Fool's Assassin
Fool's Assassin is the first book in the epic fantasy trilogy Fitz and the Fool, written by American author Robin Hobb.[1] Ten years after the events of Fool's Fate, it resumes the story of FitzChivalry Farseer, a former assassin, as a middle-aged husband and father whose quiet life is disrupted by a new crisis.
First edition cover | |
Author | Robin Hobb |
---|---|
Cover artist | Alejandro Colucci |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Series | The Fitz and The Fool Trilogy |
Genre | Fantasy novel |
Publisher | HarperCollins Publishers (UK) & Random House Publishing Group (US) |
Publication date | 12 August 2014 |
Media type | Print (Hardback) |
Pages | 640 pp (first edition, hardback) |
ISBN | 978-0-5533-9243-2 |
OCLC | 869308079 |
Followed by | Fool's Quest |
Plot summary
FitzChivalry ("Fitz") is a bastard of the royal Farseer family of the Six Duchies, who had previously used his inherited magical skills in the service of his king. After his past heroic sacrifices, Fitz had allowed all but his closest family and friends to believe that he had been killed. Under the name Tom Badgerlock, Fitz had enjoyed ten peaceful years with his wife and children as landholder of Withywoods, once the country estate of his father.
Fitz is reminded of the haunting disappearance of the Fool, a beloved friend who had helped shape Fitz's destiny since childhood, by the appearance of menacing, pale-skinned strangers close to his home. Their arrival precipitates a new crisis and new tragedies, including an imminent and powerful threat to the life of Fitz's young daughter, Bee Farseer.
Fearing for the survival of both the Fool and his daughter, Fitz is driven to return to the world of court intrigue at Buckkeep Castle, where he must take up the threads of his old life in an effort to save everything he loves from destruction.
Reception
Critical reception for Fool's Assassin have been mostly positive.[2][3][4] The Telegraph and Tor.com both gave favorable reviews for the work, which The Telegraph called "high art".[5][6]
References
- Anders, Charlie Jane. "First Exclusive Look at Robin Hobb's Next Novel, Fool's Assassin!". io9. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- "Book review: Fool's Assassin and The Queen of the Tearling". ABC.net.au. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- "FOOL'S ASSASSIN". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- Flood, Alison. "Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb – a melancholic hero fights again". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- Shilling, Jane. "Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb, review: 'high art'". Telegraph. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
- Landon, Justin. "Pastoral Family Drama: The Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb". Tor.com. Retrieved 15 August 2015.