A review by saintsunshine
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I find it difficult to explain what makes Robin Hobb's Assassin Apprentice so good. Compared to the complex and often bloated fantasy stories I've been consuming over the years, Hobb's work is straightforward and leaves much up to the imagination of the reader – which I found refreshing. The narrative is easy to get into and Fitz makes for a relatable protagonist.

I'm not sure yet if I'll be continuing my read as I did struggle a bit with the book. The first person narration and the audiobook performance were obstacles to my enjoyment of the book, which is wholly a personal thing and not on Hobb. Given the nature of Hobb's writing, it was at times difficult to keep track of characters and motivations. I found that characters would reach conclusions that would go unexplained, so this is a book that rewards full attention. I just found that mine wasn't always there. 

The high points of this book, however, were incredibly exciting. While I think I'll take a break before commiting to more of the series, I hope to chase those same highs again.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings