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The Farseer Trilogy

(The Farseer Trilogy #1-3)

Robin Hobb (Goodreads Author)

4.36 · Rating details · 17,608 ratings · 303 reviews

This bundle includes Assassin’s Apprentice (book one), Royal Assassin (book two) and Assassin’s Quest (book three).

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 ...more

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Paperback, 1952 pages

Published 2013 by Harper Voyager (first published May 16th 2011)

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Average rating 4.36 ·

Rating details

· 17,608 ratings · 303 reviews

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Sep 15, 2012 Cha Pammit rated it it was amazing

At first, I didn't know if I was going to love or hate this trilogy. The premise was definitely intriguing but I was initially annoyed at how the story wasn't going where I was expecting it to go. Fitz was supposed to be a gifted orphan boy who becomes a deadly assassin, dammit! How come he keeps failing at every turn! That's not the way fantasy stories are supposed to be written! The main character's supposed to be a hero with a few flaws like hubris or impulsiveness. He's not supposed to be co ...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Libby rated it did not like it

Fitz, the royal bastard, feels sorry for himself for three interminable volumes.

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Jul 23, 2012 Kat rated it it was amazing

Out of dozens of series,this is my favorite fantasy series of all time. Unbelievable. I was literally IN LOVE with Fitz. The story is unexpected, totally original and engrossing. Fantasy should bring to the reader ideas and characters that surprise and delight - this series really makes you think "My God, what an imagination - never would have thought..." I was depressed when I finished the series. When I found the Tawny Man series I was ecstatic!

I have not reread the series because I got so at ...more

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Mar 01, 2015 Paul Groos rated it did not like it

Shelves: literature-and-novels

This is one of the few books of which I can't say why I didn't stop reading. It was utterly, mind-bogglingly boring. None (that is: not a single one) of the characters was interesting or even likable, except maybe the Fool. Everything (that's every single thing) the protagonist does goes wrong. Every time he might accomplish something he fails and fails again. The few times when he seemed to achieve something, it's revealed later that is went awry after all. The main, interesting mystery, the Re ...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Jeff rated it did not like it

Shelves: fantasy

Had been reading lots of science fiction and thought this would be a good break as it is a top rated fantasy trilogy. But it was a big let down. The pace was slogging and while the narrative was engaging, ultimately the character development and plot didn't deliver. Characters were actually named after their personality characteristics (Prince Verity, Prince Regal) which is as transparent as you can get and the antagonists was a sniveling prince that you thought would be dispatched by the first ...more

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Aug 31, 2014 John Chu rated it it was ok

The best thing that can be said about this series is that Robin Hobb is a gifted writer, who has thoroughly researched and considered this world that she has created. The dialogue is clever, and the characters introduced are interesting with great backstories and are well developed. I also found the strong feminine characters, sprinkled in all unlikely roles to be amusing and interesting.

That being all said... the main character FitzChivalry is just about the whiniest, helpless, and most emotio ...more

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Oct 09, 2017 Laura Ardill rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I stuck with this trilogy until halfway through the third book in the hopes that the protagonist would find some backbone and cease being an intolerable drip (he unfortunately, did not). The books are well written but paced extremely slowly. I'm a huge fan of The Liveship Traders trilogy also by Hobb and would highly recommend anyone who's interested in reading her work to give this initial trilogy a miss and start with the second instead, it's well worth a read.

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Mar 31, 2012 My Awful Reviews rated it it was amazing

The Farseer Trilogy wasn't what I expected, and that's absolutely wonderful, because I expected something cliche.

The Farseer Trilogy stars Fitzchivalry, who at first seems to be a cardboard cutout of so many of the "poor farmer boys" from epic fantasy. But the drama, action and pain that he experiences through these three books is anything but typical. The Farseer Trilogy is the story of the red ship raiders that ravage Buck's coastline, using dark magic to turn those that survive their pillagin ...more

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Apr 18, 2014 Lady*M rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Assassin's Apprentice - 3 stars

The book is a good introduction to Hobb's world and her main character Fitz. But, the pacing was problematic for me - from the veeery slow beginning to the rushed end. When the story remains squarely on Fitz's personal struggles, it's good. But, the magic system - Skill especially - was poorly explained and Fitz, even young as he is, accepts his fate almost without a doubt, which made me cranky. It was easy to tell who the bad guys were, so much so that I wondered ...more

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Jun 16, 2014 Nerine Dorman rated it it was amazing

Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy numbers among the epic fantasy reads that I always intended to read again. Having read Assassin's Apprentice again, it's clear why her books are considered classics that you will find at almost every good bookstore.

