Fool's Fate

by Robin Hobb

804 pages

English language

Published Nov. 7, 2004 by HarperCollins.

ISBN:: 978-0-00-648603-9

The triumphant conclusion to the Tawny Man trilogy, from the author of the bestselling Farseer and Liveship Traders trilogies. The moving end to the tale of the Farseers, in which kingdoms must stand or fall on the beat of a dragon's wings, or a Fool's heart. A small and sadly untried coterie - the old assassin Chade, the serving-boy Thick, Prince Dutiful, and his reluctant Skillmaster, Fitz - sail towards the distant island of Aslevjal. There they must fulfil the Narcheska's challenge to her betrothed: to lay the head of the dragon Icefyre, whom legends tell is buried there deep beneath the ice, upon her hearth. Only with the completion of this quest can the marriage proceed, and the resulting alliance signal an end to war between the two kingdoms. It is not a happy ship: tensions between the folk of the Six Duchies and their traditional enemies, the Outislanders, lie just beneath the surface. Thick is constantly ill, and his random but powerful Skilling has taken on a dark and menacing tone, while Chade's fascination with the Skill is growing to the point of obsession. Having ensured that his beloved friend the Fool is safely left behind in Buckkeep, Fitz is guilt-stricken; but he is determined to keep his fate at bay, since prophecy foretells the Fool's death if he ever sets foot on the isle of the black dragon. But as their ship draws in towards Aslevjal a lone figure awaits them...

4 editions

5minpause reviewed Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb (The Tawny Man, #3)

Cried for the last 400 pages. What a book.

5 stars

Finished reading: Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb 📚

Cried for the last 400 pages. What a book. What an ending. Intensive feelings as these is what books can give. More so than movies. I know these characters. They are my friends.

I joined their highs and felt their lows. In the end I didn't find a good spot to put the book down and go to sleep. So I read for 5hours into the night and only stopped when I was finished. It was 00:30 and I didn't regret it, even though I had to get up 5 hours later.

Finished reading: Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb 📚

Cried for the last 400 pages. What a book. What an ending. Intensive feelings as these is what books can give. More so than movies. I know these characters. They are my friends.

Strnad reviewed Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb (The Tawny Man, #3)

Last Dance of Chances

4 stars

By the end of the Farseer trilogy, I had come to love the Fool. That made this trilogy acutely painful to read. As the final book in the series (I read this before the Fitz and the Fool trilogy was announced), I knew I'd soon have to say good-bye.

The second book left me in a constant state of anger, so in a way the stress and despair I felt reading this book was a relief. I dreaded the titular "Fool's Fate", but it (and the aftermath) was handled well enough that it didn't rip away my suspension of disbelief.

The last two chapters were not the ending I hoped for, but was still better than the Farseer trilogy's.

nemo@ramblingreaders.org reviewed Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb (The Tawny Man, #3)

Review of "Fool's fate" on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

The ending of the trilogy was perfect. Nicely tied up loose ends, opened up the world further, and lots of character development.

My favorite bit was in the epilogue, when Icefyre puts his head on the hearth to fulfill the promise the prince made.