It was well worth the wait. I read it in one glorious sitting. This novella is the story of the Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince. Well known to those of you that have read the Realm of the Elderlings books by Robin Hobb. Through the course of that series you hear many tales of the Piebald Pr It probably surprises no one that I absolutely loved this.
Through the course of that series you hear many tales of the Piebald Prince and his curse of the Wit, the despised magic that runs in the Farseer line. The tales we hear are all slightly different and exaggerated as these stories often are. In the time of Fitz Chivalry Farseer the tale is legendary and to most folk it justifies the pursuit of the witted. Especially during the Tawny Man trilogy where it plays a main part in the story.
The only issue is that as so many decades and generations have passed since the Piebald Prince reigned, the tale is so distorted that you never learn the full truth. Until now that is. This is a wonderful novella. One that brought me many emotions. Oh how I wish I could read all the books for the first time again. Reading this has reassured me that if Hobb decides to revisit this world again in the future, I will be first in line to read it. Even though the story of Fitz and the Fool is somewhat finished, the world itself still has plenty of stories to tell.
It was nice to finally get the full tale of this character, as I said earlier his story still has influence in the times of Fitz Chivalry. Obviously this being a novella, it was short. A little over pages. There are beautiful illustrations throughout that really added to the experience. A girl can dream. This novella can be read before or after the main series. I loved the experience as someone who has read and loved RotE.
It added great insight for me and definitely left me satisfied. Part of me was scared to read this as I thought it could never live up to the main series. But my goodness how wrong I was and gladly so.
View all 11 comments. Ima gut punch you as many times as possible in under pages. My personal dislike of tragic stories definitely affected my rating because, although I love this author, I did not enjoy all the negative feelings stirred up in me while reading this story.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www. View 2 comments. Actual review: 4. Hobb is an author who knows how to tell a story. It is a historical account of Princess Caution and her son and everything that had befallen them during a time when those who were Witted were known to Actual review: 4.
It is a historical account of Princess Caution and her son and everything that had befallen them during a time when those who were Witted were known to Buckkeep. The incidents are penned by Felicity, a low-born companion to Princess Caution who loved her dearly.
Some might call it an unreliable narration, however, having read how Felicity does not place herself in a favourable light, it can be assumed that there is some truth to her words. Although written as history, it does not read like a heavy text book. The writing is more a story than fact, although facts are said to be subjective again and again. We follow their lives and loves, their disappointments and betrayals. The story gives us much needed insight into those who have the Wit and how it came to be perceived as a shameful act that demanded a person be hanged, drawn and quartered and then set fire to above a river.
The insight provided in this short novel provides context for the main trilogy, but it would be somewhat confusing if a basic understanding of Buckkeep and the Farseer line was not known. I decided to read this novella before I dived into my re-read of the main Farseer trilogy. This you don't need to do, as the series stands well on its own without any of its historical context.
The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince offers the truth behind many of the distorted beliefs passed as historical fact in the Farseer trilogy, and it's just fascinating t 12 Feb. The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince offers the truth behind many of the distorted beliefs passed as historical fact in the Farseer trilogy, and it's just fascinating to understand how much of an unsuspectingly unreliable narrator we have in the main series.
But to speak of The Wilful Princess ; even for a short story, this was a beautifully done tale. Seeing things from the perspective of the handmaid and then wet-nurse of the main characters might not work for some people, as by the end of the story, there are things even beyond Felicity's awareness and understanding.
This leaves us with some questions left unanswered , some incomprehension of certain characters and motives, and for some readers, this could make or break the story. I was able to look at and enjoy it purely from the outsider but objective viewpoint of Felicity, which only made the unanswered mysteries all the more powerful.
Admittedly, I would've liked to know more about Wiffen and how on earth Charger could have come to love such a fickle woman , as Felicity rightly describes. The unknown is part of what makes the tale stay with you far after you've closed the book.
The key questions are answered, the purpose of the story is met, but enough is left open to our own interpretation; striking a nice balance between the elements. Like all her other books, I find that Hobb 's narrator here also had a strong voice. Yes, she writes big tales and even for a novella this was on the longer side of the spectrum. But not one word is wasted. Not one sentence is an empty cushion to thicken the pages.
The story itself is bittersweet, and made even moreso from the third-party viewpoint, who was closely linked to both the Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince. I don't believe it would have worked any other way. Oct 06, Mark rated it it was amazing.
Despite none of the characters in this novella really, two separate-but-related stories being very likable , Hobb is nonetheless able to deliver an engaging and tragic tale, filled with real-feeling human emotion. This novella covers the backstory of the Piebald Prince referred to in the Tawny Man trilogy. In the first book of the trilogy, the movement of those "afflicted" with the Wit Magic, calling themselves the Piebalds, claimed legitimacy because the Farseer Kings were said to have been descended from "old blood" through the Piebald Prince centuries before.
This is that story. We hearken back to a time when Wit magic wasn't despised and learn how it came to be hated and why those with wit magic are tr This novella covers the backstory of the Piebald Prince referred to in the Tawny Man trilogy.
We hearken back to a time when Wit magic wasn't despised and learn how it came to be hated and why those with wit magic are treated with such prejudice. The story is written down by a companion of a Farseer princess whose son became a companion to the Piebald Prince and witness to the events as they unfolded.
