Reviews with content warning for War - Assassin's Apprentice

I've been meaning to read this for a long time, and I'm so mad at myself for having put it off. I suspected that I would enjoy Robin Hobb's work, and I had hoped that The Realm of the Elderlings would someday come to be one of my favorite series. This first book has convinced me that my hope was not in vain.

I can understand why this book may not be for everyone. It's slow, and much more character focused then plot driven. However, it gives me the same vibes as Tamora Peirce gave me when I was a kid just dipping her toes into fantasy. I was a little nervous going in because I had heard several people say that this book was dense, and I was concerned I would be too stupid to get it, but reading this book felt like sinking into a warm bath. I didn't find it difficult at all, only rich and layered. The character work is excellent, and I found myself caring deeply for Fitz before the first chapter was done, and the writing is beautiful. I'm so excited to continue this trilogy and The Realm of the Elderlings over all.
If you, like me, have been putting this book off for whatever reason I encourage you to bite the bullet.

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ariel790's review against another edition

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adventurous sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Slow burn, so if you read, be prepared for that. A lot of the set up doesn't pay off until about the last half of the book. Given that it is the first of a series and set up for the character, Fitz, made sense to me for the slower pacing. I am hoping for a better ease into the character in future books of the series.

This book is mainly about Fitz. Fitz is the love child of Prince Chivalry. Due to this, he is left unwanted but is still thrown into a court of a king. This story is about his coming of age, covering from about the age of 6 to 15, and the different difficulties of being born into the position that he is. Thinking that he is unloved and a pawn of the king, he does do what he can to stay in favor.

Fitz is easy to like. As you read, you are growing up with him, experiencing his challenges and view point. He is the hero of this story, and the author makes that clear. As soon as he starts to become a capable, on his own type of person, his world is devastated by war from the outlands. The Outlanders turn captured people into "Forged" or brainless thugs who don't care what happens to themselves or those they once loved (totally a hidden zombie story of the 90's with this side story ;) ). As the outlanders gain ground in the war, it becomes a do or die situation for Fitz and his comrades. Stress and panic ensue.

Lots of layers to this one, there is the story of Fitz, of his friends, teachers, of the king and the princes, as well as politics and war. Not a quick read at all. Seems worth the investment, if into the sort of thing.

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mokka's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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kaziaroo's review

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

This book is a fantasy Bildungsroman, following the early life (ages ~6–14) of Fitz, the illegitimate son of the then-heir to the throne, the only true blemish on the Prince's otherwise perfect record and the trigger for his downfall. Without any say in the matter, Fitz is shouldered with the blame and expectations of those around him and is forced to learn to be a scribe, a soldier, a stable master and yes, an assassin, all at once. Meanwhile, the kingdom's political landscape is rocky and its people are under constant threat from the mysterious and unnatural Red Sea Traders. In these desperate times, Fitz must struggle between two magics which each threaten to destroy him.
I found the first fifty or so pages of this book hard going, but once I got into it and stopped looking so hard for the plot, and Fitz grew older, I really enjoyed it. By the halfway point I was invested in the characters which made the "main" conflict all the more satisfying. But really the story is about Fitz's loneliness and desperation to find acceptance and an end to the loneliness that overshadows his whole life, as well as the varied characters he encounters along his journey. I'll definitely try and get hold of the sequels.

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m_________'s review against another edition

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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.

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prairieraven's review

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Adventure fantasy right from the start. A full cast of interesting characters and a plot that twists into the next books. I would not say that the characters are not overly diverse but easily could have been. I love that dogs have been given depth in this book as their own characters. I haven't found too many fantasy novels as enjoyable to read lately as this series. It has been a fun escape getting into this set of books.

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