Farseer Trilogy #1
by Robin Hobb
Review by Susan Stradiotto
Yesterday, as I pulled into my drive, I finished the audiobook of Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice, first in The Farseer series. Just before the epilogue, chills ran down my spine and my eyes prickled a bit. The ending, though it should have been predictable, took me totally off guard and is one of the more touching endings to a book I’ve encountered in quite a while. I’ll leave it at that and let the reader see for him- or herself what I mean.
I’ve seen several people lately say that they’ve given up on this book. If I’m telling it truly, I may have done the same if reading vs. listening. Although, I persevered and am glad I did. At this point, I’m undecided about the remainder series. My true rating would be about 3 and a half, but I round in the direction I’d lean.
Summary (Spoiler Free)
Assassin’s Apprentice is a coming-of-age story about Fitz, an orphan, who comes to Buckkeep Castle and quickly learns that he is a bastard to Chivalry (the absent prince). However, he is too young in the early stages of the novel to understand what a bastard really is. He is cared for by the stablemaster, Burrich, and develops a connection with dogs, one in particular named Nosy. He also makes some acquaintances with some of the children around, but that seemed to be a sideline for the most part.
After a while, he was taken into an apprenticeship with Chade (the king’s assassin) and proceeds to learn from him. They travel a bit and meet the “forged ones” which we later learn are a result of the invaders in the red ships. Unfortunately, this didn’t seem to be central to the core plot. Rather, it seemed to be more a device to add some conflict overall. Maybe this will be more prevalent in the next books within the series.
The true conflict or plot arc within this book seems to be around Fitz integrating (or not) into the royal family, the bond between him and his early caretaker, Burrich, and between him and Chade. Throughout the novel (as with most coming-of-age stories), it seems like the world happens around Fitz, and he goes along for the most part. It wasn’t until the end that he became somewhat proactive in the story when the motives of various individuals within the royal family are revealed.
Check out the Wikipedia page for a more robust summary of Assassin’s Apprentice. Or get your copy here:
What I loved about Assassin’s Apprentice!
The first person narrative in fantasy is what I prefer, and Assassin’s Apprentice didn’t disappoint in that regard. I enjoy getting close to one character and following him or her throughout the story. I think this is what kept me reading. The happenings in the world built intrigue and interest. I wanted to learn more, yet my perspective remained limited like that of the narrator.
I’m interested to see where the rest of the series takes the premise of “The Skill” and “The Wit.” They’re powerful forms of telepathic magic that seem related, but the remainder of the series will tell.
Robin Hobb did a great job of setting up the world, and as the first in a series, that’s critical. Set in a typical fantasy medieval world, a few unique traditions make it original. Other unique elements include telepathic magic and the red ships / forged ones that build quite a bit of mystery and intrigue that keeps you pressing through.
What could have been better?
The naming tradition within the royal family irritated me quite a bit. It seemed a cheap way to develop a character without really putting in the effort to developing and showing the character traits.
When the forged ones came into play, my initial thought was “Oh, no! Zombie Zone…” followed by a dramatic eye-roll. However, I pressed forward, and I’m still not certain if they are zombies or something else. I worry that if they are, it will make me put the series down immediately. We shall see.
As I mentioned in the summary, many threads were started but not completed. Namely, I’m still wondering how the magic sways the overall story? Also, what happens with the red ships and forged ones? I really don’t feel closure at the end of this novel. Granted, Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel Series is my measuring stick for all fantasy series. In those, every book wraps up a complete story, yet I still want more and more of the main characters after reading each one.
All-in-all
It’s worth the read, but I wouldn’t rave about it like so many of the other reviews. I can’t say if it would be better through audio or reading, but the audio was enjoyable. Unfortunately, even though there is a complete arc here, I don’t think it’s the end of the story–hence, a series, I’m sure.
Check out Robin Hobb’s website. She’s quite prolific, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
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