Starred review from April 10, 2017
In the lusciously complex third Fitz and the Fool epic fantasy (after Fool’s Quest), themes and threads from the related Six Duchies series pull together in a dazzling finale that caps 20 years of writing and more than 15 books. FitzChivalry Farseer, a reluctant assassin who has done the dirty work for the Farseer monarchy under King Verity all his life, is once again pursuing those who have harmed his family. He believes that his precious daughter, Bee, has been forever lost in a Skill-pillar after being kidnapped by the Servants of the Four. With his usual cronies—the Fool, Lant, Perseverance, and Spark—doggedly attending, Fitz tracks the path Bee would have taken to the isle of Clerres. What Fitz doesn’t know is that Bee survived her trip through the Skill-pillar only to be cruelly mistreated—violence that forges her into a weapon against her captors. Hobb’s exquisitely drawn characters, fast-paced plotting, and enthralling prose beguile readers through a blockbuster of an ending for this trilogy and for the overarching series. Agent: Chris Lotts, Lotts Agency.
January 1, 2017
In this wrap-up to "The Fitz and the Fool" trilogy, our heroes continue their quest to find Fitz's daughter and wipe out the evil order that has endangered her.
Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from April 15, 2017
In Fool's Quest, former assassin Fitz believed his daughter, Bee, to be dead, and he vowed to seek revenge on those who kidnapped her. Here, with the Fool by his side (mostly in his guise as Lady Amber), Fitz sets out for Clerres, the island of the White Prophets, knowing that his chance of success is small. Meanwhile, Bee, still alive, is also on her way to Clerres, if she can survive her captors. The conclusion of Hobb's trilogy weaves in characters and settings from the rest of the massive "Elderlings" saga as the author sets both Fitz and his daughter on their long journeys, including an intriguing development for the traders who sail the sentient liveships. While there is plenty of action, this series has always been about the characters, especially the complicated friendship between Fitz and the Fool. VERDICT Beautiful writing, heart-stopping danger, and a wide-ranging trip through a fascinating landscape make this series a benchmark in epic fantasy and this volume a fitting finale. [See Prepub Alert, 11/27/16.]--MM
Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
April 15, 2017
In Fool's Quest, former assassin Fitz believed his daughter, Bee, to be dead, and he vowed to seek revenge on those who kidnapped her. Here, with the Fool by his side (mostly in his guise as Lady Amber), Fitz sets out for Clerres, the island of the White Prophets, knowing that his chance of success is small. Meanwhile, Bee, still alive, is also on her way to Clerres, if she can survive her captors. The conclusion of Hobb's trilogy weaves in characters and settings from the rest of the massive "Elderlings" saga as the author sets both Fitz and his daughter on their long journeys, including an intriguing development for the traders who sail the sentient liveships. While there is plenty of action, this series has always been about the characters, especially the complicated friendship between Fitz and the Fool. VERDICT Beautiful writing, heart-stopping danger, and a wide-ranging trip through a fascinating landscape make this series a benchmark in epic fantasy and this volume a fitting finale. [See Prepub Alert, 11/27/16.]--MM
Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.