Rating: 
Summary: A Hobb book with an ending!
Review: Robin Hobb (Megan Lindholm) is one of my favorite authors. I love reading the details in Hobb's works, but have gotten frustrated at some endings, or lack thereof. Previous mid-trilogy books were often cliffhangers, obliging me to wait 18 months for what was the next day in the story. While I am eager to read the next book, apparently done (Hobb is already at work on the third), I am not left wondering if Fitz will live to see tomorrow. The groundwork has been laid for possible threads of future conflict, but the focal plot/action point of this volume, a search and rescue mission, has been concluded. A year could pass between books without [disrupting]the timeline. We revisit Fitz, the youthful protagonist of the Farseer series, as a 30-something man, now a father-figure and mentor himself. He watches the younger generation make all the same mistakes he made, but without the passionate regret of a 20 year old looking back on his teens. He plays many of the roles he so resented in his youth, and appreciates that the world is shades of gray, not the black and white view of his charges. Avid Hobb fans will quickly pick up that this new trilogy continues both previous trilogies, although the references continue to be oblique and could still just be coincidence. Familiarity with the Liveship series is unnecessary to enjoying this volume of the new trilogy, although it does add a richness to the details of the story.
Rating:
Summary: Even better than the Farseer Triology
Review: This book was even better than its previous novels of the Farseer triolgy. It shows Fitz grown up and healed, to some extent, of the wounds her recieved at the conclusion of Assassins Quest. He lives quietly with Nighteyes and his foster child Hap, until of course the past pays a visit.
This book shows Hobb's ability to create and define charcters through beautiful language and strong detail. Although I generally dislike first person, I find it too constraining on the text, I think it really works with this series. FitzChivalry is such a defined character that one comes to know him very well.
The plot was fast moving and believable. Loved characters from the other series are all present, Chade, Kettriken, and my favourite The Fool. As well as the inclusion of new ones, which look to be promising.
The novel will make you laugh and cry (the end was bittersweet for me) but it is worth it. Buy it you will not be disappointed. However one last note, the Voyager cover is much better, so if you can buy that one.
Rating:
Summary: I AM IN LOVE...
Review: This is a clean break from the other farseer books, A gripping novel which promises a VERY late night reading period. Not great for people still at school! THe magic of this book does not solely like within its wonderful characters, and masterful plots, but its ability to make you cry, laugh, scream with anger and frustration within the fist chapter. DO your self a favour, cut back on the coffee and save the money for this book! Cause you sure don't need it readin this novel!.
Rating: 
Summary: Slow Beginnings
Review: I have read several of Robin Hobb's books when she wrote under the name of Megan Lindholm and liked them. Not realizing they were the same, I never gave her previous trilogies much of a looking at. At last, I decided to try "Fool's Errand," since I thought it was the start of something new. Now that is not the case, so I found myself midstream in a long series without an anchor, desperately piecing together the rest of the story. Of course, it didn't quite work. I found myself reading an obviously well written story without any sympathy for the main characters. And fighting Hobb's tendency to drag out each action for everything it was worth. This would be okay if I was expecting it, but "Fool's Errand" gets off to an extremely slow start as FitzChivalry Farseer is gradually pried out of an idyllic life in his forest cottage with his bonded wolf Nighteyes, and adopted son Hap, and re-enters the service of the Queen of the Six Duchies. The young prince has disappeared, and FitzChivalry takes up the disguise of Tom Badgerlock, servant to his old friend, the Fool, to help find him. The rest of the story is a tale whose background is the painful place of the 'witted,' those who can bond with animals, in the social structure of the Six Duchies. Once the action picked up, I gained interest, but never the sympathy one needs to really become engrossed. Finally, I put the book down partially read and gave it a break. And picked it up much later to find things were much better. Obviously, the book hadn't changed, so I had adapted to the rhythm and characters over time. While I still think the story suffers from an extremely slow pace, I found myself appreciating the writing more. One thing I have to concede is that Hobb's leaves few loose ends. And the ending is extremely satisfactory. This is a book for readers who like to immerse themselves in character and detail, but not for those who seek adventure with every turn of the road. In that sense, it is a rare event worth looking into. I do think it would be best to start with the previous trilogy though, which provides much of the explanation and detail for "Fool's Errand." If this is your cup of tea, you will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: FitzChivalry is back!
Review: Finally! Great beginning of a new adventure. I went to the library and took first 3 "Assasin.." books and read and liked them again, even more than when I read them first time (read "Ship of Magic" trilogy twice already). Powerfull characters, well thought-out and 3(4!)-dimensional world. How very strong and refreshing. It's not some Wheel-of-time-like helpless and endless and beyond-boring wordchow. Excellent author! I consider Robin Hobb and Guy Gavriel Kay easy two top 5 star authors in fantasy world.
