Fitz Fool 1 ??? (Spoilers all Hobb books incl CoD)

[Valarya]

Is no one going to reply on my musings for where the possible Fitz/Fool book could go? Good theory discussion opportunities there!!

I'd love to see a new world by Hobb, too. =]

['thul]

world-building is an extremely challenging thing...

our world is still only half-built and we've got scores of pages of material for it.

There are too many details missing for there to be much point in even guessing at theories for the possible future book(s) with Fitz.

[Farseer]

Is no one going to reply on my musings for where the possible Fitz/Fool book could go? Good theory discussion opportunities there!!

I'm happy to, when some more time allows...though, for most of it, I'd merely be repeating myself from old discussions. Will try and get some links for those old chats to get the discussion here flowing some more. Cassarick and Time's Labyrinth was a favourite theory of mine. Likely in the Skill and Wit thread or at least there'd be a link in there somewhere.

I get a feeling that Fitz may shift things some more from Skill to Wit...from human-ness to nature-ness...to try and undo the mistakes of the Elderlings of old as far as their use of the Skill magic is concerned, and bring it more in line with Wit magic...though they are all a part of The Circle of Magic (will come back and link that with the thread of the same name). I don't know why I think this...but it is founded in my thoughts regarding the old tale/song which begins 'Six Wisemen came to Jhaampe-town' (the one I mentioned in my first ever post here on thePlenty and which both Fool and Kettle tried to have Fitz recall).

I think he may even try and persuade humans to choose death rather than this eternal life that they seek through their simulacra/liveships/memory cubes etc. Or maybe it will be the complete opposite and he will use the power from the Elders of old/the Elders of the Skill-stream to save the realm (like how the wisdom of The Force/old Jedis is used in Star Wars) and all will be encouraged to store their anmas for the future benefit of the realm, just as dragons store their memories. It will depend on which is viewed as the most 'natural' state for a human, or if this storage of anmas is an unnatural consequence of being dragonkin. So much to chew on...!

Yes, lots of possibilities as our Fitz and Fool work to jump Time's Wheel out of its rut. Will try and come back to rehash more...

['thul]

Dragons don't see a difference between skill and wit. Dividing the spokes of the wheel of magic is incomprehensible to them. True Elderlings were meant to use the full spectrum, not just small sectors of it that survived through evolutionary random chances.

[Farseer]

I am agreeing about the full spectrum of magic because I have to, given my thoughts about Fitz as a Farseer/Elderling and potential mage etc!

Still, there is something about the human-ness of the Skill that even dragons dislike eg as ones such as Tintaglia have commented on in regard to the structures made of memory stone and how they repel nature. More soon...

[finella]

I don't feel comfortable in discussing how another book or books with Fitz and The Fool will go, as Robin herself was so disappointed that words about it were made open. Hm, is difficult for me to say it in english, but I feel we should just leave her alone with that without any speculations etc.

But I definitely would like her to keep to this wonderful RotE she has created. I repeat myself but this world is so rich and we only saw a fraction of it. I mean, why not. Great authors like Ann McCaffrey stayed in the world they created and donated wonderful stories to us which I will love for the rest of my life. Why not Robin Hobb? The RotE is her baby, her creation and she delighted sooooo many people (puh, this sounds very stiff ,). It's a great world with immense potential of stories, she hasn't even touched (Chalced). So, why not stay there and keep on weaving her magic. As long as she feels comfortable in there. If she gets bored and has the feeling to make a change - well, I will gladly follow her to whereever she wants us to go.

[Farseer]

I don't feel comfortable in discussing how another book or books with Fitz and The Fool will go, as Robin herself was so disappointed that words about it were made open. Hm, is difficult for me to say it in english, but I feel we should just leave her alone with that without any speculations etc.

I understand, and do agree, but the reality is is that most speculation about what would happen with the Fitz/Fool storyline would have happened after the release of Fool's Fate anyway. In this, anything I'd contribute as far as the F & F-specific storyline would go, would mostly be just a re-hash of all that anyway eg Time's Labyrinth, celestial connections to the Skill and Elders of old etc, the land itself calling to Fitz and other Elders/Elderlings. Even discussions regarding Kelsingra etc stem from as far back as that, and even Assassin's Quest, and not just post-Rain Wild Chronicles.

