The Realm of the Elderlings Reading Guide & Ranking (Featuring My Nighteyes)

[@jakebishop7822]

There are endings. There are beginnings. Sometimes they coincide, with the ending of one thing marking the beginning of another. But sometimes there is simply a long space after an ending, a time when it seems everything else has ended and nothing else can ever begin. -Robin Hobb describing how I felt when I finished her series by accident in Fool's Assassin

[@PetrikLeo]

Beautifully said! :')

[@Will-Xter]

Wow. I rarely ever liked a comment but this one hits different.

[@bluejayandrooster]

I love this series so much. It renewed my love of reading, and I doubt that anything else will ever come close to it in my mind. Reading about the Six Duchies, and specifically Buck, feels like reading about home. It is such an incredible series... I am so, so hopeful that we will get another trilogy! "To Bee, or not to Bee..." - Robin Hobb I really hope she chooses to Bee.

[@PetrikLeo]

I doubt we'll get another trilogy. I've heard Hobb might release a standalone about Bee, but that's it. No idea whether that will happen or not though. And I agree, it's truly one of the best series of all time! 😁

[@abrahamakucewich8645]

I'm in the middle of Assassin's Quest and Robin Hobb is quickly becoming one of my favorite fantasy authors.

[@PetrikLeo]

I'm sure she'll end up high on your list of favorite authors as you continue through her series. SO GOOD!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Very cool to see "Nighteyes" here, Petrik! Thank you for the information on RotE, including your impressions. I look forward to getting beyond the first two trilogies in the Realm of the Elderlings since Hobb has already so deeply impressed me with her beautiful prose and characters.

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you, Philip! I'm so looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Tawny Man trilogy. I think you'll be able to offer wonderful insights on the themes and characterizations! :)

[@akellerhouse83]

I didn't mind the Dragon Keeper books. I agree that they're the weakest of the books. But if you're looking for some lighter reading, I think they're fun. I love all these books so much. A lot of booktubers have been reading them lately and I'm enjoying the content. It makes me want to reread them again!

[@PetrikLeo]

That's true, I'm glad it worked out better for you! I agree that seeing so many booktubers reading it for the first time definitely make me want to reread it again! :D

[@aayanguren]

Damnit! You've convinced me to continue on after my heart was broken reading Assassins Quest! haha I'm very happy and relieved to hear that there is a continuation of Fitz's story. On a more serious note, great break down and thanks for the reading guide!

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much! Oh Fitz's story will still continue after Assassin's Quest. For a while. Enjoy! They're amazing!

[@KowakianMonkey-Lizard]

I always love your Goodreads ratings and summaries. Everytime i pick up a new fantasy book I want to read, I know there will be a great Petrik summary of the books.

[@PetrikLeo]

Hahah thank you! I try to always leave my thoughts and opinion for all the books I read! 😁

[@okDrw]

Hi Petrik! I read RotE in January/February of this year and absolutely LOVED it! Especially Liveship and The Fitz and the Fool. Didn't expect to love Liveship so much, but it was so amazing and I can't believe people skip that trilogy! Also Nighteyes (Choco) is way too adorable and needs to be a regular guest!

[@PetrikLeo]

I knowww, it hurts me when I hear people skipped Liveship Traders just becaues it doesn't have Fitz! Seriously, that trilogy is amazing! And yeah, I guess I should include Choco more often on this channel! xD

[@afantasybabble6222]

Absolutely love the Realm of The Elderlings. My personal favorite is The Liveship series but all of them are excellent!

[@PetrikLeo]

Yeahh! The entire series, as a whole, is one of my top favorite series of all time! :D

[@ShelfCentered]

Great breakdown. I read Farseer but I need to read Liveship. It's been hesitating on my TBR for a while now and I need to commit already!

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you, Bryce! C'mon. Do it immediately!! Liveship Traders is superb! 😊

[@ShelfCentered]

@@PetrikLeo Hey, you're already responsible for most of my TBR these days, stop it! :D :D

[@crystalsingh7325]

Awesome video and super cute doggy! 😊 This is my fav series of all time so naturally I loved this video 😁👍 Tawny Man is my fav subseries 😊

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you, Crystal! The series is one of my top favorites, too! :)

[@captainziggy82]

Started this weekend! Thank you for your suggestion and guide Petrik, super excited to get into this world

[@PetrikLeo]

You're welcome! Enjoy this amazing journey. :)

[@farawayranger8489]

I’m extremely late to the game, but this is exactly what I was looking for (novellas included) for a fully comprehensive reading order. My kindle comes in later today and I’m starting from the beginning for the first time. I know nothing about this series yet. Excited!

[@PetrikLeo]

Never too late! I hope you will enjoy your journey in Realm of the Elderlings! 😊

[@aden.e]

i’m currently reading ship of magic as my first hobb and i’m loving it. i’m about 350 pages in and can’t stop thinking about it! hobbs writing has a such a nobility to it and her characters are wildly charming!

[@PetrikLeo]

Yess! Liveship Traders trilogy is incredible. I really want to reread that trilogy again. Enjoy! 😊

[@aden.e]

@@PetrikLeo i didn’t understand why you wanted to smack malta in the first book but i’ve made it to further into the story and want to put her in a choke hold 🤗

[@angelaholmes8888]

@@aden.e I love liveship trader series I dnf assassins apprentice I'm glad a gave liveship trader a chance 😍😘🤗

[@aden.e]

@@angelaholmes8888 yesss it’s so good i finished book 1 this morning and i’m so obsessed. trying to find the time to start book 2 since they are so long

[@angelaholmes8888]

@@aden.e yes they are long but really good 📖🤗😇

[@dr.suezettealoysiaandcarla1664]

“Quiet people have the loudest minds” ~Stephen King “Walking distance to the Riverwalk “ ~Dr Carl 🦑Dr Suez

[@wrustria]

I recently DEVOURED the farseer trilogy. Legitimately one of my favorite series ever already, if you think thats one of the weakest im excited to keep reading! Assassin’s Quest was actually my favorite of the three books, i really loved the journey and ending! Just started Ship of Magic yesterday.

