Hobb-A-Long Read-A-Long discussion
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2016 - ARCHIVED
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Assassin's Apprentice - Chapters 16-20
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About Fitz's name. I don't remember if it says in any of the books but in our world "fitz" means "son of" and is also used as slang for "illegitimate son".Since Chivalry is his father his full name would be FitzChivalry. He is also an illegitimate child so Fitz works as well.
And when it is acknowledged that he is his father's son he can use the surname Farseer.
It's been a while since I read the book so I apologize if I accidentally spoiled some things. I don't think I did but just in case.
I'm beginning to suspect that NOT a word that Hobb writes is wasted. I think that the Red ship traders are capturing people because they need them, to sustain some kind of magic being for themselves or their ships I do not know. Also we see that Fitz didn't want to kill anyone but killing the zombies doesn't affect him because he knows they are empty and have no "life force", so he's becoming desensitize to killing. Galen is not as strong as everyone thinks says Verity, Galen hated Chivalry at first until Chivalry entered his mind and made him though that he loved him and no one knew how to revert it. Regal told Kettricken about Lady thyme and how she is King Shrewd's poisoner (traitor?) and how Fitz was training with him. I suspect something because Kettricken and the Rurisk are being too blunt with Fitz about this stuff.Also Kettricken tells Fitz that he speaks the language so well almost as if he where "recalling", Fitz mom is from the mountain folk she has to be and hence where he inherited the Wit.
They also know that King Shrewd is not playing nice since they preemptively pisoned Fitz, because they knew the "plan", I think Regal did it on purpose to get rid of Fitz by a third party.
Ok so this is where my struggles with this book begin. Everything has turned so sour for Fitz - it seems that all his struggles have come to nothing! Although he did battle and acquit himself well against the forged, no one saw him and his victory there meant nothing to the people around him. His character seems to be turning into such a pitiful thing hated, rejected, and abandoned by almost everyone. What is the point? Is it all wasted?
I think I'm growing weary of Fitz's sulking and defeats. I want him to rise up against his tormentors! I want him to take a stand or take charge of his life in some way. I'm tired of him being a victim of everyone else's plots and schemes. Does he have no plan or desire for a life of his own making? I'm not sure if these sentiments are finally addressed in later books, but I hope so.
I understand that I can't jump to any conclusions about the way the story will go in the next books based on the events in this one. But I just cannot stand the thought of reading all these books for it to just be one failure or loss after another. I don't like it when I have to pity my main character with no sense of impending victory down the line.
I think I'm growing weary of Fitz's sulking and defeats. I want him to rise up against his tormentors! I want him to take a stand or take charge of his life in some way. I'm tired of him being a victim of everyone else's plots and schemes. Does he have no plan or desire for a life of his own making? I'm not sure if these sentiments are finally addressed in later books, but I hope so.
I understand that I can't jump to any conclusions about the way the story will go in the next books based on the events in this one. But I just cannot stand the thought of reading all these books for it to just be one failure or loss after another. I don't like it when I have to pity my main character with no sense of impending victory down the line.
FrankieReads wrote: "Ok so this is where my struggles with this book begin. Everything has turned so sour for Fitz - it seems that all his struggles have come to nothing! Although he did battle and acquit himself well ..."I completely agree. Nothing seems to be going right for this kid. No one seems to sticks around, and he just lets people belittle him and walk all over him. While i understand the time period, the fact that he is a bastard, and is living in the kingdom it is hard to read his day in and day out struggles and see him not do much to make his life better.
I do enjoy that he is smart and can figure out quickly what is really going on cant wait for him to start using that information to his own advantage!
It appears to me at this point that the Farseers universe does not seem to operate with any particularly well developed religious-based system of morals and ethics. The use of statements like "By Eda!" or "For the love of El!" seem to be offered up as not much more than lip service to there being any religious authority at all. There is apparently no priestly class, no churches , no worship ceremonies( not really sure how the marriages are officiated) that one would expect to be widespread and well-integrated within a pre-modern medieval style of society( like was seen in the real world during the middle ages when Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Islamic religious authorities dominated the social and moral life of European cities).
