Fitz is old. Well, not really old, just 35 but he acts like he is older. The good thing is that he has matured, he thinks before he acts a bit more, and measures himself better. He seems calmer, but well, that may be because of his new lifestyle. 
 15 years have passed since the last series and Fitz is living in solitary on a little isolated cottage. His only companions are Nighteyes and Hap, a 15 year old boy which Starling dumped on his door around 7 years ago. His only visit is Starling with whom he has a fling each time she comes. He seems both torn between being happy with his life without worries and being bored because of his loneliness and routine. He complains about his age and acts like a bitter old man. However, the characterization is really well done; you really do feel he is the same character form the first series but older and more mature. He is still annoying and frustrating, but that's his nature of course. Thumbs up! 
 Nighteyes just squeezes your heart. He is old and his vitality is almost depleted, but has the same spirit as always. He is a bit sad that he can't keep up like he used to and it tears you apart to read it. 
 Regarding the plot, a lot of time is spent catching up with the years. We got Starling, Chade and the Fool making an appearance on his solitary life and during the first part of the book we learned what happened over the years to everyone. 
 The Fool arrives, posing as the shallow Lord Golden, to reunite with Fitz after all these years, but warns him that the time has come when the Prophet needs his Catalyst again. In fact, he has been staying away from Fitz to allow him his tranquility and he is sad to interrupt it. Fitz doesn't care, and they spend a long time together catching up, it was cute. Although Fitz refuses to follow him to Buckkeep, he starts pondering how things have started to "move" around him and asks himself if his quiet life really is enough for him. 
 The excuse to start really living again comes from his foster son Hap and his apprenticeship. When Fitz is getting ready to go to Buckkeep and ask for money from old friends to pay for this, a messenger arrives from Chade asking for his help in an urgent matter. Prince Dutiful is missing, and he needs to be found and brought home before the delegation from the Outer Islands arrives to formalize his betrothal. Fitz and the Fool pose as master and servant and, with the company of the huntswoman of the Queen, set off to find the, most probably Witted, Prince. 
 Dutiful is a childish version of Fitz when he was his age, maybe a little more composed, but equally annoying. By the age of 15 Fitz was killing people and being part of the political intrigue of the court. By the age of 15 Dutiful mopes and get deceived like a child. However, there are glimpses of bravery and potential to be a great king; I feel he just needs a male role model. I'm expecting a lot of character growth!