[@PetrikLeo]

Nice! If you enjoy Farseer trilogy already, I'm sure you will love the rest of the series!! :)

[@KalCraig]

I'm early in Assassin's Quest. I wasn't even aware there was a larger series of the Realm of the Elderlings when I started the Farseer Trilogy. I'm glad I know now. It helped push me through Assassins Apprentice when it wasn't clicking right away. I really enjoyed Royal Assassin. Assassin's Quest is also starting a bit slow and it's book 3 and there are some basic aspects of the world (Elderlings, magic systems) that are still much more of an unknown than known at this point (and I just read the Wit and the Skill chapter where Fitz could have stayed a while and got more info, so frustrating to read that). That said, I still have 500+ pages to go, so I'm sure the slower start will pick up. I downloaded the Liveship Traders series as well and will read that in the near future (so many other fantasy worlds to check out, too) and I'm glad that people say the LT series is excellent and that the Realm of the Elderlings as a whole wraps up in a very satisfying and rewarding say. I imagine I'll pick at the series as I go along, reading one trilogy, then going to other fantasy series/worlds I want to read, then periodically coming back for the next series.

[@PetrikLeo]

Well now you know! I think the pacing in Assassin's Quest was too slow. It almost never picked up until the end of the book. You will get to learn more about everything as you progress through the series! Liveship Traders is excellent, imo. Take your time reading through the series. It's a wonderful experience! 😁

[@openbluegateopenbluegate7857]

because of you i discovered the the faithful and the fallen sires THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@PetrikLeo]

You're so welcome!! 😄 Truth and Courage!

[@seanhalpin87]

I'm finally taking the plunge this year, and trying to tackle the majority of the realm of the elderlings. I'm starting liveship as soon as I finish death masks by Jim butcher. I planned on doing the first liveship book earlier but needed to get some light hearted stuff under my belt because of how intense the lonesome crown was. Legends and lattes, and a dresden book was what I landed on between diving into another epic fantasy trilogy. I may have bitten off too much with realm of the elderlings, malazan, osten ard, suneater, banished lands and some other big ones. Really looking forward to getting to all of them, but this one in particular I definitely am very excited to so so

[@PetrikLeo]

That's a LOT of ambitious series you're trying to tackle in a year. Make sure to take it easy. 😁 I hope you'll love Realm of the Elderlings, though. It's a slow and fruitful adventure! 😁

[@seanhalpin87]

Yeah, I probably bit off more than I can chew in all honesty. Malazan is my big priority for 2023, with one a month/month and a half. Then probably banished lands, then suneater. I still haven't finished malice, so that needs to be taken care of this year for sure

[@EatWithBadlands]

I recently read Assassin’s Apprentice and I knew as soon as I finished it that it cracked my top 5 all-time books. It’s mind blowing to hear people say that it was one of the weakest books in the series. I can’t wait to see how great the other books are.

[@PetrikLeo]

Oh you bet! There are some misses for me such as Assassin's Quest and Rainwild Chronicles, but the rest are absolutely brilliant! :)

[@cosyreadingtimes8857]

Favourite series of all time and your reading order is the one I recommend as well. For me, these books would be hard to rank, because I love all these books almost equally - but for very different reasons. I think I read both AQ and Rain Wilds exactly at the right time. AQ I read first last summer, around the start of the summer holidays. It was a time were I just wanted to get totally immersed in a book, not feel too much anxiety and enjoy an emotional but also calming journey - hence AQ held the place of my favourite RotE book for a long time. Rain Wilds I read during the time I studied for my Abitur (final exams in German high schools) and was in desperate need again of something similar. For me the lower tension lead to a low anxiety level while reading and all the adolescent drama made me look back on my high school years, which made me feel nostalgic. All in all, it's now a total comfort read for me and I very grateful for it. But nowadays I don't really have a favourite anymore and tend to rather consider the whole RotE one big masterpiece. Greetings to Nighteyes (we are pack)😘🐺

[@PetrikLeo]

Sorry that I only replied now, no idea why this comment just appeared! Anyway, I'm glad you agreed with my reading guide, and consider The Realm of the Elderlings as one big masterpiece. You know how I feel about AQ and Rain Wild, but I can certainly understand the powerful feeling of reading something at the right time. We are pack!

[@jessicar.6268]

I am about to read Dragon Keeper, and I agree that Fool's Errand is my favorite so far. It is just so satisfying and heart wrenching. But the intrigue in the other two Tawny Man books is top notch.

[@PetrikLeo]

I totally agree! I hope Dragon Keeper will work better for you. If not, the best is yet to come in the final trilogy! :)

[@simonsuarez7561]

Excellent, thanks for your recommendations! I bought Assassin's Apprentice months ago and still have it in my TBR. I'll definitely read it soon.

[@PetrikLeo]

You're welcome, Simon! I hope you'll enjoy reading Assassin's Apprentice and this series! :)

[@simonsuarez7561]

;)

[@safinan8008]

Thank you so much for this video... I like Robin Hobb as author! Happy reading to you!! 📖📽🍁

[@PetrikLeo]

You're welcome. Happy reading, too!

[@thatsci-firogue]

I just finished Assassin's Apprentice. I adored it.

