Robin Hobb
Encyclopedia
Robin Hobb is the second pen name
of novelist Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden (born 1952 in California
) who produces primarily fantasy fiction, although she has published some science fiction
.
From 1983 to 1992, she wrote exclusively under the pseudonym Megan Lindholm. Fiction under that pseudonym tends to be contemporary fantasy. In 1995, she began use of the pseudonym Robin Hobb for works of epic traditional European Medieval Fantasy. She currently publishes under both names, and she currently lives in Tacoma, Washington
. As of 2003 she had sold over 1 million copies of her first nine Robin Hobb novels. She has just finished writing a two volume novel called The Rain Wild Chronicles. The volumes are named The Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven. Her latest release, The Inheritance, is a collection of short fiction by both Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm. She is currently working on her next book, which is as yet untitled (believed to be City of Dragons and then another book Blood of Dragons). It will continue the stories of some of the characters from The Rain Wild Chronicles.
, an island off the coast of Alaska. It was at this time that she sold her first short story, and began a career writing for children's magazines. "Bones for Dulath" in Amazons! was the first piece of fantasy that she published as Megan Lindholm. The anthology was published by Daw
, edited by Jessica Amanda Salmonson, and won a World Fantasy Award
for Year's Best Anthology. Over the next decade she moved around America, before settling in Washington and continuing her writing career in fantasy and science fiction. She has three grown children and a young daughter.
Her books have been praised by Orson Scott Card
. Card has stated that she "arguably set the standard for the modern serious fantasy novel."
The Farseer Trilogy follows the life of FitzChivalry Farseer (Fitz), a trained assassin, in a kingdom called The Six Duchies while his uncle, Prince Verity, attempts to wage war on the Red-Ship Raiders from The OutIslands who are attacking the shores of the kingdom by turning the people of the Six Duchies into Forged ones; still alive, but without any emotion, memory or soul. Meanwhile Prince Regal's jealousy and the indulgence of his own selfish whims threatens to destroy Six Duchies.
Liveship Traders Trilogy
The Liveship Traders Trilogy mainly takes place southwest of The Six Duchies in Bingtown (a colony
of Jamaillia) and focuses on Liveships (sentient ships). The trilogy is unusually nautical – an area seldom covered in fantasy
– with the germ of it being apparently the idea of portraying ships whose figureheads are literally alive and sentient. While this trilogy does not follow FitzChivalry Farseer's life, it is linked to both the Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies.
The Tawny Man continues the life of FitzChivalry Farseer from The Farseer Trilogy. It commences 15 years after the events in Assassin's Quest
, a period covered in part by The Liveship Traders Trilogy. It focuses on The Fool's attempts to guide others to fulfill his prophecies.
Takes place in the years after the Liveship Traders trilogy, and runs concurrently with and following the events of the Tawny Man Trilogy.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
of novelist Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden (born 1952 in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) who produces primarily fantasy fiction, although she has published some science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
.
From 1983 to 1992, she wrote exclusively under the pseudonym Megan Lindholm. Fiction under that pseudonym tends to be contemporary fantasy. In 1995, she began use of the pseudonym Robin Hobb for works of epic traditional European Medieval Fantasy. She currently publishes under both names, and she currently lives in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
. As of 2003 she had sold over 1 million copies of her first nine Robin Hobb novels. She has just finished writing a two volume novel called The Rain Wild Chronicles. The volumes are named The Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven. Her latest release, The Inheritance, is a collection of short fiction by both Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm. She is currently working on her next book, which is as yet untitled (believed to be City of Dragons and then another book Blood of Dragons). It will continue the stories of some of the characters from The Rain Wild Chronicles.
Background
Ogden was born in California in 1952, but was raised in Alaska. After graduating from high school, she studied at Denver University for a year and then returned to Alaska. After marrying at eighteen, she moved to KodiakKodiak, Alaska
Kodiak is one of 7 communities and the main city on Kodiak Island, Kodiak Island Borough, in the U.S. state of Alaska. All commercial transportation between the entire island and the outside world goes through this city either via ferryboat or airline...
, an island off the coast of Alaska. It was at this time that she sold her first short story, and began a career writing for children's magazines. "Bones for Dulath" in Amazons! was the first piece of fantasy that she published as Megan Lindholm. The anthology was published by Daw
DAW Books
DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
, edited by Jessica Amanda Salmonson, and won a World Fantasy Award
World Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
for Year's Best Anthology. Over the next decade she moved around America, before settling in Washington and continuing her writing career in fantasy and science fiction. She has three grown children and a young daughter.
Her books have been praised by Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
. Card has stated that she "arguably set the standard for the modern serious fantasy novel."
