"I take myself with me. That's all I truly need, or own."

Very Klingon sentiment, actually - but true, it seems. For this is the impression I was left with upon finishing this most epic of series at 3:15 AM in the morning. This is a cut above 2:00 AM, which you may remember was my previous deadline for actually getting some sleep.

"FitzChivalry. Hero. Just words."

Another good one. As this final story unfolds, we see just how Fitz, verity and all who are concerned with them end up. It is a sweeping, grand, mildly meloncholic finish which left me feeling empty and drained.

"Fate had made me a killer, a liar, and a thief. And the harder I tried to avoid those roles, the more firmly I was pushed into them."

The dialog here isn't as snappy as we've seen before, but the commentary, the feelings and the thoughts; all these batter us with their relentlessness. Things set in motion from the previous 2 books are on paths that no-one can stop, and it just remained to see precisely who came out when, where - and in how many bits.


'But for now, let me show you something else. No, step back, please, so you can see it all. Here it comes.' I heard the slam and the latch. 'The outside of my door,' the Fool announced gladly. "I painted it myself. Do you like it?"

There are moments of amusement, even unbridled joy. but on the whole, this is a sombre, sad, torn ending to a series whics so enthralled and swept me up from its very opening pages. I've remarked before how lighthearted some stuff has been before it, yet this is unquestionably more real. More serious. more painful...

"Sometimes all the choices are poor ones, and still a man must choose."

Now that Fitz has recognised this truth, he has to resign himself to the fait in store for him. it is a hard, lonely and sorrowful road he treads, and the sacrifices he makes, the life he seems to end up leading, all of it reflects and rebounds in the mind in such a way that it's hard to decide if it's a mercy or not. Fitz was, is, and has always been a King's man. whether he will continue to be may yet reveal itself in further Hobb titles.