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_juriireads_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, and Miscarriage
m_________'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was so emotionally traumatic and there are fifteen more in this universe to go ...
I really enjoyed this book and am certainly looking forward to continuing the series. I liked how Fitz's role as an assassin isn't quite what I've seen from other fantasy assassins, he's trained to be a lot more political and subtle. The book definitely has some hard hitting themes about loneliness, trauma, and living with trauma and I am also intrigued by certain side characters, and I already really love Fitz, of course.
Major CW for animal deaths.
I really enjoyed this book and am certainly looking forward to continuing the series. I liked how Fitz's role as an assassin isn't quite what I've seen from other fantasy assassins, he's trained to be a lot more political and subtle. The book definitely has some hard hitting themes about loneliness, trauma, and living with trauma and I am also intrigued by certain side characters, and I already really love Fitz, of course.
Major CW for animal deaths.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Abandonment, and Grief
Moderate: War, Vomit, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Gore, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, Child death, Child abuse, Bullying, Blood, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Addiction
hardbackednooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
On my second read, this is definitely still a 5-star book, but I did have a few things to point out that I didn't notice/didn't make a note of the first time around.
Good things
Good things
- This is a debut? Holy crap.
- The characters are all unique and distinct; while some have similar personalities(Regal and his entourage basically all being super vile and sadistic villains) , their descriptions, mannerisms, and dialogue make them easy to tell apart.
- Hobb's worldbuilding is absolutely incredible. She's done more in ~400 pages than some authors do with twice that amount. The richness of culture, history, conflict, environment, all of it is amazing. It perfectly sets up the next books and ties in well with the "side stories" (Rain Wilds and Liveship Traders).
- This book is quotable as heck. I mostly read the print version so I didn't make as many notes as I'd have wanted to, but a few things stuck with me that I went back and highlighted on my kindle.
- The storytelling style is a little difficult to get into at first, but this is still a good thing. It's a departure from the typical and once I'd read a chapter or two, I really enjoyed it. Instead of being told as a traditional first-person, "as it happens" type of story, it's a first-person recollection from an ambiguously older Fitz, who's sat down to write out his childhood. He references this in a few instances, saying things like "I wish I could remember the rest of this conversation" or "I can't recall the exact details" which helps you feel immersed in the retelling.
Not as good things
- The timeline is fuzzy for me. We know the book starts with Fitz around 6 years old, with very little memory of what came before. The story progresses slowly from there, giving Hobb time to introduce us to the world and the cast of characters, but after the 1/3 mark or so, we start having sudden jumps. They're usually ill-defined as "some years passed" or "after some time," which makes it difficult to gauge A) how long Fitz has beentraining with Chade) or how much he's aged, how long certain castle intrigue plots have taken, and other relatively minor things.
- Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe the fuzzy timeline is because it's being told as Fitz's retelling rather than a current happening. Hmmmm.
- There is a monumental amount of abuse in this story, which isn't a knock against the book, but it did take a lot out of me when I was reading. You definitely need to be in a good headspace to make it through.
All in all, a very excellent and good book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Addiction, and Drug use
aliceaddams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Ableism
kawaiiboke's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, and Death of parent
rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
'Assassin's Apprentice' by Robin Hobb starts the Farseer Trilogy that centers on Fitz, the bastard son of the country's prince. Fitz is brought into the castle under the tutelage of the stableman but soon begins to train as an assassin. Through his life in the castle, he is thrown into multiple situations utilizing his skills, both those of the assassin and the magical abilities he possesses.
Having read the Mad Ship trilogy by Robin Hobb first, this story is a bit more typical of high fantasy though still speaks to Hobb's character building. It's especially impressive when considering that it was her debut novel.
I found that the story itself was rather basic for a fantasy novel though I hope that the next book in the series may introduce more complex plot lines, especially since this book centered on Fitz's childhood and upbringing. I think the strongest part of the story is the characters. Fitz is instantly likable and even in places where the story itself was slow, I was still compelled to read on because of my care for Fitz. His connection with the dogs that he encounters in the story was one of the strongest ways that I felt his character was built up and those were the relationships I was most invested in.
