While book one focused on Fitz's coming of age in Buckkeep, this delves further into the lore/use of magics, disillusionment with King Shrewd, and that pesky rascal Regal. The Red Ship Raiders are still threatening the Six Duchies, and that is the main external conflict. We get a bit more from the awesome ladies in this one, with many of these characters quickly becoming my favorite of all time.
I'm continuing to adore the way this series is unfolding. It doesn't feel cumbersome, the facts are presented in a well-paced way, and there is a great mix of good and bad characters. The Fantasy tropes of using insanely long names and lots of info dumps are not part of this trilogy, which is oh-so refreshing. We learn more about the Six Duchies and why there are resentments between the inland vs coastal duchies, and how these relationships affect fighting a mutual enemy.
Hobb is a master with her storytelling. I love the moral lessons and word play that the reader experiences with a character such as the Fool. Bits and bobs pertaining to loyalty are always highlighted with characters like Chade, Burrich, and Fitz. The developing friendship between Patience and Kettricken is something I'd been rooting for since the beginning. Verity is admirable and Chade makes me sad, anxious, and appreciative that there are people in this world willing to do their work quietly for the benefit of all.
The story progresses to a very dark place near the end, which is expected so the final book will have situations to resolve. The suspense I felt on the last page was appropriate. Even though it's evident the story is incomplete, it wasn't an unsatisfying, burning cliffhanger as Hobb could have made it. I appreciated that, especially with the strong feelings she evokes for these characters in her writing. Needless to say, (but obviously, still saying it!) I have the highest hopes for the last installment in this trilogy. Robin Hobb is brilliant.
