Why You Should Read Realm of the Elderlings
hear me out
Yes, I know this series is 16 books long. Yes, the books are really big. It’s also the best fantasy series I’ve ever read and one of the most beautiful stories ever written, so please bear with me.
First thing first, what is Realm of the Elderlings? This is a low fantasy series written by Megan Lindholm under the pen name Robin Hobb, it consists of 16 novels divided in 4 trilogies and 1 tetralogy, all set in the same universe following a linear narrative but focusing on different parts of the world and different characters.
Across these 16 books, Robin Hobb carefully crafts a powerful story about the cycle of hatred, the balance between humans and nature, and the painful ordeal of being known and loved even when you can’t love yourself. I will proceed to highlight some of the best aspects of the series and hopefully convince you that you should give it a chance.
The Characters.
The first thing that gets brought up when talking about Robin Hobb is her amazing character work. The narrative is character-driven, which means that the plot often slows down so we can focus on the characters’ psyche and understand why they are the way they are, and their inner turmoil is as important to the story as the grand quests they embark on. This can make the pacing a little too slow for some readers, but I think the rich characterization is worth it.
Characters in Realm of the Elderlings are painfully human and imperfect, full of contradictions. They sometimes act irrationally, they let their emotions overcome their senses, and they make bad choices. FitzChivalry, the main character, is often held back by his rage and self-hatred, and it drives him to act in ways that are illogical but understandable. Thanks to the length of the series, we spend so much time getting to know these characters, seeing them evolve, and everything that they have gone through stays with them. Childhood scars aren’t magically healed after a time skip, abusive dynamics leave people emotionally stunted, they develop unhealthy coping mechanisms, etc. Mental health is a major aspect of the series, and Fitz’s chronic depression and trauma are things he has to grapple with throughout his life. Recovery isn’t linear after all, and I love how Robin Hobb portrays Fitz’s issues and how the people around him react to his behavior.
Character relationships are very important to the series, and the importance of connection is a major theme. The series argues that everyone is connected, all living beings are one and the same, and we need other people to feel content and heal.
The series also has some of the most despicable and enjoyable villains in fantasy. A conniving prince, a Patrick Bateman-esque pirate king, an evil prophetess, and sometimes just a shitty husband that makes you want to beat him to death. They can be gleefully evil as well as morally gray, intimidating antagonists or a pathetic inconvenience for our characters, but they are always good at being bad.
Dark, but not Grimdark.
It’s sometimes said that Realm of the Elderlings is “torture porn”, but I think this is reductive and simply incorrect, and Robin Hobb’s writing is nowhere near as dark as other authors. This criticism, I believe, comes from the fact that Robin Hobb allows her characters to be emotionally complex, which means some of them will grapple with depression and dark thoughts, in particular FitzChivalry. However, Robin Hobb balances the darkness of her world with an underlying idealism and beauty that makes the hard moments worth it.
Something that I think is also important is that Robin Hobb includes traumatic experiences like abuse, violence, and sexual assault in a sensitive and kind manner. Emotional abuse is a key aspect of the series as a whole, specially the books about FitzChivalry, and it can be quite hard to read at times because we are made to empathize so deeply with Fitz, but his life is not an endless stream of misery, and there’s plenty of people that love him and care for him (even if he can’t see it). While Fitz does go through a lot of awful things, I think calling his life “torture porn” ignores one of the key messages of the story, which is that even if we feel that we are unworthy of love or like life isn’t worth living, we are still loved and that can be enough. Love is at the core of the story.
I admit that the memes about Fitz being miserable are a little funny. He does have a good shot at being the saddest man in fantasy.
Also, unlike other fantasy series, sexual violence has a very limited presence in the story, and when it happens it’s properly villainized and horrifying. Not only that, but Robin Hobb takes the time to explore the psychological consequences of assault and the ways in which victims are treated by the people in their life, and how sometimes women aren’t believed simply because their abusers are well-respected. There is some very compelling commentary on this topic, the series can certainly be read from a feminist perspective and Robin Hobb focuses a lot on women’s issues, which does include gendered violence and abuse. Not just sexual abuse, but also emotional, physical and financial—men’s treatment of their wives and the ways in which they control women’s lives is a key theme of both the Liveship Traders trilogy and the Rainwild Chronicles tetralogy. All this in conjunction makes Realm of the Elderlings far more nuanced than other “dark” fantasy series.
