Rating: 
Summary: Good, but overhyped
Review: Robin Hobb is a readable, talented, inconsistent writer. Some of her books have been brilliant, while others hover around the 'good' level. Nothing she writes is outright bad, and that is true of this book too. It's occasionally hard to get into, and some of the exposition is overly windy. On the whole it's quite good, but again I suffer from expectations made high by the slathering reviews on this website, which led me to believe it was the second coming. It's really not. But it's pretty good.
Rating: 
Summary: Robin Hobb is the best!!!
Review: I finished the Fools's Errand in two days and ran to buy the Golden Fool immediately n finished it a day and a half!Robin's writing is incredible - the plot is superb, unusual(not just the same old sorcery-fight-against-evil stuff) and poignant (My eyes have watered a few times)at the same time. One can't help but love each and everyone of the characters(the good guys of course)! After reading this book, I went to rummage my bookshelves for the Farseer trilogy and the Madship trilogy just to refresh and enjoy them all over again!
Rating: 
Summary: The calm before the storm
Review: This was an interesting read and very different from Fool's Errand. Unlike 'Errand, this story is actually many small stories that take place during the winter court following the events in the earlier book. Each story is woven within the others and tied together seamlessly with brilliant segue's. Hobb uses her ability to paint vivid characterizations to pace the book and keep us turning the pages. As the various plot lines appear, present their difficulties, and get solved (well, most of them anyway) we get to see the central characters become more finely honed. Fitz needed this to rebuild after his loss in 'Errand. The other characters needed this because of the roles they will be playing in the third book. This is Fitz's 'rebuilding' book and the pleasure I had in following Fitz through this tough time was very worthwhile. While Fitz is busy rebuilding we get an inkling of the nature of his next adventure which promises to be active and rife with conflict that will not only test Fitz's abilities against his foes but his friends as well. I highly recommend this book, but will say no more lest I spoil the experience.
Rating:
Summary: Who's the Fool Now?
Review: The Golden Fool is the second novel in the Tawny Man series, following Fool's Errand. In the previous volume, FitzChivalry Farseer pretended to be Lord Golden's servant while they try to recover Prince Dutiful from a band of Piebald kidnappers led by Laudwine. They met a number of the Witted and learned much about the dangers facing the Old Blood. Eventually, they are found by the kidnappers and confined with the Prince. They discovered that Dutiful's cat is possessed by a dead woman. Fitz killed the cat at its own request and, when Laudwine attacks him, cut off the Piebald leader's forearm. Fitz held off the Piebalds until the Old Bloods rescue them. Fitz's wolf, Nighteyes, was wounded and died soon thereafter. As the Prince mourned his cat and Fitz mourned Nighteyes, they returned with the Fool to Buckkeep castle. In this novel, Fitz is still pretending to be Tom Badgerlock, Lord Golden's servant. The Piebalds have found him again and have left reminders of their presence. Fitz reluctantly agrees to teach Prince Dutiful the Skill and soon has other students. Dutiful remains friends with Civil, despite evident complicity of the Bresinga family in the Piebalds kidnapping plot. Laurel, the Queen's Huntswoman, also is getting hints from Piebald agents. The Piebalds have become even more active in the rural areas, murdering Witted families in their sleep when they refuse to cooperate. Moreover, the common folk are still lynching Witted suspects in the other Duchies. Despite all these problems related to the Witted, Fitz and his friend still have to deal with Dutiful's formal betrothal to the Narcheska Elliania. She is accompanied by her uncle, Peottre, as is the Outisland custom, and her father, Arkon Bloodblade, whose cronies have also come with the Narcheska. In their entourage is a serving woman, Henja, who is not what she appears to be. Then there is the delegation of merchants from Bingtown, who want to ally with the Six Duchies against Chalced. This is an interesting connection with The Liveship Traders series that may well figure prominantly in the last volume of the trilogy. Just to make things more complicated, Fitz has quarreled with the Fool, and now the Fool only treats him as would Lord Golden. One wonders whether they are both acting the Fool. Recommended for Hobb fans and anyone who enjoys tales of adventure and intrigue in a fantasy setting. -Arthur W. Jordin
Rating:
Summary: Best Fantasy Book Of the Year?
