Rating: 
Summary: A Fantastic Finish
Review: Every now and again you encounter a character so profoundly moving and real that you have a hard time believing he's fictional; one who shakes you up and alters your world to the point where it makes you feel silly for getting so involved in a book, and then you reread your favorite scenes and it happens all over again, and eventually you have to stop feeling silly in order to just focus on feeling.This book gutted me. The Fool is incomparable. But don't just pick up Fool's Fate without having read the rest of the series. Start with the Assassin books, skip the Liveship Traders if you're in a hurry (I was), then read the Tawny Man series in order. If you read Fool's Fate on its own, you may still be struck with Hobb's fabulous storytelling and the intricate nature of her world. But you'll miss the opportunity to slowly fall in love with her characters as they grow and develop. Do not deprive yourself of getting to know the Fool through Fitz's eyes. I think I'm in the minority; I hope that Hobb will never write another book in this series. Fool's Fate left me with such a bittersweet sense of completion that I don't see how a new tale could compare. I love the Fool, and I miss him, but I won't let my "reader's greed" for a sequel interfere with the Fool's powerful final sacrifices, and the beauty of untouched, lingering possibility.
Rating: 
Summary: Weak end for a great series...
Review: I liked "Farseer" trilogy, I absolutely LOVED "Liveship Traders", but "Tawny Man" left a taste of something written just to finish the series... Fitz is the main hero only because he's Catalyst to the White Prophet, which through middle tree books is a woman...?!
The plot is inconsistent, with weak links, unfinished story lines in middle and too much finished story lines at the end (all those in stile "happily ever after"). I didn't want Fitz dead but there could be different hero... Or may be there's another trilogy waiting?
I do not wish to finish with a bad taste - writing itself is as always brilliant, but as I said, other factors don't let this book rise to flight like Icefire dragon!
Rating:
Summary: A mediocre book and trilogy
Review: After reading the previous books in this series, I had to read the conclusion just to see how things ended. I've certainly read worse epic fantasy series, but I've read many that were far better. Hobb's prose is servicable, but this isn't a book you read for the pleasure of the language. It's all about the story. You can skim every other sentence or even whole paragraphs without missing much. That, by itself, isn't enough reason to condemn the book. There are many enjoyable fantasy stories that have mediocre prose but are a pleasure to read solely because of the clever story they tell. This wasn't one of them. I enjoyed the start of the Fitzchivalry series, when he was a child. The problem is that 9 books later, he's still behaving like an apathetic teenager (even though he is supossed to be an adult with several grown children). Fitz isn't a classical hero - he has no desires to save the world...he just bumbles along through his adventures. Neither is he a compelling, tormented anti-hero. He's just an apathetic guy who doesn't really care too much what happens to him or anyone else, and only takes action when he's absolutely forced too. He is born with powerful magic, but doesn't bother learning to use it ever, letting friends die as a result. Not, like Burrich, because of moral considerations, but simply because he's too lazy. He's a deadbeat dad who has abandoned his children and his friends, but you can't even hate him because he isn't evil, he's just a shallow, lazy boy. By the end of the 9 books I was hoping Fitz would die (and stay dead) just so I didn't have to put up with him anymore. The world Hobb sets her story in is very imaginative and had a lot of promise. Some of the characters were equally promising to begin with. Burrich, Patience, or Chade all could have made great protaganists for her story. But instead she chose Fitz, a lazy psuedo-hero whom I stopped caring about after the first couple books. Anyway, if you're like me and have read the previous books, you might as well skim through this one to see how it all ends. But if you haven't started the series already...don't bother. There are a lot more worthwhile and enjoyable things out there to read.
Rating:
Summary: i can't believe it's over
Review: I love the world and the characters that have been created throughout the farseer and tawney man trilogies. I find myself caught up in the power struggles as well as the inner struggles of the characters especially Fitz. I think that if a book can make you truly emotionally vested in the characters and the plot than it's a success. Robin Hobb has done this consistently through both these trilogies and i'm just sorry to see this story end, i really didn't want to finish this story.
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing series yet .....