If you are interested in a solid first book in a classic fantasy style, Assassin's Apprentice is a good option though so far I have enjoyed the other books I have read by Robin Hobb more.
Having read the Mad Ship trilogy by Robin Hobb first, this story is a bit more typical of high fantasy though still speaks to Hobb's character building. It's especially impressive when considering that it was her debut novel.
I found that the story itself was rather basic for a fantasy novel though I hope that the next book in the series may introduce more complex plot lines, especially since this book centered on Fitz's childhood and upbringing. I think the strongest part of the story is the characters. Fitz is instantly likable and even in places where the story itself was slow, I was still compelled to read on because of my care for Fitz. His connection with the dogs that he encounters in the story was one of the strongest ways that I felt his character was built up and those were the relationships I was most invested in.
If you are interested in a solid first book in a classic fantasy style, Assassin's Apprentice is a good option though so far I have enjoyed the other books I have read by Robin Hobb more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent
mariebrunelm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My history with this book started some ten years ago, when my favourite bookseller pushed it into my hands. He was already my favourite bookseller, but I didn't yet know how grateful I would be to him. Assassin's Apprentice became my favourite book of all time after I first read it (and the following two books in the trilogy, and Hobb's other books in the same universe). There's something in this book I've never found again elsewhere, which makes each re-read like coming home. It's a home where not everything is perfect, some family members I'd rather stay away from, and sometimes I still get lost in some shadowy corridors, but at its heart are endearing, defiant characters I feel I've known for a long time, and places I know will always keep a warm spot for me. I first read the Farseer trilogy in French, proceeded to re-read them in English when I could get my hands on the covers illustrated by John Howe, and now I'm re-reading them with Magali Villeneuve's beautiful, smooth pictures. But it's not exactly my third time reading. Over the years, I've come back to Robin Hobb when I needed comfort, to read a page or a couple of my favourite chapters. A few lines were enough to wisk me back to that home, and although I couldn't place who was whom and what some people were doing there, I always found my warm spot to settle back in.
Something that astounds me is the amount of foreshadowing you can't possibly grasp the first time. But re-reading it when you seize those clues is doubly heart-breaking because you're already aware of the hardships waiting for the characters, you remember them before they even happen, and you can't do anything to prevent them. It may sound like a painful experience, but there's also much beauty and comfort to be found within those pages.
Something that astounds me is the amount of foreshadowing you can't possibly grasp the first time. But re-reading it when you seize those clues is doubly heart-breaking because you're already aware of the hardships waiting for the characters, you remember them before they even happen, and you can't do anything to prevent them. It may sound like a painful experience, but there's also much beauty and comfort to be found within those pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Bullying, Grief, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Drug use
chloereadds's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, and Misogyny
Minor: Infertility, Bullying, and Addiction
nicolewhopickedthisbook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.0
Re-Read:
Keeping the same rating. Very slow moving with all the action and ah ha moments happening at the very end. Unfortunately even with the reread, it did not tempt me to move on with the series.
First Read:
While I did love the atmosphere and the mythology and the magic system, the pacing made it hard to carry on with this book. I feel like nothing was happening until the last 80 pages or so.
392 pages toward the Bibliogames
Challenge Lunch: Book with a satisfying ending
Keeping the same rating. Very slow moving with all the action and ah ha moments happening at the very end. Unfortunately even with the reread, it did not tempt me to move on with the series.
First Read:
While I did love the atmosphere and the mythology and the magic system, the pacing made it hard to carry on with this book. I feel like nothing was happening until the last 80 pages or so.
392 pages toward the Bibliogames
Challenge Lunch: Book with a satisfying ending
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Abandonment, Death of parent, Torture, Death, Blood, and Gore
stabbings, poisonings
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