Reviews

Prose was ok (which is saying a lot) but there wasn't enough characterization for me. It was mostly about the plot, which didn't quite suck me in. I quit 1/3 of the way through, or before that.

mellhay's review against another edition

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5.0

I was so tangled up in the story, needing to hear every word spoken, that I couldn't have other sounds around me. Everything drifted away as I was engulfed in the tale spun with these assassins and their mystery to solve.

I love how we learn about the assassins as we read of Girton and his Master, who are assassins, looking to solve the mystery of who hired another assassin to kill the kings heir. So well constructed together!

****FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW****

rollforlibrarian's review against another edition

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4.0

Early in reading this I thought I would be giving it two stars. Glad to be proven wrong. Not a strong start but it grew on me and I thoroughly enjoyed the latter two thirds or thereabouts

drknightingale's review against another edition

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4.0

Fun debut. I love fantasy books about people being trained in their craft, especially martial combat. It's a genre of fantasy that I really enjoy, as its far more pleasant than reliving my own high school memories. Age of Assassins doesn't quite fit the genre because by the time the protagonist arrives in his training, he's already been trained as an assassin for years and is just pretending to be a squire-student, but it has the same feel.

thereadingstray's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.75

mary_soon_lee's review

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4.0

This is the opening book in an epic fantasy trilogy. Narrated by a fifteen-year-old apprentice assassin, it fits comfortably into a heroic, European-flavored tradition, yet is distinct enough not to feel generic. In particular, the fight sequences, the impact of magic, and the character of the book's hero are all nicely handled. I was by turns interested, amused, moved, swept up in the story's sweep, and generally well entertained. I note that, in addition to swashbuckling assassinship and coming-of-age elements, the story also has a mystery thread running through it, which, while occasionally drawn-out, comes to a satisfying conclusion.

In some ways, this reminds me of the start of another fantasy series that I read two months earlier: the Spellslinger series by Sebastien de Castell. Both were fun to read, with effective moments of humor. Both have an original take on magic. Both have a sympathetic young male narrator, who is helped by an older, wiser, highly skilled, intriguing woman. But I preferred this book; its world and its characters seemed one shade truer, one shade more memorable.

chocolatereader's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

3.0

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