Since the start of 2025, I’ve been making my way through Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings novels. The Rain Wild Chronicles, books 10 through 13 overall, are widely considered the worst of the entire run. How are they actually, and are they still worthwhile reading?

It’s time to review The Tawny Man Trilogy, the next three books in Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings. How do these novels compare to Farseer and Liveship Traders?

In Robin Hobb’s second trilogy in the Realm of the Elderlings we’ll take to the seas on liveships, navigate the Pirate Isles, and explore the trading city of Bingtown, as we focus on an entirely new cast of characters in a maritime fantasy.