Farseer Trilogy
Reddit take
AI summary of the Reddit excerpts below — not a quote
The Farseer Trilogy is a highly acclaimed character-driven fantasy series celebrated for its deep emotional resonance and intricate political intrigue. Readers frequently highlight the series for its exceptional character development, though it is widely noted for being a 'harrowing' and 'melancholy' experience that subjects its protagonist to significant emotional trauma.
Pros
- Masterful character development and deep emotional investment in the protagonist, Fitz.
- Strong focus on political intrigue and the complexities of royal court life.
- Rewarding and well-executed conclusion to the trilogy.
- Rich, logical world-building with attention to minor, immersive details.
Cons
- Slow pacing with significant gaps between action sequences.
- High level of 'emotional trauma' and suffering for the main characters can be taxing.
- Protagonist's decisions can be frustratingly flawed or perceived as 'dumb' by some readers.
Caveats
- While it may appear to be a war fantasy, it is primarily a character study with long stretches of downtime.
- This is the first trilogy in the much larger 16-book 'Realm of the Elderlings' series.
Best for
- Readers who prioritize character depth and emotional impact over fast-paced action.
- Fans of political fantasy and complex interpersonal relationships.
- Those looking for a 'cathartic' or 'melancholy' reading experience.
Avoid if
- You prefer lighthearted or 'happy' fantasy stories.
- You are easily frustrated by flawed characters who make realistic but suboptimal choices.
- You want a high-action, fast-moving plot.
This summary uses balanced time weighting with about a 122-month half-life. The evidence is drawn from 30 selected mentions with a median age of 407 days, primarily from dedicated fantasy book communities.
Sentiment
38 positive (76%) · 6 mixed (12%) · 6 negative (12%)
Trust + time weighted score: +62% · raw score 64%
What redditors said (10 of 50)
Would Hobb's Farseer Trilogy be OK? I've heard it's quite harrowing.
Farseer Trilogy might be what you're looking for.
I personally loved the series and the only thing that stretched my suspension of belief was Shrewd turning a blind eye to Regal - which (I believe?) is later explained in the series.
This series so far contains some of my least favorite tropes, but done so well I can’t stop reading. Highly recommend if you enjoy banging your head against a brick wall until you’re as dumb as Fitz.
I would recommend it if you didn’t. Not entirely necessary, you could start with either but Farseer is the beginning of the series in case you weren’t aware
Skill is addictive and can lead to other addictions in order to fuel its prolonged use. Antagonistic skilled agents can attempt to drain a user if they overexpose themselves.
Parent context: What kind of problems? Nothing specific please Reply: Idk what the person you’re responding to means, but for me I’d say one very frustrating thing is how the plot happens mostly because every character who could do something about a particular villain either chooses not to or is commanded not to
I loved that series! Couldn't put it down,
It has its problems but it's great. To me the best part in the trilogy is the beginning of book 3
I’m in the middle of royal assassin and no series has made me cry… no book has made me cry… until now! I’ve felt goosebumps and cried 3 times so far. I feel so attached to every character for different reasons.
Compare
Farseer Trilogy vs DiscworldFarseer Trilogy vs MurderbotFarseer Trilogy vs The Expanse
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