A Guide To Reading Robin Hobb’s Books

High fantasy: it’s a genre that has it all. Court intrigue and politics? Check. Castles, magic, and intricately woven plot lines? Check, check, and check. Good versus evil? Yep, this genre has that covered too. So, if you’ve been looking for a new high fantasy author to binge and don’t know who to pick, look no further than Robin Hobb.

Robin Hobb has expertly crafted her own multiverse, titled The Realm of the Elderlings, and it will suck you in from book one (think Game of Thrones, but with a more unique magic system). If the term ‘multiverse’ has you a bit nervous, don’t worry. Hobb cleverly sections hers up into relatively bite sized pieces. An expansive world with multiple entry points, Hobb mainly utilises trilogies as a way to pin point where sections of the tale are taking place, and to establish what influences will motivate her large cast of characters.

And yes, if you’re looking at the book order as a whole, you may be questioning this humble Nerd Daily contributor, but fear not. Take it one trilogy at a time and you’ll do fine. And yes, you can thank me later!

So where to begin? Well, this article will tell you a little bit about each section of The Realm of the Elderlings, and what order to read the books in. Keep in mind that the series as a whole is about eighteen books long, so the descriptions of the later trilogies/sections could include some minor spoilers!

 

1. The Farseer Trilogy (Assassin’s Apprentice, Royal Assassin, & Assassin’s Quest)

We begin our journey with The Farseer Trilogy, which focuses on a young boy named Fitz and his position as a bastard in the ruling Farseer royal family. Young Fitz must train to become an assassin to better serve his family while ignoring the old magic that runs through his veins, known as the Wit. The reader experiences a large variety of events first hand through the eyes of Fitz, as he ages up from a small child to a young adult and begins to question those around him.

2. The Liveship Traders (Ship of Magic, The Mad Ship, & Ship of Destiny)

The second trilogy within The Realm of the Elderlings takes place in a new location and with a whole new cast of characters. Beginning with Ship of Magic, we learn of ‘liveships’—ships made of Wizardwood with the ability to become alive after three generations of a family’s blood has spilled upon their decks. Althea Vestrit has always believed she will inherit her family’s precious liveship, until her brother-in-law intervenes. Now she must find a way to win her ship back and save her family from making a fatal mistake.

3. The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince (prequel novella)

The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince is a prequel novella to The Farseer Trilogy, and tells the story of a Farseer ancestor ‘cursed’ with the Wit. The tale is referenced throughout Fitz’s storyline and is used as a warning against using the Wit, but the inclusion of this novella in Hobb’s multiverse allows the reader to delve deeper into the legend and uncover the truth behind the tale.

We recommend reading this novella before starting The Tawny Man Trilogy, as the tale itself is talked about more in this part of the timeline.

4. The Tawny Man Trilogy (Fool’s Errand, The Golden Fool, & Fool’s Fate

We then return to Fitz’s storyline, which picks up fifteen years after the Farseer Trilogy. Having removed himself from court after the events of Assassin’s Quest, an older, more jaded Fitz finds himself back in the middle of Farseer court politics. Old prejudices arise between the Witted and non-Witted, and Fitz must find young Prince Dutiful before it’s too late.

Book two, The Golden Fool, also begins to bridge storylines together, with characters from the Liveship Traders trilogy arriving at the Farseer court.

5. The Rain Wild Chronicles (Dragon Keeper, Dragon Haven, City of Dragons, & Blood of Dragons)

After the powerful dragon Tintaglia helped the Traders fight off their enemies, life in Bingetown is slowly returning to normal. Expect, that is, for the addition of the weak, deformed dragons hatching along the Rain River Wilds. The decision to move the dragons and establish a safe haven has been made, and a group of caretakers entrusted with finding the creatures’ mythical homeland must begin a new journey upriver.

6. The Fitz and the Fool Trilogy (Fool’s Assassin, Fool’s Quest, & Assassin’s Fate)

The final trilogy in The Realm of the Elderlings finds Fitz once again living under an alias and in relative peace with a family of his own. But soon Fitz’s violent past returns, and with it a mysterious messenger and a long unsolved mystery. Fitz must follow the bloody clues if he wishes to find someone he long thought lost. No one is safe in this thrilling conclusion to Hobb’s brilliant series.

7. The Inheritance

The Inheritance, written in full by Robin Hobb but also credited to her other pen name, Megan Lindholm, is a compilation of short stories, some of which take place in The Realm of the Elderlings series.

So, there you have it! Your next high fantasy series is ready and waiting for you!

Will you be picking it up? Let us know in the comments!