Robin Hobb Books In Order

Publication Order of Farseer Books

Publication Order of Fitz and The Fool Trilogy Books

Publication Order of Liveship Traders Books

Publication Order of Rain Wild Chronicles Books

Publication Order of Soldier Son Trilogy Books

Publication Order of Tawny Man Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Anthologies

Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden is the real name of this US fantasy writer. She boasts a rich history that stretches back in 1952 when she was born in California. Later on, at the age of nine, she and her family left California to live a self-sufficient life in Alaska and it was there that she learned to love the forest and the wilderness. This lifestyle change was sudden and dramatic. The family had to create a large garden and erect a meat store in the front yard. It is this store that became her first private place to work on writing during summer when it was not in use for storing frozen meat. Yes, it’s all about Robin Hobb.

What is more

Robin Hobb knew she wanted to write, even in her early age, and she was not sure if there was a particular influence; it was probably a host of factors coming together. Like to ascertain the writing quest, she wrote her first story when she was 7 on a pencil paper. In 1969 she graduated from high school at 17 and got married to Fred Ogden after a brief stint at Denver University. She followed her husband to her hometown, before they moved to Idaho to complete their education. Since then, they have lived in various parts of Pacific Northwest, finally setting in Tacoma, Washington. She is currently a mother of four and has three grandchildren.

It’s such a long journey

Robin Hobb began her writing career in high school and she started submitting poetry and fiction to magazines in 1970. In 70’s and 80’s, she exploited her career further by writing local newspapers and several children’s magazines – Highlights for Children and Humpty Dumpty. Perhaps motivated by the grant awarded to her short story, “The Poaching”, by the Alaska Council for the Arts, she moved from writing children’s stories into a realm of SF and fantasy in her late seventies. Mind you, the short story was republished in an anthology, Finding our Boundaries in 1979.

Robin Hobb published short works in various popular magazines, notably Space and Time which is edited by Gordon Linzner. It was in 1982 when she sold her first novel, Harpy’s Flight. The characters featured in this novel had first appeared in a short story, “Bones for Dulath” in AMAZONS!, an entitled anthology. AMAZONS! Won the World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology in 1980 and greatly promoted her work in reaching a broad readership.

Fantasy series

The inspirational writer is best known for her trilogies set in the Realm of the Elderlings.

The Farseer Trilogy

The first volume of The Farseer Trilogy, first introduced readers to this world readers with the Assassin’s Apprentice publication in 1995.

This story of FitzChivarly Farseer, a royal family’s illegitimate scion, during a time when the Six Duchies are being attacked by the warships from the Out Island, is told in a first person point of view. The boy grows up under training as an assassin but he later claims a place as a warrior. Moreover, the influence of a mysterious prophet, the Fool, forces the young Fitz in a role that influences the role of the entire Six Duchies. This trilogy was completed by with Royal Assassin and Assassin’s Quest in 1996 and 1997 respectively. And all the 3 publications were nominated for the British Fantasy Society’s Award. The books quickly appeared in the UK and Australia, it’s were widely translated throughout the world.

The Liveship Traders trilogy

This trilogy, a tale set in the same world but in Bingtown, a trading city far to the south, involves stories that are influenced chronologically by the events Fitz has set in motion. The trilogy was comprised by Ship of Magic, Mad Ship and Ship of Destiny in 1998, 1999 and 2000 respectively. The tale follows the adventures of Liveship Vivacia as the magical ship comes to consciousness, and is taken over first as a slave ship and then as a private vessel. The course of Bingtown’s war with Chalced and their subservience to Jamaillia, was altered by the emergence of the sentient sea serpents that have a connection to the living ships. But this was to exact a price as well, Mad Ship and Ship of Magic were both nominees for the Endeavor Award.

