ASSASSIN'S APPRENTICE: Finished reading (*SPOILERS*)

[Candiss]

Here's a general topic for people who have finished reading Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb.

WARNING: SPOILERS LIKELY!

[Shel, Moderator]

It's been several years since I've read this, but I absolutely love this whole series. Looking forward to hearing what everyone else thinks.

[Suzanne]

I re-read the series a couple of years ago - and I agree - it is so very good.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

OK, this is the first and only book by Robin Hobb that I've read, and I know there will be more in my near future--not only because I want to finish this trilogy, but I am excited to read her other books as well.

First of all, this book was very readable--the story just flowed right along. Maybe this struck me so forcefully because I'd recently been reading the Prince of Nothing series by R. Scott Balker, which definitely does not just flow along.

The characters are intriguing, though some could have been fleshed out more.

And the magic is subtle--Wit, Skill, even Forging.

So while the story is a somewhat standard coming-of-age tale, the readability, characters, and magic make it different.

[Sumant]

Kathi wrote: "OK, this is the first and only book by Robin Hobb that I've read, and I know there will be more in my near future--not only because I want to finish this trilogy, but I am excited to read her other..."

The 2nd book is even better than the first one.

[Juston]

I had the pleasure of meeting Robin Hobb (Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden) at a book signing and speech in my home city a few weeks ago.

Robin Hobb was lovely and approachable and gave a lot of insight into how she writes, builds her worlds, her characters etc.

Unfortunately I hadn't yet read any of her books and Assassin's Apprentice was my first.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have to admit, I didn't find it as tense or as expansive as Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings.

However, it did hold my attention and now I am really looking forward to reading my newly signed copy of Royal Assassin.

[Juston]

Sumant wrote: "Kathi wrote: "OK, this is the first and only book by Robin Hobb that I've read, and I know there will be more in my near future--not only because I want to finish this trilogy, but I am excited to ..."

Yes I found I agreed with pretty much all of your review, and its good to know the trilogy gets better!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I've gone ahead into the next book in the trilogy and am halfway through that, liking it.

One of the most interesting characters is the Fool. He obviously is not as foolish as he may appear, but what exactly is his role and how did he come to be the King's Fool?

No spoilers, please, just looking for people's speculations. I'm guessing we find out more as the trilogy progresses, but I'm interested in what people think, based on just the first book.

[Brenda ╰☆╮]

The Fool is a favorite with a lot of people...me included....and I think, a big part of the success of the entire series.

When done the first trilogy...Farseer.....you must....
;)
read on. I went on to the Tawny man....but I understand the proper order would be the Liveships.

[Helen]

Definitely read the ships trilogy next and then the fools trilogy. They are quite different but a character pops up in all of them. They are _so_ good. I also read the latest series of four. Which started poorly but picked up in book two. I haven't done the soldier series which is a different world I believe.

[Shel, Moderator]

Yes, the soldier series is a different world - I didn't like it quite as much, but still worth reading :)

The Fool is one of my favorite characters in fantasy fiction! I don't want to say much for fear of spoilers, since I didn't re-read this and I can't remember what is revealed in which book.

[Elizabeth]

I'm about 80% done and this book is absolutely flawless! I just can't believe I never read it before. It reminds me of several of my favorite books except this actually predates them so what does that say? I guess Robin Hobb has been an inspiration to some other truly great authors.

[Elizabeth]

Just finished.
My first reaction, WOW.
Second reaction, I must buy the next book now!
Third reaction, first published 1995, how did I not know of this gem?

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Many of my friends and fellow book group folks have recommended Hobb's work for years, but I always remember some people saying they were quite "dark". I have bought most of what she has written over the years (right now, only missing the last book in the Rain Wilds Chronicles, Blood of Dragons), just never was motivated to start them. This book being BOTM was just the push I needed. I see, however, she is starting another trilogy, the Fitz and the Fool trilogy, starting with The Fool's Assassin.

[Shel, Moderator]

Yes, I can't wait to read it :) Definitely read the other books set in this world first, though, if you're thinking of picking up a copy.

[Wastrel]

Elizabeth wrote: "I'm about 80% done and this book is absolutely flawless! I just can't believe I never read it before. It reminds me of several of my favorite books except this actually predates them so what does ..."

Out of curiosity (I don't read a lot of modern fantasy novels these days) who does she remind you of?

You should buy the next two books now - because if you want to read on that badly after the first, you'll want to take the third off your bookshelf and have it sat in front of you when you get to the end of the second...

I think everyone agrees that the second book is better than the first, and I think the same is true of the third although I know that one has a few more detractors.

When you've finished this trilogy, there are another two trilogies, a tetralogy, and another trilogy that's just about to come out, plus a novella, plus trilogy in a different setting, plus a book of short stories. After that you have to switch to a different nom de plume...

[Elizabeth]

Wastrel wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I'm about 80% done and this book is absolutely flawless! I just can't believe I never read it before. It reminds me of several of my favorite books except this actually predates ..."

The two that came to mind most when I was reading it were The King Killer Chronicles and Raven's Shadow. Each original and completely different and yet reminiscent in some ways.

