Golden Fool: The Tawny Man Trilogy Book 2

First off: if you're a fantasy lover who's never read Robin Hobb before - or even if you're a non-fantasy reader who thinks fantasy books are too unrealistic for your taste -- do yourself a favor and go read "Assassin's Apprentice" right now. Right. Now. For those who have read Hobb before: This book is her best since "Royal Assassin." It's a splendid follow-up to her earlier series and easily surpasses the last Fitz book (which, though it was a pleasant return to the character, lacked a sweeping plot). Be warned, this is more of a "nefarious plot and royal intrigue" book than a slam-bang action riot - although there's one excellent action scene that shows us the deadly Fitz of old is back in business. "Golden Fool" begins a few days after the end of "Fool's Errand." Grieving from the loss of Nighteyes, Fitz has to reintegrate into Buckkeep as "Tom Badgerlock" while avoiding the threat of assassination by the Witted Piebalds who survived the last book. There's more to Prince Dutiful's betrothed than meets the eye, and plots are afoot that even a cunning ex-assassin and the increasingly erratic Chade can't protect the Farseers from. I liked the way the previous books haunt the background of this one. Old characters return, often with emotionally-devastating consequences as Fitz sees the effect his death has had on those he loves. The legend of the Wit-Bastard also dogs his steps as he sees himself proclaimed as a Witted hero by enemies and allies alike, at the same time that rumors of his survival come back into circulation. Meanwhile, Fitz's determination not to repeat mistakes made in his royal assassin days sometimes helps avert a crisis, and sometimes leads him to make new mistakes.I'd recommend buying this book, even in hardcover, and I'm not much of a book buyer. What pushes it over the top for me is that there's a lot of emotional payoff from storylines left hanging from the last book and the original assassin series. Fitz's character has matured a lot, and though he is still capable of making disastrous mistakes, he's getting better at handling the routine demands placed on him by the Six Duchies and the Farseer family. Dutiful is also maturing into a very likable youth, and his growing relationship with Fitz makes for an enjoyable read. The characterizations are as powerful as ever; be warned, however, that the cameos from The Liveship Trader books are quite substantial here. You can read the book without having read Hobb's other trilogy, but it's better if you have. I give this one 5 stars.

I enjoyed this book more than its predecessor, and if truth be told, better than the Farseer series. It's true that this volume consists mostly of character development, with little action (except for an incident involving Fitz). I found the description of the aftermath of that incident, that is Chade's, the Queen's, and Dutiful's individual reactions to it, to be very moving. And some family secrets are gradually coming out, too.I can't agree with an earlier review that compared this to Robert Jordan's latest book. Jordan's is the 10th volume in a series in which lately everything happens at a glacial pace. Hobb's book is the second volume of a trilogy, and if it isn't full of action, it certainly sets the stage for the next book. If Hobb were Jordan, this book would be followed by another character development book...and another...and so on. This book does introduce several new characters, but they are vital to the plot, not tangential (like Jordan's).

What to say of FitzChivalry Farseer? An epic character, who's, thanks to Robin Hobb, life unfolds before us. So many different things happen within "Golden Fool" that it feels like real life. You know you had something for dinner a couple nights before but you just can't remember what.This is fantasy at its best. It doesn't get bogged down with side plots but revels in them, the characters don't develop but live as we do, and most of all you really care what happens to any single person, whether it be Queen or cook. One of the most amazing parts is Hobb's ability to make you recall a character, even if they seem so small in the plot you still know them as a close cousin. They may pop up for but a page but you remember and enjoy every part of their character and the life they share with our hero.You live the life of FitzChivalry as you read the Tawny Man Trilogy. You don't see the history of the Six Duchies, but embrace it through his eyes. In the first novel, "Fool's Errand" you felt just like Fitz. Reading the first half you felt like you were always catching up, as if time was flying by, trying to remember everything of old. You always were playing catch up through out the whole novel. But "Golden Fool" is different. In this novel you feel the weight of duty, each day in Fitz's life seems like a month as he dives back into the court of Buckkeep. And just so every page seems like a chapter to you, the book expands beyond its page numbers. You will sit down for hours unmoving only to stop and realize you've only read through a chapter or two in awe. You'll wonder if you will ever get through this novel just as Fitz wonders if he will ever go back to his quiet life in the country.It is amazing work, beyond words, though I have tried. The only problem is that you must wait another year for the last piece of the trilogy. That you begin this story in the middle and you end it there too. Until a novel is written in which Fitz's soul crosses over to join those that have left before him it will never end for you, you'll always want more of him, and perhaps even after that you will cry for more of the Farseers from this extraordinary author.Final Thought: Robin Hobb's Farseer novels are not read, they are experienced.