Fool's Assassin

Book One of the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy

By: Robin Hobb

Narrated by: Elliot Hill

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Nearly twenty years ago, Robin Hobb burst upon the fantasy scene with the first of her acclaimed Farseer novels, Assassin’s Apprentice, which introduced the characters of FitzChivalry Farseer and his uncanny friend the Fool. A watershed moment in modern fantasy, this novel—and those that followed—broke exciting new ground in a beloved genre. Together with George R. R. Martin, Robin Hobb helped pave the way for such talented new voices as Scott Lynch, Brandon Sanderson, and Naomi Novik.

Over the years, Hobb’s imagination has soared throughout the mythic lands of the Six Duchies in such bestselling series as the Liveship Traders Trilogy and the Rain Wilds Chronicles. But no matter how far she roamed, her heart always remained with Fitz. And now, at last, she has come home, with an astonishing new novel that opens a dark and gripping chapter in the Farseer saga.

FitzChivalry—royal bastard and former king’s assassin—has left his life of intrigue behind. As far as the rest of the world knows, FitzChivalry Farseer is dead and buried. Masquerading as Tom Badgerlock, Fitz is now married to his childhood sweetheart, Molly, and leading the quiet life of a country squire.

Though Fitz is haunted by the disappearance of the Fool, who did so much to shape Fitz into the man he has become, such private hurts are put aside in the business of daily life, at least until the appearance of menacing, pale-skinned strangers casts a sinister shadow over Fitz’s past . . . and his future.

Now, to protect his new life, the former assassin must once again take up his old one. . . .

Praise for Fool’s Assassin

“Hobb knows the complicated workings of the wayward human heart, and she takes time to depict them in her tale, to tell her story sweetly, insistently, compellingly. . . . A book meant to be inhabited rather than run through.”—The Seattle Times

“[FitzChivalry Farseer is] one of the best characters in fantasy literature.”—Fantasy Book Review

“[Hobb’s] prose sparkles, her characters leap off the page.”—Tordotcom

“Modern fantasy at its irresistible best.”—The Guardian

“Fantastic . . . emotionally rich storytelling.”—Library Journal (starred review)

Critic reviews

Praise for Fool’s Assassin

“[Robin] Hobb knows the complicated workings of the wayward human heart, and she takes time to depict them in her tale, to tell her story sweetly, insistently, compellingly. . . . A book meant to be inhabited rather than run through.”—The Seattle Times

“[FitzChivalry Farseer is] one of the best characters in fantasy literature.”—Fantasy Book Review

“[Hobb’s] prose sparkles, her characters leap off the page.”—Tordotcom

“Modern fantasy at its irresistible best.”—The Guardian

“Fantastic . . . emotionally rich storytelling.”—Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for Robin Hobb

“Fantasy as it ought to be written . . . Robin Hobb’s books are diamonds in a sea of zircons.”—George R. R. Martin

An Excellent Start to a New Trilogy

I had trouble with the narrator of the first book of this series, so I stopped listening. A few months later I gave it snother chance. I have loved listening to this entire series and this is another excellent addition to the series!

Shade

Narrator is decent but I wish there was some continuity of pronunciation and accents among the trilogies. Chade is now Shade, Burrick is Burrich again, and formerly accentless characters now have accents. Very jarring and hard to get used to.

Narrator's attempts at accents are unintelligible

Do audiobooks have voice directors? Did the one for these books just not care? Words gets lost in the narrator's fruitless efforts to speak with accents. He gives every member of royalty the same snide pompous voice better suited for Regal. All the skill conversations are whispered and I can hear his laboured efforts to not run out of breath during them. If there were a kickstarter or something to rerecord this series with a better narrator, I'd donate to it in a heartbeat.

Narrator CANNOT perform female or child parts

Please use a synthesizer to change pitch for female and child voices. Execrable narration. You do not have to have a fake British accent for all swords and sorcery and magic books.

Excellent author, class F (failure) narrator.

Get a job.

New Voice Actor, Same Robin Hobb

I struggled so hard with the new VA and the slower story, but it's still Robin's work, and the last 5 chapters had me glued to my earphones.