'Assassin's Apprentice' by Robin Hobb: A review

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'Assassin's Apprentice' by Robin Hobb: A review
By Sue (Matter)

Ever wondered what dragons, standing stones, politics and jester’s prophecies have in common?

If I got you interested, you’re about to find out about one of the best fantasy novels ever written.

The topic of this review is a 1995 Robin Hobb’s novel ‘Assassin’s Apprentice’, which is the first book in The Farseer Trilogy. It follows the story of a prince’s bastard son, Fitz Chivalry, and is written through his eyes beginning with his very first childhood memories. As a young man Fitz begins his assassin apprenticeship and is soon thrown into the cruel world of politics and intrigues. He slowly learns that not everything is really as it seems, and the long-gone legendary ancestors of his people may have a lot more influence on his life than he used to think.

Robin Hobb’s novel is a perfect combination of sword-fighting, noble balls, dragons and prophecies and magic, but also treats of failure and coping with it, of friendship and betrayal, of great deeds and dashed hopes. Hobb describes all the events vividly, using flowery language, striking metaphors and rich vocabulary.

A compelling story, three-dimensional characters and the author’s brilliant writing makes ‘Assassin’s Apprentice’ a fantasy masterpiece. I read the Farseer’s Trilogy thrice: for the first time when I was only 13 years old. I fell in love with the books then, but they are by no means children’s books: every time I read them, I looked at them with a different perspective, from a different point in life. And I believe I will never cease to learn life lessons from Robin Hobb’s novels.

I am hoping to pick this up this month! Wish me luck as I have a never ending TBR