A review by turtles1738
Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb

adventurous 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

2.5

I really enjoyed the start of this book. Going through Fitz’s transformation from a boy into a man. Also, his bond with Nighteyes and Verity establishing and growing all felt real. At about 50% of the way through the book though, I grew frustrated by the inaction and lack of agency from all the protagonists. They were just letting Regal do whatever he wanted. From poisoning the king, purposely tanking the The Six Duchies reputation, attempting to kill Fitz multiple times, and even trying to make the queen have a miscarriage. That’s just from this book alone. If we look at Assassins Apprentice, he tried to kill Fitz and Varity. Which everyone that mattered knew about and acknowledge. Yet despite all of that they still let this guy do whatever the hell he wanted. I kept waiting for an explanation that would make sense, like Regal being a secret Skill user and he was purposely seeding this sense of complacency into everyone. Nope, it was just as we see it. Everyone also acts surprised at the end that Regal would do all this. Like it wasn’t 1000% obvious what he was doing the whole time. I digress, I’ll read the next book and pray its plot isn’t reliant on characters being as completely and wholeheartedly, willfully ignorant like they were in this book.