[devilsgrin]

realism? in an REF book? you can't be serious in thinking that theres any more realism in his works compared to any of the major fantasy authors around. The only author who he has more detail than is Anne McCaffrey (of the majors of course).

While i like some of REF's books, they are simplistic, that back story is tacked-on and the characters can often be at the same time likable and the most irritatingly cliched hack characters imaginable. I truly came to despise Tomas, and Queen Aglaranna was the lamest attempt at a Galadriel impersonation i have yet to come across in fantasy fiction.

for parts of REF's works i liked Erik von Darkmoor, Nakor, Calis and i actually enjoyed some of Miranda's scenes. Jimmy the Hand of course, was perhaps one of the continually most enjoyable... but ALL his scenes and plotlines were as transparent as glass...

the only character i continued to like out of these books was Pug (my favourite scene with Pug, has him basically telling Prince Patrick to f$%k off), and it wasn't until the Empire series with Janny Wurts that another decently constructed character appeared - in the person of Mara of the Acoma (who is one of my all-time favourite characters in any series), and Kevin of Zun.

i agree with Conan, as much as Fitz is often frustrating, he's one of the most REAL characters ever set into a fantasy novel. Nevare is essentially a very similar character, but again is another real person, not some two-dimensional cut-out of a fantasy cliche - which almost every character in an REF book is. Realism is Robin Hobb's mainstay - especially in regard to her characters. they are very real for their world, and all their actions are in synch with their characters. Realism is certainly not a feature of any of REF's characters.