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Assassin's Apprentice

Book 1 in the series:Farseer

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In the first installment of The Farseer Trilogy, "Assassin's Apprentice," readers are introduced to FitzChivalry Farseer, the bastard son of a prince, who is raised in a dangerous position where there are people who want him dead. Swearing allegiance to his grandfather the king, Fitz becomes an apprentice to the royal assassin, navigating a world filled with courtly intrigue, political tensions, and the looming threat to his life. The book is praised for its in-depth story, intricate world-building, and fantastic character development, setting the stage for a tale full of twists and intrigue.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed and complex, with Fitz portraying a relatable protagonist whose struggles are shared by a richly woven supporting cast.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is emotionally engaging and deeply character-driven, employing a first-person narrative that immerses readers in Fitz's perspective while maintaining clarity.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot intricately weaves Fitz's coming-of-age story with personal and political challenges, emphasizing themes such as loyalty, betrayal, and survival in a complex royal court.

Setting:

The setting is a vividly constructed medieval fantasy world, characterized by its royal court and political intrigue, which is deeply tied to the main character's journey.

Pacing:

The pacing is initially slow, allowing for thorough character development, but it picks up towards the end with heightened tension and emotional stakes.
A history of the Six Duchies is of necessity a history of its ruling family, the Farseers. A complete telling would reach back beyond the founding of the First Duchy, and if such names were remembered...

Notes:

Assassin's Apprentice is the first book in the Farseer trilogy.
The protagonist, Fitz, is the illegitimate son of Prince Chivalry, raised in the royal court.
Fitz has magical abilities, including the Skill (mind control) and the Wit (communicating with animals).
The book explores themes of loneliness, identity, and the struggle for acceptance.
Fitz faces numerous challenges, including betrayal and manipulation from royal family members.
The narrative is deeply character-driven, focusing on Fitz's relationships and growth.
Robin Hobb has created a rich world with political intrigue and complex characters.
The series has been praised for its emotional depth and character development.
The ending of the trilogy is bittersweet, leaving readers with unresolved tension and character arcs.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers/content warnings include themes of abuse, mental health struggles, and depictions of suicide.

From The Publisher:

"Fantasy as it ought to be written . . . Robin Hobb's books are diamonds in a sea of zircons."-George R. R. Martin

Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated as an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill-and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family.

As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

Praise for Robin Hobb and Assassin's Apprentice

"A gleaming debut in the crowded field of epic fantasies . . . a delightful take on the powers and politics behind the throne."-Publishers Weekly

"This is the kind of book you fall into, and start reading slower as you get to the end, because you don't want it to be over."-Steven Brust

Ratings (360)

Incredible (76)
Loved It (145)
Liked It (76)
It Was OK (37)
Did Not Like (22)
Hated It (4)

Reader Stats (767):

Read It (370)
Currently Reading (7)
Want To Read (314)
Did Not Finish (19)
Not Interested (57)

12 comment(s)

It Was OK
2 days

A LOOONG read. An entertaining read at times, but with stretches of monotony. The characters are engaging. The world building is excellent. This is wonderful for people who want ALL the palace intrigue with all the dialogue interspersed with moments of action and fantastic adventure.

 

Got a few hours left on my audiobook but I'm deciding to DNF it for now. It's my second try to consume the story in audiobook form and I feel like it's better to be reading it physically. Hope the get my mittens on it when library opens

 
It Was OK
1 month

Main character is put through a lot of shit. I've heard the rest of the series is good, but I was just sad/mad while reading this.

 
Incredible
1 month

OK - Truth - I wanted to start this a long time ago, and I just got to it this month. As I began reading, I started with my dislike of first-person narratives.

Then, I would read, but wonder; where is this all going?

All in all, everything does happen for a reason, and the first half of the book sets up the second half. Usually I do not like to wait around forever to find out what the plot is, but the plot is underneath the growing of a boy.

I will say that when the pace went from descriptive story telling to action, the pages turned quickly, and my mind raced wildly to solve the mystery.

There is also a bit of travelling in this book, which I normally do not like more than 2 trips a novel, but this one handled it quite well.

The ending also feels complete. There is a book two, and if I do not want to read it, I do not have too. But, the character of Fitz was interesting enough and is an honest POV that I do want to read the next book, so I am moving forward with this, the first trilogy in the Farseer trilogy.

Well done and well read!

 
Did Not Like
2 months

2.5*

 
Incredible
3 months

****4.0****

From a long time, I was hearing about Robin Hobb and The Realm of Elderlings in Goodreads and how good it is. So after hearing this good reviews, I saw that there are almost 16 books in the whole series. I so much wanted to read them which got me into collecting them.

AND my 2018 is dedicated for Robin Hobb books.

“Don’t do what you can’t undo, until you’ve considered what you can’t do once you’ve done it.”

The Assassin’s Apprentice is first in Farseer Trilogy. Story follows a young bastard Fitz , son of Prince Chivalry of Buckkeep Castle of Six Dutchies. He was given into the care of Burrich, the stableman and ex-right hand man of Fitz’s father Prince Chivalry. But when King Shrewd notices Fitz, he takes in this kid to be trained as an Assassin for the country. And there goes Fitz along with his training, politics of the court, with a low magic of his own and trying to master Skill ( a royal magical ability) and help the kingdom. But for some he is also a threat, a obstacle to gain throne, a bastard with royal blood.

Most prisons are of our own making. A man makes his own freedom, too.

If you compare the story with the current fantasy novels, you might find it a bit slow, less of action and magic. But if you like to slow the time and enter a world and remain there then this one is the best. It’s more like

“Tolkienian” style of world, not

“Bardugonian“.

“Too late to apologize, I’ve already forgiven you.”

I loved the way Hobb told the story, narrated through first person, Fitz about how his days go, how he feels etc. The story builds on as we turn pages. Truths reveal, some old stories make sense and finally you realize that you are in love with this new world. Simple and yet effectively thorough.

“Very little worth knowing is taught by fear.”

Happy Reading!!!

 
Did Not Like
5 months

Boring, YAish,

 
It Was OK
5 months

I really wanted to love this book, but I just didn't. I liked it well enough, but there was just something lacking in the characters that kept me from being entirely engaged with the story. There were some interesting points, such as the Red-Ship Raiders and their hostage returns, but it wasn't enough to make me excited about continuing the book.

I probably won't continue with this series, which saddens me, because I feel that I might've really enjoyed this book if I had read it just a few years ago.

 
It Was OK
6 months

Faster pace.

 
Liked It
7 months

Love the writing, but the story is dark, and I had to pause. It's still on the list to be finished, but it is seriously emotionally stabbing!

 
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About the Author:

Robin Hobb is the author of the Farseer Trilogy, the Liveship Traders Trilogy, the Tawny Man Trilogy, the Soldier Son Trilogy, and the Rain Wilds Chronicles. She has also written as Megan Lindholm. She is a native of Washington State.Magali…

 
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