The Tawny Man trilogy

This was the title of a new set of books with which Robin Hobb returned to the tale of Fitz and the Fool. Fitz, left in peace and solitude at the end of The Farseer trilogy, is forced to return to serve his family once again as the Fool returns from his adventure in Bingtown to enlist his aid in changing the world once more. Both characters were reunited in Fool’s Errand, Golden Fool and Fools Fate in 2001, 2003 and 2004 respectively. That’s not enough! Robin Hobb was honoured with the Elf Fantasy Award.

The Soldier Son Trilogy

The revered writer was now moving from the Realm of Elderlings into a ‘gunpowder fantasy.’

It is set in a world politically divided between new and old nobility, where a birth order determines a man’s life.

From his childhood, Nevare knows that he is destined to a cavalry officer and a soldier. His father entrusts him to the honour of an old enemy for training, he is inflicted with a magic indigenous to the lands and the conquered people. He later finds a clear mapped future derailed since the magic transforms him both physically and mentally, forcing him to live a double life. The trilogy was made up by Shaman’s Crossing, Forest Mage and Renegade’s Magic in 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively. Renegade’s Magic won the 2007 Endeavor Award while Shaman’s Crossing honoured in the 2007 Best Foreign Novel Category.

Rain Wild Chronicles

This is the most recent work of Robin Hobb and first published by Dragon Keeper in 2009. It is a setting from The Liveship Traders trilogy that picks up the tale of the denizens of that toxic and wild region, and the dragons’ fate hatched there. The story moves between the tale of a genteel Bingtown woman and dragon scholar determined to visit the Rain Wilds and see the dragons. The dragons and their keepers are both changed by the adventure and their association with one another. The four chronicles of Rain Wild Chronicles are; Dragon Keeper, Dragon Haven, City of Dragons and Dragon’s blood.

Truly, it’s a career well exploited and a quest satisfied accordingly.

4 Responses to “Robin Hobb”

1. Shelley Batten: 6 months ago

   I was just reading the comments as I too am a devoted fan of a extraordinary writer. And the lady above me was rereading all the Farseers stories again & I laughed so much as I’m on my second last now. I’ve been dragging out the Fools Quest and even though it’s not so long ago I read them for the first time , I still remember ervrything and had to put down the book and walk around make a cup of tea or attempt to feed 2 of of my man children (my oldest & youngest shaping up to be great friends). My reAl life aside, I know when something heartbreaking is about to happen and with a racing heart I just HAVE TO put my book down & see the boys (who are going through their muscle building obsession getting ready for. Beautiful AustrLian summer of the beaches and more girls ) haha the rat BBQ ed steak & salad and thank heaven I’ve never tried to cook a proper steak , because – hell mums. VegatRiab – she can’t cook. a steak 🥩 (haha ) I stopped yhat years ago due to a pretty serious iron deficiency. But don’t any one tell my boys that! So back to Fools Quest, so I’ve got one left after tgat and I keep hoping and praying that our brilliant author might think of picking up the V story with Bee, or explore the Skill River. I hope and I imagine so many amazing story lines that could be explored. Anyway , thank you for listening to me. !! Enjoy what we have!!

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2. Mary Poag: 1 year ago

   Tolkien’s Lord of the rings is the definitive work of fantasy. However Robin Hobb is in a league of her own. There is nobody better. She isa master at her craft.

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3. Eunice Olson: 2 years ago

   I absolutely agree with the previous comment. She is a wonderful writer. Totally engrossing, engaging characters and I never want the stories to end. I am so glad to have found her at age 75 (mine) and now I will start them all again!

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4. David Meinardi: 3 years ago

   No comment section could be big enough.
   A pal recommended Robin Hobb to me about 10 years ago. I read-em all. WOW! What a wonderful writer. Then I discovered the “Soldier Son” trilogy. About 4 years ago I was telling some friends about one of my favorite writers and decided to re-read-em again. All 17 of the Farseer series and related. Very much better the second tome thru. I may only hope she is still writing. She is right alongside Ann McCaffery. A pleasure to read and never enough.

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