Royal Assassin (Farseer Trilogy, #2) in Building a SciFi/Fantasy Library

Feb 15, 2010 Mike rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, xcharity-2011

This one is a tough call. I really enjoyed the writing and the characters. When I stand back and think through the overall plot, it is less impressive. The major threat, the Red Ship Raiders, are simply not very credible. There is nothing devoted to a description or context except they raid and destroy. The battle scenes are almost non-existent. More time is spent describing fights with the Forged than the major pitched battles with the threatening Raiders. I also found the destruction of the Du ...more

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Jul 12, 2009 Jamie Collins rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is a riveting book, and I lost myself easily in the smooth writing. But it reminds me of a stage play, or an old BBC television drama where you have to overlook the fact that the battle is being fought with 12 extras. There aren't enough characters in the book to make the world seem viable. But in exchange for that kind of realism the author includes a lot of little details in Fitz's experiences that I very much appreciate. Admittedly the good guys are fleshed out much better than the bad g ...more

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Nov 23, 2013 Tom rated it really liked it

Enjoyed but annoyed.

How much torture can you put a hero through in a story before you start to annoy your readers? Robin Hobb tests the limits here, with young FitzChilvary (our hero) enduring one beating after another. I suppose that's the classic 2nd book approach... put the hero down so he can rise again in the 3rd.

But I don't get the villain's motivation here. Yes there's some yadda, yadda about him favoring the inner territories; but if he's so power mad, wouldn't he be trying to keep the ...more

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Feb 04, 2008 LeAlan rated it it was amazing

All I can say is WOW! This is fast becoming one of my favorite series and favorite authors. The unique magic type system is amazing, I could not put this book down! One word of warning, most authors are sympathetic to the "hero" or main character in the book. Robin Hobb is not sympathetic, things happen in this book that are totally unexpected and it was a different view into the fantasy gengre and I have to say it was rather refreshing. ...more

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