Under the pen name Robin Hobb, Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden wrote five book series set in the Realm of the Elderlings. When I finished my first book by Robin Hobb, I was inclined to only read the series that have Fitz as a central character. I’ve changed my mind, though! The last book in The Farseer Trilogy (the first published series set in this fictional world and that comprises Assassin’s Apprentice, Royal Assassin and Assassin’s Quest) left me eager to read all subsequent series as soon as possible, since it features elements that I feel will be further explored later on.
I’ve decided to draw a plan to read the remaining four series in order of publication until the end of 2023. This is not a fixed goal. It’s more of a guiding strategy that I may change at any time to suit my reading wishes. The dates mentioned are not set in stone.
The Liveship Traders Trilogy
Set in a land bordering the Six Duchies (the main location of The Farseer Trilogy), The Liveship Traders Trilogy is full of pirates and talking ships. These special ships are made of wizardwood, a material that can only be found in the Rain Wilds. To get there, one has to sail the Rain Wild River, something only a liveship has the power to do. My plan is to read the three books in this series until the end of the year: Ship of Magic in August, The Mad Ship in October and Ship of Destiny in December.
The Tawny Man Trilogy
Fitz is again the main character in this series, which is set some years after The Farseer Trilogy. Although war is over, safety is not yet a complete reality. Fitz is given a crucial mission to ensure that the Six Duchies have a booming future, and the Fool and Nighteyes will certainly have to help him succeed. I’m planning to read all of the books in The Tawny Man Trilogy in 2022: Fool’s Errand in February, The Golden Fool in June and Fool’s Fate in August.
The Rain Wild Chronicles
Dragons seem to be the main focus of attention in The Rain Wild Chronicles. They hope to return to the legendary city of Kelsingra. But does it even exist? On their quest, they will need the help of a dragon keeper, Thymara. This series consists of four books, which I’m planning to read throughout two years: Dragon Keeper in November 2022, Dragon Haven in December 2022, City of Dragons in January 2023 and Blood of Dragons in March 2023.
Fitz and the Fool Trilogy
Fitz, Nighteyes and the Fool become the central characters of a trilogy in the Realm of the Elderlings once again. I believe that this series intertwines with various of the previous ones, so I purposefully didn’t read the description of its first book. If I manage to stick to this plan (I have my doubts!), I will read the three books in this series in 2023: Fool’s Assassin in June, Fool’s Quest in August and Assassin’s Fate in December.
Have you read the five book series set in the Realm of the Elderlings? Are you interested in reading them? Tell me in the comments!
