AA: My First Sword and Laser Book (ending spoilers. don't read until you're finished)

[D. H.]

I just finished the Assassin’s Apprentice, and I wanted to make a few comments about my first experience reading with the Sword and Laser group.

Overall, it was a positive one. I’m far more a laser person than a sword, and the book wouldn’t have been one I’d chosen for myself. That in and of itself made it rewarding. But it was a well-told story, too. I would be surprised if anyone put the book down once Fitz met Kettricken in the Mountain Kingdom.

Reading people’s comments made it even better. One person compared using the Wit to indulging in alcohol, and while I disagreed, I was engaged with the text the entire time, thinking “this is why it’s not like that.” Other people compared the social stigma against the Wit to the social stigmas against LGBT communities, which I agreed with, finding similarities in the text. In any event whether I disagreed or not, my reading was improved by the comments.

My biggest complaint against the book was all the puppy murders. The first being when Burrich allowed Fitz to believe (and Hobb allowed us to believe) that Nosy was killed. When the next dog came along, Smithy, I found myself saying, “Don’t hurt the puppy.” And sure enough, someone did. Then we got Nosy back only to lose him again.

I hated Burrich because of Nosy, and the best advice anyone wrote was “keep reading.” Others promised that Burrich would redeem himself in the end or in subsequent books (I felt he had in the end of this one). “Keep reading” was better advice because it gave nothing away. Several times Hobb wanted me to believe Burrich’s life was in peril (when Fitz was being tested for the Skill and when Burrich was cudgeled in the hot springs and Fitz was drowned), but I never did because I knew he had to live to redeem himself in some other part of the trilogy.

Overall I think everyone is very careful about spoilers, though. (Unless I was pleading for them in the how is the Wit different from the Skill thread!) What slipped out did so because there is so much excitement about all the books in this series. Nothing speaks to the success of the story-telling more than that. So well done Ms. Hobb’s, and nice pick Sword & Laser. I look forward to the next book (unless it’s Red Shirts because I’ve read it and while it was good I saw the author interview and the whole time he kept referring to himself as “we.” I had to stop watching because it was driving me crazy. Not that I won’t reread, I guess, but I won’t look forward to it. And could someone tell him not to do that again. Ever.)

[Matt]

Hi Jeff,
this was also my first S&L recommended read.
I was hesitant to start reading. I've read many 'Sword' books in the mould of 'poor kid gets lucky break, saves the king, moves in to castle, becomes great wizard/assassin, saves the kingdom'.
However, I found the slowburn type approach of this book quite refreshing. The treatment of the dogs didn't worry me too much.
I did think though, that many of the characters are so far (in book 1) under developed. Some of their motivations either didn't make much sense to me (eg; Burrich's irrational hatred of the Wit), or weren't explained.

I thought that the book faltered towards the end when the action ramped up. But, I did enjoy Fitz' dilemma. To kill or not to kill, and die myself?

I'm probably not going to read any more books in this series at the moment. In my opinion there are better writers out there.

[[deleted user]]

Ye the puppy killing got to me too, and the fact that Robin Hobb doesnt give Fitz a break from rejection and hardship, I mean the kid has no love in his life, I found that kinda depressing along with the fact I was worried about what was gonna happen next to him or one of his dogs.

It sounds like I didnt enjoy the book but I did, it was really well written and the reason I found it difficult was because it was so well written, also I like the meandering style of the book just writing the every day stuff of the keep, the stables and the town and his friends, it didnt get boring to me at all.
I am enjoying the second book more no spoilers, and im looking forward to the rest of the series also.

[Stan]

As I mentioned in another thread. Fitz actually got a lot of breaks, but remember he is the narrator of the story. He is an old man relating memories of when he was a young teen.

The good things, the good periods (playing with the kids in the city, walking with Molly through the city, all the servants making him feel happy and welcome in the kitchens and household, being second in command of the dogs and horses, etc...) usually only take up a paragraph or page or two.

