Robin Hobb and the depressing storyline

I have to admit, just like some people that were drawn into Eragorn, I was drawn into Robin Hobb's breakthrough novel "Assassin's quest." Like a chump, I got he damn thing which, to those not exposed to that book, is not a bad series.

Here's an informal review. The main character, Fitz, is recruited as a young lad to secretly kill of "undead" like people that has been popping up in his residence. At least that's how it starts. It's been awhile but I think I remember how the rest of the story went and to sum it up, let me tell you how you can envision this epic tale by yourself...

Take your favorite childhood object, cherish it for... say 5 minutes... then go to your fireplace and chuck it in with about a gallon of gasoline and watching to burn into oblivion. This is what Robin Hobb's The Tawny Man Series is about. (Which started with Assassin's quest) It was 6 books of depressing lore that sucked you in word for word in the vain hope that, one day, the main character might get some small measure of justice for the atrocities he's life had brought him. And, like a chump, once you read the first book you can't put it down. It's so damn sad you find yourself hoping against hope... maybe the next chapter... maybe the next line...

"NO!" Robin Hobb recites, thumbing her fingers together in that Mr. Burnish kinda of way. "You shall have no pleasure while I scribe this tale."

But I digress, it's not like she's the first one to do it. The now infamous George R. R. Martin takes this too. Hell by the end of his third book he's literally killed off 90% of the characters he started out with. He kills the mother the father the 3 boys and a daughter. (if memory serves) But unlike Robin Hobb, GRRM's appeal doesn't come from some forlorn hope of the chance of justice.

Let me take you down GRRM's way of thinking. Take the most cliche Fantasy line you can think of. Let's say, "You won't take me alive." Now stirr in some spilberg... then spill in the longevity of Dr. Who, and suddenly the cliche line of "You won't take me alive" is the culmination of a 300 page chapter that blows you're socks off! This is what GRRM excells at, making those moments in fantasy history alive again and making it, for some reason, work. And, while many others try to do this, he is the only one that TRULY excells at it.

I remember, in his recent novel, of this one chapter that has a knight valiently rushing a horde of angry mercenaries for the honor of his lady. Sound corny? Read his latest work, "A fest for Crows" and you'll find yourself leaning back in your chair, just like I did, wallowing in the expert writing you've just witnessed.

But maybe that's just me.

-Longbow