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Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden (born March 5, 1952), known by her pen names Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm, is an American writer of
speculative fiction Speculative fiction is a term that has been used with a variety of (sometimes contradictory) meanings. The broadest interpretation is as a category of fiction encompassing genres with elements that do not exist in reality, recorded history, na ...
. As Hobb, she is best known for her fantasy novels set in the ''Realm of the Elderlings'', which comprise the '' Farseer'', ''
Liveship Traders The ''Liveship Traders'' is a trilogy of fantasy novels by American author Robin Hobb. A nautical fantasy series, the ''Liveship Traders'' is the second trilogy set in the ''Realm of the Elderlings'' and features pirates, sea serpents, a family ...
'' and ''
Tawny Man The ''Tawny Man'' trilogy is a series of novels by American author Robin Hobb, and the third trilogy in the ''Realm of the Elderlings'' sequence. Narrated in first person by FitzChivalry Farseer, it follows his life in his mid-thirties, and is s ...
'' trilogies, the ''
Rain Wild The ''Rain Wild Chronicles'' is a quartet of fantasy novels by American author Robin Hobb, published from 2009 to 2013. It chronicles the re-emergence of dragons in the ''Rain Wilds'', a setting in Hobb's fictional Realm of the Elderlings. It is ...
'' chronicles, and the ''
Fitz and the Fool The ''Fitz and the Fool'' trilogy is the concluding subseries of the ''Realm of the Elderlings'', a 16-book fantasy series by American author Robin Hobb. Published from 2014 to 2017, it features the protagonist FitzChivalry Farseer in his fiftie ...
'' trilogy. Lindholm's writing includes the
urban fantasy Urban fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy which places imaginary and unreal elements in an approximation of a contemporary urban setting. The combination provides the writer with quixotic plot-drivers, unusual character traits, and a platform for cl ...
novel ''
Wizard of the Pigeons ''Wizard of the Pigeons'' is a 1986 fantasy novel set in Seattle by Robin Hobb, Megan Lindholm, and a forerunner of the urban fantasy genre. It was the first work to draw wider attention to Lindholm (who also writes as Robin Hobb). The novel explo ...
'' and science fiction short stories, among other works. , her fiction has been translated into 22 languages and sold more than 4 million copies. Born in California, Lindholm grew up in Alaska and the
Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...
and married a mariner at age eighteen. The Alaskan wilderness and the ocean were prominent aspects of her life, influencing her writing. After an early career in short fiction, at age thirty Lindholm published her first novel while working as a waitress and raising children. The first work to bring her recognition was the 1986 novel ''Wizard of the Pigeons'', a
liminal fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama. ...
set in Seattle. A forerunner of the urban fantasy genre, it received praise for Lindholm's depiction of understated magic and poverty. Her science fiction novella "A Touch of Lavender" was nominated for the
Hugo Hugo or HUGO may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese * Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback * Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on ...
and
Nebula Award The Nebula Awards annually recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the United States. The awards are organized and awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), a nonprofit association of profe ...
s. While critically well received, Lindholm's work did not sell well and she began writing under the pen name Robin Hobb in 1995. Hobb achieved commercial success with her debut work under this pseudonym, the ''Farseer'' trilogy. An
epic fantasy High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot.Brian Stableford, ''The A to Z of Fantasy Literature'', (p. 198), Scarecrow Press, Pl ...
told as a first-person retrospective, it has been described as a character-driven and introspective work. Hobb went on to write four further series set in the ''Realm of the Elderlings'', which received praise from critics for her characterization, and in 2005 ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' described her as "one of the great modern fantasy writers". Through her writing, Hobb explores otherness,
ecocentrism Ecocentrism (; from Greek: οἶκος ''oikos'', "house" and κέντρον ''kentron'', "center") is a term used by environmental philosophers and ecologists to denote a nature-centered, as opposed to human-centered (i.e. anthropocentric), syste ...
,
queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...
ness and gender as themes. She concluded the ''Elderlings'' series in 2017 and won the
World Fantasy Award The World Fantasy Awards are a set of awards given each year for the best fantasy literature, fantasy fiction published during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by the World Fantasy Convention, the awards are given each year a ...
for Life Achievement in 2021.