[@PetrikLeo]

Awesome. Royal Assassin is as good! :)

[@Abendrot05]

RotE is hands down my all time favorite fantasy series. Robin Hobb is just a master storyteller! I do agree that the Rain Wild Chronicles doesn't live up to the standards of the rest of the series, but having read it really makes the final series all the more satisfying. I remember reading Assassin's Fate and just pacing the room because I couldn't control my emotions. I wanted to know what would happen but my heart was also breaking. And I'm not really an emotional reader, so that's saying something. Man, now I want to reread it :p Also, Choco is the cutest dog ever!!

[@PetrikLeo]

Robin Hobb is a true master, and yeah, I have to agree that reading Rain Wild did make the reading of the final books even more rewarding; I wish it wasn't so bad, though... As for Assassin's Fate, I think I finished that large book in 3 or 4 days, it was just too good and I couldn't put it down. And my emotions, as you can probably guess, were all over the place! xD Argh I want to reread it, too!

[@ellynbarclay3121]

I must admit I watched your nighteyes for the majority of the video! I am just about to start the rain wild chronicles. Completely agree that farseer took a bit long to start for me and you made me laugh out loud at Malta's development. I didn't know about the in between books so will get round to them soon hopefully. Can't wait to see how this epic ends!❤️

[@PetrikLeo]

Hahaha no worries! Choco Boy is attractive hahaha! Good luck with Rain Wild Chronicles, may you find it a better experience than I did! At least you'll see more of Malta in Rain Wild! :D

[@ellynbarclay3121]

@@PetrikLeo to be honest I enjoy the Fitz stories so can't wait to get to the final trilogy!

[@laura6710]

This is my all time fave series and I am currently rereading it. It definitely reads as good or better the second time. I love seeing all the little hints now that I have full context of events. There is a heartbreaking scene in the first book I think is especially for rereaders, as the reader and Fitz himself couldn’t know the significance of it without the context of the entire series.

[@PetrikLeo]

I'm glad you loved this series, too, Laura! Hearing that it gets even better on second read from your makes me happy. I am definitely looking forward to reading it again one day, and to find out what scene you're talking about in the first book! :D

[@caitcoy]

I’m planning on starting Farseer next year so this was an awesome overview to have! I keep hearing amazing things about Hobb but I’ll admit that I’ve been putting off reading her books mostly because I’m intimidated by the emotional damage her books seem to have. 😅

[@PetrikLeo]

Oh yes, you're not wrong... The emotional damage is forever, and worth it! xD

[@MariaMightReadThat]

Thanks so much for including the best times to read the novella/short stories! I was having such a hard time figuring that out. I’m on the last Liveship Traders book currently (started there for some reason) but am now super excited to finish it and get to Farseer, then continue on.

[@PetrikLeo]

You're so welcome! Once you're done with Liveship Traders and Farseer, that should be the right time to read the prequel novella! :)

[@kirstenholmes6]

I read this entire series last year. I fell in love with Liveship Traders Trilogy. I thought Assassins' Fate was the perfect ending and I couldn't believe how well Robin Hobb tied the entire series together. I will definitely be reading this series again! I do have to agree with you about the Rainwild Chronicles. I think it would have been better to concentrate on the adults rather than the teenagers. They all annoyed the crap out of me! 😣

[@PetrikLeo]

I agree completely with everything you said here, Kirsten! I'm still in awe by Assassin's Fate tbh, one of the best concluding novel to a series I've read so far! And yeah... the teenagers in Rainwild infuriated me so much 🤣

[@milosmilosmilos]

Agreed with this. I've never seen someone seen tie things in so perfectly for such a complex, rich world. She truly is a master.

[@krummb]

Thanks for posting this. I've been through the first 2 series and am so in love with her writing. Liveship was amazing and it's good to hear that it gets even better. I haven't heard of any future plans from her but hope that she puts something else back out there into the world.

[@PetrikLeo]

You're welcome! Yeah, I once heard that she's going to write a standalone in this world, but then again it seems like that's not happening. I guess we'll see! :D

[@nikk345]

Just starting read Hobb and onto Royal Assassin. Loving it so far and I am happy to know that the best is potentially left til last :)

[@PetrikLeo]

Oh yesss! You're in for plenty of amazing books! 😁

[@estelaeva8403]

Hehe I just ordered Assassin’s apprentice and I can’t wait for it to arrive! It will be my first Robin Hobb book ☺️ If I like it, I think I’ll try to finish the Realm of the Elderlings! CHOCO YOU STOLE THE SHOW!!! You are such a cute and calm animal companion 🙈🐻 Also, your hair looks really soft.

[@PetrikLeo]

Yay! I hope the book will arrive soon, and you'll love it enough to continue. At the very least, read Royal Assassin so you can meet Nighteyes! 😄 Thank you so much! He's the goodest boy! 😊

[@HylianPirate]

Don't. Skip. The. Liveship. Trilogy.

[@PetrikLeo]

Hear hear!

[@jakebishop7822]

ayyy, Hi Hylian, nice to see you here. Liveship best subseries gang

[@brooke2129]

it was honestly not that great to me. i didn’t connect with any of the characters i only really found malta interesting. that said, i do think the trilogy is important to the entire series

[@jeromerondeau2824]

@@brooke2129 That was for me also. My eleven words of death "I do not care what happens to any of these people!" came into play.

[@simonedwards9450]

The Liveship traders are the ones I’m most looking forward to

[@jessiedugan3187]

Great video you very good at explaining stuff😊

[@PetrikLeo]

Haha thank you! That means a lot. 😊

[@saxybrit]

He is so cute! Great video, Petrik! I haven’t read any Robin Hobb yet but it’s definitely on my list. It feels much more manageable to start with it being broken down into smaller series. It’s a shame that the longest one is also the least liked one though!

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much, Brittany! Yeah, it's definitely easier to get through. I should note that even though Rain Wild is 4 books long, it has the smallest word count as a series. And if it doesn't work for you... just skip it. xD

[@saxybrit]

@@PetrikLeo ah that’s interesting re the word count! And encouraging for when I get to that point. Thanks!

