Fool's Fate

Last updated
Fool's Fate
Robin Hobb - Fool's Fate Cover.jpg
First edition (UK)
Author Robin Hobb
Cover artist John Howe
LanguageEnglish
Series Tawny Man Trilogy
GenreFantasy
PublisherVoyager/Harpercollins
Publication date
1 November 2003
Media typePrint (Hardback)
ISBN 0002247283
Preceded by The Golden Fool  

Fool's Fate is a fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the third in her Tawny Man Trilogy. It was published in 2003.

Contents

Plot summary

{{Long plot|section|date=May 2021}

At the Narwhal Clan motherhouse, Dutiful and Elliania are formally betrothed, on condition that Dutiful will slay the dragon Icefyre. The two begin to grow closer.

The small party of Dutiful's Wit and Skill coteries and Elliania's retinue arrive on Aslevjal, greeted by the Fool, who Fitz had left behind to prevent his death. His intention to save the dragon is opposed to Chase who is determined to slay the dragon to secure the marriage which he thinks will bring peace. In addition, Fitz and Chade learn that there is a certain “Black Man who is a figure of superstition and reverence to the Outislanders.

The band on the island begin digging down to the dragon. Investigating a disappearance, Fitz and the Fool fall into a snow chasm and arrive at the realm of the Pale Woman, who had kidnapped and Forged Elliana’s mother and sister in order to ensure her loyalty. First through seduction and then through coercion, the Pale Woman tries to make Fitz her Catalyst. She chains the Fool to memory stone and threatens to slowly Forge him unless Fitz kills Icefyre. Fitz promises to kill the dragon and is thrown out of the Pale Woman's realm. He finds his way to camp where Burrich has come, having learned of Fitz’s survival. He heals Fitz's dislocated shoulder using the Wit.

As Fitz prepares to detonate Chade's explosives and kill the dragon, he realizes that the death of Icefyre would appear to be an attack by the Six Duchies on the Outislands, and respark war between the two countries. He decides to trust the Fool’s prophecy and free the dragon. Titanglia arrives.

Once Icefyre is freed, the Pale Woman unleashes her own dragon, made of memory stone and embodying Kebal Rawbread. The dragon attacks Icefyre and Tintaglia, wounding the latter. Burrich is mortally hurt but successfully uses the Wit to pause the stone dragon long enough for Swift to kill it with a wizardwood arrow. Burrich later dies of his injuries. The Forged Outislanders return to themselves, including Elliania's mother and sister. Icefyre and Tintaglia unite and begin to usher in a new age of dragons.

Fitz finds the Fool dead and horrifically tortured in the Pale Woman's realm and brings him through the Skill Pillars to the quarry with the Elderling dragons. He is able to heal the Fool’s body with the Wit and draw his consciousness from the Rooster Crown (a wizardwood relic) back into his body. While in the Quarry, the Fool extracts Fitz’s memories from Girl-on-a-Dragon, and Fitz feels fully whole for the first time since.

While the Fool heals, the Black Man reveals that he is also a White Prophet who was alive during the age of the Elderlings. The Black Man and the Fool decide to go back to the place they were raised in order to improve it. The Fool says farewell to Fitz and removes their Skill bond.

Going through the Skill Pillars too many times in quick succession, Fitz is lost in the Skill and encounters an entity who helps him to remember who he is and travel back to Buckkeep. He discovers that he was gone for a month.

Nettle becomes the head of Dufiul’s coterie and one of her brothers joins. She and Fitz begin to get to know each other and, while she knows that Fitz fathered her, she still considers Burrich to be her father.

Fitz finally reveals his survival to Patience, Molly, and Burrich’s children, who he promised to take care of. After Molly grieves for Burrich and she and Fitz slowly rekindle their relationship and marry. They move to Withywoods, which Patience has given to Molly in recognition of Burrich's service with understanding it will pass to Nettle, as Chivalry's granddaughter.

Editions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elminster</span> Character in Dungeons & Dragons fantasy

Elminster Aumar is a fictional character appearing in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He is also known as the Sage of Shadowdale, and is depicted as a powerful wizard featured in several novels by Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood. Certain aspects of his appearance and demeanor seem to echo Gandalf, Merlin, or Odin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Hobb</span> American fiction writer (born 1952)

Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden, known by her pen names Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm, is an American writer of speculative fiction. As Hobb, she is best known for her fantasy novels set in the Realm of the Elderlings, which comprise the Farseer, Liveship Traders and Tawny Man trilogies, the Rain WildChronicles, and the Fitz and the Fool trilogy. Lindholm's writing includes the urban fantasy novel Wizard of the Pigeons and science fiction short stories, among other works. As of 2018, her fiction has been translated into 22 languages and sold more than 4 million copies.

<i>Assassins Apprentice</i> 1995 novel by Robin Hobb

Assassin's Apprentice is a fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the first book in The Farseer Trilogy. It was Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden's first book under this pseudonym, and was published in 1995. The book was written under the working title Chivalry’s Bastard.

<i>Royal Assassin</i> 1996 fantasy novel by Robin Hobb

Royal Assassin is a fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the second book in The Farseer Trilogy. It was published in 1996.

