Hobb-A-Long Read-A-Long discussion

Samantha wrote: "And so we are back with Fitz! 15 years after the end of Assassins Quest and about 2 years after Ship of Destiny!
Are you excited to be back with Fitz?"

And how! I know a lot of people aren't hugely fond of the slower pace of the Six Duchies books versus the Liveship Traders, but sometimes the third person narration and multiple storylines with several characters that Liveship employs tends to overemphasize plot considerations over deep personality exploration that the first person voice of Fitz as narrator excels in describing his world and his state of mind reacting to it.

Plus I like the Six Duchies world now that the Red Ship Raiders and the forged have been removed and I wouldn't mind living there with Fitz and Nighteyes in their bucolic existence. I see problems ahead with this Witted vs. Antiwitted controversy, but we in the real world have been dealing with that sort of man's inhumanity to man conflict for all of human history anyway; we ought to be used to it by now!

Can't wait to start this one! I liked the Liveships much better than I liked the Farseers, but I've heard so many people rave about this trilogy that I can't wait to see what I think.

We got a little preview of how Fool's Errand would start at the end of Assassin's Quest, where Fitz the narrator of the Farseers books allows that he looks back at his life with a lot of regrets and melancholy, somewhat alleviated by his adopted son Hap and the companionship of Nighteyes.

It's been a relatively calm and peaceful 15 years, but it's painfully obvious that Fitz has been lonely without the life he knew at Buckkeep and without the love he might have shared with Molly and Nettle and perhaps other offspring; and the loss of his daily association with Burrich, the Fool, Verity and even Chade. I think that without Hap and Nighteyes he would have long since succumbed to suicide.

But then here comes Chade after all these years with a proposition: Come back to Buckkeep and teach the lately wayward Prince Dutiful to Skill - and maybe also teach Nettle to Skill as well. Chade has to be looked at with a great deal of wariness, as he had back in Chapters 21 & 22 of AQ showed no scruples as to wanting to seize Nettle from Burrich and Molly and raise her as the Farseer heir, and in fact, Fitz is conscious of being conflicted in his feelings for Chades trustworthiness, saying to him that Chade had always been honest with him, then later wondering if Chade had in fact been willing to kill him if he had not heard what he wanted to hear. It's also clear later that Chade had contrived to meet Fitz alone by arranging for Starling to take Hap with her on her trip; so Fitz is right to be suspicious of Chade and his methods.

Then after Chade leaves, Starling returns and tells Fitz of the persecution and killings of the Witted and the retaliations by the Piebalds( this kind of superstitious mob violence seems unlikely in a world like the Six Duchies, which displays very little religiosity and doesn't have the orthodoxy of doctrines that you would have seen from the religious hegemony of a real world medieval society, for instance, that likely might have fostered fear and hatred about the Witted, and branded them as heretics; and I would think that there would be more of a laissez-faire attitude among the general populace in this less strict religious setting about differing moral practices; therefore more tolerance might be expected). Yet another thing for Fitz to worry about should the persecution of the Witted come to his doorstep.

Still, although Fitz refuses Chade's offer, Chade has found a way to wormhole the idea of returning to Buckkeep into his mind; and with Hap soon to apprentice and leave Fitz, and Nighteyes' advancing age( it doesn't look very likely that either Nighteyes or Chade, both pretty long in the tooth, will survive beyond this trilogy), the thought of becoming a King's(Queen's)man again, without the worries of simultaneously also being a family man( as Burrich always warned against), may be enticing for someone who needs meaning in his life just to keep going.

It will be very interesting to see how everybody reacts to Fitz as a 35 year-old as he re-assimilates back to society, as we have often been more forgiving of his errors in the past because of his teenage angst and his PTSD and Skilling addictions( among other afflictions); and he may be held more accountable now as a full adult.

Michelle wrote: "Can't wait to start this one! I liked the Liveships much better than I liked the Farseers, but I've heard so many people rave about this trilogy that I can't wait to see what I think."

Strictly speaking, I like the Liveships trilogy more than the Farseers trilogy too, mainly because Ship of Magic is my favorite Robin Hobb book, and Assassin's Quest is my least favorite; if the chapters of AQ between Ch. 23 and the beginning of the excellent climax finish( roughly the journey between Jhaampe and the Stone Quarry) had been rewritten and improved, I probably would have liked the Farseers better.

Samantha wrote: "I want to respond more in full later (currently using the app on the train lol)
But the hatred against witted goes back to events that occurred far back in six duchies history concerning a witted p..."