Genuine Diversity.
Something that bothers me a little in modern media is that creators usually treat diversity as a check-list. They will include people of color or LGBT characters in their stories without engaging with the ways in which these identities would interact with the setting or influence their character arcs, and while not every story has to do that (it’s okay to have Black people in fantasy for no reason if you want to!), I personally really enjoy it when authors take the time to not only have diversity in their fiction but make it feel integral to the story. Robin Hobb does exactly that.
One of the main characters in the series is the Fool, who is an androgynous person whose gender is debated throughout the series by multiple characters. The Fool’s gender identity is complex and multilayered, we get to see them play with their gender presentation and hear their perspective in the matter. Their queerness is not a side note, but important to how they interact with the world and with the other characters. The Fool’s relationship with Fitz is also noteworthy, as Fitz’s struggle to understand and accept the Fool in their entirety is a key part of Fitz’s character arc. The series has realistic depictions of homophobia without being cruel to the Queer characters or reducing them to their gender or orientation. This may not seem like a lot, but considering that the series started in the 90s, it’s remarkable how commited Robin Hobb has been to integrating these topics into the series. I specially think that the Fool is one of the best portrayals of gender fluidity and non-binary people I’ve seen.
There are other Queer characters in the series, all treated with the same depth and nuance of the rest of the cast. They are allowed to be both heroes and villains, but most importantly, they are morally complex and they exist outside of their identity.
The series is also ethnically diverse. Fitz is mixed race, the child of a white mother and a “dark skinned” father—Robin Hobb is very ambiguous when it comes to describing the specific skintones of the Farseers, but it’s implied through context clues that they are meant to be Black, and she has stated that Fitz is brown. While I think she could have been more clear regarding this, she does start using more explicit descriptions in later books that leave little room for debate. I also like the historical explanations that she weaves into her worldbuilding to explain why certain regions are more mixed than others and how these differences impact national identity within the same kingdom. I think that’s neat!
I also love the wide arrange of female characters and the exploration of gender dynamics across the setting. The Six Duchies has female soldiers and rulers; Bingtown presents us with a society that is gradually becoming more restrictive for women due to outsider influences; the Rainwilds have a pseudo-egaliatarian society due to the harsh environment, etc. We get to see women in lots of different roles across all these places—swordmasters, sailors, housewives, leaders, all given the same respect by the narrative and with their own character arcs.
Environmentalist Themes.
Robin Hobb is deeply concerned with nature and the impact that humanity has on the ecosystem, and this is reflected in her writing, which often focuses on the relationship between humans and animals, and the duty that we have towards nature.
In Realm of the Elderlings, we first see this theme through the Wit, a form of magic that allows people to sense other living beings and connect with them. Witted people are able to commune with animals and nature, they can form bonds with an animal and become soulmates, which allows them to communicate with the animal. The Wit is seen as shameful, but this connection with nature is something sacred and beautiful to Fitz. He has a powerful bond with a wolf, Nighteyes, which is one of the most important relationships in the series. Nighteyes is also a fully fleshed out character on his own right, unlike other animal companions in fantasy. Animals are treated with respect and care throughout the entire series, and this same reverence is extended to the world as a whole.
Besides the Wit, Robin Hobb explores this environmentalist theme through the relationship between humans and dragons. To avoid spoilers, I will only say that Robin Hobb’s take on dragons is incredibly unique, and she uses them to make the reader reflect about humanity’s role in the world and our relationship with other animals. If you are looking for a take on dragons that actually examines how they would fit into the ecosystem, this is for you.
Amazing Worldbuilding.
Realm of the Elderlings has some of the best worldbuilding in fantasy, period. There’s so much creativity and detail on every level, and the way that we slowly uncover bits and pieces of the lore is super fun. What stands out the most to me is how the worldbuilding is woven into the themes of the story, every aspect of the setting enhances the story rather than being just stage dressing.