What starts with the almost standard trope of the boy hero with royal parentage, is quickly subverted. Boy or Fitz as he is later known begins life as the unwanted, unexpected son of king-in-waiting Chivalry, and grows up in the stables then is later a Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy numbers among the epic fantasy reads that I always intended to read again. Having read Assassin's Apprentice again, it's clear why her books are considered classics that you will find at almost every good bookstore.

What starts with the almost standard trope of the boy hero with royal parentage, is quickly subverted. Boy or Fitz as he is later known begins life as the unwanted, unexpected son of king-in-waiting Chivalry, and grows up in the stables then is later apprenticed to the assassin Chade.

He was born with the Wit, the ability to touch the minds of other living things, but if anyone were to discover this ability, he would certainly be put to death.

The Six Duchies face an external threat from the Viking-like Red Ship Raiders, who devastate coastal settlements and leave survivors "forged" (magically violated and devoid of all empathy). Yet from the inside, there is strife. King Shrewd's son from his second marriage, Regal, has pretensions to the throne, and bears Fitz little love.

Hobb has populated this saga with a rich cast of fascinating, diverse characters. Though the story is slow paced it is richly textured and it is all too easy to lose on self in the world she has created. I suspect this novel would have been released under the YA banner had it been written now, but Fitz comes to readers with a surprisingly mature voice.

He really has a difficult time and his personality is such that readers can see that he has so much to offer others if only he had the opportunity to share his love. Due to circumstances he is a lonely child, however, and makes do with the scraps he is offered. He experiences much loss and cruelty yet he remains steadfast to his king. This is the redeeming aspect of a character some might find cause to despise because of his vocation.

Hobb has it all in her writing: solid world building, ancient mystery, unforgettable characters, high adventure and enough courtly intrigue to give old GRRM a run for his money. I am looking forward to reading the rest in this series again. At least this time half the books won't be missing courtesy of our sorry library system. ...more

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May 27, 2017 A P rated it did not like it

The story of dramatic teen angst!

The chaotically paced storyline hops all around but there is one thing that remains constant; no matter what happens and where things go - Fitz will end up neck deep in teen dramatic angst.
Mollyyyyyy!

And it is not only Fitz who is prone to bouts of silly drama; pretty much everyone keeps taking their turns being a drama queen and sometimes (often) it crosses the border into the realm of unbelievable ridiculousness.

So many problems in this series.

-Protagonist The story of dramatic teen angst!

The chaotically paced storyline hops all around but there is one thing that remains constant; no matter what happens and where things go - Fitz will end up neck deep in teen dramatic angst.
Mollyyyyyy!

And it is not only Fitz who is prone to bouts of silly drama; pretty much everyone keeps taking their turns being a drama queen and sometimes (often) it crosses the border into the realm of unbelievable ridiculousness.

So many problems in this series.

-Protagonist who does very little to actually deserve that title. Most of the time Fitzy is sulking whiner and randomly does some blahblah heroic act. Other cast seems to consider him to be a hero, until they flip their opinion seemingly random or based on some stupid drama.
-Public opinion(s) that swings like a leaf in a tornado.
-World that makes no sense, most notably the nobility and economics.
-Antagonist whose sole role is to do antagonistic thing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; his antagonism and evilness is rubbed into our faces with every line that is written about him, yet, the world itself seems to be ignorant.
-Supervillain/antagonist who is supposed to be scary and dangerous, but seems like a random add on that is more ridiculous than everything... damn... his name is W*** (spoiler protection although prolly not needed)
-So many plot-duds! Seems like Hobb adds random sprouts that never actually mature. It's not that bad I guess, but so many and so random is bit... meh. Also, it kind of makes the first person narrator bit ... inconsistent?
-Most of the characters are unlikable, and more importantly, dull. Burrich and Shrew however do manage to break some molds every now and then.
-Contrivances (as always)

Am not sure why I gave the second star or why I kept reading. Whatever it is, is worth that second star.