[@deeapaulitan7003]

Thank you for the graphic! I start Live Ship in November!!

[@PetrikLeo]

You're welcome!! Enjoy! It's an incredible trilogy, imo! 😊

[@FlochIsKing]

I'm reading Royal Assassin right now, it's okay so far (only read 20%), but I loved Assassin's Apprentice, Fitz is an amazing character. I'm glad it's one of your favorite series because I know I can trust your judgement! Also you have the best doggo ❤️

[@PetrikLeo]

Royal Assassin should be getting better soon. Nighteyes is introduced there, and yeah, Fitz is so well-written! Thank you, Choco is the goodest boy! :D

[@lilyloves768]

I love the 3 Fitz sub series more than Liveship Traders, but it was still pretty great. Think everyone can agree on Rainwild Chronicles being the weakest🤣 Your Nighteyes is precious🥰

[@PetrikLeo]

Hahaha yeah! I've never heard any fans of the series preferring Rain Wild the most. 😂 And thank you, I'll let him know! 😄

[@thesmuli83]

Hello. The Realm of the Elderlings is a great place. I’ve read 9 Fitz books and all are awesome. I thought I’d read the 2022 The Liveship Traders Trilogy I’ve heard a lot of really good things.

[@PetrikLeo]

Ohh you have to read Liveship Traders trilogy! It's amazing, and it will make Assassin's Fate even better!

[@Azeann_2701]

Hi, I read Farseer trilogy and the tawny man trilogy when I was young, loved them. I tried at the time to read The liveship traders but I could not go through the first book. Years later? I rereading the entire serie and in english. I love the writing and this time I read the entire Liveship trilogy and it was awesome ! I totally agree with you for Malta ! I love the universe presented here ans I'm eager to continue reading the serie. Thank you for your advice about the novella and short story !

[@PetrikLeo]

You're welcome! I can't imagine reading Hobb's books in translation; I think a lot of the greatness in her prose might end up being lost in translation. Or at least it will require a super amazing translator! Anyway, I'm glad you gave Liveship Traders another trilogy and loved it! :)

[@Azeann_2701]

@@PetrikLeo French translation are pretty good and at the time, reading in an other language was not in my mind, I was too young ! But reading it in english definitely makes the experience better !

[@megravitt33]

Omg cute puppy! And his name is chocobo?? 😍 Sad to hear about rain wild... I wanted to start there but I guess that's not a good idea. I suppose I'll start with liveship

[@PetrikLeo]

I call him Choco Boy, inspired by Chocobo 😆 Yeah Liveship can work wonderfully as a starting point, but definitely not Rain Wild!

[@esmayrosalyne]

I have read the first tree trilogies, but I've been putting off Rainwild Chronicles for a while now. However, your high praise for the Fitz and the Fool trilogy has gotten me excited to dive back into the Realm of the Elderlings ☺ From what I can tell, our feelings on these books are very similar. I also didn't like Assassin's Quest, my favourite series so far is the Liveship Traders series (indeed, MALTA!!) and I also prefer the first book in the Tawny Man trilogy. I can't wait to see what I will think of the last two series! Oh and btw, Choco is just perfect, what a cutie!! 😍

[@PetrikLeo]

Yeahh, I think giving the first book in Rain Wild is the way to go. See how you feel about it first. At least you can see Malta again in Rain Wild. If it sucks, well, time to jump to the final trilogy immediately! Hahah, so many requests for Choco, it was time for him to appear again!

[@emroyka]

I’ve just started with the Farseer Trilogy (read book 1 earlier this year), so I’ll be back to this video later; for now just thanking you for the work that went into it!📚

[@PetrikLeo]

Nice! I hope this video will be beneficial to you later on! :D

[@hryghped]

you've just reminded me how behind i am. I've read The farseer trilogy and the Tawny Man trilogy and then completely forgot about the final three (I've heard you can read them in that order and without having read the Live Ships and Rain Wilds,) however I do want to read them all. Must get back on this!!

[@PetrikLeo]

You definitely can, but I think it would be better to at least read Liveship Traders first. Not only because it's superb, but some of the characters from Liveship Traders actually appeared in the last book! :)

[@jakebishop7822]

I just also want to agree with Petrik, as Liveship is actually my favorite subseries, and it connects a lot with the final trilogy

[@Kailey-GLS]

Great video! I read the Farseer trilogy in may this year and I STILL think about the books often. I went into a reading slump after finishing the trilogy because I fell in love with Fitz and the Fool. I finally picked up ship of magic and am keen to keep reading the series!

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you decided to continue with the journey, Kailey! There's still so much greatness to come. By the end of it all, the reading slump will hit you even harder. 😅

[@GriffReads]

Your Nighteyes is so cute 🥺 I'm currently about a quarter of the way through Assassin's Quest and so far I've liked the Farseer trilogy but I haven't *loved* it. This video has motivated me to keep reading 😁 I think The Liveship trilogy sounds more appealing to me as I tend to prefer third-person POV. Although I have enjoyed the audiobooks for the Farseer trilogy because it feels like I'm listening to Fitz read me his diary!

[@PetrikLeo]

Choco boy is a dog of multiple identities, he's the best! 😁 Yeah, I'll say I was the same as you when I read Farseer trilogy. I was actually worried about it, but Liveship Traders made me so in love with it. And then there's Tawny Man trilogy, and the final one which is just brilliant! I hope you'll end up loving it, Griff, and your booktube channel is great!

