Hi, Honey!
So, don’t be mad but I really feel like the best way to tell, you know, all the people, how good these books are involves you. And by involves you, I really mean me telling you the thing I try not to say too often to the man who is the most wonderful husband ever.
You see, I know that I was a bit girly about the love I had for the completely awesome female assassin main character when I tried to push the book on you. I can see now that perhaps that wasn’t quite the right track to take with you. I could have mentioned more of the plot, or a few of the fairly awesome male characters. Probably I should have told you that thing about the beautiful witches with their iron teeth and nails and how they just “play” with men before, you know, eating them (unless, of course, they are just out killing for fun). And how by the end of the books you won’t hate them and how I think that’s pretty indicative of some amazing writing.
But I didn’t.
I just kept telling you that you were going to love it and badgered you until you finally started reading the first one. Then, of course, I’m sure you remember how I annoyed you until you read it faster so you could get to the amazing parts. That was foolish of me. I’m sorry. But, not even, when you went to the library in another town to pick up book three because you’d be able to get your hands on it sooner did I actually say “I told you so!” like I totally could have.
So sorry, for telling, you know, all the people, about all that. But I want them to believe me (or, really, it’d be believing us now right?) about how great these books are and how they should definitely read them!
Thanks for your help!
Love you!
Would I recommend them? Yes! (And I think John might too, if he’s still speaking to me after this…)
Behind the Willows 
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire series, myself, except for that part where I was so mad about the way a certain someone treated Chaol, I wanted to do murder. He’s one of my faves, and I was heartbroken for some time.
I like Robin Hobb’s Farseer, Liveship Trader, and Rain Wild books even better, but in no way do they take away from the fun I had reading the Throne of Glass books. The ironteeth witches were absolutely chilling. And wonderful. All at once. And by the end, I was perfectly satisfied with how things worked out, and I totally loved Rowan, too. Great series!
I agree on all counts!
The Farseer books are my favorite of Robin Hobbs. The new one… oh I cried and sighed and became totally immersed so that one day thought to myself, “Well, it’s a good think I have these sunglasses on so no one will see my black eye” before I remembered that I was not in fact Fitz!
I’ve read as far as I can in the Fitz and the Fool books, and I have to admit that I’m not sure how I’m going to make it until August to find out how it all turns out. And THEN, of course, how I’ll survive if it’s all really over. GAH!! Oh, that Fitzchivalry breaks my heart. And then, the Fool goes and does it again. 😦
I’ve only begun to read real fantasy in my vast old age, and have discovered I’ve apparently been harboring a terrible longing for dragons, and liveships, and men like Fitz. I opened that first book, did a face plant in that world, and haven’t been able to come back to reality, since!!
I first tried epic fantasy with Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera books. The Dresden Files is my favorite Urban Fantasy series, of which I’ve read many during the last ten years, but I had to read SOMETHING while I waited for the next one!. Then I tried Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Trilogy, and Alloy of Law books. Then Throne of Glass, and now Robin Hobb’s EVERYTHING. When I finish with her, (still have the Rain Wild Chronicles to go), I plan to try to work up the courage to read Game of Thrones, but just LOOKING at that book intimidates me. 😀
But having said ALL of that, my heart belongs to Fitz. I’ll never forget these books, and I’m sure I’ll read them all again, probably many times.
Fitz has remained my favorite through many books too. He’s just got that special… something. that makes him extra lovable- and the Fool. Oh, don’t even get me started on the Fool!
Game of Thrones books are good but hard to read since he likes to kill all the people you love without remorse one after another. Have you read Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss? That’s another amazing one.
I suspect Game of Thrones is going to kill ME. At least, the Romantic in me. 😉 It has the feel of the kind of book more men gravitate to than women, but I’m going to give it a try, and see for myself, I guess.
I started Name of the Wind, and somehow didn’t get pulled in immediately, but now that I’m really beginning to enjoy fantasy, I plan to give it another try. I’ve read very good things about it.
With Fitz, for me it’s that he tries SO hard. He messes up as often as he succeeds, but he keeps on trying. And I’m harboring just a SMALL (not!) bit of frustration at the fact that the last book ended with not ONE, but TWO cliffhangers! ACK. But it’s my own fault I have to wait so many months before I find out what happens. Instead of reading ALL the books, in order, which would have taken longer, I was so into Fitzchivalry’s tale, I read HIS books first, back to back, working through the Farseer trilogy, then the Tawny Man books, and then the first two Fitz and the Fool books. I’m now filling in with the Liveship books, and I can see where it would have been much better to read them in between Farseer and Tawny Man. A lot of things would have made more sense. So, I’m assuming I also should have read the Rain Wild books before starting on the Fitz and the Fool books. *sigh* I’d read they take place in the same world, but had little bearing on each other, and that just isn’t the case. There’s overlap everywhere. But too late now. 😦
I’m making a note to myself to try Name of the Wind again. I have it on my Kindle, ready to go when I get to the end of the Rain Wild books. Thanks for the recommendation.
I manged to read the Robin Hobb books in mostly the right order. It was hard to leave Fitz and the Fool but I’m glad I did. I loved them all, but well, like you said Fitz tries so hard how can you not love him the most?
I don’t think Game of Thrones will kill the romantic in you. It might try, hard, but it won’t succeed! 😉
I’m winding up the last book in the Liveship series (having already finished the first two of the final Fitz & the Fool series). Now I’m in a quandary. Do I want to read the Rain Wild Chronicles while I wait for the next Fitz & the Fool, or just read it later, for itself? It seems like it will be less tied into events that impact Fitzchivalry, which, btw, might be the name of my next cat. (Some of my favorite scenes were in earlier books, when Fitz used to visit the woman with the cat, and we were privy to the cat’s thoughts. So perfect! 🙂 ) Mostly, I just want the blasted book to GET here, so I can see what the heck is going to happen next for Fitz, the Fool, and Bee. Roll on, August!
Good to know about Game of Thrones. And at least it has dragons! 🙂