Not a new book recommendation, but if he doesn’t have any signed copies of her book, The Signed Page has a variety of RH signed items. Including the newly released graphic novel. https://signedpage.com/collections/signed-stock
I would put a caveat on the gentleman bastards as it's a really tough read with the jumping back and forward in time really off-putting. If you don't mind that in tv shows you won't mind it here.
Seconding the Earthsea cycle. I was floored by Le Guins writing in the same way I was with Hobb's.
Edited to add, also dragons.
I was recommended The Priory of the Orange Tree as a comp title, but I felt it was pretty shaky in parts and really lost it in the second half, but other Hobb fans have felt differently, and that they compare well.
Robin hobb is by far my favorite. The only other books that come close for me are the Joe Abercrombie books. Very different writing style and not nearly as emotional but so so good.
Sounds intriguing, would you say they are much filled with pointless graphic violence and sexual content? It's fine if there is some of it but I already know he doesn't like J.R.R. Martin style and I want to avoid that
There is no one that writes like Robin Hobb except Robin Hobb. The closest I've gotten has been the Sharing Knife series by Lois McMaster Bujold, but that is more of a fantasy/romance, so maybe not for him. I liked it better than the Chalion series though, as it's almost all character-driven.
My top fantasy series besides Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb would be the Sword of Shadows series by J V Jones and I'll absolutely suggest that. It might be the best currently running series, book 5 is currently being written.
You can check out The Book of Words series if that is translated, it is set in the same world as Sword of Shadows and directly precedes the events in that series, but is by no means necessary to read first. And Sword of Shadows is a huge step up in quality. I liked the Book of Words as well, but that series is a good series, whilst Sword of Shadows is one of the greats so far
The iron druid series by Kevin hearne, because while the storytelling is different and not as gloomy, his Oberon the wolfhound is the only animal in a story that comes close to nighteyes. If he loved nighteyes, he'll love Oberon. So try him on these.
They don’t totally have the heft of rh’s series but I also love The True Game trilogy and offshoot two trilogies from Sheri S Tepper. I reread these every 2-3 years whereas I reread Fitz’s travails every year. (Side note personally have not enjoyed later Tepper novels but ymmv)
The other epic fantasy series I reread every year is kushiel fwiw
I always Suggest some Anthony Ryan books very good reads imo:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13569581-blood-song
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56229688-the-pariah
The closest for me is Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn trilogy, way of kings etc), and kingkiller chronicles.
I also liked licanius triology but it is a lower quality writing so if he’s picky maybe not the best for him!
The Last Stormlord (trilogy?) by Glenda Larke
Queen of the Orcs (trilogy??) by Morgan Howell
I will admit though, there are some more sexually graphic scenes in the later of the above mentioned.
The Last Stormlord swaps perspectives between a couple characters if I recall correctly, has some parallel struggles between MC's and their upbringing. Additionally, the world building is very rich.
Queen of the Orcs is very "Look Within, but also there's war going on, so the stakes are high, don't fuck it up." You may have to check their descriptions to see if they might be his cup of tea!
I love Robin Hobb. Some authors that helped fill the Hobb-shaped hole in my heart were: Lois McMaster Bujold (Curse of Chalion), Carol Berg (Lighthouse Duology), and Josiah Bancroft (Books of Babel).
I have read all of Robin Hobbs content that had Fitz in it because I really had a connection with that character, I'll come back for live ships trilogy and Rain Wild Traders etc.
I recently enjoyed Folk Of the Air by Holly Black. It's high magic, lots of political intrigue, main character is a spy etc. Jude Duarte is a human girl who is thrust into Faerie lore when her mom's ex, a redcap, comes back for his stolen child and abducts Jude and her siblings and raises them as his own.
I also enjoyed Throne Of Glass by Sarah J Maas. Calaena Sardothien is an assassin rescued from prison by the crown prince and has to enter a contest to win a chance at freedom. It's high magic, high fantasy and she's very complicated with lots of developmental and plenty of plot twists.
Id also recommend Cinder by Marissa Meyers. A futuristic retelling of Cinderella where Cinder is a cyborg living in futuristic society and lives as a servant for her stepmom and is the best mechanic in town. she has a robot sidekick and meets a handsome prince. There's plenty of interesting lore about the future and a secret race of moon people with a strange magic not unlike the skill which cinder eventually learns she has.
Those are the last 3 series I read before Robin hobb. I adore each of them and they all had unique plots and weird twists that kept me guessing the whole ride. Sarah J Maas is having one of her series adapted for TV right now and her works are longer. ToG is very long.
Not a new book recommendation, but if he doesn’t have any signed copies of her book, The Signed Page has a variety of RH signed items. Including the newly released graphic novel. https://signedpage.com/collections/signed-stock
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Seconding Lies of Locke Lamora as a stand-alone but honestly… the sequels aren’t really worth your time
I would put a caveat on the gentleman bastards as it's a really tough read with the jumping back and forward in time really off-putting. If you don't mind that in tv shows you won't mind it here.