The bad periods seem to be dwelled on, taking 100's of pages. This is kind of common for some people when thinking back to their teen years. Dwelling on the bad and not the good. He really did have some bad stuff happen to him, but he also had a lot of kindness shown toward him, which tended to barely make it on his radar.

[Dave]

Yeah my first Sword & Laser book as well. I'm glad I read it, but have misgivings about the ending and Fitz's 'sit back and let things happen' approach.

I didn't think Nosy died because I couldn't believe a Houndmaster would do that, and we didn't see the body.

[Leslie]

This was my first S&L also. I'm definitely more of a laser than a sword. I honestly had to force myself through the first 379 pages. Chapter 21 to 23 were pretty interesting, and then I felt like it tapered off again. I realize that this is the first book in the series, so there is necessarily a lot of exposition, but it would have been nice if Hobb broke it up in the middle.
I felt a little manipulated, like, she's definitely saving the Red Raiders origins, the method of forging, Fitz's skill ability for other novels. I also felt like the intro paragraphs from Fitz's perspective as an old man broke up immersion into the story. Believe it or not, I think that it would have been better to go back and forth every couple of chapters instead of the intro's.
It felt like she was saying, "Buy more of my books so that you can get the answers to these burning questions that I set up and purposefully didn't answer". Bah, humbug!

[Michael]

I think the worst part of the book was when Galen blocked Fitz, and he spent two or three chapters just wandering around, depressed and hating himself. Once the truth came out, I couldn't put the book down, but her depiction of Fitz's melancholy was sure effective. I felt melancholy myself just reading it.

[David]

Hey all, looks like I'm not the only one who also did this as the first S&L. :) I'm more of a sword so I really enjoyed it and love all the foreshadowing that promises to reveal cool things in the later books.

I barely noticed the 'puppy murders' myself (does that make me a bad person?). Hobb did make me like the dogs, but I'm more of a cat person. I must ask, though: where are the cats? On a big city they should be plenty of them to keep rats under control, but all we hear about are horses, hounds, and hawks...

[A.E.]

Save the puppies! Hoist the Fool on your shoulders and exalt him. Give the rest of the characters in this story a sound slap on the face, because they deserve it or because they need to snap out of their angst.

[Rob, Roberator]

This was also my first book reading along with the group. It wasn't on my radar at all.

My original plan for August reading got messed up, or I likely wouldn't have read along until Foundation next month.

I'm glad it worked out this way as I'm already ontoRoyal Assassin.

My biggest regret is that I didn't find this group/start reading along sooner.

[Loyd]

This is my first Sword and Laser book too and I want to thank (Veronica?) whoever suggested it. It's also the first fantasy I've read in a long time.

The observations here are useful and to the point but I have to disagree about Fitz's lacking love. He has lots of it although he doesn't acknowledge it most of the time. Burrich, Molly and his friends in the city, Hand, and in a strange way even Verity, Chade, and Chivalry although their caring was corrupted by power. The dogs, though, were always Fitz's source of love and succor.

I finished the book at midnight last night and had to force myself not to wake my dog up and nip his nose.

[Art]

Also the first book I have read along with the group. This has been on my to-read list for a long time so it was a good shove to actually read it and I'm really glad that I did. Really enjoyed it. More love for the Fool! And I didn't get annoyed by Fitz I just want to give him a hug sometimes. And my dog got lots of hugs too in the last few weeks. He is very happy about this.

[Matt]

I said I wouldn't read the next two books in the trilogy. However I started just started book 2! :D

[Jessy]

This was my first as well. I am excited to read along with the next book. It is great having a group of people to falk nerdy with.

[Jessy]

Talk not falk...silly Nook

[Robert]

This was a reread for me. I read the book when it came out in paperback years ago. I was sort of afraid to read it again. I didn't want to find out I didn't like it anymore and ruin precious memories. I'm glad I did though because I found that I like it even more than I did then. This is one of those that has withstood the test of time.