Read the previous entry in the series here.
Read the next entry in the series soon.

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The final chapter of the Fitz and the Fool novels, “The Mountains,” is preceded by a brief note about the Skill-roads penned by Fitz. The chapter itself opens with Nettle and Kettricken conferring about their respective next steps as those who had been gathered to attend on Fitz’s passing make their departures. Bee remarks about the various groups heading out, and she departs with Kettricken, Integrity, Hap, Motley, Spark, and Perseverance for Jhaampe after bidding Nettle farewell. Bee’s thoughts turn to mundane matters as the party around her proceeds at ease. Following the Skill-road out of the quarry, Bee is startled by Perseverance’s assertion that they are being followed, at which Kettricken smiles. Notes about the author and about the typeface conclude the text.

The present chapter is not the first to be titled “The Mountains”; there is another such, following Kettricken proceeding through the mountains with Fitz and others in attendance, in Assassin’s Quest. As before, it might be of interest to read the chapters against one another, although it would be a short read, given the brevity of the present, final chapter.

As might be expected, the present chapter resolves a few of the points not previously addressed, although it leaves those resolutions somewhat open. The characters’ next destinations are clear, and there is little if any suggestion that they will not arrive, but those arrivals are not presented. In the novel as in life, there is not a definitive ending–and, from a commercial standpoint, leaving the (tantalizing) possibility of sequels open is a useful thing. I do not think I am alone in hoping to continue to follow the Farseers.

As far as the rereading goes: there are other Realm of the Elderlings materials to treat, including possibly some that I do not have copies of in my possession. Reading them, if they’re there and I can get them, will be a pleasure. I’ll definitely return to those I have, doing for them what I have already done (and will possibly improve upon?) for the main narrative line; I’ll also take up the Soldier Son novels, about which there’s not a lot written that I know of. More scholarly somedays will follow, I have no doubt; I’ve already been sitting on several for a while, now, and it may be nice to revisit them.

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