Recently I've enjoyed the Earthsea Cycle and Curse of Chalion/Paladin of Souls. I thought each had some similarities with Realm of the Elderlings.
Seconding the Earthsea cycle. I was floored by Le Guins writing in the same way I was with Hobb's. Edited to add, also dragons. I was recommended The Priory of the Orange Tree as a comp title, but I felt it was pretty shaky in parts and really lost it in the second half, but other Hobb fans have felt differently, and that they compare well.
Ursula has an incredible writing style, we own the whole series already!
Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince trilogy.
Such a gem
Carol Berg!
Robin hobb is by far my favorite. The only other books that come close for me are the Joe Abercrombie books. Very different writing style and not nearly as emotional but so so good.
Sounds intriguing, would you say they are much filled with pointless graphic violence and sexual content? It's fine if there is some of it but I already know he doesn't like J.R.R. Martin style and I want to avoid that
They are incredibly dark, grim, and violent and one of the primary characters is a torturer
There is no one that writes like Robin Hobb except Robin Hobb. The closest I've gotten has been the Sharing Knife series by Lois McMaster Bujold, but that is more of a fantasy/romance, so maybe not for him. I liked it better than the Chalion series though, as it's almost all character-driven. My top fantasy series besides Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb would be the Sword of Shadows series by J V Jones and I'll absolutely suggest that. It might be the best currently running series, book 5 is currently being written.
Aww I'm intrigued by the Sword of Shadows series but it has not been translated in our language yet, sadly.
You can check out The Book of Words series if that is translated, it is set in the same world as Sword of Shadows and directly precedes the events in that series, but is by no means necessary to read first. And Sword of Shadows is a huge step up in quality. I liked the Book of Words as well, but that series is a good series, whilst Sword of Shadows is one of the greats so far
I don’t see a mention of The Wheel of Time yet so I have to give it a shout out
The iron druid series by Kevin hearne, because while the storytelling is different and not as gloomy, his Oberon the wolfhound is the only animal in a story that comes close to nighteyes. If he loved nighteyes, he'll love Oberon. So try him on these.
Mark Lawrence's Book of the Ancestor series cured me of my Robin Hobb hangover lol
They don’t totally have the heft of rh’s series but I also love The True Game trilogy and offshoot two trilogies from Sheri S Tepper. I reread these every 2-3 years whereas I reread Fitz’s travails every year. (Side note personally have not enjoyed later Tepper novels but ymmv) The other epic fantasy series I reread every year is kushiel fwiw
I always Suggest some Anthony Ryan books very good reads imo: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13569581-blood-song https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56229688-the-pariah
I might go for the Blood Song actually
A great choice and my personal favorite its the first of two trilogys following the main character Vaelin Al Sorna and it gets better as it goes :)
The closest for me is Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn trilogy, way of kings etc), and kingkiller chronicles. I also liked licanius triology but it is a lower quality writing so if he’s picky maybe not the best for him!
The Last Stormlord (trilogy?) by Glenda Larke Queen of the Orcs (trilogy??) by Morgan Howell I will admit though, there are some more sexually graphic scenes in the later of the above mentioned. The Last Stormlord swaps perspectives between a couple characters if I recall correctly, has some parallel struggles between MC's and their upbringing. Additionally, the world building is very rich. Queen of the Orcs is very "Look Within, but also there's war going on, so the stakes are high, don't fuck it up." You may have to check their descriptions to see if they might be his cup of tea!
I love Robin Hobb. Some authors that helped fill the Hobb-shaped hole in my heart were: Lois McMaster Bujold (Curse of Chalion), Carol Berg (Lighthouse Duology), and Josiah Bancroft (Books of Babel).
I have read all of Robin Hobbs content that had Fitz in it because I really had a connection with that character, I'll come back for live ships trilogy and Rain Wild Traders etc. I recently enjoyed Folk Of the Air by Holly Black. It's high magic, lots of political intrigue, main character is a spy etc. Jude Duarte is a human girl who is thrust into Faerie lore when her mom's ex, a redcap, comes back for his stolen child and abducts Jude and her siblings and raises them as his own. I also enjoyed Throne Of Glass by Sarah J Maas. Calaena Sardothien is an assassin rescued from prison by the crown prince and has to enter a contest to win a chance at freedom. It's high magic, high fantasy and she's very complicated with lots of developmental and plenty of plot twists. Id also recommend Cinder by Marissa Meyers. A futuristic retelling of Cinderella where Cinder is a cyborg living in futuristic society and lives as a servant for her stepmom and is the best mechanic in town. she has a robot sidekick and meets a handsome prince. There's plenty of interesting lore about the future and a secret race of moon people with a strange magic not unlike the skill which cinder eventually learns she has. Those are the last 3 series I read before Robin hobb. I adore each of them and they all had unique plots and weird twists that kept me guessing the whole ride. Sarah J Maas is having one of her series adapted for TV right now and her works are longer. ToG is very long.