This historical account was to be stored away and hidden, one buried in Buckkeep library and another some place else. I speculate that it was these accounts being found centuries later that breathed life into the Piebald rebellion of the Tawny Man series. The writing was top notch as always from Robin Hobb, however, I think Hobb's style of writing only really shines for me when she can "sprawl" in a bigger story with a bigger page count.
Highly recommended for fans of the Fitz and Fool novels. It would possibly be best appreciated if at least the first book of Tawny Man, Fool's Errand were read first. I'm giving this one This novella is well worth reading if you want to understand the history of how the Wit is treated in the Farseer Trilogy. It's an interesting, twisty story told from the perspective of a lady's maid and eventual wetnurse who was in love with the princess she served.
It's kind of tragic as many of Hobb's stories are, but it's also fascinating and offers a lot of insight into why the world is the way it is during Fitz's lifetime. I have to say that I am a little disheartened that The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince isn't getting as much love as it rightfully deserves.
That title alone is simply delightful and deserves a star just for that alone ; They say that history is always written by the victor and in a way that is what exactly happens here. The Farseer books showed us the prejudice displayed against anyone showing signs of the Wit and from the tale being told by Felicity, a simple servant and maid in the em I have to say that I am a little disheartened that The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince isn't getting as much love as it rightfully deserves.
The Farseer books showed us the prejudice displayed against anyone showing signs of the Wit and from the tale being told by Felicity, a simple servant and maid in the employ of Queen Capable and King Virile, we learn of how events unfolded that eventually lead to the total mistrust of these folk and how the legend of the Piebald Prince was born It has definitely been a long time between drinks for me, the last time that I actually read a novel by Robin Hobb probably bordering on ten years now.
The urge to go back to the beginning and re-read the Farseer Trilogy has been quite close to overwhelming me at times and seeing my friends on Goodreads go through not only them but the Liveship Traders and the Tawny Man trilogies as well has only made that desire even stronger. And now that I've read the legend of the Piebald Prince my appetite has well and truly been whetted.
No more excuses, get back into them! It was also help to read them all again so I can then move onto the Rainwild Chronicles which I haven't had the pleasure of reading yet. So, nevermind the shortness of the novel or the 'Once upon a time View all 9 comments. Sep 04, Althea Ann rated it really liked it. A prequel or ancillary to Hobb's Farseer series This short novel very brief, compared to other volumes in the series takes a point of history referred to in the other books view spoiler [ How those with the animal-focused telepathy known as 'the Wit' came to be maligned hide spoiler ] , and fleshes it out, showing how rumor and propaganda can become future generations' accepted facts.
As the title suggests, there's a lot of the fairy tale in this story, which is narrated by a wet nurse's dau A prequel or ancillary to Hobb's Farseer series This short novel very brief, compared to other volumes in the series takes a point of history referred to in the other books view spoiler [ How those with the animal-focused telepathy known as 'the Wit' came to be maligned hide spoiler ] , and fleshes it out, showing how rumor and propaganda can become future generations' accepted facts.
As the title suggests, there's a lot of the fairy tale in this story, which is narrated by a wet nurse's daughter, raised as servant to royalty - but the style is purely Hobb's. It meshes epic events with the quotidian with aplomb, and introduces us to flawed yet sympathetic characters with such a deft touch that you'll finish the book feeling like they're people you really know.
Recommended for all fans of the Farseer world. I have said it in my reviews of all 3 books of the Farseer Trilogy that Hobb is a cruel writer and that holds no less true in this short book. Hobb was pretty much as cruel as she could be considering the plot and the length of the story.
Damn Hobb, how do you manage that? Punch after punch after punch? This short book serves its purpose very well and it essentially tells you the story of how the Wit got mixed in the Farseer blood line along with the Skill. And it is told masterfully! The I have said it in my reviews of all 3 books of the Farseer Trilogy that Hobb is a cruel writer and that holds no less true in this short book. The overall tone of the book is definitely saddening.
I think Hobb pretty much packed everything in this book, love, heart-break, betrayal, unrequited love, enimosity, to name a few.
It was a very enjoyable read and no doubt about it. I think this novella can be read before the start of the Farseer trilogy as well as at the end of it too. Nothing spoilery at all about the Farseer story at all. It allows the reader to see what kind of fantasy this is going to be.
So, I would suggest anyone to read this novella before they pick up farseer trilogy and keep in mind that Hobb does a monumentally better job during the Farseer trilogy. But the dukes of the Six Duchies backed Canny Farseer for the throne.
Simply tragic. What I expected before I read the book? I thought the W. It is interesting to the person who is An introduction to the art for new novella by Robin Hobb, The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince Jackie Morris Artist The balance of life as an artist and writer living and working in Wales: or, how to ignore housework. And as the prince comes to power, political intrigue sparks dangerous whispers about the Wit that will change the kingdom forever… Internationally-bestselling, critically-acclaimed author Robin Hobb takes readers deep into the history behind the Farseer series in this exclusive, new novella, The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince.
Internet could be harsh to us who looking for free thing. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. FREE Shipping on. Book file PDF easily for everyone and every device. Princess Caution Farseer, in defiance of her name, was headstrong and willful, destined to fall dangerously in love where she ought not.
Seja alertado. Hobb a pen name for fantasist Megan Lindholm pulls off the difficult trick of telling multiple tales simultaneously and well, adding depth to her fictional world without sacrificing a human connection to it. Apple Books Preview. Publisher Description. More Books by Robin Hobb. Assassin's Apprentice The Illustrated Edition.
Royal Assassin The Illustrated Edition. Assassin's Quest The Illustrated Edition.
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