EDIT: Going to remove the second star and give this one the one it deserves (imho). But just to mention if anyone ever even reads this one, Hobb also writes amazing books. ( I feel bit bad dissing a book with such fanbase )

...more

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Sep 24, 2014 Ryan Ailts rated it it was amazing

All finished and what a ride. I didn't expect to love these books so much.

I expected more typical fantasy and I got very little of that until the ending of the third book, which I swear was written in the 70s (in a good way) and sent forward in time. Other than a few types of "magic" that come into play every chapter or so, plus a dragon and some mindless not-undead people, it's very low fantasy. Think GRRM.

The characters are all unique and feel real, with the exception of the main villain, who ...more

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May 23, 2017 Mario Santoso rated it did not like it

I never read a book so depressing, lack of engaging action, hard to like characters, stupid and dumb protagonist, tedious/slow story line, and predictable plot. When I read this trilogy, it felt like dragging myself thru mud. I skipped many parts of the story because they are very repetitive and unnecessary. I felt very sluggish, tired and very sick after reading this book that I avoided reading for months.

The first book was interesting. The second book, I started to have doubts and regret. By t ...more

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Mar 02, 2014 Paul Jones rated it really liked it

The series was recommended by a friend, and at first, it annoyed me.

Fitz was supposed to be our hero, magically gifted, intelligent ... He was supposed to grow into his power and win through just like in every other book.

Instead, he was a flawed character, struggling to find his way, bungling his powers and his skills, losing battles and getting in trouble. Sometimes he wasn't likable and sometimes you loved him for his actions.

In these kinds of novels, violence is frequently gratuitous and exc ...more

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Jan 27, 2017 Paula rated it it was amazing

Fantastic. An immersive story of an interesting and well thought out land with lovable and hate-able characters. Just what I needed. Perfect mini escape from the real world, into magic <3

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Jun 06, 2013 Lesley Macphie rated it it was amazing

Want to give it 6 stars.

Recently finished re-reading.

The best sort of Hero, a hero that doesn't want to be and is not perfect.

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Mar 05, 2017 Abby Wynne rated it it was amazing

Absolutely loved these from start to finish.

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Mar 05, 2015 Ilias rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, nop

First book was good, second book had so many unnecessary chapters, third book was "why did I start this trilogy.... WHY -__-!"

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Jul 12, 2017 Audrey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourite, beautiful, brilliant-writing, intense, emotional, heart-shattering, magical, intriguing, action-packed, mystical

From the time I let a 6-year-old Fitz into my heart, I have been in love with this story. There was something about the birth of the young character of Fitz that has taken up residence in my heart and it feels as if we are 'bonded'.

This is a wonderful tale, but one that has taken a toll on my emotions. I think I have felt just about all of Fitz's pains and heartbreaks myself. The ending has left me a little bereft. While it was a good ending, I long for so much more for the character of Fitz.

All ...more

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Nov 06, 2017 Michael Rullo rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: lovers of traditional fantasy

Shelves: fantasy

Since I read all three books before doing a review, I’m choosing to review The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb, as a whole rather than each one individually. The titles in this series go in order as follows: Assassin’s Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin’s Quest.

Assassin’s Apprentice starts us off by telling us about a royal bastard, later named Fitz Chivalry Farseer. A great deal of the beginning of this book we see him being raised by his father’s right hand man, Burrich. While with Burric Since I read all three books before doing a review, I’m choosing to review The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb, as a whole rather than each one individually. The titles in this series go in order as follows: Assassin’s Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin’s Quest.

Assassin’s Apprentice starts us off by telling us about a royal bastard, later named Fitz Chivalry Farseer. A great deal of the beginning of this book we see him being raised by his father’s right hand man, Burrich. While with Burrich, Fitz stays out of the court and royal intrigue for the most part. Then the King takes him under his wing and we learn that he is to become the royal assassin. I don’t think I’m spoiling anything too much by telling you this, because I think the titles tell you most of that.

For the first book, you get to know who the good guys are, who the bad guys are, and you learn a great deal about the protagonist. What I found was that this was the point at which I liked Fitz the most. Through the second and third books, you see him grow up and perform the duties required of him, but that’s not what makes him unlikeable to me. I couldn’t stand how he makes such stupid choices. Each one seeming worse than the last.

