The Realm of the Elderlings Books in Order By Robin Hobb
When you cut pieces out of the truth to avoid looking like a fool you end up looking like a moron instead.
― Robin Hobb, Assassin’s Apprentice
The Farseer Trilogy
- Assassin’s Apprentice (1995)
- Royal Assassin (1996)
- Assassin’s Quest (1997)
The Liveship Trilogy
- Ship of Magic (1998)
- The Mad Ship (1999)
- Ship of Destiny (2000)
The Tawny Man Trilogy
- Fool’s Errand (2001)
- The Golden Fool (2002)
- Fool’s Fate (2003)
The Rain Wild Chronicles
- Dragon Keeper (2009)
- Dragon Haven (2010)
- City of Dragons (2011)
- Blood of Dragons (2013)
Fitz and Fool Trilogy
- Fool’s Assassin (2014)
- Fool’s Quest (2015)
- Assassin’s Fate (2017)
The Realm of the Elderlings novellas & short stories:
- “Homecoming” in Legends II (1998)
- “Blue Boots” in Songs of Love and Death (2010)
- “The Triumph” in Warriors (2010)
- “The Inheritance” in The Inheritance & Other Stories (2011)
- “Cat’s Meat” in The Inheritance & Other Stories (2011)
- “Words Like Coins” in A Fantasy Medley (2012)
- The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince (Farseer Trilogy’s prequel) (2013)
- “Her Father’s Sword” in The Book of Swords (2017)
Standalone series set in other worlds:
The Soldier Son Trilogy
- Shaman’s Crossing (2005)
- Forest Mage (2006)
- Renegade’s Magic (2007)
What is The Realm of the Elderlings about?
The Realm of the Elderlings, the ultimate trilogy in trilogies, is a fantasy series by Robin Hobb that takes place in a world where magic exists. The story follows various characters in the Six Duchies, a kingdom ruled by a monarchy. The series explores the influence of the ancient Elderlings, a vanished race, through artifacts, magic, and creatures they left behind. Dragon eggs hatch into sentient beings that bond with humans, shaping the world’s fate. Throughout the series, you are held through by the constant political intrigue, the power struggles and the alliances that are formed and broken.
Who is Robin Hobb?
Robin Hobb, born Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden, is an American author known for her fantasy novels. She gained popularity with her Farseer Trilogy, published under the pen name Robin Hobb. Her storytelling is characterized by deep world-building and complex characters. Hobb’s works, particularly those set in the Realm of the Elderlings, explore themes of identity and personal growth. She has a distinctive writing style that emphasizes introspection and emotional depth. Hobb’s contributions to the fantasy genre have earned her critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base.
For the weakest has but to try his strength to find it, and then he shall be strong.
― Robin Hobb, Ship of Magic
The Order
Below you will find the best and recommended reading order to go through all of Robin Hobb’s The Realm of the Elderlings series. In this order you will get the most out of her books, if you are a returning reader, or are more interested in certain aspects of this world, alternative reading orders will be at the end of this.
Publication Order of The Realm of the Elderlings
- Assassin’s Apprentice (1995) (The Farseer Trilogy #1)
- Royal Assassin (1996) (The Farseer Trilogy #2)
- Assassin’s Quest (1997) (The Farseer Trilogy #3)
- “Homecoming” in Legends II (1998)
- Ship of Magic (1998) (The Liveship Trilogy #1)
- The Mad Ship (1999) (The Liveship Trilogy #2)
- Ship of Destiny (2000) (The Liveship Trilogy #3)
- Fool’s Errand (2001) (The Tawny Man Trilogy #1)
- The Golden Fool (2002) (The Tawny Man Trilogy #2)
- Fool’s Fate (2003) (The Tawny Man Trilogy #3)
- Dragon Keeper (2009) (The Rain Wild Chronicles #1)
- Dragon Haven (2010) (The Rain Wild Chronicles #2)
- “Blue Boots” in Songs of Love and Death (2010)
- “The Triumph” in Warriors (2010)
- City of Dragons (2011) (The Rain Wild Chronicles #3)
- “The Inheritance” in The Inheritance & Other Stories (2011)
- “Cat’s Meat” in The Inheritance & Other Stories (2011)
- “Words Like Coins” in A Fantasy Medley (2012)
- Blood of Dragons (2013) (The Rain Wild Chronicles #4)
- The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince (Farseer Trilogy’s prequel) (2013)
- Fool’s Assassin (2014) (Fitz and the Fool #1)
- Fool’s Quest (2015) (Fitz and the Fool #2)
- Assassin’s Fate (2017) (Fitz and the Fool #3)
- “Her Father’s Sword” in The Book of Swords (2017)
WARNING: There may be spoilers for some of the books mentioned. These are taken from the official descriptions but can sometimes spoil parts of previous books. So please be careful!
