By the end of Fools Fate, I was resigned to the fact that my journeys into the lands and lore of the Farseers was at an end. I was starving for new material but doubted that it would ever come. And then I found this tiny morsel to nibble upon. It would have to do and I would savor every bite. When I learned that an entirely new trilogy with Fitz and the Fool was about to be released, I was able to enjoy this little book even more. This was no longer a handful of scattered crumbs, but an appetizer to prepare me for what was soon to come. It was still far too short for my tastes, but it made the wait for the next book more bearable.

This was a very simple story with a straightforward plot. Since there were less than 100 pages in total, it left little room for the subplots and subterfuge that fill Hobbs full length works. This was a prequel of sorts, taking us back to a time well before the events in Assassins Apprentice. We are provided with a glimpse into the earlier genealogy of the Farseer line. We are also given a first person account regarding the origins of the prejudice against the Wit, something that, until now, has only been implied but never truly explained.

In spite of its brevity, the story felt complete. My only complaint is that it was over far too soon and will barely sustain me until the next book is released.

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