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Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy, #1)

Robin Hobb

Start date: November 1, 2024

Finish date: November 30, 2024

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What Members Thought

May 08, 2018 Saar The Book owl rated it really liked it

This was my first Robin Hobb - book and I really should be ashamed that I waited so long to read this one. I absolutely enjoyed it.
The first book of the trilogy can be experienced as a slow read, as I've heard many readers say. Maybe it's true, maybe not. For me personally, it's a slow paced story, but you get pulled into it very fast and the slowliness is gone.
There are not a lot of dialogues. It's more an insight in what happened and in the memories of Fitz. In the beginning I needed to get us ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Nov 17, 2018 Ashleigh rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-read, series-books

More like 2.5 stars.

Assassin's Apprentice begins with a small boy being dumped onto the doorstep of the royal palace. The old man who brings the boy claims the child is a bastard, fathered by the Prince Chivalry. Taken in by the guard at the door, he is given to Chivalry's stableman, Burrich, to be raised and looked after.

The boy doesn't remember much from his mother and can't even remember if she named him. So he becomes known as Fitz (meaning bastard). Prince Chivalry is the first-born son More like 2.5 stars.

Assassin's Apprentice begins with a small boy being dumped onto the doorstep of the royal palace. The old man who brings the boy claims the child is a bastard, fathered by the Prince Chivalry. Taken in by the guard at the door, he is given to Chivalry's stableman, Burrich, to be raised and looked after.

The boy doesn't remember much from his mother and can't even remember if she named him. So he becomes known as Fitz (meaning bastard). Prince Chivalry is the first-born son of King Shrewd, making him first heir to the throne. Since being married to his wife Patience (who he married after Fitz was conceived), they have been unable to have a child of their own, and not wanting to cause further distress, Chivalry abdicates from the throne after finding out about Fitz and takes his wife into the countryside to live their lives. Unfortunately, this means Fitz never meets his father as a few years later, Chivalry is killed and King Shrewd believes he was assassinated.

When Fitz becomes old enough, he is visited at night by a strange man called Chade and told he will be trained alongside the strange man to become an assassin for the crown. Chade is a mysterious man who hides in the shadows, whilst helping the King with finding out information for him and assassinating rivals, if need be. It seems the only people who are aware of Chade's existence are Fitz, the King and Prince Verity (second son of King Shrewd). Will Fitz succeed in training as an assassin? Will he find out if Chivalry was murdered, and if so, by whom??

Had high hopes for this and I was majorly disappointed. It takes a lot to get into the story and I get this book is setting up a series, and we're getting backstory and stuff, but how long does it take for Fitz to become an assassin? There is so much information thrown at you throughout this book and a lot of it is kinda boring. It is nowhere near the longest book I've ever read, but it sure felt like it!

The characters weren't really that interesting to me either. Fitz has zero emotions and zero personality, and I wanted to see more of his inner turmoil. I wanted to see how his father's abandonment of him affected him. I wanted to see his relationship with Burrich explored more. (view spoiler).

Overall, not a great book and I'm not 100% if I'll be continuing.. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Feb 28, 2021 Camilla rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

I never thought a slow-paced plot could be this engaging for fantasy. But here we are. I absolutely adore these characters and I can't wait to pick up the next book. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 31, 2017 Sharon rated it liked it · review of another edition

This is the story about Fitz, a bastard child of prince Chivalry of the kingdom of the Six Duchies. This story explores Fitz as he grows up.

I liked the story, but thought it was very wordy and predictable. I will be continuing with the series because I am invested in the characters. I want to know what happens to Fitz and the kingdom.

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May 30, 2025 Jessica Chantelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2025, epic

This book was a journey. Had me crying since chapter 2. This book is everything I want from a fantasy series. Amazing characters, exquisitely written, a rich setting, and themes of lonliness and friendship. Each chapter feels like its own adventure. The scope of this world is just so vast. I want to read more about The Fool as I continue this series. If this is the first book in the series, I fear there is no recovering from this.

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