Hobb-A-Long Read-A-Long discussion

my favorite is fitz least favorite is the skill instructor can't remember his name right now

^You mean Galen?

Yes Galen is quite the jerk, but in his mind it is all Fitz's fault that Chivalry is dead. I also think he hates that Fitz in doing so well in his Skill training, like he was hoping that because he was a bastard he wouldn't be able to pick it up at all. Not sure why he has such an abusive training style and why he wouldnt pay any attention to the girls who were training at the beginning of the lessons.

I like that we got to meet Patience, Chivalry's wife, and i like that she wish Fitz was her son and she tried to make sure he got the training he deserved being of royal blood. Also so happy he has a dog again and what Burrich is letting him keep it. But this girl is all over the place she has a room full of her interests but how can she possibly have the time to do it all.

Love that she liked his paintings too, she might be my favorite character.

Just a funny sidenote about Galen. In Swedish the word galen means crazy/insane.

Anders wrote: "Just a funny sidenote about Galen. In Swedish the word galen means crazy/insane."

Very fitting

The most revealing thing here is what the Fool told Fitz about his fathers death. Basically Patience consented to Chivalry's abdication (because he wanted to protect Fitz I'm guessing from what the Fool said), and "they" where able to kill him, so if Chivalry didn't renounce the throne because he wanted to protect Fitz, he's dead (because of Fitz).
Galen is hatred embodied, and I understand why, Chivalry is dead and at the end of the day it's his own fault because Fitz is his offspring so the only outlet for his anger is Fitz. His a POS anyways.

I am still enjoying this a lot! (: We get to know Fitz very well and I really love that. Him learning the Skill is very exciting, Galen being so cruel not so much - but I am looking forward to maybe finding out more about why Galen acts the way he does (besides what already has been revealed with Chivalry.)

It's a bit harder for me to keep up with the politics, but it doesn't bother me. Meaning who is loyal to the (dead) Queen and her ambitions and all that.

I think there is a lot of mystery and I love how Hobb gives us very small clues here and there. I can only imagine how satisfying the reveal will be.

Saskia wrote: "but I am looking forward to maybe finding out more about why Galen acts the way he does "

You won't be disappointed!!

galen i the worst and seeing fitz believe all his vitriol was sad, but i kind of wanted to say everything burrich did when he told him not to believe him! but i understand hobb is showing us how abuse victims can become conditioned into a certain way of thinking. it's all very sad. BUT i loved burrich beating the crap out of galen at the witness stones!! in my mind he does care a lot about fitz past him being chiv's son, though fitz seems to not like burrich a lot? maybe that will change now.

and burrich saying the hawks don't like fitz in a very specific way makes me think he knows more about the wit than he's letting on.

i love the fool and its nice of him to take care of smithy, who is very cute. loved when he basically saved fitz because he loved him so much. but yes, i'm sure we'll see a lot more of him.

patience is crazy and wonderful. she's a little off the wall but, much like the other characters, cares about fitz in her own strange little way. i think it's time fitz starts to understand this as he grows to understand other people and become maturer.

So these chapters have seen a lot of interesting developments. The introduction of Lady Patience and Galen have really added some texture to the story. I feel like Galen is the Prof. Snape of this world! My heart longs for the moment when Fitz rises up against this outrageous treatment by Galen. Simultaneously, I curious to know how this training will shape Fitz and develop him as a character.

I'm very sad that he is being alienated from Burrich, Chade, and especially Lady Patience since their bond was just beginning to grow. It seems like everything that is good and wholesome and full of love gets snatched from this kid prematurely.

I can't wait to learn and understand more about the Fool. Who is he/she? What is he/she? Where did he/she come from? Is he/she another bastard? Oh the swirling questions!!!

I really like Fitz, obviously. I really want to see more of Patience, I like her a lot, too!

The Fool intrigues me a lot! Definitely want to know more about them and get to know them better. When we first met them, I wasn't sure what to make of them, but slowly getting know them I'm more and more interested. I also like the fact that they seem to be non-binary, which I wasn't expecting to see in this series at all. I think I like the Fool more than Fitz, just a bit.


Burrich I like for the most part, but sometimes I get some distaste, as well.
Chade is sort of similar, where I may like him or be interested, but sometimes I feel nothing towards him as well?

Obviously, I like Galen the least. The amount of abuse is just... ugh. And I don't understand how they are supposed to be open with eachother and what-not when they've been trained to simultaneously hate and put down each other to reach the top. He's obviously not a fit teacher, and I can't believe this is true training...

How does everybody feel about this tradition among the royalty of naming their children after virtues or desired character traits? Does this involve a process of magic we are as yet unacquainted with, or is a natural human tendency toward self-fulfilling prophesy at work here or is it just a superstition? Let's see how this works in practice.

King Shrewd doesn't always exhibit very shrewd judgment and comes across overall as being a little too clever by half. When diplomacy fails in political negotiations, he is all too willing to call for the assassin even if the person targeted is otherwise not vicious or inherently dangerous (I'm thinking specifically of the Lord Kelvar situation). Also consider the fiasco he himself initiated by concocting that steal-the-king's-knife plot with Chade to test Fitz; or his ill-advised favoritism and bias toward Prince Regal and his political ambitions. And by the way, it's not a good idea to marry someone with a lust for power named Desire; and it is further asking for trouble by allowing her to name her son Regal, who is only third in line to the throne and cannot live up to the full potential of his name unless his two half-brothers die without legitimate offspring.

