[ScottSF]

First, Robin Hobb is a woman. I think Assasin's Aprentis is good as a stand-alone read. If you really like that one then keep reading. I liked all of them pretty much. I have some issues that are hard to pin down with the third books, like how things get wrapped up, but I like the characters so much it was easy to keep reading. I didn't have any issues with the Liveship Traders. It is my favorite work of hers even though it doesn't directly involve the characters from the other trilogies.