The Robin Hobb Collection discussion

Ch26 -so if Burrich dies then theoretically Fitz will be able to get back with Molly. But I'm not sure it's going to be that simple.

Thick's healing ability was pretty awesome. I wonder if we are ever going to know if the Pale Lady is dead or not. Somehow I doubt it.

Up to Ch 28 - Some touching scenes re Fitz and Fool. The Pale Lady was a pathetic horror

ch27 - i think Thick is such a marvelous character!

As he dished up more than half the porridge for himself, he added, “It was easy to stay. I just sent with Chade, with Chade at Prince, and with Prince, with Prince at Chade. They believed me and got on the boats.”
“And no one else noticed you were missing?” I asked skeptically.
“Oh. I went don't see me, don't see me at the others. It was easy.”

What on earth was he thinking? He didn't even know that Fitz would stay behind when he did that. You gotta love the man's fear of boats. Perhaps they can go back via the Fool's skill pillar. Perhaps he would like that better.

I thought the black man was interesting. So a failed prophet goes black? Or is that too simple? Do they just change colour over time: white, golden, black?
That can't be true either cause the pale Lady stayed pale, and the black man was surprised the Fool was Golden.
So what is it? They are white or black. But the Fool become Golden due to Girl on Dragon?

David Sven wrote: "Up to Ch 28 - Some touching scenes re Fitz and Fool. The Pale Lady was a pathetic horror"

she most definitely was.
i like that fitz left her alive, even if i'm not sure that it's a sound plan. those who are down have a way to climb back up. even if it's honourable to not kick them when they're down.

ch29 - i like the unexpected rooster crown. i guess we should have known that a wooden rooster crown was a jester-type thing. but still, i thought it somehow more magical than this.

i like how they become feathers though. i wonder who tintaglia is going to hand out feathers to... hopefully she's making plenty!

Hanne wrote: "What on earth was he thinking? He didn't even know that Fitz would stay behind when he did that. You gotta love the man's fear of boats."

Yeah. Thick really really HATES boats.

yes it seems that way :D

Hanne wrote: "I thought the black man was interesting. So a failed prophet goes black? Or is that too simple? "

I wander if the black man is Hoquin? Hoquin had a female catalyst and the black man mentions his catalyst was female.

Hanne wrote: "So what is it? They are white or black. But the Fool become Golden due to Girl on Dragon? "

I thought he was still quite Pale in Liveships. Maybe they change as they get closer to being a successful white prophet?


And if I'm reading this right - The Fool made a deal with lady on a dragon. She gets the crown - and she gives him back Fitz' memories in return? Which he then delivers to Fitz via the kiss?

no he wasn't pale in liveships - that's why for such a long time i didn't believe it was the fool.
i don't think he was quite as golden yet either though. something in between perhaps.

hoquin is an interesing notion. i don't know. it's the only other prophet we've heard a lot about, but i don't have timelines here (and no clue how long prophets supposedly live)

...I believe the most accurate description of the Fool's colour in Liveships would be "Amber".

The Fool is many things, but imaginative in giving himself names is not one of them.

I don't like what seems to be an obvious retcon of realder's dragon.

Incidentally, when the dragons have sex and he bites her and poor innocent elliania is outraged and asks why a male would possibly bite a female like that if they're not fighting and how come she seems to be enjoy... oh.
That's actually the second time Hobb's done that. Back in Farseer, Fitz learns about how Burrich apparently bites girls when he has sex with them, and is outraged and can't understand why a man would bite a woman, and more importantly can't understand why a woman would enjoy being... oh.

There's no particular parallel between the two cases, it just struck me as odd that Hobb would use the same fairly unusual device as a symbol of sexual innocence twice...

wow, you have a good memory!
i don't think i would have been able to draw the parallel because i had forgotten all about burrich. doesn't sound like it would be accidental indeed.

Well, I can't see any thematic parallel there, really. So I'm assuming it's either pure coincidence or just that Hobb has a thing for biting.
[The Burrich one appeared in a broader thematic context of 'pseudobestiality is sexy' - the girls were all really impressed by how Burrich behaved like a horse when he had sex, just as Molly was super-impressed when she had sex with Nighteyes in Fitz's body (note - fitz is SUPER eager to repeatedly, continually clarify that Kettricken had sex with Verity, not with Fitz, because it's the soul that matters, not the body, and yet he retcons the 'Fitz is unconscious so Nighteyes takes over his body to have sex with Molly and when he wakes up Fitz has no memory of the evening' incident to be Molly having sex with Fitz, NOT Molly having sex with Nighteyes... a bit of a double standard there, no?). (Given how canines actually have sex, her inordinate happiness with wolf-sex seems a little unrealistic, but maybe Nighteyes has been learning a lot from contact with Fitz...).]

I wouldn't say I have a good memory, unfortunately - I'd say I have a randomised memory. I can remember all sorts of bits of trivia no matter how insignificant, with as much ease as I forget really vital things of imminent practical significance on a daily basis...



Oh, and Hobb STILL tries to move the conversation away when the talk gets to the Helpful Beings. Fitz speculates, and the Fool sort of goes alon with, the idea that they're ascended Elderlings. Not sure I'm entirely convinced...

By the way, was I the only one to be cheering for Rawbread when he fought Tintaglia? I know we're "meant" to be on Tintie's side, but I've been loating Tintie and wanted her to get her comeuppance for about five thick novels now, and I only met Rawbread a few chapters ago and kind of liked him even then. He may have been an insane mass-murderer, but he wants to kill the Pale Woman, and he's refreshingly straightforward in his methods compared to everyone else in these books.

More importantly: hooray for humanity! We now know that stone dragons can kick the arses of the actual dragons. This may be very important information to have for future generations of humanity. [I don't think Hobb will ever put down her ideology long enough to admit that defending humans from being eaten might be a good thing, but as a reader it's comforting to know there's at least SOME way for Chade and co to fight Our New Reptilian Overlords when they come and slaughter all the characters we care about]

Wastrel wrote: "By the way, was I the only one to be cheering for Rawbread when he fought Tintaglia? I know we're "meant" to be on Tintie's side, but I've been loating Tintie and wanted her to get her comeuppance for about five thick novels now,"

Ha Ha! While I do think Tintaglia needs to be put in her place - which makes me cheer every time Nettle does it - I wasn't cheering for Rawbread.