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Linky: http://www.tor.com/2...from-under-you/
Haven't read these yet, though I own them. (And I loved the Liveship Traders trilogy.)
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SE essay on Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice at Tor.com
#1
Salt-Man Z 
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Posted 27 April 2016 - 07:58 PM
"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
#2
worry
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Posted 27 April 2016 - 10:05 PM
She may split readers, but other authors seem to universally love Hobb (in my experience), and I'm not surprised. She's as steeped in fantasy as anyone else in the genre, but her writing never ever smacks of gimmickry (and the Liveships, for instance, had so much potential to). I dunno what it is that sets her apart, but I just think her writing is somehow pulp-free (in a fairly inherently pulpy genre). I'm not knocking pulp, either, since great pulp is still great storytelling, period. She's just doing something else, somehow, and is a master at it.
They came with white hands and left with red hands.
#3
Khazduk
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Posted 28 April 2016 - 08:24 AM
One thing Hobb does masterfully (better than almost anyone else) is torment her characters. She pulls no punches. They have to live (and die) through everything that the world throws at them. And then somehow she makes them grow from it. In totally unexpected but also totally credible ways, over and over she shows how life and survival can't ever be static and truths always have to be reevaluted.
#4
Salt-Man Z
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Posted 28 April 2016 - 04:03 PM
Khazduk, on 28 April 2016 - 08:24 AM, said:
One thing Hobb does masterfully (better than almost anyone else) is torment her characters. She pulls no punches. They have to live (and die) through everything that the world throws at them. And then somehow she makes them grow from it. In totally unexpected but also totally credible ways, over and over she shows how life and survival can't ever be static and truths always have to be reevaluted.
Indeed. It's weird: at the time I read Liveship Traders, the closest comparison I could come up with was Donaldson's GAP Cycle, of all things.
"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
#5
Gorefest
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Posted 28 April 2016 - 07:17 PM
I always thought it was a bit of a shame that she chose to return to her original character. I loved the Farseer trilogy, liked the Liveship trader series well enough, but the return to Fitz in the Fool's series didn't pull me in and kind of diminished my original journey with Fitz. I havent picked up any of the other Hobb works since. But I have reread the Farseer trilogy recently and damn, it was still awesome. One of my favourite fantasy reads of all time.
Yesterday, upon the stair, I saw a man who wasn't there. He wasn't there again today. Oh, how I wish he'd go away.
#6
Tatterdemalion
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Currently working on my Imbalance series.
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Posted 28 April 2016 - 08:05 PM
Great write up.
I'd start Hobb but... two new Malazan Empire novels and Joe Abercrombie are calling my name. As always.
I'd start Hobb but... two new Malazan Empire novels and Joe Abercrombie are calling my name. As always.
Author of Purge of Ashes.
Sayer of "And Nature shall not abide."
Sayer of "And Nature shall not abide."
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