Robin Hobb has taken the withholding of information by characters from each other to a level that is really getting just silly. Fitz has to hide his real identify from his son and daughter. The main thing pulling the reader along is just waiting for him to finally reveal himself. The first book of the Tawny Man trilogy was so much not revealing, not revealing, not revealing and then finally he reveals a bit and it feels like sexual teasing almost. Finally you stick it in! Ridiculous.

Finally he's clearly something more than just some servant. He's Skilled and Witted. He was a close friend of the Prince's father. But still so much held back. And thus one can be botherd to read through book two which is more of the same. The Prince not realizing this is the White Prophet and his Catalyst, the Witted Farseer Bastard. Plus Fitz's daughter. Oh just bring her to the castle and tell her the truth. But then there'd be no book three and really no books at all in the first place. Such is writing.

Furthermore, not quite getting around to having it out with Hap. Not getting around to Thick's Skilling. Not yet teaching Chade about Skilling, etc. Making up rather tired misunderstandings with his new lover. Ultimately it all hanging on the fact that Fitz lives in hiding as a servant when he's really the heroic savior of the whole kingdom whom possesses all kinds of magical powers and has even risen from the dead. No one but Chade and Kettricken realizing who he really is.