Under the name Megan Lindholm, Robin Hobb was already a successful author before the first book under her name, Assassin's Apprentice (1996) and the series it began, The Farseer Trilogy. The change of name indicated a different style and subject, namely epic fantasy, and I have little doubt that Hobb is one of the best names in epic fantasy today. The Farseer Trilogy was really excellent, and after reading Fool's Errand, the first book of the Tawny Man trilogy, I have high hopes for this series as well. In this series, we return to the main characters from the Farseer Trilogy (Hobb wrote a trilogy focussing on completely separate characters in the meantime, which I haven't read yet), and it's good to have them back. 
 Hobb takes her time in her epic fantasy, and at times--particularly early--the action can seem a bit slow and the stakes not all that high. That, however, is simply Hobb building up an intricate network of characters and relationships, which makes the later rush of action and its consequences for the characters all the more real and meaningful. 
 We're 15 years after the end of the last series, and Fitzchivalry Farseer, royal bastard, former assassin and world-saving hero, has settled into an anonymous, quiet life with his wolf companion, caring for a foundling boy. At times, Fitz got on my nerves in this book, both because of his reluctance to be drawn back into the more adventurous life and sometimes for the particular moral stands he makes, but ultimately he's the same character I came to love and respect in the other trilogy, and the main likable core is still there. The fact is that he and the others in this novel are complex characters--whereas with more "flat" characters we might "fill in the gaps" in such a way to make the characters more like ourselves and thus more likable, Hobb has drawn such detailed characters that there aren't a lot of gaps to fill in, forcing us to know these characters as they are instead of how we might like them to be sometimes. 
 And that's fine. We come to understand these characters (particularly those we've followed since the first series) so well that it's difficult not to like or at least respect them. It's one of the strengths of a good novel, giving you a deeper understanding of the "people" involved than we ever get in our daily lives. 
 Anyway, Fitz refuses several invitations to be drawn back into the intrigues and life at the court, despite sometimes being drawn to that life. As I said, the action doesn't get moving right away. Instead it builds up gradually until it is thundering along at quite a pace. This works out fine: we need the time not only to build up the characters, but to set up the social order of this world and these times and to set up the mystery that is to follow: namely, the 14-year-old heir to the throne has disappeared! Whether he's run off from his upcoming betrothal or been kidnapped is unclear, but obviously he needs to be found! Hobb is good at the mystery-aspect of the tale and even better at the political intrigues. We have warring factions of nobles (at least a little), oppressed minorities, and international intrigue, not to mention high adventure and magic. We continue to get more hints about the ultimate nature of this world, it's history and how its magic works. And in the process we get a good story exploring loyalty, duty, friendship, and love. Although this novel is a bit more straight-foward than the Farseer trilogy generally was, there are still plenty of twists and turns and it seems likely that she's already set up more in this novel for the two volumes that follow. I'll be reading those soon, so I can let you know for sure when I do. 
 In the meantime, I'd recommend going back to the original series before venturing into this one. Yes, there's enough background given that you could probably make the leap, but the experience of this book will be far more rich and meaningful if you read that first series first. Anyway, it's really good stuff and well worth reading! Here, go buy the first volume now!