Fool's Errand
We are here, you and I, Fitz, to change the world. Again.
Fifteen years have passed since the end of the Red Ship War, when the Outislanders' threat to the Six Duchies was crushed. For many, the memory of dragons passing high overhead has faded, becoming the stuff of dream – or legend. But for Fitz the past cannot be so easily laid to rest. Since he helped his King, Verity, raise a Skill-dragon with which to defeat the Outislander Raiders, Fitz has wandered the Six Duchies – from the Trader port of Bingtown in the south to the frozen lands of Bearns in the north – accompanied only by his wolf and Wit-partner, Nighteyes.
Assuming the name of Tom Badgerlock, Fitz now lives in a small cottage as far from the demands of Buckkeep and the cares of the world as possible. His responsibilities extend only as far as the chicken he keeps, his ageing wolf and Hap, the orphan boy he has adopted. But for the ever-present gnawing of his Skill-hunger, Fitz is content in his new life.
But this peace and contentment cannot last. Visitors bring the outside world crashing back into his life. The minstrel, Starling, brings news of how the Witted are being persecuted throughout the Six Duchies because of their magical bond with animals; and Fitz's old mentor, the assassin Chade, begs him to come back to Buckkeep to train the young Prince Dutiful in the ways of the Skill.
Yet it is only with the appearance of his third visitor, and the news that Prince Dutiful – fathered by Fitz's body – has gone missing that he decides to rejoin the world of the Farseers. With the young Prince's bride-to-be on her way from her Outisland home, Fitz's assignment to get him back in time for the ceremony seems very much like a fool's errand, but the dangers ahead could signal the end of the Farseer reign.
Hobb covers portrayed here are from UK editions, by John Howe.
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Robin Hobb
Robin Hobb's stories are woven from the fabric of dreams, doubt, and destiny. Within the pages of her books, readers don’t just meet characters—they walk alongside them through kingdoms of intrigue, forests of magic, and oceans of inner turmoil. Known for crafting intricate worlds that feel as real as our own, Hobb's works capture the essence of what it means to be human, even when the characters are far from it.
Born Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden in 1952, Hobb’s childhood began in Berkeley, California, before she moved to the remote wilderness of Fairbanks, Alaska, where her deep connection to nature and isolation shaped much of her future storytelling. While her early years in Alaska filled her with a sense of rugged independence, it wasn’t until her teenage years in Colorado that she found her true calling. A communications major at Denver University, she honed her writing skills and went on to work as a journalist, weaving tales of human experience with the same depth and empathy that would later define her novels.
The Tawny Man
The Tawny Man continues the life of FitzChivalry Farseer from The Farseer Trilogy. It commences 15 years after the events in Assassin's Quest.
The Tawny Man consists of three books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Main series The Realm of the Elderlings
Book Reviews
It was great that Robin Hobb decided to continue the story of Fitz in The Tawny Man trilogy. Fool's Errand is a wonderful fantasy book and it was a pleasure to read it. This book has more depth and it's a bit darker than the previous Farseer books. In my opinion Fool's Errand contains one of the most touching and beautiful scenes ever written in modern fantasy. This scene alone makes this book worth reading. If you liked The Farseer Trilogy, you must read this book!