I was more or less obsessed by this series for two weeks, and as I finished it all I could say was wow. 
 The writing (particularly her characterization) is excellent. Unlike much epic fantasy, there's a vague feeling of discord at the end because most of our main characters don't live happily ever after. They are successful and gain a certain peace, but the conclusion is a far cry from everyone we've come to care about in the course of 1867 pages getting what they want--instead, they get more or less what they need and end up more happy than unhappy. Their "fates" follow from their character and, within those bonds, turn out well. And in the end, with what these imaginary people have been through, it's enough. 
 While this series is, technically, the first thing Hobb has written, it's not really, because Robin Hobb is also Megan Lindholm, who's written lots of stuff. I have no idea whether either of these is the writer's real name. She has said she used a different name because she was writing a different style of fantasy under each name, and that's fair enough.