Early life

Margaret Astrid Lindholm was born in
Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emer ...
, in 1952, but from the age of ten, she grew up in
Fairbanks, Alaska Fairbanks is a home rule city and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska and the second largest in the state. The 2020 Census put the po ...
. She recalls growing up in the middle of an oil boom in Alaska, which led to a rapid growth in population of the rural town she lived in. A shortage of classroom space caused some of her high school classes to be held in staircases. Lindholm did not like how the town's urbanization intruded on the nature trails around her house, which she had enjoyed exploring, but said her childhood was overall a happy one and described herself as more of a solitary than social child. Her family raised a
half wolf A wolfdog is a canine produced by the mating of a domestic dog (''Canis familiaris'') with a gray wolf (''Canis lupus''), eastern wolf (''Canis lycaon''), red wolf (''Canis rufus''), or Ethiopian wolf (''Canis simensis'') to produce a hybr ...
called Bruno and hunted
caribou Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...
and moose; this would later inspire the wolf character Nighteyes and the descriptions of wilderness survival in Lindholm's writing. After graduating from Austin E. Lathrop High School, she studied at the
University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private university, private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Mountain States, Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is ...
for a year before returning to Alaska. At eighteen, Lindholm married Fred Ogden, a merchant mariner whom she had been dating for the past year. The couple moved to Hawaii, where they lived for more than a year, but found it too hot to acclimate to and returned to Fred's hometown of
Kodiak Kodiak may refer to: Places *Kodiak, Alaska, a city located on Kodiak island * Kodiak, Missouri, an unincorporated community *Kodiak Archipelago, in southern Alaska *Kodiak Island, the largest island of the Kodiak archipelago ** Kodiak Launch Com ...
, located at the tip of Kodiak Island in south-central Alaska. Margaret enjoyed journeying on Fred's ships and said the sea was a prominent aspect of her life, inspiring the maritime focus of her ''Liveship'' books. She published her first novel at age thirty, while working as a waitress, and balanced between writing and caring for her four children while her husband worked offshore as a commercial fisherman. The family experienced financial difficulties at the time and said their income "depended entirely on fish and editors". Margaret described her writing process as: "writing fits into odd corners. It's during the naptime, it's sitting by the bath tub writing, it's writing after the children are in bed". She also worked part-time, including in waitressing and mail delivery, early in her career.


Writing career

Hobb's work has appeared under several pen names: as M. Lindholm and Megan Lindholm from 1979, and as Robin Hobb from 1995. The change from Margaret, her first name, to Megan was due to a misunderstanding with her first editor. Megan Lindholm's writing received critical praise, including
Hugo Hugo or HUGO may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese * Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback * Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on ...
and
Nebula award The Nebula Awards annually recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the United States. The awards are organized and awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), a nonprofit association of profe ...
nominations for her short fiction, but did not sell well. In 1995, the author started writing in a new fantasy subgenre and deliberately chose an androgynous pen name, Robin Hobb, for her new work written as a first-person male narrator. Her writing as Hobb was commercially successful, and has appeared on New York Times bestseller lists. She continues to write under both Hobb and Lindholm bylines.


