In what is a very strong second novel, "The Farseer" trilogy continues.
The bastard FitzChivalry has survived his first treacherous foray as an
assassin, but barely. The poison used by the bitterly ambitious Prince
Regal has left Fitz weak and prone to unpredictable seizures. Fitz
vows to never return to Buckkeep and his king. A vision of the young
woman he loves fending off an attack by the merciless Red-ship Raiders
convinces Fitz otherwise, and he rouses himself to go back to the royal
court of the Six Duchies.
Upon his return to Buckkeep, Fitz is immediately embroiled in the
intrigues of the royal family. At least his beloved Molly is alive,
but left a pauper by her father's death and debts, forced into service
as a lady's maid at the keep. Fitz finally admits his love to her, and
she to him. Their bliss is short-lived; when he approaches the ailing
King Shrewd for permission to marry, the king tells him in no uncertain
terms that Fitz will be pledged to the daughter of a duke. He and
Molly are left to conduct their courtship in secret, not only because
of Shrewd's command, but to keep Molly safe from Fitz's enemies at the
court.
Fitz is more vulnerable now than ever to those enemies. King-in-Waiting
Verity is consumed by the need to protect the Duchies' coast from the
Red-ships, using his Skill to stave off Raider attacks but failing
miserably to give any attention to his new mountain queen. King Shrewd
suffers a mysterious wasting disease whose pain only mind-clouding
drugs can abate. Bands of Forged ones, Six Duchies folk rendered
soulless murderers by the Raiders, begin to converge on the keep.
Verity puts Fitz again in the role of unseen assassin, commanding him
to hunt down the Forged. This Fitz does with the help of a young wolf
he has rescued and bonded with in the forbidden way of the Wit. Regal
and his lackeys come very close to discovering that Fitz is Witted, and
Fitz must put guards upon his mind to protect this one of his many
secrets. With so many duties taking all his time, Fitz can find little
time for Molly. When she tells him that she is leaving him and Buck
forever for the sake of another, Fitz desperately reveals the biggest
thing he has held back from her. Hoping that by sharing the secret of
his true duties he can change Molly's mind, he tells her that he is an
assassin. Molly is instead repulsed and utterly rejects Fitz with
heartbreaking finality.
Despite this huge personal loss, Fitz rallies his loyalty to his King
and kingdom. Greater threats to the kingdom than the Raiders and the
Forged Ones are the traitors withing the court itself. The Raiders
grow bolder, and unsent messages and late warnings leave the coastal
Duchies easy prey. Verity decides to leave Buckkeep to try to gain the
help of the legendary Elderlings. Many folks see this as a fool's
errand, and as it leaves Regal free to work his plots more easily, it
may be. The ailing king grows more weakened and addled every day, and
Regal begins amassing power and loyalty to himself. Fitz and Verity's
queen leave to quell a Raider attack on one of the coastal duchies.
While they are gone, Regal makes his move. He says that word has come
that Verity is dead, and makes himself King-in-Waiting.
Using his mostly uncontrollable Skill, Fitz discovers that Verity is
still alive. To utter this now at the court where Regal held power
would mean quick death. After an attempt is made on the life of
Verity's unborn heir, Fitz and his mentors Chade and Burrich make plans
to spirit King Shrewd and Verity's pregnant queen-in-waiting safely out
of Regal's reach. The king dies in an attempt to skill to Verity
before the plans can be carried out. Fitz is accused of regicide, but
not before he gets a glimpse of the true source of the King's long
illness and death. Imprisoned and accused also of using the forbidden
Wit, Fitz has only one chance at cheating Regal out of a complete
victory and at saving at least something of himself. The story
thunders to a most electrically horrifying conclusion with his decision.
Once again, Robin Hobb has brilliantly portrayed the desolation of
Fitz's untenable position as bastard and assassin. In addition, the
relationship between Fitz and the wolf Nighteyes is probably the most
compelling man-and-animal bond since that of Jack and Wolf in Stephen
King and Peter Straub's The Talisman. For strength of story and
depth of characterization, "The Farseer" trilogy thus far ought to be
read.