The Farseer Trilogy
- Assassin’s Apprentice (1995)
The Farseer Trilogy #1, The Realm of the Elderlings #1
150,510 words, 392 pages, 10hrs 5mins to read
Published by Spectra
4.17 out of 5 on Goodreads
In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma.
Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals – the old art known as the Wit – gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility.
So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.
- Royal Assassin (1996)
The Farseer Trilogy #2, The Realm of the Elderlings #2
231,795 words, 648 pages, 15hrs 30mins to read
Published by Spectra
4.26 out of 5 on Goodreads
Fitz has survived his first hazardous mission as king’s assassin, but is left little more than a cripple. Battered and bitter, he vows to abandon his oath to King Shrewd, remaining in the distant mountains. But love and events of terrible urgency draw him back to the court at Buckkeep, and into the deadly intrigues of the royal family.
Renewing their vicious attacks on the coast, the Red-Ship Raiders leave burned-out villages and demented victims in their wake. The kingdom is also under assault from within, as treachery threatens the throne of the ailing king. In this time of great danger, the fate of the kingdom may rest in Fitz’s hands—and his role in its salvation may require the ultimate sacrifice.
- Assassin’s Quest (1997)
The Farseer Trilogy #3, The Realm of the Elderlings #3
297,530 words, 838 pages, 19hrs 55mins to read
Published by Spectra
4.20 out of 5 on Goodreads
King Shrewd is dead at the hands of his son Regal. As is Fitz–or so his enemies and friends believe. But with the help of his allies and his beast magic, he emerges from the grave, deeply scarred in body and soul. The kingdom also teeters toward ruin: Regal has plundered and abandoned the capital, while the rightful heir, Prince Verity, is lost to his mad quest–perhaps to death. Only Verity’s return–or the heir his princess carries–can save the Six Duchies.
But Fitz will not wait. Driven by loss and bitter memories, he undertakes a quest: to kill Regal. The journey casts him into deep waters, as he discovers wild currents of magic within him–currents that will either drown him or make him something more than he was.
The Liveship Trilogy
- Ship of Magic (1998)
The Liveship Trilogy #1, The Realm of the Elderlings #4
279,840 words, 880 pages, 18hrs 40mins to read
Published by Spectra
4.19 out of 5 on Goodreads
Wizardwood, a sentient wood.
The most precious commodity in the world.
Like many other legendary wares, it comes only from the Rain River Wilds.
But how can one trade with the Rain Wilders, when only a liveship fashioned from wizardwood can negotiate the perilous waters of the Rain River? Rare and valuable a liveship will quicken only when three members, from successive generations, have died on board. The liveship Vivacia is about to undergo her quickening as Althea Vestrit’s father is carried on deck in his death-throes. Althea waits for the ship that she loves more than anything else in the world to awaken. Only to discover that the Vivacia has been signed away in her father’s will to her brutal brother-in-law, Kyle Haven…
Others plot to win or steal a liveship. The Paragon, known by many as the Pariah, went mad, turned turtle, and drowned his crew. Now he lies blind, lonely, and broken on a deserted beach. But greedy men have designs to restore him, to sail the waters of the Rain Wild River once more.