Let me say, I love the story. I think the settings are great, the characters have depth, the magic systems are unique and interesting, but wow is Fitz disappointing. I read through these three books with such speed because I was desperately searching for results that just never come to pass. Eventually, the main antagonist gets dealt with in an interesting and suitable way, just not the way you’re hoping for the whole time. I will admit, even though Fitz could’ve dealt with him by the end of the first book, it would have ended the trilogy before it began. I enjoyed reading through all three books, so I’m glad that didn’t happen, there just isn’t a good explanation as to why it didn’t happen because it so easily could have. Maybe it’s just that hindsight is 20/20, and no one but the reader saw the results of this oversight coming, but it’s a little hard to believe.

I don’t think this should stop you from reading through these books though. I think it was a choice the writer made to make her protagonist, and narrator, a rather unlikeable fellow. I don’t necessarily think it was the wisest choice, but I do believe it was a conscious one. It did drive me to read through all three books voraciously. I wanted to see Fitz make certain choices, I was lead to believe that he might, and then I wanted to scream when he didn’t. I kept reading though because I had to see what happened next. It was like watching the trainwreck that was Fitz Chivalry’s life, and I couldn’t look away.

The first book introduces you to the character, to the world, to the rest of the players, and sets up the story. The second book shows the protagonist growing and getting stronger, and makes you feel like there’s no way he’s not going to lose, just to rip the rug out from under you. Then the third book shows you just how many ways a thing can go wrong, and leaves you guessing until the end how the good guys can possibly win.

I would not recommend reading these unless you know you can read all three soon after each other. Trust me. I do recommend that you definitely read them though. If you are a fan of fantasy, if you like roguish characters, if you enjoy reading stories from a medieval-esque time period, and if you love dogs - yes, if you love dogs or if you consider wolves to be your spirit animals - then definitely read these books.

Last but not least, I will make mention that this trilogy is the beginning of a series that Robin Hobb wrote made up of three more trilogies and one quartet, all set in the same universe. After this you have The Liveship Traders Trilogy, The Tawny Man Trilogy, The Rain Wild Chronicles (quartet), and the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy to read and indulge in. I only had access to the Farseer Trilogy for now, but I’m glad I read it, and can’t wait to continue on the rest of the journey in the realm of the elderlings! Come and join me!

...more

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Jan 31, 2015 Laura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I was looking for a trilogy of 1990s-style (pre-Twilight, Hunger Games, Game of Thrones explosion) fantasy. One that was true to the genre with a few understated stereotypes and not too much predictability. This trilogy was exactly that.

ASSASIN'S APPRENTICE really sucked me in. Even though I don't generally like 1st person narration, Fitz told his story well in a (mostly) humble reflective voice that was easy to enjoy. The characters he interacts with are beautifully developed with strengths, w ...more

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Aug 28, 2016 Andy rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

This series had me really twisted. The writing is superb. Prosaic, well read, a world I really could feel. Even the characters overall had a rich and fullness you expect in any good series.

The but.

But I really. Really. REALLY, disliked the protagonist. He was always weak, always moping, always self centered. His character development was halted numerous times and he was never allowed externally or internally to overcome his flaws. He embraced weakness and ignored his strength.

It drove me bats ...more

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Oct 07, 2014 Rizwan rated it really liked it

I don't remember whether I have written individual reviews for these books so I thought might as well review them together.

So first things first - this is the review of the original trilogy.

And it was depressing. Fitz Chivalry never got the easy end of things, and by the end I remember being exhausted, morose and emotionally drained. And sad.
And thus I swore not to read the other Hobb books, not because they are not any good - because these are both fantastically written and quite imaginative, b ...more

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Mar 12, 2017 Martin Dion rated it it was amazing

A book series that his very dear to my heart. To be honest, this is both my most favorite author and best story of all time. I have read over 500 of books in my life and I don't know what it is with this series, but I simply love it. I love many other things, I love Paul Auster for the quality of his writing, Steinbeck for how vivid things comes to life in his books, Finder for the originality and the twist of his thrillers but there is something with Robin Hobb that I can't describe properly th ...more

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Dec 29, 2015 Kae Fe rated it it was ok

Book 1 is barely ok. Very slow pace with too many descriptions and not much going on. Writing is good though and it leaves hope that following books will have some action.