As Megan Lindholm

Lindholm sold her first short story to a children's magazine, leading to an early career writing for children. Her short fiction for children appeared in magazines such as '' Humpty Dumpty'', '' Jack and Jill'', and '' Highlights for Children''. She also composed educational material, short works of fiction created to a very specific vocabulary list, which were used in
SRA SRA may refer to: * SRA0 to SRA4, standard paper sizes defined by ISO 217 * Satanic ritual abuse * SRa or SRA, a type of semiregular variable star * Senior Airman (SrA), a US Air Force rank * Septic Reserve Area, for a septic drain field * The Nat ...
's programmed reading material. In the 1970s, Lindholm also began to write short fantasy, publishing short stories in fanzines such as ''Space and Time'' (edited by Gordon Linzner). Her first professional sale as a fantasy writer was the short story "Bones for Dulath", which appeared in the 1979 ''
Amazons! ''Amazons!'' is an anthology of fantasy stories, edited by Jessica Amanda Salmonson, with a cover and frontispiece by Michael Whelan. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in December 1979, and was the first significant fantasy anthol ...
'' anthology, and which introduced her recurring characters Ki and Vandien. The anthology, published by DAW Books, won a
World Fantasy Award The World Fantasy Awards are a set of awards given each year for the best fantasy literature, fantasy fiction published during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by the World Fantasy Convention, the awards are given each year a ...
for Year's Best Anthology. A second story featuring Ki and Vandien, "The Small One," was published in ''Fantastic Stories'' in 1980. Until 1995, she continued to publish exclusively under the name Megan Lindholm. Her fiction under that name spans several slices of the fantasy genre, from fantasy adventure (the Ki and Vandien tales) to urban fantasy. Her 1986 novel ''
Wizard of the Pigeons ''Wizard of the Pigeons'' is a 1986 fantasy novel set in Seattle by Robin Hobb, Megan Lindholm, and a forerunner of the urban fantasy genre. It was the first work to draw wider attention to Lindholm (who also writes as Robin Hobb). The novel explo ...
'' was one of the precursors of the
urban fantasy Urban fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy which places imaginary and unreal elements in an approximation of a contemporary urban setting. The combination provides the writer with quixotic plot-drivers, unusual character traits, and a platform for cl ...
genre, and was the first work to bring her wider attention. Lindholm's first novel, '' Harpy's Flight'', was published by Ace in 1983. It was the first of four novels about the characters Ki and Vandien, the last of which was published in 1989. She contributed short stories to a shared world anthology entitled '' Liavek'' from 1985 to 1988, and co-wrote a novel, '' The Gypsy'', with
Steven Brust Steven Karl Zoltán Brust (born November 23, 1955) is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He is best known for his series of novels about the assassin Vlad Taltos, one of a disdained minority group of humans livi ...
. ''The Gypsy'' was released both as a traditional paper book and as part of an enhanced multimedia CD which included the text of the novel as well as the Boiled in Lead album ''
Songs From the Gypsy ''Songs From the Gypsy'' is the sixth album by Minneapolis Celtic rock band Boiled in Lead, and its second with lead singer/guitarist Adam Stemple. It is a song cycle based on a Hungarian folk tale, written largely by Stemple and his Cats Laughi ...
'', which was considered the soundtrack to the novel and featured songs written by Brust and his Cats Laughing bandmate
Adam Stemple Adam Stemple is a Celtic-influenced American folk rock musician, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is also the author of several fantasy short stories and novels, including two series of novels co-written with his mother, writer Jane Yolen. Stem ...
which had inspired the creation of both the novel and the album. She has continued to publish short stories as Megan Lindholm, including an appearance in the 2013 anthology ''Year's Best SF 18''.


As Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb, a pseudonym that Lindholm has used for writing works of epic traditional fantasy, first appeared in 1995. Her writing has mainly focused on the ''Realm of the Elderlings'', a series of 16 books written in five parts. The series comprises four trilogies and one tetralogythe ''Farseer'', the ''Liveship Traders'', the ''Tawny Man'', the ''Rain Wild'', and the ''Fitz and the Fool'' set in the same world. Hobb's first work was the ''Farseer'' trilogy, narrated in first person by FitzChivalry Farseer, illegitimate son of a prince, and featuring an enigmatic character called the Fool. The first volume of the trilogy, ''
Assassin's Apprentice ''Assassin's Apprentice'' is a fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the first book in ''The Farseer Trilogy.'' It was Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden's first book under this pseudonym, and was published in 1995. The book was written under ...
'', was published in 1995, followed by '' Royal Assassin'' in 1996 and '' Assassin's Quest'' in 1997. Hobb next wrote a nautical fantasy series, the ''
Liveship Traders The ''Liveship Traders'' is a trilogy of fantasy novels by American author Robin Hobb. A nautical fantasy series, the ''Liveship Traders'' is the second trilogy set in the ''Realm of the Elderlings'' and features pirates, sea serpents, a family ...
'', set in a different part of the ''Elderlings'' world and featuring pirates, sea serpents, a family of traders and their living ships. The books of the trilogy, ''
Ship of Magic ''Ship of Magic'' is a 1998 fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the first in her '' Liveship Traders Trilogy.'' Synopsis Setting A liveship is a ship made of Wizardwood, a mystical substance from up the Rain Wild River. When three ...
'', ''
The Mad Ship ''The Mad Ship'' is a book by American writer Robin Hobb, the second in her ''Liveship Traders Trilogy.'' It appeared in the United States as simply ''Mad Ship''. Plot Aboard Vivacia, Wintrow saves Kennit's life by amputating the infected par ...
'' and ''
Ship of Destiny ''Ship of Destiny'' is a book by American writer Robin Hobb, the third and last in her ''Liveship Traders Trilogy''. Plot summary Much of Bingtown has been destroyed after the night of the Satrap's disappearance. Factions in Bingtown struggle a ...
'', were published between 1998 and 2000. Over the following three years, Hobb returned to the first-person narrative of Fitz in the ''
Tawny Man The ''Tawny Man'' trilogy is a series of novels by American author Robin Hobb, and the third trilogy in the ''Realm of the Elderlings'' sequence. Narrated in first person by FitzChivalry Farseer, it follows his life in his mid-thirties, and is s ...
'' trilogy, set after the events of the ''Liveship'' novels and comprising ''
Fool's Errand A fool's errand prank is a type of practical joke where a newcomer to a group, typically in a workplace context, is given an impossible or nonsensical task by older or more experienced members of the group. More generally, a fool's errand is a t ...
'', ''
The Golden Fool ''The Golden Fool'' is a fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the second in her ''Tawny Man Trilogy''. It was published in 2002. Plot summary Fitz has succeeded in rescuing Prince Dutiful from the clutches of the Piebald rebels. But once ...
'', and ''
Fool's Fate ''Fool's Fate'' is a fantasy novel by American writer Robin Hobb, the third in her ''Tawny Man Trilogy.'' It was published in 2003. Plot summary Once assassin to the king, Fitz is now Skillmaster to Prince Dutiful's small band, sailing towards th ...
''. As of 2003, Robin Hobb had sold over one million copies of her first nine novels, which formed three trilogies set in the ''Realm of the Elderlings''. The three books of the ''Soldier Son'' trilogy (''Shaman's Crossing'', ''Forest Mage'', and ''Renegade's Magic'') are Hobb's only works to be set outside of the ''Elderlings'' world, and were published between 2005 and 2009. In addition, ''The Inheritance'', published in 2011, was a collection of short stories written both as Robin Hobb and as Megan Lindholm. From 2009 to 2013, Hobb released the four novels of the '' Rain Wild Chronicles'' (''Dragon Keeper'', ''Dragon Haven'', ''City of Dragons'' and ''Blood of Dragons''). This series is set in the same world, the ''Realm of the Elderlings'', as Hobb's earlier trilogies. In 2014, Hobb resumed the story, decades later in life, of her two most popular characters in the ''
Fitz and the Fool The ''Fitz and the Fool'' trilogy is the concluding subseries of the ''Realm of the Elderlings'', a 16-book fantasy series by American author Robin Hobb. Published from 2014 to 2017, it features the protagonist FitzChivalry Farseer in his fiftie ...
'' trilogy, with its three volumes, ''
Fool's Assassin ''Fool's Assassin'' is the first book in the epic fantasy trilogy ''Fitz and the Fool'', written by American author Robin Hobb. Ten years after the events of ''Fool's Fate'', it resumes the story of FitzChivalry Farseer, a former assassin, as a m ...
'', ''
Fool's Quest ''Fool's Quest'' is the second book in the epic fantasy trilogy ''Fitz and the Fool'', written by American author Robin Hobb. It was published by HarperCollins and released in August, 2015 and continues the story of FitzChivalry Farseer and his da ...
'' and ''
Assassin's Fate ''Assassin's Fate'' is the third book in the epic fantasy trilogy ''Fitz and the Fool'', written by American author Robin Hobb. It continues the story of FitzChivalry Farseer and his daughter Bee after the events of ''Fool's Quest ''Fool's Quest ...
'', published from 2014 to 2017. The last novel, ''Assassin's Fate'', concludes not only her earlier books featuring Fitz, but also the ''Liveship'' and ''Rain Wild'' books.


