[Stark Direwolf]

[spoilers!]










Well I finished the last book last night and I tought id share my thoughts. Firstly, I should state that I loved the first 2 books and I loved the bittersweet storyline as I followed it along. The end of the second book i was able to digest comfortably, the skill in Hobbs writings as she documented fitz's fall from grace and trasition to the animal world was amazing, and, ultimately, I was satisfied with the ending because I knew that fitz would be able would be able to come back like a ghost to haunt Regal with an insurmountable vengance in the third incantation of this great series.

However, as I got to the end of the third book, and finally closed in on the end, i could not help but feel a bitterness seep through me. The bittersweet edge of the book was gone, and all I could feel was bitterness and unforfillment at the ending. I'll try to explain why:

Firstly, why portray Regal as such a venomous, insidious character, to enourage all the readers hate of him, and lead their expectation to believe that his downfall and demise at the last will be sweet, and then end the character the way she did! I could not believe what I was reading as the passage went on to say regal went on to become a hero in tradeford, fighting off the raiders. I felt disgusted that such a glorified end would befall such a loathfull character. I was dragged on for 3 books to expect vengence to be served and all i recieved in the end was this.

Secondly, I could not digest Hobbs unsatisfying and unhappy ending for the main characters. Verity= dead, ketrieken = alone, fitz = a hermit. The only thing happy about the ending was that fitz was finally free to share his bond with nighteyes. Why o why was the ending of this finale (of all things) end in such cynicism.


Well, sorry. heh. I had to get that out. Maybe some day I will write about all the things I loved about this magnificant series. There was a lot of them. But all I can think of now are the things that tinged my experience of these books with negativity, and sadly that is what I feel as i conclude the series.

[Keyoke]

I loved the entire series, and mainly, for those reason you seem to dislike them. I thought Regal being a hero was great twist. I mean, let's face it, all through history, we've had hero's who've have committed horrible offenses. It's just reality.

Man, Farseer Trilogy.. God, I have to say, Robin Hobb's writing style is perfect for me. Her stories are amazing, and her characters are so real.

Keyoke :)

->Mindless Rant. :)

[ChrisW]

Yeah well you should avoid the Farseer books if you only like happy endings where the good guys live happily ever after.

The second trilogy "The Liveship Traders" is a lot more upbeat but then she goes back to Fitz's miserable life in the third trilogy.
Ya never know he might have a happy ending.

[kater]

I know how you feel Inactorz and I think its a tribute to Hobb that you feel that way, so involved did we both become in the story that we believed it had to have at least a semi-happy ending. But again all credit to Hobb, life isn't all about happy endings and perhaps in the Fantasy genre we have become so used to happy endings that we don't expect anything else, what you got from the book is I believe what Hobb wanted you to - sh!t happens ;)

[TheElusiveCamel]

"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means." hehe it's a good quote but don't you get tired of the same happy endings. Hobb's endings are what makes her stand out from the crowd.

[Lucky Joe]

I loved the farseer trilogy, I thought it was excellent, however there was a sense of incompleteness about the last 100 or so pages.

I don't think it would have been credible to give Fitz the happy ending we all craved for him, he'd crapped on by the Farseers throughout the entire series so why should it be any different, though I completely understood why he felt he couldn't kill Regal - despite everything he'd done to him - he was sworn to the Farseers for good and bad.

The Live Ship Traders, is also an excellent read and imo i thought Hobb's writing style went from strength to strength.

I am eagerly awaiting the third book in the Tawny Man trilogy.

[kater]

How good are the first two books in the second trilogy because I haven't got round to picking them up yet and am undecided, worth the read?

[Lucky Joe]

I think they are excellent, well worth reading.

[kater]

Thanks - I may pick up the whole series as one rather than read two now and wait for the last one as seems to be the case with everything I read at the moment.

[Mamb]

The discovery of the Tawny Man trilogy was an unbelievable relief for me. I just needed more of Fitz and it didn't let me down...

The last 200-300 pages of Assassin's Quest are the best fantasy I have ever read. What, with the Skill Road, Skill River and the Stone Garden, the tale of "Six Wise Men go to Jhaampe Town", Kettle, and all the rest, it all comes together so perfectly.