Review: I have several sleepless nights the last 10 days as I read the Tawny man series. Hobb is a brilliant writer and this series is simply mesmerizing. The plot is there and of course the magic but it is the characters who hold me spellbound. Hobb's characters are vividly alive and I will always remember the Fool, Fitz and of course Nighteyes. Yet why do I feel sort of betrayed by the end of "Fool's Fate". Yes, Fitz has suffered alot since the beginning of the Farseer Trilogy and he deserves better. But why a conventional one big happy-ever-after family ending. Maybe because I never like Molly. Fitz's reason for loving her even after 16 years just elude me. All through the Tawny Man series I was led to believe and do believe of the love between Fitz and the Fool. Fitz was even willing to take Fool's place in death to save his friend (this part of the story simply heart wrenching, driving me to tears as did Nighteye's exit). So why does the Fool have to leave Fitz after all the struggles the two friends have been through. Fitz's ultimate reunion with his family just seems contrived. Hobb does try to justify their separation but her excuse seems lame and I expect much better from Hobb's imagination. Unless she is thinking of a sequel, which I hope so. Still this is a beautiful series (including of course the Farseer trilogy) and any reader who like his fantasy to have a soul should embrace the story of Fitz, the Fool and Nighteyes.
Rating:
Summary: Hated the ending!
Review: After NINE books, I was looking forward to some answers to a few questions, one huge one of which Hobb leaves hanging, making me wonder if she's coming back to the series at a later date. I hope so, since the ending left me not only cold, but resentful. The book is well paced and well written, and as with all Hobb books, I have teared up unexpectedly and then laughed a few pages later. The character of Thick is so gently drawn, and the Fool is one of my favorite fantasy characters, reminding me in a way of Agent Pendergast from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's books. But Fitz, poor Fitz, "poor me" Fitz- he was never meant for a storybook ending. Life isn't that way, and I really, truly feel like Hobb copped out. I was left holding the book, looking for a postscript, SOMETHING, to remove my utter distaste and disbelief at what I had just read. It's a magnificent series of books, all nine, but to me, the ending was a revolting letdown!
Rating:
Summary: SORRY TO SEE IT END!
Review: Robin Hobb has done it! This is one of the greatest series i have ever had the pleasure to read. The characters in this book are so well put together and multi-faceted that it is hard to put this one down. This book is actually the sixth in a series by the same author, the first three being the farseer series. I highly recommend that you read those, because while all the major points are covered and explained as they should be in and series of worth, to really understand the characters all 6 books should be read. I just finished reading this novel and I must say that I am still in shock. I dont want to talk too much about what happens, but everything is tied up very nicely in the end, but still leaves you wishing for more. Happy reading.
Rating:
Summary: A Stunning Trilogy
Review: The entire Fool trilogy was a wonderful redemption to the unfinished ending of the Assassin trilogy, and this third book is the best one yet. With a "happy" enough ending and enough loose endings tied up to satisfy many readers, as well as a deeper, unexplored tragedy reminiscent of 'Ariel' this is a must read. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel to this stunning series.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but could have been much better
Review: I loved the original Farseer Trilogy - pithy, intense fantasy. The tormented, loyal, talented Fitz was a great character. The trilogy's end too was reminiscent of life in all its bittersweet disappointment. But Fool's Fate has not, I feel, lived up to the promise of what the author is capable of. The narrative was predictable and almost tedious as the author attempted to tie up the loose ends of ALL her trilogies set in this world. But worst of all was the grand finale. I agree with other reviewers who were truly disappointed at how the Tawny Man trilogy ended. Perhaps the best way to characterize it would be: scarred and powerful hero abandons exciting, meaningful life for bucolic pleasures of suburbia. Not being a fan of the suburban lifestyle, it just didn't work for me.
Rating:
Summary: Not really over...
Review: First, this is one of absolute best fantasy series in recent times. If you haven't read the whole series, buy it immediately, you won't be disappointed. The more I've read the series, the more I've enjoyed it (I've probably read it three times now and I don't tend to re-read many books). I mostly agree with what the other reviewers have said, except that despite what the author claims and many reviewers believe, it seems obvious to me that she plans to continue the series (maybe she just wants some time off without being hounded by readers). There are still a bunch of loose ends if you read closely (say three times). The books seems to have a "this is it" feel, until you consider that SkillMasters typically lived for several hundred years.
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