technology, Steve Brusatte, one of the world’s leading paleontologists, follows these magnificent creatures from the Early Triassic period at the start of their evolution, through the Jurassic period to their final days in the Cretaceous' and the legacy that they left behind.’ Review - This book is a brilliant insight into a whole new prehistoric world, filled to the brim with incredible facts and photos and written by an expert in the field. What I really love about this book is that it gives dinosaurs the limelight...