There are two main forms of magic, the Skill and the Wit, and Robin Hobb uses both as tools for characterization. The Skill allows people to communicate telepathically (plus some other uses that are too spoilery), while the Wit, as I mentioned above, lets you connect with livings beings. They have some base similarities, but the way they operate and how they are seen by others are vastly different. The Skill can sometimes be read as a metaphor for abuse, while the way that Witted people are treated is reminiscing of real-life marginalized communities. As the story progresses, our understanding of the magic system evolves and both the characters and the readers have to rethink how the Skill and the Wit function. Robin Hobb comes up with some insanely creative uses for her magic system, things that seem impossible at first but make total sense as our knowledge of the world expands.
The world is very mysterious, it’s full of wonder and shadows. There are some Lovecraftian horrors lurking in the edges of the world, and beautiful ruins that speak of lost civilizations. There is a real feeling of exploration and adventure that one gets from reading the series.
Satisfying Conclusion.
Perhaps one of the biggest selling points of the series is that it’s actually complete. While Robin Hobb has stated that she’s working on a new book, the series as it is now has a conclusion that ties everything together in a pretty neat bow, while leaving a few things open to the imagination. All the big mysteries, character arcs, and plot lines that have been set up from book one converge in the final trilogy and deliver one of the best endings I’ve read in my life. This can be particularly appealing to anyone who has been disappointed by an author not finishing their series (you know who I’m talking about).
Okay, I’m Convinced. Where Do I Start?
The chronological order is Farseer → Liveship Traders → Tawny Man → Rainwild Chronicles → Fitz and the Fool. You can start with either Farseer or Liveship Traders. Since it takes place a decade or so after the first trilogy, Liveship has some subtle spoilers and Easter Eggs for Farseer but can be read on its own without problem. The Farseer, Tawny Man and Fitz and the Fool trilogies follow the same main character, FitzChivalry Farseer, and while it’s possible to read only the Fitz books, it’s recommended to read the entire series to avoid confusion. If you start with Liveship Traders, you have to go back to Farseer before continuing the series.
The Farseer Trilogy (Assassin’s Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin’s Quest) is about Fitz, the bastard son of the heir to the throne. He’s abandoned by his father and taken to his grandfathers’ court, where he is secretly trained from a young age to become the king’s personal assassin. Around the time that Fitz begins his training, raiders come to the shores of the Six Duchies kingdom, bringing a strange “disease” that robs people of their humanity. The trilogy is written in first person from the perspective of an older Fitz as he recounts his journey from an abandoned child to a skilled assassin, and the trials and tribulations that he goes through while trying to defend a family that treats him as a tool and a kingdom that scorns him for reasons beyond his control.
The Liveship Traders Trilogy (Ship of Magic, Mad Ship, and Ship of Destiny) is told in third person and follows an ensemble cast. The main characters are the different members of the Vestrits, a merchant family from Bingtown that is going on hard times after the death of the patriarch. He left the family’s liveship, a ship that gains sentience through a mysterious magical process, to his son-in-law. This causes a rift within the family, as Althea, the youngest daughter, expected the ship to pass to her. Outside Bingtown, a nefarious man is trying to become king of the pirates, and part of his plan relies on getting his hands on a liveship. Bingtown, a city where ships come to life and everyone is supposed to be free, is undergoing political and social upheaval, and the fate of the Vestrits, the city, and the creatures that roam the seas are all connected.
Both trilogies are a good place to start. If you prefer the usual Medieval setting, assassins, and heroic quests, I recommend starting with Farseer. The pacing is quite slow, the story can drag a little at the beginning and then get more lively towards the end of each book, but if you are in in-depth character exploration there’s nothing better. If you prefer pirates, sea adventures, and female main characters, you are good with Liveships, and the pacing is better overall if you prefer more plot heavy narratives. And if you really like complicated and toxic family dynamics, you will find that in both.
Thanks for reading! There’s a lot that I love about this series, this is barely the tip of the iceberg, but I hope I’ve made my case clear. Reading Realm of the Elderlings is a big commitment, but it’s worth your time and effort, and I promise that if you give it a chance you will find something to love in these books. Please let me know if I was able to convince you, and if you have already read or started the series leave your thoughts in the comments.
definitely going to be going onto the others once i’m done with the farseer books after this
It sounds great! Definitely putting it on the list. Currently enjoying Earthsea, and also got a bunch of books I'd ideally want to re-read so I can write about them here.