Farseer Trilogy
by Robin Hobb · first published 2023
77% recommend23% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Character-driven epic fantasy with a distinctive, emotionally rich voice; readers praise how well Hobb writes characters and enjoy the slow-building story. Recommended for fans of deep, absorbing series.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2007–2026The Dark Tower
Stephen King
Recommended by 27 · mentioned by 8127 recommend · 81 mention27 recommend · 8127 recommend
2007–2026'Salem’s Lot
Stephen King
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 96 recommend · 9 mention6 recommend · 96 recommend
2009–2026Assassin's Apprentice
Robin Hobb
Recommended by 7 · mentioned by 177 recommend · 17 mention7 recommend · 177 recommend
2014–2023The Lies of Locke Lamora
Scott Lynch
Recommended by 17 · mentioned by 2317 recommend · 23 mention17 recommend · 2317 recommend
2007–2026The First Circle
Aleksander I. Solzhenitsyn
Recommended by 10 · mentioned by 2310 recommend · 23 mention10 recommend · 2310 recommend
2007–2026Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
Susanna Clarke
Recommended by 19 · mentioned by 2819 recommend · 28 mention19 recommend · 2819 recommend
2007–2026Shōgun
James Clavell
Recommended by 27 · mentioned by 3927 recommend · 39 mention27 recommend · 3927 recommend
2016–2026When Breath Becomes Air
Paul Kalanithi
Recommended by 38 · mentioned by 4138 recommend · 41 mention38 recommend · 4138 recommend
I mostly read fantasy, but had some personal favorites this year: The Blacktongue Theif - Christopher Buehlman Kings of the Wyld * Bloody Rose - Nicholas Eames Farseer Trilogy - Hobin Hobb
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2023 and recommend for 2024” ↗The Ego and its Own, by Max Stirner. The Open Society and its Enemies, by Karl Popper. The Illuminatus! trilogy. Robin Hobb books (with special mention of the farseer trilogy), Neal Stephenson, Alan Moore, Terry Pratchett.
on “Ask YC: favorite books” ↗Listening to The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb and wondering how I missed this when it was new. Reading The Evermen Saga by James Maxwell. No self help or technical books for me, just pure fantasy.
on “Ask HN: What books are you reading?” ↗The Tawny Man Trilogy by Robin Hobb, which I've re-read almost yearly for over a decade. It builds on top of The Farseer Trilogy, but (while it's good) I haven't re-read that trilogy nearly as many times. From a story standpoint, it's your typical fantasy fiction stuff and not all that unique. But her writing style fascinates…
on “Ask HN: Which book have you re-read the most times? how many times?” ↗I'm a fan of Robin Hobb too, getting my start with the Farseer Trilogy in the early 00's. Her work is quite unique, I think - as you say, it's epic fantasy, but with a slant I haven't seen before. I'll happily second a recommendation for fantasy readers. I hope she's doing…
on “The Animal Is Tired” ↗…too much violence for me is first books, but last trilogy is quite interesting. 2. Dark Tower by Stephen King - do I need to say more? 3. Old Man's War by John Scalzi, like this guy writing. 4. The Farseer trilogy and The Liveship Traders trilogy by Robin Hobb - pure pleasure. 5. Shades of Magic trilogy by V.E.Schwab, re-read, preparing to read new cycle. 6. Some Terry Prachett books. Non Fiction: 1. Ghost…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2023 and recommend for 2024” ↗Farseer trilogy, by Robin Hobb. I often read fantasy fiction and someone recommended Hobb for having a joker/fool character along the lines of Wit in Sanderson's Cosmere universe. Well, it turns out Hobb is brutal…
on “Ask HN: What book bit, stung and shook you deeply?” ↗Yeah, second and third book in Farseer trilogy can be hard to consume, but at the same time in comparison Robin Hobb just damn can write good. It's little-bit in comparison if you read some more amateur writers, coming back to this.. Can't say it's…
on “Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?” ↗…yet. About Fitz -- read my other comment. I think whole Elderling series is worth it. It is the long game. Just being invested in characters and Robin Hobb can write characters. If you only think about Farseer trilogy, then I still think it's worth it, but maybe I'm just sucker for it. :-) (there are pacing issues for sure, but Hobb wrote it in 90s, in that sense it was ahead of time, forgive some of those small issues).…
on “Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?” ↗…- The Red Threads of Fortune / The Black Tides of Heaven by Jy Yang - Two paired novellas! - The Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone -- Law = Magic! Extremely well written - Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy) by Robin Hobb -- One of my favorite series of all time.. I cried! - Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly -- A spy thriller set in a Vaudeville-era secondary world. Burlesque! Spies! Politics! - I Am Not…
on “Top Fantasy Series to battle quarantine boredom” ↗Just finished the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. I loved it!
on “Ask HN: What are you reading?” ↗…best fantasy series I've recently encountered -- and IMO ideally suited for TV treatment -- is the Liveship Traders trilogy by Robin Hobb. While technically set in the same world as the much better known Farseer Trilogy (and its sequels) it is a completely separate, and IMO much better written story.
on “Amazon to Adapt J.R.R. Tolkien’s Globally Renowned Fantasy Novels” ↗…by Arthur C Clarke [2]. Been stuck at halfway for too long, it gets boring in places. [0]: http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Power-Introverts-World-Talking/d... [1]: http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Quest-Farseer-Trilogy-Book/d... [2]: http://www.amazon.com/Rendezvous-Rama-Arthur-C-Clarke-ebook/...
on “Ask HN: What books are you reading?” ↗Farseer Trilogy should really come with a disclaimer to not read if you're depressed or going through a difficult time. The author is very skilled, but that series was analogous to being kicked repeatedly in the balls,…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2023 and recommend for 2024” ↗