[@GriffReads]

@@PetrikLeo ahhh thanks so much Petrik! 🥰

[@lbbutch]

i started reading The Liveship Traders trilogy first lol im still in the first book. my fault cause i didnt search about the order before. but im loving so far so i think i'll finish and the i'll read The Farseer trilogy

[@PetrikLeo]

Hahaha that's okay! Liveship Traders is so accessible as a starting point for the series, too, anyway! 😁

[@dinocollins720]

This helped so much. I've read all of the Farseer Trilogy. I loved the first two, but I was very disappointed in Assassin's Quest. I didn't like the pacing nor did I like the ending. I couldn't decide if I should continue. However, after hearing that you had a similar experience, and you also questioned to go on after you finished Farseer, I think I will continue with the series. Petrik, you always give the best advice and I haven't been disappointed once from your recommendations so I think I'll move on to Liveship Traders.

[@PetrikLeo]

I'm glad this video is helpful! I think you'll love Liveship Traders, Dino. As I said, I almost gave up after Assassin's Quest; that book was so disappointing after Assassin's Apprentice and Royal Assassin.

[@mariareadsssf]

Robin Hobb's prose is extremly beautiful, but when I read "Asassin's Aprentice" I found my progressin realy slow and I had to swich to the translation. I am looking forward to read "The Liveship Traders", but it will have to be the translation as I struglle with the original. Thank you for the useful guide. I am sure I will get the courage to continue Fitz's adventures one day.

[@PetrikLeo]

Oh really? That's interesting! I've seen some comments saying the opposite thing; they love Hobb's books more in English than the translated works. But what matters more is that you enjoyed the book, whether it's translated or not, right? 😄

[@dustintbrproblems]

I'm hoping to finally start The Realm of the Elderlings in the New Year. I enjoyed your breakdown, Petrik.

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you, Dustin. Yesss! Not long now! :)

[@marjorie.mp4]

I just finished the series back in June and I STILL can't stop thinking about it. It has put me in a bit of a slump actually, because I know how hard it will be to find something to dethrone it as my favorite series. Never been a rereader but hoping to pick em back up again soon!!

[@PetrikLeo]

I totally understand that, Megan. It's been 3 years since I finished it, and I'm still not over it! Definitely will have to do a full reread one day! 😄

[@tanja9364]

Yes!!! Exactly how I felt, Megan. In fact I DID re-read them all immediately. From memory, It was Fitz I missed, oh so much! I needed another ‘leading man’ in my life! I read Blood Song by Anthony Ryan and that hit the spot! I then moved on to Joe Abercrombie and listened to all his books on Audible (his stories are so funny, irreverent, clever and just good fun, especially read by the god of narration that is Steven Pacey.) John Gwynne is another author who fills the Hobb-sized hole in my heart (Malice, Wrath etc) and his new series is a masterpiece (Shadow of the Gods). I have read the Realm of the Elderlings for the third time recently and they don’t lose their pull or their ability to make me sob! We are Pack! x

[@fcsolis]

Yah, Robin Hobb's writing is easy to follow. I've started my Realm of the Elderlings journey. Bon voyage.

[@PetrikLeo]

Niceeee. Enjoy the journey! It's an unforgettable one! :)

[@TheSassyLibraryFox]

I only read "The Farseer Trilogy" so far but I absolutely loved it! Even though I suffered so much with Fitz. T_T I'm really hoping to start with "The Liveship Traders" soon. =) Also if you consider "The Farseer Trilogy" to be one of her weakest ones then I can't wait to read the rest. XD

[@PetrikLeo]

Yeahh! Liveship Traders is amazing. Definitely better than Farseer imo! 😊

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

Man...it was between this and starting Malazan. My curiosity for Malazan won out, but I have the Farseer trilogy as well, so I might go back and forth between them...

[@PetrikLeo]

I started Malazan after I finished Realm of the Elderlings, I think going back and forth between them will work nicely, too! Enjoy!

[@Nxrth2001]

Finished WoT this year - definitely reading Malazan or RotE next year!

[@PetrikLeo]

Or both. Read both next year! 😄

[@Nxrth2001]

@@PetrikLeo that would be great but I don't want to have both going at the same time. Idk if I can finish one fast enough to do the other series in the second half. Which should I pick aghhhhhh

[@TheBookCure]

This was a fantastic video, Petrik! I loved hearing your rankings and the way you approached each “collection” Also, can’t handle Choco. Death by cute. 💀

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you, Sarah! I look forward to you reading Liveship Traders and be amazed more by Robin Hobb! 😊 I'll let Choco know! 😄

[@anniecochrane3359]

Yes, The Realm of the Elderlings is my most favourite fantasy (or any) series along with The Lord of the Rings. I began with The Farseer Trilogy and was immersed from day one, some years ago. I can't rank them I'm afraid, as series. As characters, I will always love Fitz and The Fool, and the lives they inhabit. I see each of the series within The Realm of the Elderlings as rooms in a house, or mountains in a vast mountain range, each and every one of them an integral part of the whole.

[@PetrikLeo]

Beautifully said, Annie! This is my rank of each subseries but as a whole, they really form one of the best overarching narrative in fantasy! :)

[@sammysendlesstbr3694]

I am almost done with assassin’s quest! Perfect timing 😬

[@PetrikLeo]

Yesss!! That's great! 😄

[@margisama]

I've read the series in a really weird order. I spotted Dragon Keeper in a used bookstore and went "ohh dragons." so I read the Rain Wild Chronicles first. THEN went back and read the Liveship Trilogy. Obviously I had huge character and story spoilers going in but it was interesting seeing how characters got to where they were when I'd first met them. I loved Rain wild chronicles so I get spiky when I hear someone say they don't like them. Haven't read the Fitz books yet.