- The Mad Ship (1999)
The Liveship Trilogy #2, The Realm of the Elderlings #5
268,755 words, 906 pages, 17hrs 55mins to read
Published by Spectra
4.28 out of 5 on Goodreads
The Farseer trilogy continues the dramatic tale of piracy, serpents, love and magic. The Vestrit family’s liveship, Vivacia, has been taken by the pirate king, Kennit. Held captive on board, Wintrow Vestrit finds himself competing with Kennit for Vivacia’s love as the ship slowly acquires her own bloodlust. Leagues away, Althea Vestrit has found a new home aboard the liveship Ophelia, but she lives only to reclaim the Vivacia and with her friend, Brashen, she plans a dangerous rescue. Meanwhile in Bingtown, the fading fortunes of the Vestrit family lead Malta deeper into the magical secrets of the Rain Wild Traders. And just outside Bingtown, Amber dreams of relaunching Paragon, the mad liveship …
- Ship of Destiny (2000)
The Liveship Trilogy #3, The Realm of the Elderlings #6
266,510 words, 903 pages, 17hrs 45mins to read
Published by Spectra
4.27 out of 5 on Goodreads
As Bingtown slides toward disaster, clan matriarch Ronica Vestrit, branded a traitor, searches for a way to bring the city’s inhabitants together against a momentous threat. Meanwhile, Althea Vestrit, unaware of what has befallen Bingtown and her family, continues her perilous quest to track down and recover her liveship, the “Vivacia, “from the ruthless pirate Kennit.
Bold though it is, Althea’s scheme may be in vain. For her beloved “Vivacia “will face the most terrible confrontation of all as the secret of the liveships is revealed. It is a truth so shattering, it may destroy the “Vivacia “and all who love her, including Althea’s nephew, whose life already hangs in the balance.
The Tawny Man Trilogy
- Fool’s Errand (2001)
The Tawny Man Trilogy #1, The Realm of the Elderlings #7
183,350 words, 593 pages,12hrs 15mins to read
Published by Voyager
4.35 out of 5 on Goodreads
Fifteen years have passed since the end of the Red Ship War with the terrifying Outislanders. Since then, Fitz has wandered the world accompanied only by his wolf and Wit-partner, Nighteyes, finally settling in a tiny cottage as remote from Buckkeep and the Farseers as possible.
But lately the world has come crashing in again. The Witted are being persecuted because of their magical bonds with animals; and young Prince Dutiful has gone missing just before his crucial diplomatic wedding to an Outislander princess. Fitz’s assignment to fetch Dutiful back in time for the ceremony seems very much like a fool’s errand, but the dangers ahead could signal the end of the Farseer reign.
- The Golden Fool (2002)
The Tawny Man Trilogy #2, The Realm of the Elderlings #8
198,795 words, 632 pages, 13hrs 15mins to read
Published by Voyager
4.35 out of 5 on Goodreads
Fitz has been persuaded back to court, posing as a servant to the decadent Lord Golden (who is the Fool in disguise). In secret, he will train Prince Dutiful in the magic known as the Skill. The peace remains fragile, so the diplomatic wedding between Dutiful and the Outislander princess is a crucial alliance. But when Elliania arrives she challenges the prince to undertake an impossible quest before she will accept him. He must kill Icefyre, one of the last true dragons. And Fitz and the Fool must go with him…
- Fool’s Fate (2003)
The Tawny Man Trilogy #3, The Realm of the Elderlings #9
250,935 words, 805 pages,16hrs 45mins to read
Published by Voyager
4.46 out of 5 on Goodreads
Kingdoms will stand or fall on the beat of a dragon’s wings, or a Fool’s heart.
Prince Dutiful has been charged with a quest to the Outisland to take the head of the black dragon Icefyre. Only then will his betrothed marry him and cement the alliance between their warring kingdoms.
But is Icefyre just a legend? Or does he truly slumber beneath the glaciers? Fitz has prevented his friend the Fool from accompanying them the Fool has foreseen his own death if he ever sets foot on the isle of the black dragon. But as their ship draws in towards Aslevjal a lone figure awaits them…
The Rain Wild Chronicles
- Dragon Keeper (2009)
The Rain Wild Chronicles #1, The Realm of the Elderlings #10
148,190 words, 560 pages, 9hrs 50mins to read
Published by Voyager
3.95 out of 5 on Goodreads
Guided by the great blue dragon Tintaglia, they came from the sea: a Tangle of serpents fighting their way up the Rain Wilds River, the first to make the perilous journey to the cocooning grounds in generations. Many have died along the way. With its acid waters and impenetrable forest, it is a hard place for any to survive.
People are changed by the Rain Wilds, subtly or otherwise. One such is Thymara. Born with black claws and other aberrations, she should have been exposed at birth. But her father saved her and her mother has never forgiven him. Like everyone else, Thymara is fascinated by the return of dragons: it is as if they symbolise the return of hope to their war-torn world. Leftrin, captain of the liveship Tarman, also has an interest in the hatching; as does Bingtown newlywed, Alise Finbok, who has made it her life’s work to study all there is to know of dragons.
