A Lazy Reader's Review of "Assassin's Apprentice" by Robin Hobb

 Synopsis

    In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma.

    Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals – the old art known as the Wit – gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility.

    So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.

Review

    Oh my god. Finally, a good fantasy book. I have waited for a long time to fall in love with a fantasy world filled with unique culture, captivating characters, a world I can get drunk on, and a plot that makes me want to be glued to my seat and never put the book down. What a relief. Before picking up this book, I had been in the depths of despair believing that I would never find a fantasy series that would make me forget reality. But Robin Hobb came in clutch.

    I'll begin with talking about my overall thoughts on this book. As the beginning of a fantasy series, I thought that it did an excellent job in setting up the world, characters, and plot (both immediate and overarching). I think this just shows the absolute skill that Hobb possesses. I also thought that the pacing, while slow at times, was great. I know that many might not like the slow pace that this book took, especially in the beginning and much of the middle, however, I loved it. I absolutely adored being able to lose myself in the world that Hobb created. Much of which, given the fact that it was obviously heavily inspired by medieval culture and societal structure, was not something that was unrecognizable to me and I think it allowed me to focus on other aspects of the story in more depth. There was never an instance where I felt bored. Although, I will say that things started to get a little overwhelming in the third act where a lot of the built up tension was released and action occurred.

    In terms of the character work . . . I mean what can I say? It was beyond phenomenal. Each of these characters had such compelling personalities and realistic flaws that made sense for the type of person they are and their station in life. I like how Fitz isn't immediately a likable main character. He's whiny and impulsive. Which makes sense, given the fact that we meet him when he is about six years old. I also loved the characters he is surrounded by like Verity and Burrich. I also love the naming system that the royal family subscribes to. It's so interesting to name children based off the characteristics they embody. Names like Chastity, Verity, Regal, Desire, etc. are all such interesting names. So interesting and creative.

    The magic system was also so fun to read about. The Skill, the ability to enter someone's mind and not only communicate with them but to also have the ability to sway their thoughts and subconsciously convince them to their bidding. And the Wit, where the user has the ability to enter the mind of an animal and form an unbreakable bond in order to become one being. Ugh, so good.

    Overall, I loved this book and cannot wait to continue the series.

Feb. 16, 2024 – Feb. 29, 2024

★★★★☆

Favorite Quote: "When you cut pieces out of the truth to avoid looking like a fool you end up looking like a moron instead."