Style and themes


Genre and style

Hobb's writing spans the
speculative fiction Speculative fiction is a term that has been used with a variety of (sometimes contradictory) meanings. The broadest interpretation is as a category of fiction encompassing genres with elements that do not exist in reality, recorded history, na ...
genre. Her most famous work, the ''Realm of the Elderlings'', is secondary-world fantasy, with the ''Farseer'' novels narrated as first-person retrospective. This has been described as an unusual approach in fantasy, with greater focus on the characters' internal conflicts over the external. Her earlier writing as Megan Lindholm comprises short-form science fiction and urban fantasy. Her 1986 novel ''
Wizard of the Pigeons ''Wizard of the Pigeons'' is a 1986 fantasy novel set in Seattle by Robin Hobb, Megan Lindholm, and a forerunner of the urban fantasy genre. It was the first work to draw wider attention to Lindholm (who also writes as Robin Hobb). The novel explo ...
'' has been cited as a forerunner of the urban fantasy genre, with scholar
Farah Mendlesohn Farah Jane Mendlesohn (born 27 July 1968) is a British academic historian, writer on speculative fiction, and active member of science fiction fandom. Mendlesohn is best-known for their 2008 book '' Rhetorics of Fantasy'', which classifies fant ...
describing it as
liminal fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama. ...
that pairs "plain descriptions of the fantastic ..with baroque descriptions of the real". Hobb herself has said that she employs different voices for the two pseudonyms, with Lindholm's voice "a little more snarky, a little more sarcastic, a little less optimistic, less emotional", and more attuned to dark, urban fantasy. Hobb's novels have sometimes been compared to fellow author
George R. R. Martin George Raymond Richard Martin (born George Raymond Martin; September 20, 1948), also known as GRRM, is an American novelist, screenwriter, television producer and short story writer. He is the author of the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song ...
, with both their best-known works published during the 1990s. While Martin and Hobb's series are considered more realistic than most
epic fantasy High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot.Brian Stableford, ''The A to Z of Fantasy Literature'', (p. 198), Scarecrow Press, Pl ...
, they differ in how they depict said realism. According to scholar Sylvia Borowska-Szerszun, Martin's work focuses on the brutality and violence of its realism, while Hobb's narrative focuses more on the individual, and is interested in exploring psychological aspects of trauma. Critic
Amanda Craig Amanda Craig (born 1959) is a British novelist, critic and journalist. She was a recipient of the Catherine Pakenham Award. Early life Born in South Africa, Craig grew up in Italy before moving to London. Her parents were British journalist, ...
describes Hobb's writing as having a Shakespearean flavor, and calls the mood "nothing like as bleak as
George R R Martin George Raymond Richard Martin (born George Raymond Martin; September 20, 1948), also known as GRRM, is an American novelist, screenwriter, television producer and short story writer. He is the author of the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song ...
's, nor as Manichean as
Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, ; 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlins ...
's, but close to Ursula Le Guin's redemptive humanism". Literary allusions to the works of
Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
and
R. M. Ballantyne Robert Michael Ballantyne (24 April 1825 – 8 February 1894) was a Scottish author of juvenile fiction, who wrote more than a hundred books. He was also an accomplished artist: he exhibited some of his water-colours at the Royal Scottish Acade ...
have been identified in Hobb's ''Liveship Traders'' series, which academics Ralph Crane and Lisa Fletcher described as an immersive portrayal of a world that is water-centric, aided by unique perspectives such as a serpent's-eye view of the ocean (the serpents view the sea as "the Plenty", while the air above is termed "the Lack"). The larger map of the ''Realm of the Elderlings'' has been recognized as resembling the U.S. state of Alaska, where Hobb grew up. Scholar Geoffrey B. Elliott views the setting of the ''Tawny Man'' trilogy as drawing from the geography and indigenous culture of the
Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...
, noting the glacier-filled isles and matrilineal culture of Hobb's Out Islands.