- Dragon Haven (2010)
The Rain Wild Chronicles #2, The Realm of the Elderlings #11
165,135 words, 570 pages, 11hrs to read
Published by Voyager
4.11 out of 5 on Goodreads
The dragon keepers and the fledgling dragons are forging a passage up the treacherous Rain Wild River. They are in search of the mythical Elderling city of Kelsingra, and are accompanied by the liveship Tarman, its captain, Leftrin, and a group of hunters who must search the forests for game with which to keep the dragons fed. With them are Alise, who has escaped her cold marriage to the cruel libertine Hest Finbok in order to continue her study of dragons, and Hest’s amanuensis, Bingtown dandy, Sedric.
- City of Dragons (2011)
The Rain Wild Chronicles #3, The Realm of the Elderlings #12
120,745 words, 425 pages, 8hrs to read
Published by Voyager
4.10 out of 5 on Goodreads
The dragon keepers and fledgling dragons have discovered a route to the lost city of Kelsingra but there is one problem: they need to be able to fly to cross the treacherous waters and enter the fabled city. At first, only a few dragons are willing to try – the others are either too ashamed of their deformed wings and feeble muscles or too proud to risk failure and humiliation.
But the rewards waiting at Kelsingra for those brave enough to take to the air are worth more than they could possibly imagine. This was a city built for dragons and their keepers. Alise Finbok is overwhelmed by the treasures she finds there, and spends hours carefully uncovering wonder after wonder, recording her findings for posterity. She knows the knowledge will change everything the world thought about dragons and the Elderlings.
- Blood of Dragons (2013)
The Rain Wild Chronicles #4, The Realm of the Elderlings #13
162,565 words, 553 pages, 10hrs 50mins to read
Published by Voyager
4.17 out of 5 on Goodreads
The dragons and their dedicated band of keepers have at last found the lost city of Kelsingra. The magical creatures have learned to use their wings and are growing into their regal inheritance. Their humans, too, are changing. As the mystical bonds with their dragons deepen, Thymara, Tats, Rapskal, and even Sedric, the unlikeliest of keepers, have begun transforming into beautiful Elderlings raked with exquisite features that complement and reflect the dragons they serve.
But while the humans have scoured the empty streets and enormous buildings of Kelsingra, they cannot find the mythical silver wells the dragons need to stay health and survive. With enemies encroaching, the keepers must risk “memory walking”- immersing themselves in the dangerously addictive memories of long-deceased Elderlings – to uncover clues necessary to their survival.
Fitz and Fool Trilogy
- Fool’s Assassin (2014)
Fitz and the Fool #1, The Realm of the Elderlings #14
227,040 words, 630 pages, 15hrs 10mins to read
Published by Voyager
4.40 out of 5 on Goodreads
Tom Badgerlock has been living peaceably in the manor house at Withywoods with his beloved wife Molly these many years, the estate a reward to his family for loyal service to the crown.
But behind the facade of respectable middle-age lies a turbulent and violent past. For Tom Badgerlock is actually FitzChivalry Farseer, bastard scion of the Farseer line, convicted user of Beast-magic, and assassin. A man who has risked much for his king and lost more…
- Fool’s Quest (2015)
Fitz and the Fool #2, The Realm of the Elderlings #15
268,620 words, 757 pages, 17hrs 55mins to read
Published by Voyager
4.52 out of 5 on Goodreads
After nearly killing his oldest friend, the Fool, and finding his daughter stolen away by those who were once targeting the Fool, FitzChivarly Farseer is out for blood. And who better to wreak havoc than a highly trained and deadly former royal assassin? Fitz might have let his skills go fallow over his years of peace, but such things, once learned, are not so easily forgotten. And nothing is more dangerous than a man who has nothing left to lose…
- Assassin’s Fate (2017)
Fitz and the Fool #3, The Realm of the Elderlings #16
356,665 words, 853 pages, 23hrs 45mins to read
Published by Voyager
4.65 out of 5 on Goodreads
Prince FitzChivalry Farseer’s daughter Bee was violently abducted from Withywoods by Servants of the Four in their search for the Unexpected Son, foretold to wield great power. With Fitz in pursuit, the Servants fled through a Skill-pillar, leaving no trace. It seems certain that they and their young hostage have perished in the Skill-river.
