Strange magic and deadly conspiracies collide in Robin Hobb’s much-loved fantasy classic, ‘The Farseer Trilogy’. This special Folio Society edition features illustrations by David Palumbo.
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The Farseer Trilogy
‘Fantasy as it ought to be written’
George R. R. Martin
‘The Farseer Trilogy’ is a modern fantasy classic, and author Robin Hobb is rightly celebrated across the literary world for her endlessly compelling characters and mastery of political subtleties. With millions of fans, the adventures of Fitz and the Fool are the epitome of everything truly great epic fantasy is capable of: stories told across a vast landscape, with the intimacy and emotion of the greatest literature. This special collector’s edition, brings together Assassin’s Apprentice, RoyalAssassin and Assassin’s Quest, with a series of thrilling illustrations from David Palumbo and a map of the Six Duchies redrawn by cartographer Neil Gower. Robin Hobb herself has written a new introduction exclusively for this edition, revealing how one stray thought – what if magic were addictive? – laid the foundations for an entire saga.
5 full-page colour illustrations per volume (15 in total)
Double-page map in each volume, redrawn by Neil Gower
Prints 2 colours throughout in black and red
Blocked slipcase
10˝ x 6¾˝
Step into the Realm of the Elderlings
‘If all I had ever done was to be born and discovered, I would have left a mark across all the land for all time. I grew up fatherless and motherless in a court where all recognized me as a catalyst. And a catalyst I became.’
For this special illustrated Farseer trilogy set artist David Palumbo has created five colour illustrations for each volume, as well as striking binding designs displaying three symbolic images from the novels. Robin Hobb is celebrated for her fascinating characters, so it was vital that the illustrations capture this beloved cast alongside the key moments of action and peril. Palumbo’s work on this series is exquisite, delivering the trilogy’s realistic medieval tone and its rich fantasy world. The text itself is printed in black and red, and special care has been taken to choose a font that conjures the unique atmosphere of the Realm of the Elderlings. Neil Gower has redrawn the map of the Six Duchies in matching black and red, and the bindings have been blocked with beautiful silver, gold and pewter foils.
‘My life has been a web of secrets’
The Six Duchies are already teetering on the brink of civil war when it is revealed that the king-in-waiting has sired a bastard on a peasant woman. Once his father has abdicated in disgrace, FitzChivalry Farseer is brought to court to serve the current king as an assassin: of royal blood, yet tainted, Fitz is to become a weapon wielded from the shadows. Isolated and pulled in different directions by the two alluring yet potentially lethal magics that course through his blood, Fitz is soon thrown into the midst of a plot that threatens everything he holds dear. Aided by the mysterious Fool, Fitz will have to think fast: it is his destiny to change the world, if he can live long enough.
A modern fantasy masterpiece
Hobb has built an entirely believable fantasy world, grounded in recognisable realities. Fitz’s training under the eye of the spymaster Chade is as gradually seductive and as chilling as the effects of any of the poisons he is called on to deploy, and the moral quandaries he faces as he kills for his king are at the very heart of the series. The fantastical elements too are handled expertly. The dual magics of the ‘Wit’ and the ‘Skill’, both of which are manifested in Fitz, play against each other to create a story of incredible depth and scale. How would a power like the Skill revolutionise warfare? If you could see through the eyes of a wolf, how would it change you? These are questions that Hobb considers carefully and uses to devastating narrative effect.
About Robin Hobb
Robin Hobb is a fantasy novelist, best known for her books set in the Realms of the Elderlings, a series of trilogies that began with ‘The Farseer Trilogy’ and concluded with the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy. The final volume, Assassin’s Fate, appeared in 2017. Hobb’s works have been translated into over 20 languages and honoured with awards including a Hebban Award in 2015, the Golden Inkpot at San Diego Comic-Con in 2017 and a Gemmel Legend Award in 2018. She also writes fantasy and science fiction as Megan Lindholm. Her best-known novel as Lindholm is Wizard of the Pigeons (1985). Her short stories have been finalists for both the Hugo and the Nebula awards. Hobb does most of her writing from a small farm in rural Washington state, where she also raises chickens, ducks, geese, vegetables and seven grandchildren.
About David Palumbo
David Palumbo is an American freelance illustrator. The son of a science fiction scholar and an illustrator, he is known for dark, atmospheric genre illustration. Palumbo has received numerous honours for his work, including three Spectrum medals and a Chesley Award, and has shown his paintings in galleries from New York to Paris. His clients include Dark Horse Comics, Wizards of the Coast, Heavy Metal magazine, Tor Books and Marvel Entertainment. He lives in Philadelphia.
Reviews Powered By
Average Score for 71 Review(s)
Superb binding and case. Excellent quality. Makes a great addition to my collection.
Review by
SEAN WHITTAKER
on 25th February 2025
Fantastic books and the best customer service.
Review by
JOHAN JOHANSSON
on 23rd January 2025
Production, binding and illustrations are all top notch. No one does it like Folio!
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