Robin Hobb is a much-loved fantasy author and one I have long wanted to read, but also one I find extremely intimidating. A readathon is something that often activates me, so I was happy to find out about The Fitzalong by Lianne from Literary Diversions.

The plan is to read the entire Realm of the Elderlings series, comprised of 16 books and 2 short stories collections, over the span of two years.

Although my first experience with Assassin’s Apprentice was not a huge success, the sequel Royal Assassin completely blew me away. So I had great expectations for this finale, but unfortunately it was a bit disappointing.
Warning: Since this is a review for the finale of the trilogy, it does contain some spoilers. So read at your own risk 😉

Robin Hobb – Assassin’s Quest (The Farseer Trilogy #3) ★★★

Genre: Fantasy

I have mixed feelings about Assassin’s Quest, the finale to Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy. Using my adapted version of the CAWPILE system, it lands at a 6.86—on the higher end of three stars.

On the one hand, I thoroughly enjoyed being back in Fitz’s world and mind, watching his development and the trials he faces. The deeper insights into the magic system and reuniting with familiar characters were definite highlights. On the other hand, the pacing in this book felt completely off. The middle section was overly long and drawn out, while the climax felt underdeveloped and weak.

“Oh, Fitz, Fitz, my boy,” he said in a voice full of relief. “I thought we had lost you. I thought we’d done something worse than let you die.” His old arms were tight and strong about me.

The book starts splendidly, picking up right where Royal Assassin left off, as we follow Fitz’s painful struggle to regain his humanity after being resurrected. These early scenes are emotional and heartbreaking. However, once Fitz has his falling out with his saviors (another heart-wrenching moment) and the quest portion of the story begins, the plot starts to feel repetitive and sluggish.

Fitz makes an obviously poor decision, gets captured, then escapes. Rinse and repeat.

Someone withholds important information from Fitz, which leads to him making another blunder, resulting in him getting ridiculed, berated, or – indeed – captured. Rinse and repeat.

Fitz uses his Skill recklessly, despite everyone warning him of its dangers. He either discovers something useful, betrays his position or plans or ends up heartbroken after spying on Molly. Rinse and repeat.

This repetition became tiresome. The novel, at over 800 pages, could easily have been cut in half. Much of the endless walking and repetitive incidents contributed little to the story and only dragged out the pacing. This became especially frustrating when the ending turned out to feel incredibly rushed, with everything wrapping up in a “by the way” manner in just a few pages. Incredibly disappointing and unsatisfactory.

“Mine had been a long and weary road, but I still dared to believe that at the end of it there might be a life of my own choosing.”

The tragedy of Assassin’s Quest is that it had all the ingredients for brilliance: compelling characters, an intriguing mystery, fascinating magics and a deliciously evil antagonist. Unfortunately, the pacing and repetition, along with some questionable narrative choices, dragged it down.

One aspect that grated on me was the portrayal of female characters. Fitz repeatedly encounters new women who practically throw themselves at him. When he rejects them, they turn nasty. Once, I could accept this—people are flawed—but it happens with every female character he meets, which became both frustrating and insulting.
That one of these new characters, a minstrel named Starling, becomes more than just a passing character, but follows along for the rest of the story (and seems to be someone who’ll remain in Fitz’s life), was something that I found especially difficult to accept. I never grew to like her, since she comes across as egotistical, stubborn, and insensitive.

Another missed opportunity was the exploration of Fitz’s connection to the “Old Blood.” Early on, we’re teased with the idea that Fitz will return to deepen his bond with Nighteyes and learn more about the Old Blood traditions. But by the end, we’re given only a brief mention: “Oh, by the way, we spent a year there and learned a lot. The end.” Excuse me, what?

Another recurring issue I alluded to earlier, was Fitz’s obsession with Molly. I understand the need to show what’s happening with her, but Fitz constantly using the Skill to spy on her—despite repeated warnings of the dangers—was exasperating. I was relieved when this chapter of Fitz’s life seemed to close. I never felt he and Molly were truly right for each other; their relationship seemed based more on nostalgia and familiarity than a real connection. That she ends up with Burrich felt strange, but I can accept it. I just don’t want to dwell on it too much, lol.

“Death is always at the edge of now. Nighteyes’ thought was gentle. Death stalks us, and he is ever sure of his kill. It is not a thing to dwell on, but it is something we all know, in our guts and bones. All save humans.”

Despite these frustrations, there were many highlights, chief among them Nighteyes and The Fool. I savored every moment we learned more about The Fool and loved watching his deepening friendship with Fitz. Nighteyes, too, is a joy to read—his fundamental understanding of life and wisdom is fascinating, and his evolving bond with Fitz is one of the story’s greatest strengths.

“I healed. Not completely. A scar is never the same as good flesh, but it stops the bleeding.”

In the end, I didn’t feel as accomplished finishing this trilogy as I had anticipated. I’m glad I read it and did enjoy many aspects of the story and worldbuilding. I can see why people are so attached to Fitz, and I’ve grown to love Nighteyes and The Fool. There’s a lot of potential in the world Hobb has created, and I’m intrigued to continue with the Liveship Traders—though perhaps I’ll take my time before diving into it.

All in all, this is a solid introductory trilogy with the second book being the standout. Assassin’s Quest was uneven, presenting an unfulfilling, anticlimactic conclusion, but there’s enough to make me curious about the future of the Six Duchies.