The only flaw with the book - I somehow did not like this Jinna character as an (obviously) Tom's next love story, it just did not click it with me. I want Molly back!!!! I know, I know... impossible..., life is not all milk rivers and honey banks for you. I am going miss you, Nighteyes! Will Tom bond again? Is it time for Nettle to enter the scene? We'll see what happens next. Cant wait for the second book.
Strongly recommend all series for a serious fantasy reader!
Rating:
Summary: She really has a way...
Review: .. of making her characters feel alive and real. You need to read the two first series before you read this series, The Assasin's series and The Liveship series. If you loved them, you'll love these. Wonderful. She explains some things that happend in the earlier books, and finally you get the explaination you want about the Fool...
How I cried in the last book, my bf came home and found me in tears and got worried but I couldn't stop reading to explain to him, I just had to keep reading...
Rating: 
Summary: An OK series, an OK book, but not as good as the original
Review: I just finished reading the Farseer Trilogy, and I have to say that I enjoyed it much more than the Tawny Man. The Tawny Man starts from a very interesting premise (at least for those of us who are over 30): to tell the story of the hero after he "lives happily ever after" (or not). Not having read the Farseer Trilogy at the time, I didn't find the book slow at all, and I found the characters wonderfully complicated. Now the bad part: the rest of this trilogy has very little to do with this first book. In fact, I suspect that if Hobb had just appended the Golden Fool (book 3) to the Farseer Trilogy, it would have made for a much more satisfying read. As it is, while fun to read, most of this new series turns out to be mostly irrelevant. And, if you are a fan of the Fool, this new series will leave you as disappointed with how his future is treated as the Farseer Trilogy did.
Rating:
Summary: A terrific book, but not where to start
Review: This is a fantastic book. Laden with all of Hobb's characteristic intrigue and angst, I could not put it down. However, Hobb's editors have done readers a disservice in the way they chose to market these books. Although this is the beginning of a trilogy, to fully enjoy it you should have read six books previously.
First, the Farseer Trilogy, starting with Assassin's Apprentice, which gives you the story of Fitz's life to date. Failing to read this trilogy will seriously impact the reading enjoyment of Fool's Errand.
Then, the Liveship Traders Trilogy, starting with Ship of Magic. It is not utterly essential that you read the Liveship Traders trilogy to understand this one, but this trilogy contains many spoilers, and it seems a shame to waste the reading enjoyment to be gathered from the Liveship Traders trilogy by reading them out of order.
Finally, enjoy this trilogy. It ties together many of the threads left hanging in the previous two.
Rating:
Summary: fantastic -- but don't start with it.
Review: i picked this book up recently on recommendation -- i believe it says in one of these reviews that this is a good starting point for robin hobb... but it's not, really. now don't get me wrong, the book is fantastic! hobb's main character, fitz, is a brooding, scarred, untrusting anti-hero who will somehow charm the socks off of you, as will his capering counterpart, the fool. her prose is elegant but straightforward, and her plot is imaginative but realistic. i've read too many boring, derivative fantasy novels, which always irritate me because it's fantasy -- you can write about anything in the entire universe! and yet so many writers seem determined to emulate some sort of tired old formula. reading this book, however, will remind you of how amazing a well-written fantasy can be. my complaint, and my warning to new readers, is this: don't start here, no matter what the amazon reviews say. this series, "the tawny man", is the sequel to another series, "the farseer". not realizing this, i started with this book, and it took me a while to get into it. the first few chapters mainly deal with old friends meeting after 15 years apart, and talking about other people they know. it's a bit like being at a really fun party where you don't know anyone -- you're having a good time, but you have no idea what anyone's talking about, so you just stand in a corner clutching your drink and waiting for someone to include you. so start with "assassin's apprentice", not with this book. of course, read this one after you finish that series -- it's truly worth it.
Rating:
Summary: four-and-a-half stars
Review: Hobb really knows how to hit my sweet spot for escapist fantasy. I've been consistently impressed with her Six Duchies novels and I find myself seeking her books out more aggressively than other writers. I meant to take my time over this one, but I read it compulsively-- staying awake long past the point where I should have in order to finish it. I *roundly* dislike emotional manipulation in novels, but I'm happy to let my tears be jerked by these books. They play *shamelessly* on poor liddle animal sentiment and somehow it doesn't bother me. They're interesting, mysterious, sad, and compelling-- nearly perfect escapist fantasy. This new series begins with FitzChivalry being forced to take a renewed role in the affairs of the Six Duchies. Not only is there a new threat, there's also the need to face up to his responsibilities and begin to heal from his self-imposed isolation. Great stuff!
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