Not quite as good as Royal Assassin, but this was still great. It is 200 pages longer than Royal Assassin and feels like a lot could have been shaved off, to be even 100 pages shorter than its predecessor.

I like chunky books and taking my time worlds but I feel like several plot threads kept repeating. The amount of times Fitz got in to trouble and had to be saved could have been halved, especially in the first half. Then the wandering could have also been reduced in the second half remarkably with no difference to the emotional beats.

And emotional beats does this have. Robin Hobb is a master at breaking spirit and breaking hearts. As you feel everything that Fitz and the rest of the cast go through. Leading to some very heartfelt scenes that had me teared up.

The Farseer Trilogy is fantastic one of the greatest Trilogies I have ever read. I can't wait to see what's next.