I can't speak for her (have said this elsewhere on the same subject) but Robin doesn't enjoy stumbling across speculation about *any* of her books, not just those that include Fitz and Fool. Seeing other people's ideas interrupts her own thought processes (as it would/does for any author) and so she avoids such sites as this altogether at times. Instead, her comments regarding any speculation surrounding any upcoming novel/s regarding Fitz and Fool stem mostly from the negative and very loud reactions of readers following the end of Fool's Fate. Not very nice things were said about her or to her at all. Some of it is disclosed in the link I have provided below but some things I recall also appeared in her old website with the 'Mad Woman in the Attic' scenario. This is what is mostly concerning to Robin and what she regards as being career-ending stuff...not so much the speculation by we readers who are just discussing (EDIT: *nicely* discussing) things and guessing where the storyline may lead.

See the thread - The Ending doesn't make sense? : http://forums.theplenty.net/showthread.php?tid=64&pid=10338&highlight=attic#pid10338 and, specifically if you don't have time to go through too much of it, my #80 post. This entire thread is built on opinions and speculations following Fool's Fate, though it still doesn't capture the full intensity of reader reaction

I also suggest a read of the fanfic discussion thread - http://forums.theplenty.net/showthread.php?tid=136&pid=1169&highlight=attic#pid1169 - as much Hobb fan-fic is all tied in with the reactions of readers following FF (as a lot of it was written afterward when readers felt unsatisfied with the Fitz and Molly ending). A portion of this fan-fic, that was just as often sent to Robin via email, was of a detailed homosexual nature, regarding such a relationship between Fitz and Fool.

The Fool thread would also shed some light on things too, as much of their platonic vs sexual relationship/Fool's gender etc was discussed following the outcry from FF, as were things things discussed again with Dragon Keeper in mind in the The Dragon Keeper "Controversial?" thread: http://forums.theplenty.net/showthread.php?tid=66

I bring these up, not to bring the actual discussions to light once more but mostly to provide background to Robin's wishes to keep a lid on things re Fitz and Fool. Will try and find other links to all this but, again, I don't think it's so much the friendly discussions (outside the normal distractions that this hands to an author and, as it is, Robin herself has spoken a smidgen of her recent progress on page 469) as the strong opinions and speculations that often turn into hate mail threats and personal attacks that is what concerns Robin. Such things are the reason why she put off her continuance of the Fitz/Fool storyline for so long, and her reason for wanting to now continue it on the quiet. It has long been my opinion though that she couldn't or wouldn't stay away from it forever because, as Changer/the Catalyst and the White Prophet, Fitz and Fool are central to the entire Realm of the Elderling storyline.

In this, I feel comfortable in still participating in friendly speculation (only as I believe Robin would feel the same), but understand that others may not feel so comfortable. In fact, I love the show of loyalty and understanding.

---

If she gets bored and has the feeling to make a change - well, I will gladly follow her to whereever she wants us to go.

I agree. We can specualte all we want but the story is not ours...we are but the readers and listeners, following along with a tale being woven and told by a storyteller. We don't write the story, we don't get to contribute to the story, our opinions don't matter (no matter how much of a fan we are or how loyal we have been or how long we have been reading)...we are but here to listen and enjoy. If we don't enjoy, we can choose not to read or not to listen. Simple as that. Yes, we can say what we do or don't like about it but that all doesn't change a thing. Good or bad, the story is not ours. I am happy to listen to this tale and await whatever twists and turns it takes.

['thul]

Speculation is ok enough, so long as one does not try to either dictate how it ought to be, or whine if it turns out differently. That is the view of 'thul at least.

It is really up to the author whether he/she/it wishes to listen to/read speculation and utterly fair that the author might not like fan fiction.

these beings have had many theories in stories, yet they have not been saddened when some of those have been proven wrong. It would have been satisfying to have it proven right, but it is the author's right to decide how it should be.

[Farseer]

Speculation is ok enough, so long as one does not try to either dictate how it ought to be, or whine if it turns out differently. That is the view of 'thul at least.

You beings have a way about you that allows you all to say what I want to say in so very few words...it must be that there are so many of you?

Even with lots of words, I still don't quite manage to spit out exactly what's up in my noggin.

['thul]

well, you write things far better when you use many words than these beings do.