[Maggie]

I am reminded of Robin McKinley, but that might just be me

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Shel wrote: "Yes, I can't wait to read it :) Definitely read the other books set in this world first, though, if you're thinking of picking up a copy."
It's on my list to buy, but I won't read it out of order. :)

[Elizabeth]

I just started book 2 today.

[Bob]

Shel wrote: "It's been several years since I've read this, but I absolutely love this whole series. Looking forward to hearing what everyone else thinks."

Almost word for word what I was going to write...

[Brenda ╰☆╮]

Robin mentioned an advanced giveaway for Fool's Assassin. US only, I believe.
http://pages.email.atrandom.com/fools...

But there are good prices on kindle books in UK evidently.

:)

[Brenda ╰☆╮]

Awww...evidently Robin must have shared a little late. Found out the giveaway may have ended already. My application was accepted, however.

[Elizabeth]

Several reviewers have said things like “I adore the Fool” or “The Fool is the best character…” and I guess I don’t see it. Maybe when I finish the trilogy? For now I am utterly fascinated with Burrich and would desperately love a prequel about Chivalry and him. There is a story there and it is only hinted at over and over.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Elizabeth wrote: "For now I am utterly fascinated with Burrich and would desperately love a prequel about Chivalry and him."
I agree that Burrich is a fascinating character and, if you read on in the trilogy, only becomes more interesting. But, IMO, so does the Fool.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I belong (as many others here do) to another Goodreads group, The Fantasy Book Club Series group. They read all of Hobb's books set in this world a few years ago. I am reading the appropriate threads as I progress through the series and wanted to share them with anyone here who is interested in reading more in the series and then comparing your reactions/perspectives with other.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

[Brenda ╰☆╮]

Kathi, I'm a member of another group reading the whole first trilogy. You might want to check it out.
:)

It's science fiction and fantasy e-book club. Can't link right now.

[Elizabeth]

About 40% done with Royal Assassin and absolutely adore Robin Hobb's writing but no love for Fitz right now. He is being an absolute brat. Also, story is really slow without the excuse the first one had of introducing an entire world and cast of characters. I don't see anyway that I will stop no matter what I am charging on into book three but I think book two is going to lower on my list of favs than Assassin's Apprentice.

[Wastrel]

Oh, don't say that just yet!

I think the tension gets higher and higher throughout Royal Assassin, and I think the last third of RA and the first half of Assassin's Quest are the most exciting bits of the trilogy.

[Kelly]

Elizabeth wrote: "About 40% done with Royal Assassin and absolutely adore Robin Hobb's writing but no love for Fitz right now. He is being an absolute brat. Also, story is really slow without the excuse the first on..."

Royal Assassin is the slowest book of the three, but it has so many details essential to the greater story. It's worth it in the end! Assassin's Quest is the best book, in my opinion.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Brenda ╰☆╮ wrote: "Kathi, I'm a member of another group reading the whole first trilogy. You might want to check it out.
:)

It's science fiction and fantasy e-book club. Can't link right now."

Good to know, thanks. Is that a group on Goodreads? Maybe I'll take a look.

[Maggie]

here is that discussion Kathi
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Beth]

I think this was the fastest I've ever finished one of the monthly selections. The writing is so lush--every single page seemed to have some really stellar metaphor or simile. And I admired the way in which Hobb manages to convey a firm sense of both the callow young lad who lived through these events, and the much older, wiser man who commits them to paper. It's beautifully done.

My one regret is that someone (Verity?) didn't push Regal off a cliff, or put essence of deadroot in his tea, or hand him over to the Raiders. I've gone straight on to the next book, in the hope that he'll get his (richly deserved) comeuppance before the trilogy ends!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Maggie wrote: "here is that discussion Kathi
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."

Thanks much!

[Elizabeth]

Just finished Royal Assassin (in which Fitz didn't really act much like an assassin!) and started Assassins's Quest. Wow, there are not many books that I have been so entranced by that I read a trilogy one right after another.

[Todd]

This series has been on my to-read list and my Kindle for far too long, I'm kicking myself that I haven't read any of her stuff before because it's so good I wonder why I didn't consider it a *must-read now* before now. Argh.

What a wonderful book. Loved the building of new and familiar elements in the world, always a sucker for a coming of age story, but what sets this apart has to be her writing style. It's so smooth and gentle, reading it I found to be such an incredible enjoyment, she's definitely a new favourite author of mine. I'm anxious to read further in this series straight away, and then on to the other related ones too. There is so much fun ahead, what a great book selection this one, a real discovery (for me)!!

[Brenda ╰☆╮]

Todd, right you are!
I discovered Robin Hobb a bit late, also.
The good thing about that was.......pause for suspense......
;)
I did not have to wait for the next book!

[Chris, Moderator]

Just finished my re-read. I loved it when I read it years ago, and still love it. I've read everything by Robin Hobb since I read the first book, and am a big fan of everything (except the Soldier Son trilogy, didn't care for that much).

