Book III of the Fitz and the Fool trilogy - Assassin's Fate

Robin Hobb is an exceptional writer and she did not disappoint with this final book to Fitz and the Fool's saga. I cried many, many tears. After following these two characters for 20 years, it was heart wrenching to say goodbye.

A great finale to Fitz and the Fool's story. Hobb is by far my favourite fantasy author, and this book delivers all the I was looking for. It will be eligible for the Hugo best series award for the 2018 Hugo's and I hope it wins.

I hate endings, but as they go the conclusion of the Assassin's journey, indeed his Fate, was masterful. Perhaps, as with all Fitz's endings there will be another tale to tell.

Highly recommended.

This was a bittersweet read because I knew it was spelling out the end of characters I've grown to love. Yet, every page, true to form, filled me with interest so that it was difficult to put the book down to take care of every day life. Yet, reluctantly, I had to, which meant I was, again, turning pages much too late at night when I should have been sleeping. I was fascinated reading how Bee evolved into such a strong and feisty character with such complexity. I was moved by the references and ties to other storylines and previous books. All of the pieces fit to wrap up the story of Fitz and the Fool. Yet, I am left wondering how the story of Bee will unfold in what, I hope, will be future books. There is a whole new generation to explore in the lives of Bee, Per, Lant, Spark, Nettle's baby and the baby yet to be born. I also look forward to future stories of the live ships turned dragons. It's hard to say goodbye to Fitz and the Fool, and also Nighteyes (again). I can't help feeling there may be a shadow of them that remains. I can only hope and dream ...

This is a series that has to be read in its entirety to be appreciated. The three trilogies dealing with Fits and the Fool are the most satisfying, and I must admit that at first I viewed the Liveship and Dragon series as interruptions. Realizing that a universe was being created put those two intervening series in perspective.

Much has been written about Fitz's inability to learn. He learned. He learned that he was always left behind. Left by Verify, Nighteyes, Burrich. Molly, and especially his Beloved. Two things gave me hope that things would work out for him in the end, Nighteyes reaction when the Fool returned in the Tawney Man series ("We are whole again.") and the cube the Fool left behind for Fritz.

Being the Fool's Catalyst always made him feel that he was mainly a tool, not the true friend he wanted to be. He lived with constant doubt that he never was or would be enough. He found peace in his later years with Molly, but Molly died and left him with a child he didn't understand and didn't know how to interact. He did the best he could. He was witted, he had the Skill, but he was human and always left behind.

This book brought everything full circle. The child with whom he had the least relationship, Bee, was, at the last the person who understood him best. She had been kidnapped, abused, beaten, maimed, and came out stronger for it. She was the new White Prophet and she had the Skill. She would be trained by Verity's queen, she had Per by her side, and was the perfect combination of her two father's, Fits and the Fool. The true path had been found. Dragons and Elderlings were again alive and prospering, wrongs had been righted and avenged, the evil of Clerres had been destroyed.

After carving his Nighteyes Dragon, Fritz could finally ask for what he really wanted, that the Fool show him that he was more than just a Catalyst and never leave him again. The Fool could finally show what he meant by there being "no limits" between them and enter the Nighteyes Dragon with him making them both enough. As nighters said long ago,We are whole again." The ending is perfect. Read the entire series. You'll understand and appreciate good story telling. Well done, Miss Hobb. It's been along and satisfying ride. Thank you.

Robin Hobbs is extraordinary as always. Fantasy writing does not get any better than this, and to keep it enthralling and fresh throughout such a long series is simply remarkable. But Robin, why stop now?

You come to love the story, the characters, not just Fitz and the Fool but all of them. The series is so well written. As much as I hate to see it end I could not have thought of a better way to end it. Perfect ending!

I believe Robin Hobb is an excellent storyteller. She knows how to make readers care about her characters , both main and peripheral, and this book was no exception. I suppose the ending was a fitting ending to Fitz's life, however, I personally found it ultimately unsatisfactory as a conclusion. Considering the lengths that Fitz went to recover his daughter and the love that he felt for her , it's hard to believe that he would have left her in the end. Also hard to believe that the Fool would go with him leaving the daughter alone in the world. I did think it was wonderful how some of the other books were brought into the story such as the live ships and the dragons. Ultimately Hobbs made me cry, laugh, and live along with her characters whichis a tribute to her deft writing. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars like I would for most of her books is that I just didn't quite buy into the ending and didn't believe the final actions were true to the character as portrayed through the previous 8 books. Excellent story, wonderful writing, interesting world-building throughout this series as well as the other two previous series.

I believe Robin Hobb is an excellent storyteller. She knows how to make readers care about her characters , both main and peripheral, and this book was no exception. I suppose the ending was a fitting ending to Fitz's life, however, I personally found it ultimately unsatisfactory as a conclusion. Considering the lengths that Fitz went to recover his daughter and the love that he felt for her , it's hard to believe that he would have left her in the end. Also hard to believe that the Fool would go with him leaving the daughter alone in the world. I did think it was wonderful how some of the other books were brought into the story such as the live ships and the dragons. Ultimately Hobbs made me cry, laugh, and live along with her characters whichis a tribute to her deft writing. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars like I would for most of her books is that I just didn't quite buy into the ending and didn't believe the final actions were true to the character as portrayed through the previous 8 books. Excellent story, wonderful writing, interesting world-building throughout this series as well as the other two previous series.