Clerres, where White Prophets were trained by the Servants to set the world on a better path, has been corrupted by greed. Fitz is determined to reach the city and take vengeance on the Four, not only for the loss of Bee but also for their torture of the Fool. Accompanied by FitzVigilant, son of the assassin Chade, Chade’s protégé Spark and the stableboy Perseverance, Bee’s only friend, their journey will take them from the Elderling city of Kelsingra, down the perilous Rain Wild River, and on to the Pirate Isles.
The Realm of the Elderlings Novellas & Short Stories
All the novellas and short stories listed below come in part of a collection of other short stories. All the statistics seen below are as a whole as opposed to the individual Story.
- “Homecoming” in Legends II (2003)
Realm of the Elderlings #9.5
644 pages
Published by Del Rey Random house
3.92 out of 5 on Goodreads
- Realm of the Elderlings: Homecoming / Robin Hobb
- A Song of Ice and Fire: The Sworn Sword / George R.R. Martin
- The Tales of Alvin Maker: The Yazoo Queen / Orson Scott Card
- Outlander: Lord John and the Succubus / Diana Gabaldon
- Majipoor: The Book of Changes / Robert Silverberg
- Otherland: The Happiest Dead Boy in the World / Tad Williams
- Pern: Beyond Between / Anne McCaffrey
- The Riftwar: The Messenger / Raymond E. Feist
- The Symphony of Ages: Threshold / Elizabeth Haydon
- American gods: The Monarch of the Glen / Neil Gaiman
- Shannara: Indomitable / Terry Brooks
ROBIN HOBB returns to the Realm of the Elderlings with “Homecoming,” a powerful tale in which exiles sent to colonize the Cursed Shores find themselves sinking into an intoxicating but deadly dream . . . or is it a memory?
- “Blue Boots” in Songs of Love and Death (2010)
Realm of the Elderlings #1.6
468 pages
Published by Gallery Books
3.76 out of 5 on Goodreads
- “Love Hurts” copyright © 2010 by Jim Butcher
- “The Marrying Maid” copyright © 2010 by Jo Beverley
- “Rooftops” copyright © 2010 by Carrie Vaughn LLC
- “Hurt Me” copyright © 2010 by M. L. N. Hanover
- “Demon Lover” copyright © 2010 by Cecelia Holland
- “The Wayfarer’s Advice” copyright © 2010 by Melinda Snodgrass
- “Blue Boots” copyright © 2010 by Robin Hobb
- “The Thing About Cassandra” copyright © 2010 by Neil Gaiman
- “After the Blood” copyright © 2010 by Marjorie M. Liu
- “You, and You Alone” copyright © 2010 by Jacqueline Carey
- “His Wolf” copyright © 2010 by Lisa Tuttle
- “Courting Trouble” copyright © 2010 by Linnea Sinclair
- “The Demon Dancer” copyright © 2010 by Mary Jo Putney
- “Under/Above the Water” copyright © 2010 by Tanith Lee
- “Kaskia” copyright © 2010 by Peter S. Beagle
- “Man in the Mirror” copyright © 2010 by Yasmine Galenorn
- “A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows” copyright © 2010 by Diana Gabaldon
- “The Triumph” in Warriors (2010)
736 pages
Published by Tor Books
3.84 out of 5 on Goodreads
- – Introduction: Stories from the Spinner Rack by George R.R. Martin
- – The King of Norway by Cecelia Holland
- – Forever Bound by Joe Haldeman
- – The Triumph by Robin Hobb
- – Clean Slate by Lawrence Block
- – And Ministers of Grace by Tad Williams
- – Soldierin’ by Joe R. Lansdale
- – Dirae by Peter S. Beagle
- – The Custom of the Army by Diana Gabaldon
- – Seven Years from Home by Naomi Novik
- – The Eagle and the Rabbit by Steven Saylor
- – The Pit by James Rollins
- – Out of the Dark by David Weber
- – The Girls from Avenger by Carrie Vaughn
- – Ancient Ways by S.M. Stirling
- – Ninieslando by Howard Waldrop
- – Recidivist by Gardner Dozois
- – My Name is Legion by David Morrell
- – Defenders of the Frontier by Robert Silverberg
- – The Scroll by David Ball
- – The Mystery Knight: A Tale of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin
- “The Inheritance” in The Inheritance & Other Stories (2011)
Realm of the Elderlings #4.5
107,955 words, 400 pages, 7hrs 15mins to read
Published by Voyager
3.98 out of 5 on Goodreads
A collection of novellas and stories from one of the most critically acclaimed authors in the fantasy genre, Robin Hobb. Including work written under her pseudonym, Megan Lindholm. Bingtown heiresses rub shoulders in this wonderful collection with vampires and alien musicians, tramps and feral cats. In The Homecoming, Lady Carillion Carrock and a number of other Jamaillian nobles are sailing to the Cursed Shores.