Themes

Tolerance for otherness is a theme that runs through the fantasy elements of Hobb's ''Elderlings'' series. The books feature two kinds of magic: the socially acceptable Skill, practiced by the ruling class, and the despised Wit, relegated with the lower classes. The Wit, the ability to bond with animals, is viewed as an unnatural inclination, as emasculating and shameful, with its practitioners publicly hanged and forced into hiding. Scholars have described it as an allegory for
queerness ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...
and homophobia. The protagonist Fitz, who is both Skilled and Witted, leads conflicting identities. His bond with his Witted partner, a wolf, is portrayed as central to his life as his human relationships, but is forced to operate in secret due to social prejudice. This personal struggle, as well as the larger struggle for de-ostracization of the Witted, form a key theme of the series. Hobb explores gender as a theme in the ''Liveship Traders'', which focuses on the lives of three generations of women in a patriarchal society. The women of the series often defy stereotypical expectations of their femininity: Althea, a rebellious sailor who dresses as a man to work on a ship, re-kindles her sensitive side; Keffria, a submissive housewife, discovers her independence; and Ronica, a conservative, traditional matriarch adapts to social change. The Fool, an enigmatic character whose gender identity shifts through the series, appears as a young woman in some sections and as a man in others. Scholars have described this depiction of gender as subversive, and as challenging the notion of a rigid boundary between genders. Ecological themes have also been identified in Hobb's work. The resurgence of dragons in the ''Elderlings'' series poses a challenge to
anthropocentrism Anthropocentrism (; ) is the belief that human beings are the central or most important entity in the universe. The term can be used interchangeably with humanocentrism, and some refer to the concept as human supremacy or human exceptionalism. F ...
, or the supremacy of man's place in the world, with humans forced to re-adjust in relation to a stronger, more intelligent predator. The Wit, an ill-regarded ability associated with the animal world, is shown through Fitz's perspective as a natural extension of the senses and as an interconnectedness to all living things. Scholar Mariah Larsson view the series as
ecocentric Ecocentrism (; from Greek: οἶκος ''oikos'', "house" and κέντρον ''kentron'', "center") is a term used by environmental philosophers and ecologists to denote a nature-centered, as opposed to human-centered (i.e. anthropocentric), syste ...
in nature, questioning the intrinsic value of human over other forms of life. Other themes in Hobb's writing include critiques of colonialism and examination of culture-specific honor systems in the ''Soldier Son'' trilogy, a series set in a post-colonial secondary world that has drawn resemblance to the nineteenth century
American frontier The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of United States territorial acquisitions, American expansion in mainland North Amer ...
.


