I am a long term fan of Robin Hobb and I especially loved the previous two trilogys on Fitz and the fool, I enjoyed following Fitz through his childhood and further into his life, it is fantastic that we can see more into his later life. Robin writes in such great detail, that the characters speak through the pages too you and spark images in your mind, that almost make you think you are traveling the same road as the characters. It is a book I could not put down and was read in record time, she knows how to make you feel for the charcters, how to grab your emotions and immerse you in a world of intrigue, deep friendships and regrets. It is fantastic to return to the world of Fitz and this book leads on perfectly from where the tawny man trilogy left off. If this is your first time dipping into this world, I would suugest you get the previous trilogys, as this will help to deepen the experience, that is created by this new book. A fantastic piece of fantasty writing, I cant wait for book 2.

What can I say about this book. Slightly biased as Robin Hobb is one of my favourite authors. Amazingly descriptive prose and her attention to detail is extraordinary. A lot of unanswered questions are revealed as the story unfolds. . Some characters are no longer around and exist only in memories, new characters are introduced notably the unexpected strange child of Tom Badgerlock and his first love Molly. Chade is still a part of Fitz's life even though he is trying to live a quieter life as Tom but nothing is ever as it seems. I for one am pleased to see the Fitz and the fool reunited after so long apart. An unexpected reunion almost ending in tragic circumstances. Well done, left wanting more . When is the next one :]

Like meeting up with a friend, who you forgot in his absence can be a bit grumpy and self-effacing, after a long time but you know all the family so jump in and catch up. So it is we find Fitz and his Molly redskirts living with Patience, away from Farseer Keep and it's political scramblings, but can it stay like this? Kettricken, Nettle, Chade, Thick, Hap all names come tumbling back into the fore as each chapter is an introduction with a little history. The story still seen in first person through FitzChivalrys's eyes still has the grip on me I had thought a dream. If you love Robin Hobb's writing, especially the Farseer trilogy, then this is for you. I can't give away the spoilers as there are many and I want you to enjoy this as I went into it, hoping for one last journey, 'You and Me Fitz'. Get this, love it, then feel a thrumbing need to start the journey all over again as we await the next book. not disappointed at all. Thank you Robin Hobb.

This is the first book I’ve read from Robin Hobb, and it will not be the last. The story follows FitzChivalry Farseer and how one winter’s night changed his life. From my understanding, FitzChivalry Farseer also features in Robin Hobbs previous stories, along with many others whose names are presented throughout. Due to not reading any previous books by Robin Hobb I found this confusing at first as I began to get baffled on who each person was. This problem was only due to the capacity of the names, as each character is fully explained for the readers who are new to her stories. This is also similar for FitzChivalry as his back story is also drip fed throughout the book for her new readers. It is important to note though, that these names do become more manageable after a bit of reading. Despite this slight confusion, I cannot criticise anything else in this book. Robin Hobb is a wonderful writer and continues to keep your attention as the information you so desperately need is revealed just at the right times. The switch in perspectives towards the later stages of the book ensure that the first person narrative does not hold the story back, and it allows the reader to a see a range of views and reveals various perspectives. This clear narrative only adds to the suspense and lovability of the book. This is a book that will keep you gripped from start to finish, for many reasons: the characters you love, the characters you hate, and all the questions you begin to ask yourself. This book is very clever, and all though quite a few questions are posed early in the book, by the end you obtain a clear clarification of all the answers you need. At least for this book. With the acknowledgement that this book is in a trilogy, it is expected that more questions are posed towards the end of this book in order to carry the story on. It is done in a sophisticated and satisfying way, as I did not feel as the ending had let me down but more urged me to want to read the others which will later be published. I have never read a book from this genre previously, but it will definitely be a genre I will look into now with this book being an excellent example. Not only would I fully recommend this to everybody and anybody, I will urge you all and myself to keep a look out for further publications. Until then, I will be reading all other books from this wonderful writer, as this book is now at the top of my favourite’s shelf.

I have loved Robin Hobb's book for years and firmly believe that when it comes writing fantasy she is the best of the best. It is a joy and an utter pleasure to be able to once again spend time in the company of Fitz, family and friends. Whilst I'm quite sure that what ever characters Robin creates will be magnificent I can't help loving Fitz the most. From the first page I was fully immersed in Fitz's world and swept along into his life, both the ups and the most definite downs. Ms Hobb has opened a new chapter into the life of a beloved character and it does not disappoint at all. I can't recommend this and the entire series highly enough.