[@PetrikLeo]

That is indeed a weird order. 😅😅 Well I hope you'll love Fitz's books when you get around to them. They are the main core of The Realm of the Elderlings! 😁

[@bridgit2541]

I had the misfortune of reading Dragon Keeper as my first Robin Hobb book in 2009. I didn't know it was part of a larger universe, because it said it was the first in the Rainwilds series. I didn't like it. 2.5 stars. Put me off Hobb for a long time. I tried Assassins Apprentice about 3 years ago and loved the writing but was underwhelmed by the 'assassin part' so haven't picked it back up. It was an audio book so perhaps that affected it. I just bought the Farseer Trilogy in physical form and hope to give AA another try.

[@PetrikLeo]

Yeahhh. Dragon Keeper, or the entire Rainwild, is soooo far from Hobb's best books. If I were in your place, I would've give up with trying Hobb's books for years, too. Thankfully you did end up picking Assassin's Apprentice, and I hope it will work out better for you! :)

[@hasanmir]

I'm surprised to hear that the Assassin's Apprentice trilogy did not work for you on the first read. I couldn't put it down, and read all three books back to back. However I have yet to start any of the other books by Robin Hobb, primarily because I liked Fitz as a character so much, the fact that he isn't in The Liveship Traders trilogy really put me off from starting it.

[@PetrikLeo]

Just the third book of Farseer didn't work me; i loved Assassin Apprentice and Royal Assassin! I know that it feels difficult to move on to Liveship Traders knowing Fitz is not there, but it will be worth it. 😊

[@_rohan_bhandari_]

I already have the first 9 books of the universe! Now you have convinced me to complete the rest of the collection :P

[@PetrikLeo]

Might as well complete it! :p

[@landon_woods-of-yore]

I loved this video Petrik! So far I've only read the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb, and I loved it. I'm looking forward to eventually reading the rest of the Realm of the Elderlings series. I own the Liveship Traders Trilogy. I own the UK editions of the first two trilogies. I need to start buying the rest of the series from Book Depository. I can't stand the mass market paperback US edition artwork!

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you, Landon! The UK paperback edition of this series is gorgeousss. I own them all, and it's probably the most beautiful set of books in my collection! :)

[@noname3609]

Never read Hobb! 😮 Maybe some day! ❤

[@PetrikLeo]

You have to do it! Such an amazing series! 😄

[@noname3609]

@@PetrikLeo Really? I really want to read so much this year but next year I might try her! 😍

[@Rahul-cm2oo]

I'm currently focusing on finishing WOT the Realm Of the Elderlings is the next series I want to delve into

[@PetrikLeo]

Niceee! In the meantime I still need to finish Wheel of Time! xD

[@geek19954]

@@PetrikLeo I thought you dropped the wheel of Time :o

[@PetrikLeo]

@@geek19954 i did! But I promised my friend I'll read Fires of Heaven and Lord of Chaos next year. Then we'll see! 😄

[@Rahul-cm2oo]

@@PetrikLeo Lord of Chaos is soooo gud I hope u like it 🤞🤞

[@Nxrth2001]

@@PetrikLeo those are two of the best books - especially Lord of Chaos. I do hope you get back to it Petrik!

[@plungeybabie]

Great video. So for the last couple years since I've gotten back into reading I'd heard about Robin Hobb. As a fan of "manly" fantasy I figured I wouldn't like her writing or this series. But after seeing The Brothers Gwynne hype it up I gave Assassin's Apprentice a go a few weeks ago. Boy was I SO wrong. Absolutely loved it after the first few minutes (audio read). I adored it so much I'm so excited to read the rest of this whole series and feel like a damn fool (pun intended) for avoiding it.

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you gave Robin Hobb's books a chance. Her books are more emotionally destructive than many "manly" fantasy! xD

[@henrywayne5724]

I don't know if you'll see this, but I followed your reading order and honestly, I agree with you on Fool's Fate ending! I actually found it an extremely disrespectful ending lol. Getting ready to jump into the final trilogy (also, is Inheritance half as good as Wilful Princess, which I think is her best work? I value your opinion SOOO much)

[@PetrikLeo]

Glad you agree! People fell head over heels with Fool's Fate ending, and I had several big issues with it. The last trilogy is impeccable, though! Inheritance is alright, imo. some good short stories, but some were so disappointing. xD

[@henrywayne5724]

@@PetrikLeo Well, in that case, I'll be skipping Inheritance for now. I started it and the journal entries for Homecoming just aren't working for me. I'm so nervous about Assassin's Fate. Surprisingly, the only Hobb ending I've enjoyed so far was from the Rain Wild Chronicles, for all its flaws! Assassin's Quest was a mess, she handled certain themes at the end of Ship Of Destiny in a VERY problematic way, Fool's Fate was a catastrophe😹😹. I refuse to accept that ending! Getting into spoilers: You mean to tell me that Molly, who Fitz hasn't talked to for 16 years, comes back, and Hobb speed runs through to their marriage...in 2 chapters, add the very contrived way she made Burrich die, and sent the Fool away, and it's just an upsetting ending overall. And on Fitz/The Fool relationship, let's be for real, if these books are ever adapted to the small screen, Hobb will have quite a bit to answer imo, but I realize this is an unpopular opinion. A lot of it will be interpreted as queerbaiting🤷‍♂️. Anyway, I choose to trust Hobb not to fumble Assassin's Fate☠️. This series has been a magical ride, and I'll always treasure these characters deep down. I can't wait to start Dandelion Dynasty after this! (which I think either you or Merphy Napier recommended, or maybe it was both? I can hardly remember lol)...maybe even start some Tad Williams from your rec video...I'll come back to this video and update on how I feel about the ending overall! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond!

[@socialbianca]

Cutest dog ever!

