Golden Fool

Robin Hobb 2003 Buy from Amazon.com

The second in Robin Hobb’s Tawny Man series, Golden Fool continues on where Fool’s Errand left off. Prince Dutiful has returned to Buck Keep in time for his betrothal to the Narcheska Elliania from the Outislands. Tom Badgerlock has agreed to teach Dutiful and Chade the Skill magic and discovers that the simple servant Thick also has great talent in the skill.

There seems to be a lot happening in this book as plots are uncovered, new characters arrive and the daily politics of the Six Duchies grind on. Kettricken strives to alleviate the persecution of the Old Blood, known as the Witted, with limited success. Tom Badgerlock struggles to keep his illegitimate daughter Nettle away from the intrigues at court and serves the throne secretly in the guise of a guard. Prince Dutiful chafes at his betrothal to a girl that he sees as little more than a child. Yet there is something more to the betrothal that they can’t figure out, and the Narcheska seems to be involved in a deep plot.

Really there isn’t a lot of progress on the storyline in this book, yet there are smaller events that tie it all together and show the lives of the characters in more depth and provide some much needed background. If you enjoyed the first in this series and want to continue to follow the characters through their adventures then it is not disappointing.

The relationship between Tom and Lord Golden, which has been close since they were known as Fitz and the Fool, becomes more complex and there is a falling out when Tom forces Golden to define his feelings. For those who have known them through the events of the Farseer Trilogy it is deeply affecting and yet somehow unsurprising.

Probably the two events that seem to be the most significant for the furtherance of the plot happen toward the end of the novel. The first is that Kettricken calls a meeting with representatives of the Old Blood to try and find a way to integrate them peacefully into the community. This results in several Witted staying on at Buck Keep to help people adjust to them including Web, who has a great deal of knowledge about the Old Blood magic and society.

The other event is that the Narcheska challenges Dutiful to prove himself to her by killing the dragon Icefyre. Icefyre is a legendary dragon sworn to protect the Outislands, yet it did not rise during the Red Ship war and Elliania declares that he should be killed as a result.

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