1300 187 187
The triumphant conclusion to our three thrilling fantasy series, from the author of the bestselling Farseer and Liveship traders trilogies. The moving end to the tale of the Farseers, in which kingdoms must stand or fall on the beat of a dragon's wings, or a Fool's heart. A small and sadly untried coterie -- the old assassin Chade, the serving-boy Thick, Prince Dutiful, and his reluctant Skillmaster, Fitz -- sail towards the distant island of Aslevjal. There they must fulfil the Narcheska's challenge to her betrothed: to lay the head of the dragon Icefyre, whom legends tell is buried there deep beneath the ice, upon her hearth. Only with the completion of this quest can the marriage proceed, and the resulting alliance signal an end to war between the two kingdoms. It is not a happy ship: tensions between the folk of the Six Duchies and their traditional enemies, the Outislanders, lie just beneath the surface. Thick is constantly ill, and his random but powerful Skilling has taken on a dark and menacing tone, while Chade's fascination with the Skill is growing to the point of obsession. Having ensured that his beloved friend the Fool is safely left behind in Buckkeep, Fitz is guilt-stricken; but he is determined to keep his fate at bay, since prophecy foretells the Fool's 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!
A satisfying end to the author's Tawny Man trilogy. As before, the story is narrated by FitzChivalry Farseer, the royal bastard trained as an assassin. Prince Dutiful, heir apparent to the throne of the Six Duchies, has promised his fiancee, an Outisland princess, that he'll bring her the head of a dragon frozen on an isolated northern island. Now, Hobb (a.k.a. Megan Lindholm) explores the consequences of that promise, both for the young couple and for those required to help the prince fulfill it. Lord Golden, the former royal fool, has foreseen his own death on the island where the dragon is buried. Fitz, whose life is deeply entangled with the fool's, decides to prevent his friend from taking the journey. On the trip to the Outislands, the prince's companion Thick, a half-witted peasant gifted with extraordinary telepathic powers, becomes convinced he'll die of seasickness; the prince puts him in Fitz's care, no light burden. And upon arrival in the islands, the royal party learns that the dragon-slaying that Dutiful has promised is opposed by a significant faction among the island notables. Dutiful shows his growing maturity by negotiating the diplomatic hurdles skillfully; the compromise solution is that the prince will take only a token force with him, escorted by a wicked band of island warriors who will witness his deed and report it to the full council. And, as it turns out, the dragons have something to say about things, too. Hobb works this complex situation into an atmosphere-filled adventure on the glacial island, with a fair quota of surprises. As in the first two entries, much of the tension comes from the interaction of a large group of characters with conflicting agendas and considerable power to enforce their wills. A winning combination of strong characters and colorful societies. (Kirkus Reviews)
ISBN: 9780006486039
ISBN-10: 0006486037
Series: Tawny Man
Audience:
General
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 805
Published: 29th September 2004
Dimensions (cm): 17.1 x 11.6
x 4.5
Weight (kg): 0.43
9am - 4pm AEST, Monday - Friday