The Ki and Vandien Quartet
- Harpy's Flight (1983) ISBN 0-00-711252-1
- The Windsingers (1984) ISBN 0-00-711253-X
- The Limbreth Gate (1984) ISBN 0-00-711254-8
- Luck of the Wheels (1989) ISBN 0-00-711255-6
Tillu and Kerlew
- The Reindeer People (1988) ISBN 0-00-711422-2
- Wolf's Brother (1988) ISBN 0-00-711434-6
Other Books
- Wizard of the PigeonsWizard of the PigeonsWizard of the Pigeons is a 1985 urban fantasy novel set in Seattle, Washington by Megan Lindholm, issued as a paperback original by Ace Books and reprinted in hardcover by Hypatia Press in 1994. Several UK editions have also been published...
(1985) - Cloven Hooves (1991) ISBN 0-553-29327-3
- Alien Earth (1992) ISBN 0-553-29749-X
- The Gypsy (1992) with Steven BrustSteven BrustSteven Karl Zoltán Brust is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede; he also belongs to the Pre-Joycean...
ISBN 0-7653-1192-5
The Farseer Trilogy
The Farseer Trilogy follows the life of FitzChivalry Farseer (Fitz), a trained assassin, in a kingdom called The Six Duchies while his uncle, Prince Verity, attempts to wage war on the Red-Ship Raiders from The OutIslands who are attacking the shores of the kingdom by turning the people of the Six Duchies into Forged ones; still alive, but without any emotion, memory or soul. Meanwhile Prince Regal's jealousy and the indulgence of his own selfish whims threatens to destroy Six Duchies.
- Assassin's ApprenticeAssassin's ApprenticeAssassin's Apprentice is a book by Robin Hobb, the first in her Farseer Trilogy. It was her first book under this pseudonym, and published in 1995. The book was written under the working title Chivalry’s Bastard. The stories of characters found in the Farseer Trilogy continue in the Tawny Man...
(1995) - Royal AssassinRoyal AssassinRoyal Assassin is a book by Robin Hobb, the second in her Farseer Trilogy. It was published in 1996.-Summary:The Fitz Chivalry has survived his first treach erous foray as an assassin, but barely. The poison used by the bitterly ambitious Prince Regal has left Fitz weak and prone to unpredictable...
(1996) - Assassin's QuestAssassin's QuestAssassin's Quest is a book by Robin Hobb, the third in her Farseer Trilogy. It was published in 1997.-Plot summary:FitzChivalry Farseer is raised from the dead using his despised Wit magic, but he is now more wolf than human. Only Burrich and Chade know he survived his tortures in Regal's dungeons;...
(1997)
Liveship Traders TrilogyLiveship Traders TrilogyThe Liveship Traders Trilogy is a trilogy of books by Robin Hobb. The trilogy follows the lives of Bingtown Trader families.-Plot overview:The Liveship Trader's Trilogy takes place in Jamaillia, Bingtown and the Pirate Isles, on the coast far to the south of the Six Duchies...
The Liveship Traders Trilogy mainly takes place southwest of The Six Duchies in Bingtown (a colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
of Jamaillia) and focuses on Liveships (sentient ships). The trilogy is unusually nautical – an area seldom covered in fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
– with the germ of it being apparently the idea of portraying ships whose figureheads are literally alive and sentient. While this trilogy does not follow FitzChivalry Farseer's life, it is linked to both the Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies.
- Ship of MagicShip of MagicShip of Magic is a 1998 fantasy novel by Robin Hobb, the first in her Liveship Traders Trilogy.-Plot summary:Ship of Magic is the first book of the Liveship Traders series and is reminiscent of C.S. Forester's and Patrick O'Brian's writing style concerning the details and subtleties of ship life...
(1998) - The Mad ShipThe Mad ShipThe Mad Ship is a book by Robin Hobb, the second in her Liveship Traders Trilogy. It appeared in the USA as simply Mad Ship.-Plot:...
(1999) - Ship of DestinyShip of DestinyShip of Destiny is a book by Robin Hobb, the third and last in her Liveship Traders Trilogy.-Plot summary:Ship of Destiny continues where The Mad Ship left off and reveals some of the secrets that were hinted at in the first book and second books.The dragon, Tintaglia, released from her wizardwood...
(2000)
The Tawny Man Trilogy
The Tawny Man continues the life of FitzChivalry Farseer from The Farseer Trilogy. It commences 15 years after the events in Assassin's Quest
Assassin's Quest
Assassin's Quest is a book by Robin Hobb, the third in her Farseer Trilogy. It was published in 1997.-Plot summary:FitzChivalry Farseer is raised from the dead using his despised Wit magic, but he is now more wolf than human. Only Burrich and Chade know he survived his tortures in Regal's dungeons;...
, a period covered in part by The Liveship Traders Trilogy. It focuses on The Fool's attempts to guide others to fulfill his prophecies.