<i>Assassins Quest</i> 1997 novel by Robin Hobb

Assassin's Quest is a 1997 fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the third and final book in The Farseer Trilogy. It follows the exploits of FitzChivalry Farseer. While Fitz's narrative continues in The Tawny Man Trilogy, the Liveship Traders Trilogy is next in the chronology of the Realm of the Elderlings.

<i>Fools Errand</i> (novel) 2001 novel by Robin Hobb

Fool's Errand is a fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the first in her Tawny Man Trilogy. It commences 15 years after the events in Assassin's Quest, a period covered by The Liveship Traders Trilogy ; it resumes the story of FitzChivalry Farseer after he has wandered the world and finally settled to a quiet, cottage-dwelling life with his adopted son Hap.

<i>The Golden Fool</i> 2002 novel by Robin Hobb

The Golden Fool is a fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the second in her Tawny Man Trilogy. It was published in 2002.

<i>Farseer</i> trilogy Trilogy of fantasy novels by Robin Hobb

The Farseer trilogy is a series of fantasy novels by American author Robin Hobb, published from 1995 to 1997. It is often described as epic fantasy, and as a character-driven and introspective work. Set in and around the fictional realm of the Six Duchies, it tells the story of FitzChivalry Farseer, an illegitimate son of a prince who is trained as an assassin. Political machinations within the royal family threaten his life, and the kingdom is beset by naval raids. Fitz possesses two forms of magic: the telepathic Skill that runs in the royal line, and the socially despised Wit that enables bonding with animals. The series follows his life as he seeks to restore stability to the kingdom.

<i>Tawny Man</i> trilogy Trilogy of fantasy novels by Robin Hobb

The Tawny Man trilogy is a series of novels by American author Robin Hobb, and the third trilogy in the Realm of the Elderlings sequence. Narrated in first person by FitzChivalry Farseer, it follows his life in his mid-thirties, and is set after the events of the Farseer Trilogy and the Liveship Traders.

<i>Promise of the Witch-King</i>

Promise of the Witch-King is book 2 of the Forgotten Realms trilogy The Sellswords. Book 1 was originally part of the Drizzt line of novels and has now been re-released with some short stories making up for the gap in time.

<i>Books of Magick: Life During Wartime</i> Fantasy comic book series published by DC Comics

Books of Magick: Life During Wartime is a fantasy comic book series published by DC Comics under their Vertigo imprint in 2004 and 2005 that was discontinued after fifteen issues.

The Piratica Series is a series of young adult fantasy novels by Tanith Lee.

<i>Liveship Traders</i> Trilogy of fantasy novels by Robin Hobb

The Liveship Traders is a trilogy of fantasy novels by American author Robin Hobb. A nautical fantasy series, the Liveship Traders is the second trilogy set in the Realm of the Elderlings and features pirates, sea serpents, a family of traders and their living ships. Several critics regard it as Hobb's best work.

<i>Dragon Keeper</i> Fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb

Dragon Keeper is a fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the first in The Rain Wild Chronicles. It is written in a third-person narrative from the viewpoint of several of the key characters. The narrative follows a party of malformed newly hatched dragons, their spurned and mistrusted human keepers and other supporters who set out on a quest to find safety in the legendary Elderling city of Kelsingra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilhelmina FitzClarence, Countess of Munster</span> British peeress and novelist

Wilhelmina FitzClarence, Countess of Munster was a British peeress and novelist. Her mother, Lady Augusta FitzClarence, was an illegitimate daughter of William IV of the United Kingdom; Wilhelmina, also known as Mina, was born the day after William's succession as monarch. She travelled as a young girl throughout Europe, visiting the courts of France and Hanover. In 1855, Mina married her first cousin William FitzClarence, 2nd Earl of Munster; they would have nine children, including the 3rd and 4th Earls of Munster.

Heavenly Sword is a 2014 American adult animated action-adventure fantasy film based on the 2007 video game of the same name, developed by companies Sony and Ninja Theory. It was released digitally, and theatrically in selected regions.

<i>Fools Assassin</i> 2014 book by Robin Hobb

Fool's Assassin is the first book in the epic fantasy trilogy Fitz and the Fool, written by American author Robin Hobb. Ten years after the events of Fool's Fate, it resumes the story of FitzChivalry Farseer, a former assassin, as a middle-aged husband and father whose quiet life is disrupted by a new crisis.

<i>Fools Quest</i>

Fool's Quest is the second book in the epic fantasy trilogy Fitz and the Fool, written by American author Robin Hobb. It was published by HarperCollins and released in August, 2015 and continues the story of FitzChivalry Farseer and his daughter Bee after the events of Fool's Assassin, published in 2014.

<i>Assassins Fate</i>

Assassin's Fate is the third book in the epic fantasy trilogy Fitz and the Fool, written by American author Robin Hobb. It continues the story of FitzChivalry Farseer and his daughter Bee after the events of Fool's Quest, published in 2015.

<i>Fitz and the Fool</i> trilogy Trilogy of fantasy novels by Robin Hobb

The Fitz and the Fool trilogy is the concluding subseries of the Realm of the Elderlings, a 16-book fantasy series by American author Robin Hobb. Published from 2014 to 2017, it features the protagonist FitzChivalry Farseer in his fifties, and follows his life with his wife Molly and daughter Bee Farseer. It was well-received by critics, with the Los Angeles Review of Books praising Hobb's characterization and portrayal of aging, and The Guardian positively viewing how the final book consolidated plot threads from across the series.

References