I'm not sure if I have noted any animal sacrifices like you might have seen in ancient Greek or Roman societies.
I wonder if the author has done the world by design in this way so that there would be less restrictive moral barriers to broader individual conduct by Fitz and others closer to what a reader would see in our contemporary, more secular society and so find more relatable.
I really "enjoyed" the Molly scene.. I know that sounds twisted :D but I think it was sooooo beautifully written. Their talk, when Fitz "failed" to kiss her and then him seeing her with another boy.. it was hearbreaking, but it was truly brilliantly written imo.I LOVE the mountain kingdom. I love the idea of it, how colorful it is and how they treat their people.
and I just HATE Regal.. gosh.. that guy.
Well, things really tool a turn to the worse for Fitz. I have to say I am not really surprised that Regal is a scheming bastard, although I am surprised that he revealed that Fitz is Shrew's assassin. I'm really interested to see what he wants to gain from that.
My theory so far is that Regal is also behind the Raiders' knowlege where best to strike.
I love Verity. So far he is probably my favourite character (sadly I think he is goomg to die in one of the books, he is just that type of character:(). The only character I might like more is the fool. But then I think I'm more intrigued by him than that I really like him.
Smithy's death broke my heart and I am pretty sure that now I can say that I dislike Burrich
Can Fitz have nothing nice? Many unfortunate things happen in these chapters but it all leads to more questions than answers. I'm very interested in how this all will go as very little goes how I expect it to go!
I can't believe Hobb killed another of Fitz's dogs!!! So heartbreaking...I'm not surprised at Burrich's reaction but I think Smithy was the only thing that kept Fitz alive after his fight with Galen so... the Wit can't be so bad. I wonder if we'll get to know why Burrich doesn't like use of the Wit so much.
I like Verity. Even though he lets a lot go unsaid. And I wasn't surprised by Galen's tampering of Fitz mind or that he tried to kill him.
I'm a little surprised Regal would be so obvious though... I wonder what he hoped to gain through those methods.
CallMeSensei wrote: "I can't believe Hobb killed another of Fitz's dogs!!! So heartbreaking...I'm not surprised at Burrich's reaction but I think Smithy was the only thing that kept Fitz alive after his fight with Ga..."
Regal is like a James Bond villain - he just can't contain his naturally hostile nature and is only too happy to wear his emotions on his sleeve and shoot off his mouth, letting Fitz and others know right upfront that he is their enemy! I think years of being the outsider looking in at the sons of Queen Constance (who are ahead of him in the line of succession) have made him too bitter to restrain his feelings even when it would suit his plans to be circumspect.
He's the sort of person who isn't satisfied with just winning and achieving his ambitions - he likes to twist the knife and make people suffer.
This is getting so good. Love the mountain region.
I am really loving Robin Hobb's writing!! Really dislike Regal and Galen. They are self involved and only doing things for the better of themselves.
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Fitz lost a lot in these chapters; he failed the Skill test, his dog was killed, and once Burrich found out Fitz found out about the attack through the dog he will have nothing to do with him, Molly has moved on after Fitz failed to kiss her when he was describing the perfect woman.
Fitz did gain a few things as welll. He is now closer than ever to Verity and gets to take care of his dog, he even got yet another new name...FitzChivalry Farseer, why cant this kid get one name and keep it and why does it seem like he is always gettinh passed around cant one person just stay with him the rest of his life?
He still possess the Skill, he was able to talk to Verity with and and even pass over his strength, i thought that this was interesting but not much else was said about it. I feel like we get a lot of information but not a lot on each specific things.
I cant believe that Regal said Fitz was the prisoner of the king and told Verity's bride that Fitz was there to kill her brother, its that treason shouldn't he bet put in jail or killed? Glad he is not next in line to become king.
The book is almost over and nothing seems to even begin to be resolved i wonder if there will be a huge cliff hanger or will Robin Hobb just rush through a wrap up of everything.