Thinking bout... 12/17/24
Recently, I finished The Farseer Trilogy, and it has been on my mind a lot. Those books might hold the number one spot—or close to it—for my favorite reads of the year. The first book is good, but it doesn’t blow your mind. However, the second one kicks major ass though. The first establishes so much, and then the story truly takes off in the second. By the time it wraps up in the third book, it feels perfect. Robin Hobb’s prose is some of my favorite I’ve ever read. It isn’t so dense that it feels burdensome, but it has just the right amount of substance to keep you fully engaged. Some books pull on you so hard that reading them becomes exhausting, with sentences so dense you pause constantly to comprehend, slowing the entire experience. On the other end of the spectrum, there are authors like Brandon Sanderson, whose prose can feel so sparse that it’s almost like you could read just the dialogue and still understand the story. For me, Hobb’s writing sits right in the middle—the perfect balance. It’s almost a comforting pace. For sure the “Goldilocks zone” of density/pacing. Not only is her pacing excellent, but her writing is packed with insights and observations about life that feel profound as hell. Some authors write lines that beg for attention, but they end up sounding so damn corny. Hobb, however, doesn’t have a single corny moment in the whole series, which is nearly impossible to pull off in fantasy for me. In my opinion, this trilogy contains some of the most emotionally realistic fantasy I’ve ever read. Take the main character, Fitz. His portrayal as a teenage boy is the most realistic I’ve ever read. He’s smart for his age but still misses the point on things or learns the hard way, which is exactly what being 17 is like. That emotional authenticity makes the story hit so much harder because it feels so real. It’s rare for fantasy to handle tough topics with such relatability, but this trilogy does it beautifully. At times, it feels less fantasy and more like a family drama—a Succession-esque exploration of complicated relationships, just with added magic and sword fights. It even made me think about my own relationships and how making peace with tension is often part of love. Things can be difficult and complicated without negating the love you feel for someone. There are certain ideas you’ve heard your whole life but never truly understood until the right medium makes them click. For instance, the saying “If you really love them, let them go.” You might get the gist of it , but then you read something or watch something and suddenly feel it for real. It’s only through good writing that you can stick with a character long enough to learn what they learn about life and love. That’s why I love fantasy and sci-fi—when done well, they’re unparalleled in conveying emotional, moral, and philosophical truths. To me, these genres function as long-form parables. They’re like “The Tortoise and the Hare” but on a much larger and more intricate scale. The fantastical elements allow authors to explore universal truths without anchoring themselves to real-world specifics. They can make bold statements without hitting you over the head with them. This is why stories mean so much to me. Art helps us understand ideas and feelings that can’t always be expressed with words alone. I think we identify most strongly with art that articulates something we’ve felt but couldn’t express. That’s what makes people feel seen. For me, as funny as it sounds, I find the most of myself in genre fiction. Maybe it’s because I choose to or because I want to see myself that way, but I think that’s okay. Christianity, for example, is a compelling idea because it offers a hero for everyone. Those heroes, in turn, try to emulate one ultimate figure. People naturally attach themselves to an idea or person, unconsciously letting it shape their lives. It’s the same reason people love characters like Goku. He’s strong, unbeatable, morally steadfast, and constantly pushes through impossible odds. It’s no exaggeration to say that the idea of Goku inspires people every day to persevere. There’s a reason these archetypes resonate across cultures and genres: they give us someone to look up to and I think something to hope for too.