The Piebald Prince legend ( based on apparently historical events of the Six Duchies), told in both story and minstrel's songs, certainly helps perpetuate superstition and fear-mongering among those characters in Fools Errand predisposed to violently persecute the Witted; it's also interesting that the Piebalds adhere to an alternative version that portrays the Piebald Prince as a victim, which suits their agenda( and why they have co-opted the name "Piebalds" and made it their own) . I guess the most recent short story by Robin Hobb provides what would be( to someone like Chade or Fitz) a factually accurate account of the historical events in this Hobbworld context.

This book starts out a bit better than the Farseer bokks but that might be because it's the start of a new trilogy and that's why it's not repetetive yet.
I am realyy glad how Robin Hobb reminds us in little ways of what happened in the Farseer book without giving a full summary or being to obvious.
I would have preferred a 3rd person narration just because most of the time 1st person in high fantasy can add to the story dragging along at times and that's something Robin Hobb's books suffer from (especially the ones with Fitz). I would also have loved to have more POV chapter's from the fools perspective, since that's not something we got a lot in the Liveship Traders.
I am really enjoying all the hints to that series as well. From the horse named Malta to the Fool's friend trading for him (I'm sure that's Althea). And we also finally know why Lavoy never killed Amber.
I hope the reminders how old Noghteyes is and Fitz feels aren't going to be as frequent in the rest of the book, although I understand why it's important to reintroduce the character and show how he's changed.

Sarah wrote: "This book starts out a bit better than the Farseer bokks but that might be because it's the start of a new trilogy and that's why it's not repetetive yet.
I am realyy glad how Robin Hobb reminds us..."

Yeah, the other Farseer books were somewhat disorienting or disturbing in their beginnings: In AA, it was a little confusing that the little boy we will come to know as Fitz doesn't know his own name, or who his mother and father are or where he came from originally; then, at the start of RA, he was still in bad shape trying to get over being poisoned at the Mountain betrothal; and he was still acting a bit wolfish in the opening of AQ( plus Burrich and Chade were too harsh with Fitz early on, leading to their breaking up as a group).

Here, things are starting relatively calmly and normally(but for the absence of Hap, who we really don't know very well yet) and we have a chance to catch up with what's been going on with Fitz during the last 15 years, before we get into the main plot of the book. I just want to get a feel for this world again, and for the first person narrative style before things get too weird!

As always I looooove how Hobb starts her books always intriguing while remembering us what happened but by way of conversations with people that weren't together at the final events of the last book. I always enjoy the beginning of her books because they bring a sense of nostalgia and love for all her characters dead (like Verity) or alive. Love how the references with the live ships are already starting, I wonder how much of it are we going to see of it, I hope a lot. Also Fitz described the fool with "amber" eyes if that is not a dead giveaway then your not reading these books hahahaha. Love that we learned that Fitz saved the Fools life by repealing Lavoy and skill burning him even if he wasn't aware. Now I want to see Fitz reaction when he figures out that amber is the fool.

Abner wrote: "As always I looooove how Hobb starts her books always intriguing while remembering us what happened but by way of conversations with people that weren't together at the final events of the last boo..."

I'd like to see Fitz's reaction if he were to stroll by a dockyard somewhere and see Paragon anchored there! Maybe his lookalike would wave to him, freaking him out further! LOL

So far I am really enjoying our start with Fool's Errand. I took a quick break to read The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince because I wanted the context of the history of the Wit and how the persecution of the Old Blood folks really began. It was a really interesting short story and I recommend it.

But getting back with Fitz and Nighteyes has been a real treat. I like the way they are living now, it's such a peaceful departure from the insanity of living with the political intrigue at Buckkeep.
The story is getting off to a nice restful start, but I'm sure Hobb is going to take us on a roller coaster ride soon enough!

FrankieReads wrote: "So far I am really enjoying our start with Fool's Errand. I took a quick break to read The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince because I wanted the context of the history of the Wit and how the ..."

Oh, No! You mean you've read "The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince" on the side, like an extra credit outside reading assignment, on top of our assigned reading???????!!!!!!!!!!

I'm starting to get into a sweaty Panic! Are we back in school??? Is Sam going to give us an exam on everything we've read this year????

I've forgotten every name from that serpent tangle back in Liveships!!! I've got to go memorize the names of the Six Duchies, and I keep mixing up the names of Fitz's second dog and his horse in Royal Assassin!!!!

If I get an F, do I have to come back for summer school??? Hahaha! LOL

FrankieReads wrote: "So far I am really enjoying our start with Fool's Errand. I took a quick break to read The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince because I wanted the context of the history of the Wit and how the ..."

Lol...yes, like doing a report where I have to look up the historical relevance of each event for greater context. There are SO many details I have forgotten, so I hope there's no quiz. I would surely fail. :D