- Fool's ErrandFool's Errand (novel)Fool's Errand is a book by Robin Hobb, the first in her Tawny Man Trilogy. It commences 15 years after the events in Assassin's Quest, a period covered by The Liveship Traders Trilogy ; it resumes the story of FitzChivalry Farseer after he has wandered the world and finally settled to a quiet,...
(2002) - Golden FoolGolden FoolThe Golden Fool is a book by Robin Hobb, the second in her Tawny Man Trilogy.-Plot summary:Fitz has succeeded in rescuing Prince Dutiful from the clutches of the Piebald rebels...
(2003) - Fool's FateFool's FateFool's Fate is a book by Robin Hobb, the third in her Tawny Man Trilogy.-Plot summary:"Having the courage to find a better path is having the courage to risk making new mistakes."...
(2003)
The Rain Wilds Chronicles
Takes place in the years after the Liveship Traders trilogy, and runs concurrently with and following the events of the Tawny Man Trilogy.
- Dragon Keeper (2009)
- Dragon HavenDragon HavenDragon Haven is a novel by Robin Hobb, the second novel in The Rain Wild Chronicles. In a blog post Robin Hobb wrote: "The untitled book I am working on now picks up the tale of the Tarman expedition in search of Kelsingra. It’s my work in progress and threatens to be a long book!". Dragon Haven...
(2010) - City of Dragons (February of 2012)
- Blood of Dragons (February of 2013)
Soldier Son Trilogy
Set in a new world unrelated to her previous trilogies, the Soldier Son Trilogy follows the life of Nevare Burvelle, the second son of a newly elevated Lord of the Kingdom of Gernia, and his preparation for and education at the King's Cavalla Academy.- Shaman's CrossingShaman's CrossingShaman's Crossing is a book by Robin Hobb, the first in her Soldier Son Trilogy. It is written in first-person narrative from the viewpoint of Nevare Burvelle and follows his life through his first year in the King's Cavalla Academy.-Plot summary:...
(2005) - Forest MageForest MageForest Mage is a 2006 fantasy novel by Robin Hobb, the second in her Soldier Son Trilogy.-Plot introduction:The Gernian Cavalla Academy that has been established according to the King's wishes has suffered from the rivalry between the Old Lords and the King's New Lords. These are newly raised...
(2006) - Renegade's Magic (2008)
Short stories
- The Inheritance (The Realm of the Elderlings) in Voyager 5: Collector's Edition. Promotional paperback, not for sale. Can be bought as an ebook from Amazon.com.
- "HomecomingHomecoming (short story)"Homecoming" is a short story by Robin Hobb, published in the 2003 Legends II anthology. Set in The Realm of the Elderlings, it is written in first person narrative as a series of diary entries by Lady Carillion Carrock, an exiled Jamaillian noble....
" (The Realm of the Elderlings) in Legends IILegends II (book)Legends II: New Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy is a collection of 11 short stories by a number of noteworthy fantasy authors, edited by Robert Silverberg. All the stories were original to the collection, and set in the authors' established fictional worlds...
, edited by Robert SilverbergRobert SilverbergRobert Silverberg is an American author, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple nominee of the Hugo Award and a winner of the Nebula Award.-Early years:...
. - Words Like Coins (The Realm of the Elderlings)
- Blue Boots (The Realm of the Elderlings) in Songs of Love and Death, edited by George R. R. MartinGeorge R. R. MartinGeorge Raymond Richard Martin , sometimes referred to as GRRM, is an American author and screenwriter of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He is best known for A Song of Ice and Fire, his bestselling series of epic fantasy novels that HBO adapted for their dramatic pay-cable series Game of...
and Gardner DozoisGardner DozoisGardner Raymond Dozois is an American science fiction author and editor. He was editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine from 1984 to 2004...
. - Cat's Meat (The Realm of the Elderlings) in The Inheritance & Other Stories.
- The Triumph, a historical story in the Warriors anthology.
Collections
- The Inheritance & Other Stories (2011), contains seven stories written as Megan Lindholm and three stories (all set in the Realm of the Elderlings) written as Robin Hobb. The three stories are The Inheritance, Homecoming and a new story, Cat's Meat.
Interviews
- Interview conducted by Annaïg Houesnard for Elbakin.net during "Les Imaginales" 2008.
- Interview conducted by Rob Bedford for sffworld.com
- Interview conducted by Patrick for sffworld.com
- Interview on wotmania.com
- Interview conducted by Jay Tomio for BSCreview.com
- Interview conducted by Maïté Hoste for KissMyGeek.com
- Interview conducted by Bertrand Hallyn (Duiker) for The Breathless Quills, Les Plumes Asthmatiques and Antiquité-SFFF
External links
- Megan Lindholm's Official Web Site
- Robin Hobb's Official Web Site
- Robin Hobb at Fantasy Literature
- Blood Memories Unofficial Italian Web Site