I heard Robin Hobb speak at last year's Worldcon in San Antonio; she'll be a guest of honor at this year's Worldcon in London. She's a gracious woman, and full of tidbits of esoteric knowledge that pop up in her books (herbal lore, horses ... the list goes on). One of the more interesting observations that I recall had to do with the development of magical systems. How is the magic perceived in the community - respected, vilified, feared? Is the magic learned, or is it a gift? What must you give up to use the magic - health, time and dedication to learning, loss of personal relationships?

Fitz is an engaging character, in a well developed world. The way the Wit and Skill magical systems play off each other adds interest and tension -- and then you add the assassin's skill, and Forging, and political intrigue .... I'm on a binge re-read!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

As I mentioned before, this was my first Hobb book, read for this month's discussion. I am now in Book 3 of the Farseer Trilogy and I foresee more Hobb books in my future. Fortunately, all but the newest are already on my shelves, just waiting for me to find time to get at them. (Although my reading time is currently curtailed some as I binge-watch House of Cards and a few other things during my one month free Netflix trial.)

[Helen]

Brenda, I didn't wait either. I bought them as they came out and with book three read them back to back. Excellent. I can't remember when the Fool became a favourite character. The tears I shed reading all nine (first six for a second time) on the series read mentioned above, could fill a bucket. At the end of one, I had to stop for an hour before I could read the last few pages!!

[Juston]

I was reading The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin for another book club - but it just didn't grab me. Got a third of the way through and decided to "shelve" it.

Instead I started Royal Assassin, and I've almost finished it. Kelly said that this was the slowest of the three - yet despite that I've hardly put it down.

I am really enjoying Royal Assassin, it's soo full of intrigue. Even more so I know that there is one more book to go in this trilogy and at least two more trilogies to follow!

Robin Hobb is a fantastic author and I wish I had more time to talk with her during her brief visit to New Zealand.

[Todd]

Wow, everyone seems to feel the same about this book, and especially those of us who have just recently discovered this author. I can't believe I never read her stuff before, but the best thing as others have commented is that we have so much joy ahead of us with all those books she's already written waiting to be enjoyed by us newbies.

After finishing the first I couldn't wait and jumped straight into the second, which I finished earlier today, and then again I couldn't wait so I've already started the third in the series. This selection was such a great choice, I haven't had so much fun with a new author in a long time, really great books!

[DivaDiane]

Perfect timing with this discussion. I was able to dig out my old copy of Assassin's Apprentice when I was visiting our other home and could actually only read it because I went on a beach holiday immediately. Alas, I haven't been able to post about my re-reading of it because wifi sucked where we were...

At any rate, I enjoyed it almost more the 2nd time than the first. My first time through, I loved this first one in the series, but felt the writing in the whole of the Farseer Trilogy was slightly inferior to the LiveShip Traders trilogy which I had read first. This time, I had all the knowledge of the characters and could remember some of the details from all the subsequent novels (including the Fool's Trilogy) that it was a joy to rediscover them, already fully fleshed out in this first installment. There is so much which is just casually mentioned in A's A which is elaborated upon as the series develops. It's amazing - how does she keep all these details straight and stay true to the essence of all those characters, and yet letting them evolve as time goes on for them.

I have one point of discussion I'd like to bring up:

Do you think the Wit and the way it evokes disgust in many (most) people except those that live with it, is an allegory for Queer people and how they are often treated in our own society? Discuss!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Diane wrote: "Do you think the Wit and the way it evokes disgust in many (most) people except those that live with it, is an allegory for Queer people and how they are often treated in our own society? "

I have to say no, I didn't make any allegorical connection like that. The Wit and the fear & disgust with which most people view it has more to do with the getting lost in the animal aspect. Just as Skill is somewhat addicting to the practitioner, so is Wit for those who have not been properly mentored in it. So there probably are people who lose themselves in their bond animal. And it's also probably fear-inducing to have people who can "control" wild beasts. So I think that is the basis for the fear & disgust and didn't read any more into it than that.

[Wastrel]

I'm sure the way that people view the Wit is meant to be generally symbolic to some extent of the way that people view any superficially-concealable minority trait or behaviour, including homosexuality, and at times some of the language used about one is reminiscent of some of the language used about the other. But at the same time, I don't think the idea is for readers to read this as a plain allegory for any one prejudice in particular (which would in any case be superfluous, since it's not as though Hobb doesn't explicitly address anti-homosexual sentiments elsewhere). Indeed, I think there's something quite illiberal about reading it like that. The point isn't "prejudice against X is bad because X is really homosexuality in disguise (and homosexuals aren't the right people to be prejudiced against)", it's "prejudice against X is bad because prejudice is bad" - it doesn't have to be an allegory for an unfashionable prejudice, it's the fact that it's a prejudice at all that's the problem.

[DivaDiane]

Yes, Wastral, I agree with you. And it was only on this second reading that it popped into my head, but I think your assessment is better: that it's a general indictment that prejudice is bad. And it's worse when it just masks fear of the unknown or of difference.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

Fitz's name issue expresses what he represses - he doesn't feel like a person who exists enough to be a named individual. Fitz doesn't feel like he can 'fits' unless he hides his Wit.

This is one of the most strongest literary fantasy books I've read since The Last Unicorn. It's layered in meaning about three deep for every overt story device.