Book 2 is still slow and characters are infuriating. The hero is fairly dumb with actions or emotions that don't make sense for the supposed experience he's been through. The worst part is the bad guy. He is way too cliche and there would be no way he would get to do what he does in a different world. All in all, nothing happen ...more

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Apr 19, 2014 Sahil Shah rated it it was amazing

Truly an epic fantasy novel. A must read for all enthusiasts of the genre.

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Jun 17, 2015 Lin Urchin added it

Great

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Nov 14, 2015 Alissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Alissa by: Colin Anthony

Shelves: read-ebooks

"Fate had made me a killer, a liar and a thief. And the harder I tried to avoid those roles, the more firmly I was pushed into them."

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Jun 04, 2019 Ibrium rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I read these once, back when they first came out (or near to) and I loved them. Recommended them to others. Thought they were just fantastic! Time passed and my memory of the story faded and I thought I'd give them a re-read, because I remembered enjoying them so much.

That... might have been a mistake. I still, for the most part, enjoyed these books quite a bit. However, reading them now I spent a lot of time in disbelief at how STUPID everyone is. Especially Fitz (sorry, Fitz.) I suppose his c I read these once, back when they first came out (or near to) and I loved them. Recommended them to others. Thought they were just fantastic! Time passed and my memory of the story faded and I thought I'd give them a re-read, because I remembered enjoying them so much.

That... might have been a mistake. I still, for the most part, enjoyed these books quite a bit. However, reading them now I spent a lot of time in disbelief at how STUPID everyone is. Especially Fitz (sorry, Fitz.) I suppose his constant blundering is supposed to make him relatable. Maybe it did to my younger self. But I'm older and crankier now, and I had little patience for him--and some of the others.

There's one scene in book 3 (Assassin's Quest) where Fitz finally, briefly, snaps at another character, complaining about how tired he is of being yelled at for constantly stepping in it when no one will give him the information he needs to know to avoid making error after error. I mean, nothing really came of his outburst, but boy was that one paragraph cathartic for me as a reader for a brief moment.

The writing is good, very readable. Unputdownable, even, sometimes. And absolutely at times I was deeply emotionally invested (I'm a crier, and wow, did I cry plenty!) I love the premise, the world is interesting, the magic is a little odd and sort of muddled it seemed (I really should have taken notes where things seemed contradictory), but still kinda neat. But while the writing is good, holy cats, it got repetitive, especially in book 3. The little preludes to the chapters were where this was really prevalent. Maybe it wouldn't have seemed so obvious if I'd not devoured the whole trilogy in a week, but I did, and it was. And draggy at parts. I definitely found myself skimming a lot, mostly in, you guessed it, book 3.

Overall, this was a mixed bag for me now that I'm a couple decades older (Jesus, how did that happen?) than when I first read them. So 3-stars because I did enjoy reading these, but it has flaws and irritants that old me can't overlook, but 1 added star for fond nostalgia and the enjoyment they gave me when I was younger, and maybe a little wayward & foolish like Fitz.
...more

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Feb 23, 2017 Rena rated it really liked it · review of another edition

So I don't normally read these kinds of stories, but came across it on a list of fantasy books for those who are new to the genre. The idea of a trilogy about an assassin sounded interesting enough for me to try it. It's long, about 2000 pages in total, so it took a long time to read.

I really liked the author's writing. She makes the environment so real - I can see myself interacting along with the characters. I can climb up the stone castle steps and look into the rooms, see the horses in the ...more

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Beyond Reality: New series read - Robin Hobb?	24	43	Jun 04, 2018 05:25AM
What’s next?	1	5	Jan 21, 2018 09:36AM
Trouble With Farseer Trilogy	2	22	Jan 15, 2017 02:51PM
Steampunk, New We...: The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb	1	4	Jul 05, 2015 03:34PM
The Sword and Laser: AA: (SPOILERS from the first two books!)would you read on knowing the end?	10	89	Oct 03, 2012 05:36AM

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About Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb

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** I am shocked to find that some people think a 2 star 'I liked it' rating is a bad rating. What? I liked it. I LIKED it! That means I read the whole thing, to the last page, in spite of my life raining comets on me. It's a good book that survives the reading process with me. If a book is so-so, it ends up under the bed somewhere, or maybe under a stinky judo bag in the back of the van. So a 2 st ...more