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you! He's the best! 😁

[@Zillawill]

I started late last month with Farseer trilogy as my gateway back into reading, and I love it, I'm currently on the third book and read about 200 pages in 1 sitting, after I've done this I'm going to take a break and give Malice a try from John Gwynne

[@PetrikLeo]

200 pages in 1 sitting is impressive; well done! And I'm glad you're enjoying Farseer trilogy. Malice and the entire series is incredible, imo! 😄

[@Zillawill]

@@PetrikLeo Yeah I was surprised too, I didn't notice time flying by haha

[@angelaholmes8888]

@@Zillawill I hope you enjoy malice it starts off slow but halfway that's when gets really good

[@Zillawill]

@@angelaholmes8888 hopefully I do, I'm giving it a try as part of the series read a long, I've got loads I want to read tho, WoT and Mistborn/Stormlight being main long series I want to do either after or as I read rest of robin Hobbs work

[@Zillawill]

@@PetrikLeo Just thought I'd let you know I finished the book, I'm not gonna lie it got me emotional at times, I so want to continue Fitz story but know I should do Liveship first

[@AndrewsWizardlyReads]

Fool’s errand was fantastic I am reading fools fate this month

[@PetrikLeo]

Fool's Errand was brilliant! I think you'll enjoy Fool's Fate, too. Many superb moments in that book.

[@AndrewsWizardlyReads]

@@PetrikLeo I am very excited

[@downtomars3148]

I finished Farseer around 2 months ago and I really enjoyed Royal Assassin. Felt kinda lukewarm with Assassin's Quest but overall I love the series. I really want to continue but I'm currently reading WOT in anticipation of the TV Show 😅

[@PetrikLeo]

That's a heavy one! 😂 When you do continue, give Liveship Traders a try. I think it will win you over! 😊

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

Hmmm.. I need to pick up that novella. I'm starting Tawny Man in Oct or Nov.

[@PetrikLeo]

Yes do it!! It's really good, and short. I'm sure you can finish it quickly! 😊

[@coleton7048]

I need to read the final trilogy but I'm too scared for it to be over. 😭😭 I love the series so much.

[@PetrikLeo]

It's worth the pain!! 🥲🥲 You can do it!

[@yenna9931]

hi Petrik and everyone! I already have the farseer trilogy, now i only have a budget for two trilogies within the ROTE, *should i go for Liveship Traders + Tawny Man OR Tawny Man + Fitz and the Fool?* I love the fool's interaction with fitz in the farseer trilogy, so i lean more towards the second option. however, i heard there are gems in tawnyman you will only get if you read the liveship and that liveship is actually good, so i'm having fomo if i don't purchase liveship first.

[@PetrikLeo]

I think you should go for Liveship Traders and Tawny Man first. Then save up on some money to get The Fitz and the Fool. That's the best way to go, imo. Both Liveship Traders and Tawny Man are very necessary to read in order for The Fitz and the Fool trilogy to reach its maximum potential, imo. 😊

[@curtjarrell9710]

I just bought up Assassins' Apprentice.

[@PetrikLeo]

Great decision!! :)

[@BaldBookTuber]

Love your RotE content Petrick, even though your Assassin’s Quest takes hurt me. :)

[@PetrikLeo]

Thank you! Let's forget the Assassin's Quest take ever happen and focus on the ones we agree! 😆

[@brendanekin5947]

Agreed Scot 😩

[@miriammichalak8872]

I adore Hobb! Farseer were the books that got me back into Fantasy after a long hiatus. I re-read the entire RotE (some via audio) when Fitz & the Fool trilogy was complete and it was a wonderful experience - I laughed, cried and got constantly exasperated with our poor old Fitz! . No-one writes better character-led epic fantasy than her. Have you read any of Megan Lindholm books?

[@PetrikLeo]

Yeahh, she's truly one of the best character-driven fantasy writer! For Megan Lindholm books, I've read only the short stories in The Inheritance, I'm not sure whether the novels will be for me or not. I'll probably give it a try in the future!

[@miriammichalak8872]

@@PetrikLeo I remember enjoying both the Windsingers and the Reindeer people books but that was quite a while ago now and have no idea if they've aged well (or how much my reading tastes have changed since then). I still have Cloven Hooves & Alien Earth in my TBR .....one day I'll get to them!

[@moev29]

I read Farseer and Liveship. Hated them both. I’m just here for the cute dog lol 😂🐶. Damn it now I want to read Fitz and the Fool

[@PetrikLeo]

Don't force it! If you hated those two, you won't love the rest! 🤣 Thank you for checking this video out, though!! 😆

[@civoreb]

I dont know whether to go for Liveship or Tawny man after Farseer. Also, I felt exactly the same about Assassins Quest.

[@PetrikLeo]

I recommend Liveship first. It's so good, and it made the return to Tawny Man better! 😊

[@civoreb]

@@PetrikLeo Good to know! Thank you for responding!

[@shadowoflugia]

Why did I LOVE Assassin’s Quest so much (it’s my favorite of the Farseer trilogy) when everyone else didn’t like it?! 😭😭😭

[@PetrikLeo]

I didn't like it, too. 😂😂 Glad you loved it, though!

[@drdiscostu]

I have Tawny Man #1 but they were all great

[@PetrikLeo]

I agree. Fool's Errand is amazing. 😄

[@kinahthecat]

I have been reading the book in order of publication and I just recently finished Fool's Errand. I loved the first two trilogies, but I agree that Assassin's Quest wasn't as good. In my case, I just don't like 'questing' type of stories, so the title should have been a big clue that I wouldn't like it as much. But I am excited to know that the series remains strong until the end. I might skip the dragon series because even though I loved Liveship Traders, the parts with the serpents and dragons I just didn't enjoy as much. Also, not a big fan of the teenage angst.