- “Cat’s Meat” in The Inheritance & Other Stories (2011)
Realm of the Elderlings #0.6
107,955 words, 400 pages, 7hrs 15mins to read
Published by Voyager
3.98 out of 5 on Goodreads
Her best friend Hilia knew it and so did her tom cat, Marmalade. But love is blind: Rosemary had Pell’s baby, renovated the cottage his grandfather left in his will, turned its land to good use; and then he left her for another woman. Now he’s back, and something must be done!
- “Words Like Coins” in A Fantasy Medley (2012)
Realm of the Elderlings #1.5
34 pages
Published by Subterranean Press
4.06 out of 5 on Goodreads
Mirrifen, a failed hedge-witch’s apprentice who has married to find security finds that threatened by a severe drought and the appearance of a pregnant female pecksie.
- The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince (Farseer Trilogy’s prequel) (2013)
Realm of the Elderlings #0.5
32,815 words, 184 pages, 2hrs 20mins to read
Published by Voyager
4.02 out of 5 on Goodreads
One of the darkest legends in the Realm of the Elderlings recounts the tale of the so-called Piebald Prince, a Witted pretender to the throne unseated by the actions of brave nobles so that the Farseer line could continue untainted. Now the truth behind the story is revealed through the account of Felicity, a low-born companion of the Princess Caution at Buckkeep.
With Felicity by her side, Caution grows into a headstrong Queen-in-Waiting. But when Caution gives birth to a bastard son who shares the piebald markings of his father’s horse, Felicity is the one who raises him. And as the prince comes to power, political intrigue sparks dangerous whispers about the Wit that will change the kingdom forever…
- “Her Father’s Sword” in The Book of Swords (2017)
Realm of the Elderlings #1.7
522 pages
Published by Bantam Books
3.68 out of 5 on Goodreads
- – The Best Man Wins by K.J. Parker
- – Her Father’s Sword by Robin Hobb
- – The Hidden Girl by Ken Liu
- – The Sword of Destiny by Matthew Hughes
- – “I Am a Handsome Man”, Said Apollo Crow by Kate Elliott
- – The Triumph of Virtue by Walter Jon Williams
- – The Mocking Tower by Daniel Abraham
- – Hrunting by C.J. Cherryh
- – A Long, Cold Trail by Garth Nix
- – When I Was a Highwayman by Ellen Kushner
- – The Smoke of Gold Is Glory by Scott Lynch
- – The Colgrid Conundrum by Rich Larson
- – The King’s Evil by Elizabeth Bear
- – Waterfalling by Lavie Tidhar
- – The Sword Tyraste by Cecelia Holland
- – The Sons of the Dragon by George R.R. Martin
Standalone Trilogy
The Soldier Son Trilogy
- Shaman’s Crossing (2005)
The Soldier Son Trilogy #1
166,850 words, 591 pages, 11hrs 5mins to read
Published by Voyager
3.50 out of 5 on Goodreads
Nevare Burvelle was destined from birth to be a soldier. The second son of a newly anointed nobleman, he must endure the rigors of military training at the elite King’s Cavalla Academy–and survive the hatred, cruelty, and derision of his aristocratic classmates–before joining the King of Gernia’s brutal campaign of territorial expansion. The life chosen for him will be fraught with hardship, for he must ultimately face a forest-dwelling folk who will not submit easily to a king’s tyranny. And they possess an ancient magic their would-be conquerors have long discounted–a powerful sorcery that threatens to claim Nevare Burvelle’s soul and devastate his world once the Dark Evening brings the carnival to Old Thares.