Prince Chivalry is considered a wise and capable leader and is held in high esteem by his subjects; but impregnating a woman and then not acknowledging his paternity or providing child support for the first several years of the child's life (especially given the mother's impoverishment), doesn't seem very chivalrous.

Verity, Queen Constance and Lady Patience all seem aptly named (ironically sad in the case of Patience, who waited for years in complete futility trying to conceive a child).

John wrote: "Verity, Queen Constance and Lady Patience all seem aptly named (ironically sad in the case of Patience, who waited for years in complete futility trying to conceive a child)"

I didn't realise that about Patience's name. That's really sad, I like her character so far.

Thoughts on chapters 11-15:

So cute with Fitz blooming crush on Molly. I really enjoyed reading those sections.

We also found that Chade was in fact a bastard himself, as I had been thinking, but it wasn't confirmed.

The whole thing with Fitz being taught 'The Skill' by Galen, was sure to be a difficult task for Fitz. I knew he'd excel at the skill, but Galen definitely has a crude way of teaching. I guess Galen really hoped that Fitz would fail at this, because he was a bastard.

I loved that Fitz finally got a puppy again.

And the Fool is one of the most interesting characters I think. Really, really enjoy how he talks in riddles so much. It really adds some interesting elements to the story.

John wrote: "How does everybody feel about this tradition among the royalty of naming their children after virtues or desired character traits? Does this involve a process of magic we are as yet unacquainted wi..."

Wow...I loved this great in depth thinking on the chracters names.

John wrote: "How does everybody feel about this tradition among the royalty of naming their children after virtues or desired character traits? Does this involve a process of magic we are as yet unacquainted wi..."

Well said, John. :)

Tonya wrote: "John wrote: "How does everybody feel about this tradition among the royalty of naming their children after virtues or desired character traits? Does this involve a process of magic we are as yet un..."
Thank you Tonya! I really appreciate it! There is a character coming up later named Lady Celerity( which apparently means "speed"). I have no idea why parents would name their child that!? LOL.

Rochelle wrote: "John wrote: "How does everybody feel about this tradition among the royalty of naming their children after virtues or desired character traits? Does this involve a process of magic we are as yet un..."
I'm so happy you liked it, Rochelle!

1. I love Lady Patience
2. I can't decide if I like Burrich, or not
3. I am absolutely sure I hate Galen

The last few chaoter were really 2 extremes, with Ptience and Galen. The lesson scare me. A lot.
And seriously, how did Fitz not notice that Chade is a bastard. It was obvious from the way he spoke.

So far I love Fitz and the Fool, I just love Fitz's development and his interactions with the Fool.

I hate Galen and Regal. Galen for his sadistic training methods and his obviously "better than you" attitude. Regal is obviously going to be bad news later for Fitz.

I love that Fitz is getting to know Lady Patience and vice versa!

Burrich bringing the smack down on Galen and overall being protective of Fitz is what I'm here for!

I love how the Fool is coming into Fitz's life now. And Galen, he's just, argh! Hate him. His treatment of everyone is just terrible, and I love how it's explained why Burrich came in the next afternoon with his shirt all muddy (he was at The Witness Stones!).

I am so in love with Prince Verity and I don't really know why. He just seems /cool/ to me.

Honestly, not a huge fan of anyone in these books. Obviously I love Fitz (which is probably why I hate everyone else, poor kid can't get a break!) I especially hate Chade and King Shrewd; I just feel like they have selfish ambitions and are going to screw us (Fitz and I are apparently now an "us") over in the end.

Abriana wrote: "I am so in love with Prince Verity and I don't really know why. He just seems /cool/ to me."

If you love him now, wait till you get to the next book. You'll love him even more.

Just finished chapter 13: I had thought that Chade was Shrewd's son too! Not his brother. He's a bit older than I thought.

A new puppy!! I like Lady Patience for that, if nothing else :)

And the Fool is an interesting character--I definitely want to know more about him!

Abner wrote: "Abriana wrote: "I am so in love with Prince Verity and I don't really know why. He just seems /cool/ to me."

If you love him now, wait till you get to the next book. You'll love him even more."

Now I'm even more excited, I love Verity too!

Ugh, I really don't like Galen. I was kind of hoping that Fitz would be able to take control of his mind and show him what's what...

Burrich steps up though. I didn't think I could like him because of what he did to Nosy but... he really steps up for Fitz and puts that damn Galen in his place. I can respect that.

Jessica wrote: "and burrich saying the hawks don't like fitz in a very specific way makes me think he knows more about the wit than he's letting on."

I think he definitely knows more about the Wit then has been revealed. I wondered a few chapters back if Vixen was bonded to him...

CallMeSensei wrote: "I think he definitely knows more about the Wit then has been revealed. I wondered a few chapters back if Vixen was bonded to him"

You will get the answers to those questions at the end of this book and ch 10 of the next book. You'll be satisfied.

Obviously Galen is an egotistical jerk as well as Regal. I like that Burrich took Galen to the Stones and beat him. I feel so bad for Fitz and the way he is treated but I love that the Fool is also becoming a great Ally!