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Loading... Assassin's Quest (The Farseer Trilogy, Book 3) (original 1997; edition 1998)by Robin Hobb
Work InformationAssassin's Quest by Robin Hobb (1997)
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Devastating F ( ) Again, a very good book by Robin Hobb. It continues in the style of her other assassin books, and explains more about how everything has come to pass. The ending is good and satisfying, I just found that the life Fitz chooses for himself in the wrap-up is a bit disappointing. It doesn't seem like him somehow. Enjoyed this volume more than book 2 of the trilogy. Although Fitz wanders around a fair bit, initially trying to murder Regal to avenge Shrewd and the wrongs done to Verity and co, and it does get a mite tedious that he keeps being captured and beaten etc, he does manage to get even with the minor sadists involved in beating him so badly, though more by luck than judgement. He meets some interesting characters such as Kettle, though he continues to be several steps behind the reader in seeing what is in front of his nose: the truth about Kettle, what happened to the minstrel Starling and the other women when they are all captured, for example. And there's the whole sequence when he is being questioned about Molly's whereabouts and I was mentally shouting "Don't tell him, he's been taken over!" I do get annoyed when characters are made stupid just to make the plot work. Finally we discover what sacrifice Verity has made and must make to bring relief to the embattled Six Duchies. I did think that certain aspects of the book - the journey from the Mountain kingdom to find Verity, the nature of the Erlings and how they are eventually revived being a couple of examples - are very dragged out, whereas the big climax of three books and a very long story is rushed through with just a narration of Fitz's remote witness. It would have been far more satisfying if he could have taken more of a role. I know this volume in particular paints him as the Catalyst, but a real catalyst has an effect on things around it without being changed itself whereas Fitz has obviously been greatly changed throughout the trilogy, so it would not have been breaking some rule of magic to make him more active at the end. Also this book is not at all satisfying from the POV of wanting Regal to pay for his crimes, and given what else Fitz does in relation to Regal, it seems stupid that he does not at least arrange for a posthumous exoneration for himself, in case it later comes out that he is still alive. I'm giving the final book 4 stars because Hobb DOES manage to wrap up many of the loose ends I've read dangling for three books now. And because I still Love Fitz and Nighteyes - despite a couple thousand pages of self=loathing, failure and despair. This final installment of the Farseer Trilogy marks a departure from characters readers have come to love, hate and everything in between. No Burrich, Molly, Patience, Cook etc... this book is mostly focused on the quest for the Elderlings and when we finally see them, it seems the author ran out of steam. The last few chapters of the book are a pretty wrapping up of loose ends without much detail, depth or sentiment. I was very disappointed in it though I realize that my thoughts are a matter of opinion and opinion always varies when it comes to fantasy. In all, I will read Hobb some more and see if her later writings show the growth I so long to read from her. That alone, is probably the best compliment I can give - that I enjoyed it all enough to keep going! no reviews | add a review
Fantasy.
Fiction.
Literature.
From an extraordinary voice in fantasy comes the stunning conclusion to the Farseer trilogy, as FitzChivalry confronts his destiny as the catalyst who holds the fate of the kingdom of the Six Duchies...and the world itself. King Shrewd is dead at the hands of his son Regal. As is Fitz-or so his enemies and friends believe. But with the help of his allies and his beast magic, he emerges from the grave, deeply scarred in body and soul. The kingdom also teeters toward ruin: Regal has plundered and abandoned the capital, while the rightful heir, Prince Verity, is lost to his mad quest-perhaps to death. Only Verity's return-or the heir his princess carries-can save the Six Duchies. But Fitz will not wait. Driven by loss and bitter memories, he undertakes a quest: to kill Regal. The journey casts him into deep waters, as he discovers wild currents of magic within him-currents that will either drown him or make him something more than he was. No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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