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"It cannot be done!" they mumbled loudly, if such a thing were possible. "Review six of the greatest pieces of fantasy ever created in one slapdash article without giving away the stories?! Mental!"
'Pah', said I. And began to read and write...

"When one is deeply absorbed in such recounting, it is surprising how much detail one can recall. Not all of the memories I summon up are painful."

Over a score of years ago, Robin Hobb began writing the six finest pieces of 'soft' fantasy I have ever read.
This is no small accolade, fantasy literature has always been something of a passion for me, and from Anne Macaffrey to Asimov I've happily devoured an appreciable chunk of the genre.

The books in question are the Farseer Trilogy, 'Assassin's Apprentice', 'Royal Assassin' and 'Assassin's Quest'. And the Tawny Man trilogy, 'Fool's Errand', 'The Golden Fool' and 'Fool's Fate'.

Between these six books they tell, from the first person perspective - the entire life of Fitzchivalry Farseer, a remarkable man living in remarkable time.

The tale is set in an almost medieval world, in the Kingdom of the Six Duchies, ruled over by the family of Farseers. So far, so olde world fiction. There's even magic, but more on that later.
The Story of Fitzchivalry, a royal bastard, begins with his foster father abandoning him to the mercies of the Prince that begat him. Six years old, he is thrust into a world of soldiers and political intrigue in which he is suddenly a rather dangerous and vulnerable game piece. His arrival causes his father to abdicate his claim to the throne, and gives his scheming uncle, Prince Regal, another leg up towards the succession.
His surrogate grandfather, the king starts shaping him into a tool he can use for the good of the throne - a diplomat and assassin, but in doing so twists him into something wholly different.
From this we are taken on an exquisite sprawling tale that stretches across forty years and most of the world. A work of such unbelievable scale that it makes the worlds of Tolkien pale in comparison.

The Characters are the crucial element that binds the tale together. Fitz, as he tells his story to us - peppered with his own musings and worries - is the most wholly complete character ever created. He is flawed beyond belief, an occasionally foolish and impetuous man cursed by his own birth and social position. His supporting cast of characters are every bit as full and rich as he, all colored by his perceptions of them.
Some characters, Like Burrich, Verity and Chade are so tremendously well written - and thought of by Fitz, that you yourself begin to share his feelings about them - no matter how wrong you know him to be.

I fear to divulge too much, lest I spoil anyone's enjoyment of these books, so i'll mention a few underlying factors that enable these books to be as terrific as they are.
The magic in this world is rubbish. Hardly anyone's heard of it, most people don't even know it exists - or keep it secret for their own reasons. This is a fantasy world which possesses magic, and often spins on it - but is not driven by it. Such a stereotyped concept tossed on it's head!
The Skill and the Wit are the two magics in the world, and neither are especially magical. There are no balls of fire or lightning bolts, instead one simply gives one insights into the minds of others, and the power to influence their thoughts and the other a strong affinity to animals. The wit can even allow one to communicate with the beasts, and if finding one of like mind - become 'bonded' to them, where one shares his mind with that animal - and its with yours.

Aah Nighteyes... the wolf that Fitz bonds to for the majority of the chronicles ... a unique twist of writing has given Robin hobb the power to portray wolves as truly animal personalities - their priorities set by their instincts and bodies. The 'bonding' could so easily have been yet another literary gimmick - something to put on the back of the book to attract the unwary, but instead shows a deep - occasionally uncomfortable - understanding of how beasts might think.

In short - these books are superb, the single most immersive books i have ever read, and I dare any person to not read the first book and immeadeatly rush out to purchase the other five in a dribbling shower of froth and book tokens.
I recommend it thusly. Now read my friends, and find the same enjoyment there that I evidently have.

Seriously - it's only a fiver and you'll love it. Mike's guarantee!

This was such a tough item to review... it's too big. The whole thing, and it's all so interlocked that i can't say anything without giving away half of the plot - or at least referencing it to a dozen other things...