Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books

Sci Fi and Fantasy books everyone should Read - Fool's Errand: Book One of the Tawny Man (Tawny Man 1)

Reviews
 

The Tawny man series brings at last some true ending to the story of FitzChivalry Farseer. Once more in these books Fitz's life is controlled by his name. Loyal and clever as always, you will find Fitz as the person-hero you imagined him to be, but never became in the first trilogy. All in all I would say I enjoyed these books even more than the first three, partly because there is much more action-much less whining and partly because the Farseer Trilogy left me longing for an ending much more climatic than the current. I totally recommend this book to all who have read the first trilogy and liked it.
Thanos

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I am a bit disappointed so far.
1. If I didn't read anything by Robin Hobb before, I would give up after the first 50-100 pages because I would assume I were reading chicklit.
2. Too many descriptions. Too much of re-telling of old stories (probably intended to remind the reader what happened before, but way too much of it).
3. The story line doesn't have as grand design as it was in The Farseer and The Liveship trilogies. What is happening in Fool's Errand feels like a minor incident in comparison. Just as if I were reading an addendum story based mostly on The Farseer and a bit on The Liveship trilogies.

Although, it is a page turner, but maybe I read it because I know and like Fitz?
I sincerely hope it improves...otherwise it will be one of the greatest disappointments.
_astra_

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I did not know Robin Hobb series on this world and character and I must say the first book of the Tawny man trilogy grips you well. Especially the first person almost-autobiographic sort of description of events past and present as they unfold. I will most likely take a peak at the "Farseer Trilogy" as well as the "Liveship Traders" after I finish the Tawny Man trilogy.
Rarpman

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First book i've read from this author, and it was really good. Now have to buy all the previous books to better understand whats gone on!
C. Mccleverty

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I adored Robin Hobb's Live Ships trilogy, and most of the Assassin trilogy, but it seems that the more she writes, the less she edits (or gets edited). Though this book is good, I would strongly advise you to skip the first ten chapters. This is all you'll miss:

Fitz lives under the name Tom Badgerlock with Hap, who used to be the stableboy, and Nighteyes the wolf. They keep hens. He was sleeping with Starling the minstrel, but found out she was married and stopped. A hedge witch called Jinna turns up briefly. Chade turns up. Chade goes away. The Fool turns up. Now read on...

Prince Dutiful, the son of Queen Kettricken, has disappeared. Due to be betrothed to an Outisland (they of the red ships) princess, believed to have the Wit (the generally-dispised ability to mentally communicate and emotionally bond with animals), the prince would be a prize to many political groups, alive or dead. Fitz is charged to return Dutiful home before the betrothal ceremony, aided Nighteyes's tracking skills and his own Skill (telepathic) link to the boy he fathered. But they reckon without the boy's own desire to stay away, and a use of the Wit that even Fitz finds abhorrent.

Once I'd waded through the first part, this was Robin Hobb at her very best. Her very obvious love of the world she's created, that means at first that she can leave no character's history untold, also leads us into a powerful political drama, about duty and difference, where Fitz is torn between the Farseer line he's sworn to protect, and loyalty to the persecuted minority amongst whom he is numbered.

But ultimately this is not focussed enough to be the beginning of something new. It's not book one of the the Fool trilogy, but book four of the Assassin series. It's a nice continuation of the story for those who liked her previous work, but it demands too much prior knowledge to work as a stand alone, and it won't win Robin Hobb any new fans.

S. Bailey

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