- Forest Mage (2006)
The Soldier Son Trilogy #2
196,420 words, 822 pages, 13hrs to read
Published by Voyager
3.43 out of 5 on Goodreads
After surviving a plague that wiped out many of the students and instructors at the king’s military academy, Nevare returns home for his brother’s wedding, only to learn that he has been medically discharged from the school. The plague usually leaves its survivors skeletally thin, but Nevare, inexplicably, has begun to gain massive amounts of weight. With his family believing he’s a glutton, Nevare is disowned by his father and eventually ends up finding work as a lowly cemetery guard in a frontier town near the border with the Specks, a race of dapple-skinned forest dwellers who possess powerful natural magic. But in a world where technology never stops advancing, can the Specks survive? And what does the suddenly bloated Nevare have to do with their struggle?
- Renegade’s Magic (2006)
The Soldier Son Trilogy #3
192,590 words, 691 pages, 12hrs 50mins to read
Published by Voyager
3.53 out of 5 on Goodreads
The people of Gettys town believe their cemetery soldier, Nevare Burve, guilty of unspeakable crimes. They also recall beating him to death.
But Nevare didn’t die that day. A power far more intractable than an angry mob seized control of his life and swept him away. The magic of the Speck people has claimed Nevare, and is shaping him into a weapon to halt the Gernian expansion into Speck lands.
As his efforts to find a peaceful solution fail, Nevare realizes he can no longer suppress his ruthless Speck self, Soldier’s Boy. He is determined to stop the Gernian expansion at all costs, and unlike Nevare, has no sympathy for his spirit-twin’s world.
How different would our perception of reality be if… we discarded the mundane events that cannot coexist with our dreams?
― Robin Hobb, Shaman’s Crossing
Alternative Reading Order’s
Chronological Reading Order
Below you will find the chronological order for The Realm of the Elderlings.
0.1. Homecoming (1998)
0.5. The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince (2013)
0.6. Cat’s Meat (2011)
1. Assassin’s Apprentice (1995)
1.5. Words Like Coins (2012)
1.6. Blue Boots (2010)
1.7. Her Father’s Sword (2017)
2. Royal Assassin (1996)
3. Assassin’s Quest (1997)
3.5. The Inheritance (2011)
4. Ship of Magic (1998)
5. The Mad Ship (1999)
6. Ship of Destiny (2000)
7. Fool’s Errand (2001)
8. The Golden Fool (2002
9. Fool’s Fate (2003)
10. Dragon Keeper (2009)
11. Dragon Haven (2010)
12. City of Dragons (2011)
13. Blood of Dragons (2013)
14. Fool’s Assassin (2014)
15. The Fool’s Quest (2015)
16. Assassin’s Fate (2017)
Fitz and the Fool
If you are interested in just the main characters of Fitz and the Fool, you will find the best reading order for these two.
- The Farseer Trilogy
- The Tawny Man Trilogy
- Fitz and the Fool Trilogy
For reference, what you see below is set in the same world as above, but with minimal impact on each other.
- The Liveships Trilogy
- The Rain Wild Chronicles
Opinions may have truth in them but that truth must be free of opinions.
― Robin Hobb, The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince
Overall
Overall, the Realm of the Elderlings series is a deeply immersive and character-driven fantasy saga that combines elements of magic, adventure, and political intrigue. It explores the intricate connections between humans, dragons, and ancient civilisations, weaving a tapestry of rich storytelling that captivates readers across multiple volumes – a grand collection of trilogy of trilogies. One that all lovers of fantasy should be picking up immediately, if you have not done so already.
If you have enjoyed any of Robin Hobb’s work and want to learn more about her or any other of her work, then feel free to check out her website and you can follow her on Twitter.
Which one is your favourite or most looking forward to picking up next?
Let us know!
Happy reading!
The Realm of the Elderlings Word Count and More!
The Novels
- Total words: 3,576,980 words
- Total pages: 10,945 pages
- Total reading time: 238hrs 30mins
The Soldier Son Trilogy Total Word Count
- Total words: 555,860 words
- Total pages: 1,804 pages
- Total reading time: 37hrs 5mins
More of the same, but different:
For More of Anything:
Things to Note:
- Word count is an approximation.
- Amount of pages may differ due to different publications, font style and/or size etc.
- Time spent reading is generally an approximation based on the word count and the average reading time. The average reader will read 250 WPM (Words Per Minute).
- This is the original publisher of the books.
- The current Goodreads score at the time of writing.
- For more information on word lengths and what they mean, check out our handy guide here.
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