I will start with a very comprehensive analysis of the full 16 book series by Juliette Harrisson (see https://www.denofgeek.com/culture/robin-hobb-s-realm-of-the-elderlings-series-do-i-need-to-read-them-all/)
Robin Hobb’s Realm Of The Elderlings series is an epic fantasy saga currently comprising sixteen books. It tells a continuous, chronological story that starts in the first book, Assassin’s Apprentice, and reaches a conclusion (whether it is a final conclusion remains to be seen) in the most recent, Assassin’s Fate. However, unlike some other long-running fantasy sagas, this series is sub-divided into four trilogies and a quartet, written in a variety of styles – most notably, nine in the first person and seven in the third person – and with widely varying tone and setting.
The Farseer Trilogy, narrated in the first person by the protagonist, Fitz, set in the Six Duchies and the Mountain Kingdom:
Assassin’s Apprentice
Royal Assassin
Assassin’s Quest
The Liveship Trilogy, narrated in the third person and following several protagonists and an antagonist, particularly various members of the Bingtown Vestrit family, set around Bingtown, the Rain Wilds, the Pirate Isles and the Cursed Shores:
Ship Of Magic
The Mad Ship
Ship Of Destiny
The Tawny Man Trilogy, narrated in the first person by Fitz, set in the Six Duchies and the Outislands:
Fool’s Errand
The Golden Fool
Fool’s Fate
The Rain Wilds Chronicles, narrated in the third person and following various dragon handlers and settlers, set on the Rain Wild River and in Kelsingra:
Dragon Keeper
Dragon Haven
City Of Dragons
Blood Of Dragons
The Fitz And The Fool Trilogy, narrated in the first person by Fitz and one other character, set in the Six Duchies, Kelsingra, the Cursed Shores and Clerres:
Fool’s Assassin
Fool’s Quest
Assassin’s Fate
There are two questions to ponder: ‘Do I need to read them all?’, and ‘Do I need to read them all in order?’ Juliette Harrison comments:
Naturally, a lot of fans will be happy to read all the books, in order. However, these are long books. While the older ones will be available in cheap second-hand copies, investing in all the newer ones can be expensive, and they represent hours and hours of reading. They can be fairly slow-paced, and the slowest and, perhaps most difficult to get through, are all the opening volumes to sub-series (Ship Of Magic, Dragon Keeper, and Fool’s Assassin). There’s also the changing narration and focalisation to deal with – for many readers, their interest in this world is tied up in their attachment to Fitz, the character we follow throughout the first trilogy and our introduction into this world. It takes a long time for the connections between the Liveship trilogy and the Farseer trilogy to become clear, and some readers are simply less interested in books that are not about Fitz.
My answers are YES and YES. I read them from start to finish, in the recommended order. The whole process took 3-4 months but it was a wonderful experience to immerse myself into the Elderling World for such an extended period. I bought new copies of 8 books (around $22 per book) , sourced second hand copies of a couple, borrowed some from the local library and read a couple in ebook format.
I was moved on so many occasions by the characters and their travails. Robin Hobb (born Margaret Astrid Lindholm) has created a truly wonderful world here. She started her story in 1995 with the publication of Assassin's Apprentice and ended with Assassin's Fate in 2017. That's 22 years in total! In 2021, she won the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, presented for outstanding service to the fantasy field.
The books are big one - most 500+ pages - but do not drag. The stories do not rush along at breakneck speed. Rather, they slowly burn and gradually pick up in speed and tension as the pages turn. Hobb is never in a hurry with her writing and the same is the case with the reading. Don't be in a hurry - rather, savour the unfolding storylines and let them envelop you.
The final book (Assasin's Fate) was a powerful ending to what had been a fantastic journey, and tied together all that had gone before. The ending is truly moving - it's a case of being moved to tears, something I am not usually prone to. A Goodreads reviever summed up the finish nicely
She managed to close the back cover on story in a way that stayed true to the characters and all that had gone before, and in a way that will likely have a lasting impact on the fantasy landscape. The ending will certainly stay with me, joining my small collection of iconic fantasy moments.
Definitely 5 stars!
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