Fool's Assassin: Book One of the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy

Written by:
Robin Hobb
Narrated by:
Elliot Hill

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
91
Narrator
31
Release Date
August 2014
Duration
27 hours 19 minutes
Summary
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)
Reviews
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Nathan B

A dull read, filled with pointless conversations and unneeded descriptions that in no way further the storyline. I wanted to enter the book and kill all the characters off myself.

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Anthony Milton

Very engaging book. The narrator did a good job with the exception of the whispering, and a few of the voices for the female characters sounded very similar, and all seemed to have a very haughty demeanor which sometimes was confusing. Hobb is a great storyteller.

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Jessica Roe

Robbin Hobb is an amazing writer. This narrator got on my nerves through out the entire story. But I did my best to ignore his slow paced movie theater whisper. I have now devoured all of robin Hobbs books. At the end of this book, her most current book, I was left felling like I had lost my best friend. Lol

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Berva Lorraine Hume

I am delighted that you introduced me to this series of books. The author is richly imaginative, and the characters are compelling. I have enjoyed each and every one.

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wisevahillbilly

This narrator is nowhere as good as James Langton. I never know who is speaking half the time. He really ruined the story for me.

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Blair P.

Narrator seems really dull/one dimensional. Listened to 3 other books in the series narrated by James Langton. This narrator is awful in comparison.

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Ken B

Loved It

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Brett H.

I hate the narration of the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy. The rest of the series had been narrated by a couple of different people and they took pains to ensure that there was consistency in the tenor and inflection of each character's voice. Elliot Hill was apparently unaware of that. I find it hard to relate to the characters as the characters I've known in the six previous books. I like Robin Hobb's writing obviously (otherwise I wouldn't have listened to the rest of the series). But Elliot Hill really should have listened to at least a previous book in the saga before reading the final trilogy. I don't understand how a professional narrator doesn't think about continuity when preparing to read a piece. Now Chade sounds like and invalid, a character, who is an assassin, in charge of the largest spy network in the kingdom or possibly the world. The fool, a master actor, who has taken on multiple personas so convincingly that people don't recognise him when he returns to the place where he was infamous or just famous for the duration of the main characters childhood speaks with the same accent as the foreign queen, in private to the most intimate person in his life without the pretense of subterfuge. And King Dutiful sounds like a self-important fop. I really hate this narration. I know it's just a story but I really like this saga and listening to the final trilogy is more infuriating than replacing Dumbledore with an overly dramatic cocaine dollar.

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Sandra L.

This is a great start to a new beginning! Robin Hobb has made a wonderful world and continuing the Fitz's story is just what we need. The narrator does a good job and makes you want more.

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Martin P.

The book did a great job painting a picture but something got into to much detail. I didn’t get truly pulled into the story till the end.

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Danelle S.

I really love this series. Each one makes me want the next book right away. I cannot put the books down.

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Christopher S

the book sets up the rest of the books the narrator made it a pleasure to hear and experience.

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