This book would have had five stars but for the fact that one character drags everything down. 
 I was so pleasantly surprised by how quick the pages flew in Fool's Errand. By how seldom I was irritated. But it all came back here because Chade brings nothing to this story. How many scenes do we need of Fitz sitting in Chade's creepy little tower room while the two of them talk fruitlessly about everything from every angle to the point of rendering themselves unable to do anything useful about any of it???? Enough. I comforted myself that he was getting old, feeble, and (hopefully) at deaths door. But nope! Hobb finds a way enlarge Chade and give him the ability to be much more present than ever before! If only someone actually wanted this! Why anyone listens or cares what this old coot says mystifies me. 
 Also, Fitz's endless internal monologues make a come back. They tend to be very repetitive. Guilt over his relationships with Jinn and Starling. Worries about Nettle. Mooning about Burrich and Molly. Over and over again with no new insight in his thinking. 
 Thank heavens before the half way point some interesting shake ups occured! First, Fitz has a major blow out with another beloved (haha) character. It was painful, but relevant. With angst riding high, I became reinvested in the story. Then he proceeds to make a mess of things with almost everyone else he loves. I wish I could reach through the pages and give this man a stack of personal development books. 
 Moving away from Fitz, the tensions between Prince Dutiful and his betrothed Elliana also took a fun turn. I like both these kids, they however have never cared much for each other. At first it was in a boring sulky fashion as they both attempted to act polite. But then Dutiful says something stupid without thinking and she later pays in kind (but with quite a lot of thinking behind it) and all of a sudden their dislike turns into this: 
 Which I really enjoyed. I wish there had been way more of them after that. But no. Basically nothing more. Lots more Chade though. 
 So in summary: 
 I loved Lord Golden. So funny. So perfect. 
 I love Fitz and the Fool. Even when they fight. 
 Dutiful is a cool kid and so is the little girl they are making him marry. 
 Kettricken is as amazing and wonderful as ever. 
 Fitz is way more interesting when he is: with his best friend/not with Chade/not at Buckeep/not overthinking the same things over and over again. 
 Much like Regal, the piebalds are annoying villains. 
 Chade/Burrich/Molly are just all kind of extra weight I don't think the story needs and Chade flat out costs it a star. 
 So there we go ...I'm going to go start the next one now.