Is Fitz Happy?

While Fitz watches the sheep flock, the rest of the caravan members gather. We meet Starling the minstrel for the first time as they travel towards Blue Lake and the Mountain Kingdom. We also feel the echoes of FitzChivalry's intense loneliness and feel the surge of hope for the future when he learns of Molly giving birth to their daughter.  We're reading Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb, book 3 of...

Fitz flees further north to find new supplies and a way to the mountains. With Verity always in the back of his mind urging him forward, and without Nighteyes, Fitz must lay low as someone looking for work. He learns the true value of Burrich’s earring and the value of having support around you.  We're reading Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb, book 3 of the Farseer Trilogy in The Realm of the Elderl...

Content warning for talk of suicide and suicidal thoughts.  The culmination of Fitz's planned revenge comes to fruition with his infiltration of Tradeford Hall. He stalks around the inside contemplating his fear and is confronted by living memories from his past. FitzChivalry starts to get some revenge but realizes he feels no relief. He is assaulted on all sides by Regal's Coterie and barely mana...

Coping with his loneliness without Nighteyes, Fitz Skills to the downfall of Duke Bearns. He determinedly walks through Tradeford and contemplates how Regal grew up. Learning more about Regal's depravity, Fitz steels his mind and starts planning.  We're reading Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb, book 3 of the Farseer Trilogy in The Realm of the Elderlings

Our protagonist and his sidekick, Fitz, deepen their friendship and bond during their journey. Along the way, they encounter a wild pack of wolves which prompts Nighteyes to run off at the chance to see what he was missing. A return to the melancholic dramatics, FitzChivalry faces a journey alone, upriver. He has determined to kill Regal with or without Nighteyes’ help. This episode we talk about...

Nighteyes and FitzChivalry journey alone for about 15 minutes until Fitz meets Black Rolf. Another of the Old Blood asked for aid and the wolves end up at a house with Rolf and Holly. This chapter contains reflections on the Wit and on the Skill, more discussions of Forged ones and what attracts them, and further conviction to chase after Regal alone.  We're reading Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb,...

FitzChivalry tries to reenter the human world but is woefully unprepared. His social skills, his lying, and his general attitude is rusty while trying to fit in and escort a group of minstrels. Fitz has to fit into civilian life while grappling with his fear and dark memories. Along the journey Fitz is harassed by his own companions, Skills out, attacked from multiple fronts, and meets enemies fro...

Fitz's demons appear in this episode as he navigates towards the self-appointed destiny of Regal's demise. FitzChivalry is dead and just Fitz wakes up hungover to gather his possessions to walk to Tradeford. He's attacked on his way out and is lost for a while in his own memories. We discuss PTSD, trauma, and Fitz's (lack of) coping mechanisms. Along the way, Fitz learns about the poor state of th...

Burrich leaves in the morning. Both he and Fitz refrain from saying anything and Fitz is left on his own. He makes excuses not to leave to pursue his goal of killing Regal and eventually regresses back to being a wolf. Startled out of it, Fitz makes a final determination to reenter the world as a human.  We're reading Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb, book 3 of the Farseer Trilogy in The Realm of th...

Fitz breaks out of his wolfish behavior but is a long shot from better. A discussion with Chade sends him running for the safety of Nighteyes. Eventually, when he makes his way back to the cabin, he confronts Burrich and Chade, saying things he regrets later. A walking self-fulfilling prophecy, FitzChivalry pushes away his family and those he loves while bemoaning that nobody could ever love him. ...

FitzChivalry is gradually reintegrating back into life as a human. Wolfish tendencies still peak through and it's a slow process to regain his memories. Fitz's mind has locked away it's trauma and Burrich is hard at work to rehabilitate him.  We're reading Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb, book 3 of the Farseer Trilogy in The Realm of the Elderlings

We're coming back at you with the intro to Assassin's Quest. Robin Hobb starts us off with an introspective Fitz who is lamenting the fact that he has grown old before his time and lost a multitude of years of his life. FitzChivalry is in pain from his traumatic past and can never go back to his previous life, friends, or other loved ones. We start the last book in a dark, low place with only up t...

This is our final discussion and book 2 wrap up for Royal Assassin. We talk about Hobb's masterful characters, our favorite theories, and scenes. Looking forward to reading more adventures of Fitz, the Fool, and Nighteyes in Assassin's Quest!  We're reading Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb, book 2 of the Farseer Trilogy in the Realm of the Elderlings.