[@PetrikLeo]

Yeah, I probably should've realized that Asassin's Quest will live up to its name, maybe a bit too much. The serpents and dragons POV were the weakest part of Liveship Traders, imo, so I understand what you're saying! :)

[@ep6808]

I would rank the series exactly the same!! Wow. The Liveship books were the strongest for plot/pacing, it felt so fresh and exciting after the Farseer trilogy. I struggled through the dragon keeper books, but they were very very important to worldbuilding. And Fitz and the Fool... wow. Starting them after the dragon books felt like coming home, and she had overcome the weaknesses she had in the earlier Fitz books. She is the best author I've found at writing characters and relationships. I love Fitz and the Fool more than I can say. They're my favourite characters of all time

[@PetrikLeo]

Yeah!! Robin Hobb is truly one of the best fantasy authors of all time, imo. Her characterizations and writings remain the best to this day. I'm glad you have the same exact ranking for the series! :D

[@angelaholmes8888]

I just finished reading dragon keeper it was a nice read but I still love the liveship trader series already requested the next book dragon haven

[@PetrikLeo]

That's wonderful to hear. Dragon Haven was the weakest of the series imo, but I hope it will work better for you!

[@angelaholmes8888]

Thanks 🤗

[@JJJKKK445]

I like to think of RotE, WoT and Malazan as the "big 3" of fantasy books (kind of like Bleach, Naruto and One piece for anime/manga). I finished WoT in january 2021, Malazan in august, guess it's time for Elderlings.

[@PetrikLeo]

That's a great comparison. And there's A Song of Ice and Fire, Discworld, and Cosmere universe too! I hope you'll love Elderlings!

[@TheBookCure]

Okay. I am 10 seconds in and I had to pause to say OHMYGODCHOCO. 😍😍

[@PetrikLeo]

He's the cutest and goodest!! 😄

[@gregorylaperche5574]

One day, I will get to the Realm of the Elderling

[@PetrikLeo]

Dooooo it!!!

[@sophiasthoughts]

I just finished reading Ship of Magic and that must be some character arc because, right now, I can't ever see myself liking Malta!!

[@PetrikLeo]

Hahaha i know what you mean! But don't worry, Robin Hobb will surprise you! :)

[@sophiasthoughts]

@@PetrikLeo she's been pretty successful at that so far, so I have confidence that it'll continue 😊

[@kimgarcia6629]

Ok, your comment about Malta… gives me hope. I read ship of magic and getting ready to start mad ship after i finish assassins apprentice, and I wanted to slap that bitch too! I was so frustrated with her!!! I was feeling so much for all the characters!! I was so surprised that Robin Hobb managed to make me feel such a large range of emotions for all of the characters in Ship of Magic. But so far, I enjoyed ship of magic so much more than assassins apprentice.

[@PetrikLeo]

Ah, I remember the days I hated Malta so MUCH. 🤣 I think you'll warm up to her through the rest of the trilogy! I agree that Ship of Magjc is better than Assassin's Apprentice! 😁

[@ian8418]

Almost finished with Fool’s Quest, then I only have one book left. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I have no more RotE left- it’s been such a long and amazing journey.

[@anniecochrane3359]

Wait a few years and then read them all again :)

[@PetrikLeo]

It will be worth it. As Annie said, wait a few years then read them all again, I'm in the wat a few years period of time right now hahahah

[@1NOHERO]

I'm currently reading royal assassins and I was wondering when do we start to get answers about Fitz mother and the fool.

[@PetrikLeo]

We never get much on Fitz's biological mother. But The Fool, we constantly learn more about The Fool throughout the entire series. 😁

[@khomo12]

Thank you!👍👍👍📚🤖🚀🐲

[@zachary37]

I finished the Farseer trilogy and while I liked it, I got frustrated with how stupid the good guys act. They just let the bad guys get away with a lot of obvious shenanigans, especially in Royal Assassin. Also it starts to feel a little TOO sad sometimes, I don't feel any joy or hope for Fitz because there's really nothing good about his life. But I've heard Liveship and Tawny Man is a lot better so hopefully I'll enjoy them more!

[@PetrikLeo]

Sadness is definitely a reoccurring theme in Hobb's books, but I do think that Liveship Traders is less depressing than the books with Fitz. I hope it will work better for you!

[@R1glet]

i need to get back into robin hobb world. i stopped after the tawny man, one of the best trilogy i read this year. all i hear is negative things about the rain wild smh.

[@PetrikLeo]

Yeah... I can't disagree with them. I think you should give the first book a try and see how you feel, if you don't like it, move to the final series immediately! 😊

[@aysseralwan]

I'm currently reading Blood of dragons, read everything in publication order so I didn't read Fitz and the Fool yet and Liveship trader trilogy is my favorite of the ones I've read so far. 2nd would be Tawny man right now and I think I like Rain Wild Chronicles more than Farseer tho I haven't read the ending but I also never heard that Rain wilds ending is bad so I guess it won't change Edit: I've not read any novellas or short stories yet 2nd edit: unpopular opinion but I like Rain wild chronicles. I just find it weird that like half the guys are gay and I hate the love triangle like just stop it. This is hands down one trope that no one will write good cuz it's just a shit trope

[@PetrikLeo]

Oh that's interesting! Glad you enjoyed Rain Wild more than i did. I totally couldn't click with Rain Wild Chronicles due to one of the reason you mentioned. The love triangles and teenage angst drove me insane. It was maddening hearing them constantly bickering about who get to kiss who bla3. xD

[@AndrewsWizardlyReads]

Your nighteyes is a pretty puppy

[@PetrikLeo]

He's the best 😄

[@jakebishop7822]

3:47 I knew who you were going to say before you said it

[@PetrikLeo]

She infuriated me like insane the first book! Can't believe how much i grew to like her!

[@annakhjelm146]

That has to be the cutest 'Night eyes' ever 😆

[@PetrikLeo]

Be careful! He can bite! Rawr. 🤣

[@annakhjelm146]

@@PetrikLeo He's super cute compared with my large border collie 😆