Fool's Errand (Tawny Man 1) - Robin Hobb

⭐ 8.0/10

(Originally written by Tim)

Probably my least favourite Robin Hobb book yet, but mainly because of the pace of the first half. I tore through the second half because it felt like new important material. The first half was catching back up with beloved characters after a big time jump and basically walking through all the things they had done. I am no author, but maybe it would have been good to cut back and forth between flashbacks and present events, instead of telling everything chronologically. I like taking time to set the table, but this is like if leaving the Shire took have the book.

Anyways I love that I am back to this world, and reuniting with some of these characters made me appreciate how much I loved the first trilogy. I think the premise of this one is a bit less exciting, as the old guard tries to bring up the new generation without repeating mistakes that were made with them. I like that it is getting a bit deeper into the magic of the world, and the connections it made to the Liveship series were great. Something about Hobb's style pulls me in the same way Tolkien did when I read LOTR as a kid. There isn't a ton of action, but my imagination is racing with possibilities, which is kind of all I want when I read.

I'm 7 books in to a 16 book series, and I am savouring every one.