Review: If you are reading this review, you are probably thinking of buying this book. If you have enjoyed Hobb's previous work, you will love this one. If you have not read the first three books in the Farseer Trilogy, do so before you read the Tawny Man Series. I am not saying you can not appreciate this book without having read the earlier ones, but reading in order will give you a special appreciation. What makes this book so great is that while it has magic and sword play and horses and castles, it is also one of the few fantasy books to have more than one psychologically real character. All the main characters are "realistic" in the sense that they are motivated by a variety of impulses and desires. No character is flat or stereotypical. There are also multiple plots that relfect on one another, and yet the characters are so distinctive there is no chance any reader will get lost. The first person narrative is also well done. There is enough dramatic irony that we see Tom's strengths and weaknesses and can judge his judegments from our own perspective. This is a great book and very well written. If you like George R R Martin, I think you will especially appreciate this book. This books is better written than the Jordan material, which I much enjoy, and way way above the average fantasy trash. Thank you, Robin Hobb! And get to work on number 3, please!!
Rating:
Summary: Why aren't her books more well known?
Review: *Spoilers contained* I've read her farseer and liveship series and am eagerly awaiting the next book after golden fool. Why are her books virtually unheard of? Is it lack of marketing? I don't understand. I loved this book. I even read and re-read a certain part of it (if you've read it you'll know which part i'm talking about). Although this series isn't propelled forwards at breakneck speed like the farseer trilogy, it is because the character is older and less hotheaded than he was as the 15 year old in that trilogy. For those of you who read the farseer trilogy with the terrible dread that fitz would die from poisoning/beating/drowning/exhaustion/battle/heartbreak/forging/skilling/hanging/freezing/gangrene/torture or something, you can breath a sigh of bittersweet relief, because in this book, at one point, something that COULD be perceived as GOOD (from a certain point of view) happens to FITZ! Woohoo! Way to go man! Finally the poor wretch actually gets a MOMENT of happiness.
Rating:
Summary: I can't wait for the next one.
Review: I read the Farseer trilogy, which is a must in my opinion to truly understand the characters in this book first. I then read the Liveship Traders trilogy. Both those series makes this a wonderful read. This is a perfect piece of fantasy reading. Hobb develops the characters keeping them dynamic. It's worth every penny I spent on it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent continuation of one of the Best Long Sets
Review: Is this the fifth book of six, or the eighth of nine? Hard to say, but not since Cheryh's Chanur series has there been anything this good. The world is rich, consistent, and deeply imagined. The characters, too, are very well drawn, convincing and satisfying. Believable people reponding in believable ways to difficult situations. No paragons of genius and virtue in set-piece dramas here. If you this is the first of Hobb's you have looked at, I urge you read the Farseer Trilogy first. All her eight set on this world are first-rate and are best taken in order.
Rating:
Summary: Great character development
Review: I enjoyed this book more than its predecessor, and if truth be told, better than the Farseer series. It's true that this volume consists mostly of character development, with little action (except for an incident involving Fitz). I found the description of the aftermath of that incident, that is Chade's, the Queen's, and Dutiful's individual reactions to it, to be very moving. And some family secrets are gradually coming out, too. I can't agree with an earlier review that compared this to Robert Jordan's latest book. Jordan's is the 10th volume in a series in which lately everything happens at a glacial pace. Hobb's book is the second volume of a trilogy, and if it isn't full of action, it certainly sets the stage for the next book. If Hobb were Jordan, this book would be followed by another character development book...and another...and so on. This book does introduce several new characters, but they are vital to the plot, not tangential (like Jordan's).
Rating:
Summary: great novel
Review: excellent one the best books yet. i absolutely cannot wait until book three comes out! if it's only half as good as this one, it will be worth buying and reading!
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