Golden Fool: The Tawny Man Trilogy Book 2 (alkuperäinen julkaisuvuosi 2002; vuoden 2003 painos)

This series is very good and holds your attention throughout. Looking forward to the conclusion book 6. ( )

I don't often read books in series one after the other but I acquired the 3 tawny man books all at once from the Oxfam shop and they are just what I need at the moment - not challenging, rather escapist, but full of interest. This middle book in particular is full of things happening - up and down to the tower, up and down to Buckfast town, sessions with guardsman training, sessions with skill training - and so on and so on. Not really sure where it has got us except set up for the journey to take place in the third book (I presume) but it's been busy but comfortable. Still not enough on the Fool/Tawny Man - hope the third book delivers.... ( )

In a lot of ways, this was better than the first book of the Tawny Man Trilogy. And, one of the best second-in-trilogy books. So often it seems that the author is just fitting in a middle section that they need to get to the third book. Rather, in this book, we learn about the characters (FitzChivalry, The Fool, Prince Dutiful, Hap, Chade, etc.) all in a deeper way than in the previous book.

Golden Fool picks up right where Fool's Errand left off. Tom Badgerlock is at a crossroads of sorts. He hasn't fully committed to life indefinitely as a servant to Lord Golden - a necessary role he has taken on so as to conceal his real identity as FitzChivalry. He has agreed to train Prince Dutiful, but not completely come to terms with what that means. The Six Duchees is facing challenges on multiple fronts - a war between Chalced and Bingtown threatens outside the southern boarder, the prince's upcoming engagement to the Outislander Narchesca, and strife with those of "Old Blood" (both with the non-magical people of the realm and between themselves and the militant Piebalds threaten all.)

This book has plenty of adventure and intrigue. It also has rich characters that reveal the best and the worst of themselves in a very satisfying fashion. I can't wait to read Book 3. ( )

In a lot of ways it was superior to the book directly preceding it. It had a lot of great elements, including emotional conflict between the two main characters, the rebuilding of a new coterie, dragon intrigue, marriage intrigue, and some better witted developments. What can I say? I like Fitz and the Fool. I love the world surrounding it. I love the different kinds of magic coming out of the woodwork.
And even if I feel a little meh about the whole witted conflicts that seem a bit trumped up, everything else is so enjoyable that I can't stop reading it. ( )

This middle book of The Tawny Man trilogy perhaps isn’t quite as smooth and pacy as the first (although I still devoured it in the course of one day, despite the 600 pages). It carries on some threads from the first book, goes a fair way towards tying them up, and then busies itself laying the foundations of the final book. It also features a scene which, for me, is the most painful in any of the three trilogies and which leaves me with a stronger than usual desire to shake Fitz until his teeth rattle. More of that in a moment.

Freed from his Piebald kidnappers, Prince Dutiful has returned to court to go through the formal ceremonies of betrothal with the Outislander Narcheska, Elliania. On the surface, all is going as planned, but Fitz grows increasingly disturbed at signs that the match is not as simple as it seems to be. The Narcheska and her taciturn uncle Peottre seem to have reservations, not only about Dutiful but about the Six Duchies as a whole; so who is forcing them to continue? Who is the Lady he overhears them speaking about, and what is the meaning of the serpent tattoos that have been inked into the little Narcheska’s back, which cause her so much pain?

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2013/05/20/the-golden-fool-robin-hobb/ ( )