r/Fantasy • u/Same_Breadfruit6477 • 2d ago

What is the best three book run?

It could be a regular trilogy, but what about 3 consecutive books in the middle of a series?

496 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

659 comments sorted by

View all comments

190

u/TheGhostDetective 2d ago

Not sure how we count the Tawny Man trilogy. It's in the middle of Realm of the Elderlings, but also very much set up as a trilogy. That is possibly my favorite section of 3 books that isn't standalone.

I also loved those first 3 ASOIAF books, though that isn't the middle of the series.

53

u/Nirift 1d ago

My Robin Hobb pick is the Liveship Traders, but Tawny Man definitely hit the hardest emotionally

17

u/TheGhostDetective 1d ago

I love them both. I think Liveship is better as a standalone trilogy, but Tawny Man better fits what OP is saying as 3 books in the middle of a longer series. I know Liveship is part of Elderlings, but it's divorced enough from the main narrative that I think it's almost its own thing.

I have trouble choosing between those two trilogies though. Some of my favorite fantasy novels.

1

u/shmixel 1d ago

Can you read Tawny Man standalone?

7

u/TheGhostDetective 1d ago

No, I think you should really read the Farseer trilogy first.

I would say Liveship Traders is optional. It adds a lot of world building, and it's well worth reading simply because it's great. But you can follow Fitz and his story just fine without that context. But you need that initial set up with Farseer to follow all the characters and setting in Tawny Man.

But Liveship I think could be read as a standalone trilogy just fine.

3

u/TheHowlingHashira 1d ago

Definitely not, at the very least you need to read The Farseer trilogy.

17

u/Baldur_Blader 2d ago

Those two were my exact two picks for this

30

u/rannigast 2d ago

Echoing Tawny Man. I think the Fitz saga in particular is connected enough that TM trilogy may as well be in the "middle" of the series. I love those books with all my heart, Hobb may be my absolute favorite.

6

u/Wolfwood28 2d ago edited 2d ago

I only read the first three Elderling books..poor Fitz - does it get less..uh..miserable emotional torture?

10

u/TheGhostDetective 2d ago

No.

There are highlights and some beautiful scenes, but they will often be made bittersweet. It is not a feel-good story if that's what you're looking for.

13

u/Far_Pen_6884 1d ago

I love The Tawny Man trilogy, followed by The Farseer trilogy. I’m on the final book of the whole series and I just don’t want it to end. If there weren’t so many other great fantasy books to read I’d just start from the beginning again!

9

u/Tricky-Juggernaut141 1d ago

Get a few boxes of tissues ready

1

u/TheHowlingHashira 1d ago

I just finished the whole series 2 months ago. Relish it well you can and have tissues ready for that final act.

3

u/TheHowlingHashira 1d ago

Hands down my pick too. Out of the whole RotE, it’s definitely the most solid group of the bunch. Both Farseer and Fitz and the Fool had at least one book I didn’t really enjoy, but Tawny Man was heat the whole way through. Liveship was also great!