Book #26 of 2020:

Fool’s Assassin by Robin Hobb (The Fitz and the Fool #1)

When I first read this novel in 2015, I gave it the following lukewarm review:

“Ideally, any sequel should justify its own existence. Why are we returning for another chapter of this story? What new developments require plucking these characters and their world out of the happily-ever-after stasis that we last left them in? Of course, some stories are planned as multi-part constructions from the start, and others are open-ended enough that a sequel can still seem to flow organically. But when there’s real weight to a resolution, the very first task of a follow-up should be to explain why that tidy conclusion must now be unraveled.

This is a lesson that Robin Hobb knew, once upon a time. Her Tawny Man trilogy, written and set years after the conclusion of her initial Farseer books, goes to great lengths to highlight the unfinished business suggested by the earlier tales (on both the political level of her setting and the personal level of her main character). The Tawny Man feels like a necessary continuation of the Farseer trilogy, and its closing words — “I am content” –represent a far more satisfactory conclusion.

Any sequel to The Tawny Man, any further exploration of the fate of the Six Duchies or the life of FitzChivalry Farseer, must therefore begin by explaining why it is called for in the first place. But although there are hints throughout Robin Hobb’s newest book that she has a fresh plot in mind for her erstwhile former assassin, these glimpses are murky at best — and seen only sporadically throughout a sedately plodding plot. This novel spans over a decade of time for its characters, and yet it still manages to feel like nothing more than a prologue.

Perhaps what comes next will help give this story some weight, but for now this new Fitz and the Fool trilogy feels entirely inconsequential. As comfortable as it is for longtime Hobb readers to check back in with Fitz and his world, Fool’s Assassin does not provide a valid reason for spoiling his content.”

And I still think those critiques are valid, because this is indeed a very long and very slow read that doesn’t do much to justify its own existence. Yet I feel somewhat more charitable towards the project on this reread, thanks largely to Hobb’s impeccable grasp of character and setting. It’s on the weaker side of what the author can offer in terms of a plot, but nevertheless far more immersive a reading experience than what many of her fellow fantasists achieve, especially for returning fans of the series. As such, I’m bumping my rating up a notch and actually planning to continue on to the sequels this time.

★★★☆☆

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