The final chapter of Royal Assassin gives us the Wolf, Nighteyes and FitzChivalry. Burrich and Chade's plan has worked so far. Fitz is 'alive' and is soon called back by Heart of the Pack to his body.   We're reading Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb, book 2 of the Farseer Trilogy in the Realm of the Elderlings.

The darkest days for Fitz continue. After a shared dream with Nighteyes and despite his urging, Fitz wakes up in the cells with guards coming. Through his pain, Fitz taunts Regal closer and makes a final bid against the pretender King and is beaten for his effort. Fitz fades in and out of consciousness and wakes once again to Nighteye's insistence to join him. Fitz lets go.   We're reading Royal A...

CW: There is general discussion of violence both physical and mental, as well as suicidal thoughts.  Rejoining Fitz in the dungeons, we discuss his situation and he laments the potential options he has for the future. Then, Will and Fitz take him to a room to get a confession. Assaulted on mulitple fronts, Fitz realizes he will have to die in the cells. Burrich comes to talk and maybe pass along a...

FitzChivalry wakes up in the dungeons, disoriented and weak. He learns the state of Buckkeep through Patience, a brief synopsis of what happened from Nighteye's perspective, and a visit from the Dukes. Regal brings the Dukes to prove Fitz is still alive and they offer a proposal. Fitz doesn't die if Regal can't prove his guilt. Meanwhile, Regal gets all the time he wants to get a confession from F...

The plan comes to head. Regal is crowned, Kettricken and Shrewd head back to their rooms, and Fitz is approached a bit too much by the Coastal Duchies minor nobility. Fitz tries to prep the King to leave, but he wishes to say goodbye to Verity via the Skill. During that excursion, Fitz discovers treachery and hunts down some of the coterie and is subsequently detained.  We're reading Royal Assassi...

Fitz is restless, trying to plan out the King's and Queen's escape. He talks to Burrich and reveals his secrets as well as wanders to Verity's map room. He connects with his King-in-Waiting via the Skill but Verity has no answers and finds Justin trying to listen in. Meanwhile, the castle has more bad omens appearing and Duke Brawndy makes a proposition to Fitz.  We're reading Royal Assassin by Ro...

Warning: Discussion of miscarriage in the middle of the episode (around 40 min).  A final confrontation leads to the full separation of Molly and Fitz. A few toasts later with Burrich and the Fool lead them to separate for now and to trust to Fitz for a plan. Fitz takes solace with Nighteyes and talks strategy with Chade. They end the night with a tentative plan and short time to do it.  We're rea...

Warning: Brief discussion of miscarriage in the latter half of the episode (mostly after 1:30:00).  Burrich and Fitz head up to King Shrewd’s room to contact Verity. The Fool tries to persuade them against it in the face of Kettricken’s growing hope. Even with Verity being contacted, there is no proof to show the kingdom and only a weakened King. Fitz experiences the bleak aftermath of some drugs...

The return to Buckkeep isn’t the triumph that Fitz and company were expecting. They get the false news that Verity is dead, and Burrich and Fitz plan on using King Shrewd’s Skill to prove that wrong. A farce of a feast ensues with Regal not so subtly berating Kettricken while his sycophants pile accolades on his shoulders that belong to other people. The announcement of the abandonment of Buckkeep...

Fitz uneasily settles into a routine around Buckkeep, avoiding most everyone and falling deeper into paranoia. An unsettling wake-up call has Fitz running to the King’s chambers to warn him of an attack on Neatbay. Although Shrewd is in pain, he grasps the situation and, despite Regal’s insistence otherwise, deploys aid to the attacked Duchy. Kettricken, Burrich, and Fitz ride and pin the OutIslan...

The injured Burrich and Fitz discuss the state of the stables, the Royal family, and Molly. Burrich decides to guard Kettricken at night to protect the baby and Fitz lets her know. We talk about Fitz's harrowing meeting with Justin and Serene and follow Fitz as he heads down to Buck town. After getting stopped at the gate, a distraught Molly speaks with Fitz.  Next week is our 1 year anniversary o...

After waking up from his injury and a confusing conversation with Molly, Fitz talks to Chade about the state of the Kingdom. After some time, Fitz gets an urgent call to go to the stables where Burrich has returned with severe injuries. Burrich passes along the trials of Verity's journey to the King and then collapses in Fitz's room. Fitz gathers Patience and Lacey to help look after Burrich when...