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Progress: Fool’s Fate 71% complete.

Happy book birthday to Robin Hobb and Fool’s Assassin which was published today!  The Kindle and Audible version hit my download queues overnight and I had to exercise great strength of will not to dive in immediately but to complete my reread of the Realm of the Elderlings series first.  Actually, that reminds me; those of you who have read Fool’s Assassin, please would you let me know in the comments if it contains spoilers for the Rainwild Chronicles?  Thanks!  I was also exceptionally pleased that Fool’s Assassin is Whispersync for Voice enabled.  Yay!  It’s one of those services that you don’t think you’ll need or use, until you have a book/audiobook combo without it.

Speaking of audiobooks, after my whining yesterday about the North American version of Fool’s Fate not being available until the end of the month I was astounded to find it available on Audible.com today.  Mutter, mumble grumble.  I wish I’d known that before I bought the UK version.  I gave in and completed my collection.  I am used to the Audible app and prefer using it to the music app for audiobooks.  This now moves Ms Hobb up into joint third place with David Eddings as the author whose works take up most space in my digital library (according to Delicious Library.)  For the curious among you, the Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson combo takes the top spot.

So, back to Fool’s Fate.  Things are definitely picking up pace now.  In fact at 71% of the way through, it seems to be mainly over bar the shouting.  Once the Pale Woman’s plot was laid bare it didn’t take long for it to be dismantled.  I loved the fact that the Skill stone dragon was destroyed by what is clearly a wizardwood (i.e. real, live dragon based) arrow.  I also liked that its “death” restored the humanity of the Forged ones nearby who had been Forged in its making.

I loved the writing of the Fitz/Burrich/Swift/Web interrelationships.  They were very well done, as was the dilemma which divided Dutiful’s party. I am sad for Burrich’s imminent demise, as much as because it will be sad to lose such a great character.  His family’s backstory with the slavers was particularly touching.  However, I’m pretty annoyed that it’s paving the way for a Fitz/Molly reunion.  I will rant about that when/if it happens.

I also do not believe for one second that the Fool is dead.  I seem to remember a Skill healing involved, to rival the forging of Perrin’s hammer Mah’alleinir in Wheel of Time.  I guess I’ll find out tomorrow if my memory has served me correctly.

See you then!