Reception

Lindholm's work did not sell well, causing her to remain a midlist author for several years. Her works as Hobb have been commercially successful: the first three sub-series of the ''Realm of the Elderlings'' had sold more than a million copies by 2003, and at the time of the series' conclusion in 2017, more than 1.25 million copies had been sold in the UK alone. , Hobb's fiction has been translated into 22 languages and sold more than 4 million copies in France. Following her success as Hobb, her Lindholm works such as ''Wizard of the Pigeons'' and ''
Alien Earth ''Alien Earth'' is an isometric platform game, isometric pseudo-3D action-adventure game with Role-playing video game, role-playing elements. It was released for Windows. It was developed by Krome Studios Melbourne, (known as Beam Software at the ...
'' were translated to French, and ''
Cloven Hooves A cloven hoof, cleft hoof, divided hoof or split hoof is a hoof split into two toes. This is found on members of the mammalian order Even-toed ungulate, Artiodactyla. Examples of mammals that possess this type of hoof are cattle, deer, pigs, ant ...
'', which had been out of print for more than two decades, was reprinted in the US. Hobb has received recognition for her characterization. In a column for ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'', critic
Amanda Craig Amanda Craig (born 1959) is a British novelist, critic and journalist. She was a recipient of the Catherine Pakenham Award. Early life Born in South Africa, Craig grew up in Italy before moving to London. Her parents were British journalist, ...
called Hobb "one of the great modern fantasy writers". She described Hobb's characters as believable people who "age, change, waver and suffer lasting scars", and highlighted the portrayal of Fitz, the protagonist of the ''Farseer'' trilogy. The ''
New Statesman The ''New Statesman'' is a British political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other leading members ...
'' remarked on the "striking portraits of three generations of women" in the sequel ''Liveship Traders'' trilogy, and stated that though Hobb's works had a medieval setting, her themes resonated in the modern world. In a review of the first book of the ''Fitz and the Fool'' trilogy, ''
The Telegraph ''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include: Australia * ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
'' said of her characters that "their longings and failings are our own, and we find our view of the world indelibly changed by their experiences". Comparing her writing with that of literary novelists, ''The Telegraph'' described Hobb's novels as transcending the fantasy genre. The ''
Los Angeles Review of Books The ''Los Angeles Review of Books'' (''LARB'' is a literary review magazine covering the national and international book scenes. A preview version launched on Tumblr in April 2011, and the official website followed one year later in April 2012. ...
'' found Hobb's characters in the final trilogy interesting even in middle age, writing that traumas experienced in childhood "linger and take on new shapes" as her characters aged. The ''LARB'' described the psychological complexity of Hobb's characters, along with the layered interactions between them, as central to the appeal of her writing. In a similar view, ''
Library Journal ''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...
'' described the ''Elderlings'' series as "masterworks of character-based epic fantasy". Some of Hobb's works have received less positive a reception: ''The Guardian'' criticized the ''Soldier Son'' books as lacking the "heart and page-turning spark" of her Fitz novels, and viewed the ''Rain Wild'' novels as "flimsy in comparison". Scholar Lenise Prater positively viewed how Hobb's ''Elderlings'' novels blurred gender boundaries; she however critiqued Hobb's emphasis on "monogamous, romantic love", viewing it as heteronormative and as a conservative representation of queer relationships. A different view was offered by scholar Peter Melville, who described the final ''Elderlings'' trilogy as "confirm ngthe series' place within the larger history of queerness in the fantasy genre". As Megan Lindholm, she has received praise for the depiction of understated magic, poverty and mental illness in the novel ''Wizard of the Pigeons'' and other themes such as aging in her short fiction. Other aspects of Hobb's writing that have drawn commentary include her prose, described by ''The Times'' as having "a sinewy simplicity close to that of myths and fairytales", her portrayal of gender, in particular the gender-fluid character known as the Fool, and her depiction of psychological aspects of trauma, including that arising from violence and rape. Fellow authors of speculative fiction have praised Hobb's work. Orson Scott Card stated that she "arguably set the standard for the modern serious fantasy novel", and cited the ''Liveship Traders'' as his favorite work of Hobb's.
George R.R. Martin George Raymond Richard Martin (born George Raymond Martin; September 20, 1948), also known as GRRM, is an American novelist, screenwriter, television producer and short story writer. He is the author of the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song ...
has praised her work, writing that her books are like "diamonds in a sea of zircons". In 2014, Hobb was a Guest of Honor at the
72nd World Science Fiction Convention The 72nd World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as Loncon 3, was held on 14–18 August 2014 at the ExCeL London in London, United Kingdom. The convention committee was co-chaired by Alice Lawson and Steve Cooper and organized ...
in London.


Awards

In 1981, Megan Lindholm was awarded an Alaska State Council of the Arts prize for her short story "The Poaching". As Megan Lindholm, her short fiction works have been finalists for both the Nebula and the Hugo awards, and winner of the Asimov's Readers Award. In 2021, Lindholm won the
World Fantasy Award The World Fantasy Awards are a set of awards given each year for the best fantasy literature, fantasy fiction published during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by the World Fantasy Convention, the awards are given each year a ...
for Life Achievement, presented to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service to the fantasy field.


Personal life

She currently publishes under both her pen names, and lives on a small farm outside of
Roy, Washington Roy is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 816 at the 2020 census. History Roy was officially incorporated on January 16, 1908. It is a rural city outside Tacoma and primarily features ranch-style homes and f ...
.


Bibliography


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

* as Megan Lindholm * as Robin Hobb * * *
Robin Hobb
at Fantasy Literature


Interviews


Interview
conducted by Annaïg Houesnard for Elbakin.net during "Les Imaginales" 2008.
Interview
conducted by Rob Bedford for sffworld.com

conducted by Patrick for sffworld.com
Interview on wotmania.com
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hobb, Robin 1952 births American fantasy writers American women short story writers American women novelists Pseudonymous women writers People from Kodiak, Alaska Writers from Tacoma, Washington Women science fiction and fantasy writers Living people 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists 20th-century American short story writers 21st-century American short story writers Writers from Fairbanks, Alaska Novelists from Washington (state) 20th-century pseudonymous writers 21st-century pseudonymous writers World Fantasy Award-winning writers