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lastlostgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The first half of this book was a bit of a drag but when I hit that halfway mark, I couldn’t put it down! The last 100 pages made it all worth it. I had no idea where this adventure was going to take me and I’m so glad I stuck it out to see. Hoping the next book has more of the Fool, I need to know more about him and his room full of trinkets.
If you’re looking for an action packed fantasy with romance, this first book won’t be it for you. This was all political/war building, magic system building, and relationship building.
If you’re looking for an action packed fantasy with romance, this first book won’t be it for you. This was all political/war building, magic system building, and relationship building.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
kirkwallsquad's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-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
4.25
I haven‘t read a western fantasy novel set in a world completely new to me in some time, and this novel was perfect to ease me back into it and remind me of how good fantasy is when written with competence and care. I developed attachment to the characters, including some complicated feelings and changing opinions as the story progressed, and I was right there with Fitz as he tried to understand the weight of his orders and the intrigues of the world he‘d been given to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual violence
crispr_breadboard's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Ugh! I loved it so much. Was at Emerald City Comic Con a day prior to Robin Hobb being there to sign books. I was midway through the book then— finished it on the plane ride back. The last line made me cry SO DANG HARD.
I won’t lie, I thought the riddle by the Fool was implying Regal was the face (mutt, aka bastard)! I was so sure of it! But I’m glad it was Galen— it made so much sense and still was a surprise satisfying enough that I couldn’t guess it correctly 😁
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Murder
onthesamepage's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I reread this on audio as a refresher, because I'd like to continue with the Realm of the Elderlings at some point, and it's been over 15 years since I first read this.
People often talk about how nothing happens in books, and how that's a bad thing. And I can agree with that sometimes. But this is a prime example of a book where nothing happened, and I still cared about it anyway. We're seeing Fitz grow slowly from a young boy into a teenager. Most of this consists of training montages, or Fitz performing tasks for someone. But I can't help but be invested in him as a character. The magic system continues to be intriguing, and I loved Fitz's bonds with animals.
The last 20% or so progresses a lot faster than the first part, and I may need to reread the very last part physically to make sure I remember what happened (audiobooks do make me zone out every once in a while).
People often talk about how nothing happens in books, and how that's a bad thing. And I can agree with that sometimes. But this is a prime example of a book where nothing happened, and I still cared about it anyway. We're seeing Fitz grow slowly from a young boy into a teenager. Most of this consists of training montages, or Fitz performing tasks for someone. But I can't help but be invested in him as a character. The magic system continues to be intriguing, and I loved Fitz's bonds with animals.
The last 20% or so progresses a lot faster than the first part, and I may need to reread the very last part physically to make sure I remember what happened (audiobooks do make me zone out every once in a while).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Ableism and Animal death
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This may be one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read, and yet I can understand why others have had difficulty with it.
The pace is very, very slow, there is a lot of descriptive language and exposition to wade through, and even then, there isn't a whole lot of plot to be found, at least not at first. All these things considered, I can easily see why someone might get frustrated and give up.
But I found Assassin's Apprentice to be an absorbing, riveting, and immersive read - just what a good fantasy should be.
It also delivers in spades when it comes to political intrigue, which I also very much enjoy reading. The story is told from the POV of Fitz, who forthe first half of the book isn't even given a proper name , and this was such a masterful move on Hobb's part. You see him as he grows from a child into a young man . He's very observant of people and he has a strong affinity for animals . His keen observational skills (and at times judgmental behaviour) could make him unlikeable, but Hobb takes care to show us the other sides of him - his compassion, his kindness, his curiosity, and his thirst for knowledge all made me care about him and root for him as a character.
The other characters are well-developed too (even the villainous ones[well, mostly</spoiler]), depicted as complex, flawed human beings, with many shades of grey.
The plotting was overall excellent, although did find the endingrather rushed and not well-explained , but I am willing to overlook that because of how much I enjoyed the rest of it.
4.5 stars from me.
The pace is very, very slow, there is a lot of descriptive language and exposition to wade through, and even then, there isn't a whole lot of plot to be found, at least not at first. All these things considered, I can easily see why someone might get frustrated and give up.
But I found Assassin's Apprentice to be an absorbing, riveting, and immersive read - just what a good fantasy should be.
It also delivers in spades when it comes to political intrigue, which I also very much enjoy reading. The story is told from the POV of Fitz, who for
The other characters are well-developed too (even the villainous ones[
The plotting was overall excellent, although did find the ending
4.5 stars from me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Xenophobia, and War
paperbacktiger's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Violence
emilywc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, and Abandonment
niknakreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
If you've not read any Robin Hobb, please start soon because you are missing out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Death of parent
Minor: Child death, Physical abuse, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
drlark's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
3.75
Finally giving this series a go, and I'm not sure how to feel other than, I need to know what happens next. If the last book I read was all plot, very little character, this is the exact reverse. Hobb takes her time introducing Fitz, the illegitimate son of the King-in-Waiting, and the characters who surround him as he grows up, trained and used by the king as a spy and assassin.
This is high fantasy in the classic sense -- a huge body of work (16 books!) immersing the reader in a new world with its own magic and history, so the reader has to be ready and patient to let that unfold at a gradual pace. I think Hobb does this quite well. Her writing is beautiful, and her development of the relationships between Fitz, Burrich, the Fool, Lady Patience, Chade, Verity, and others is expert. The relationships are what hooked me into this story because:
Oh my GOODNESS, the cruelty and ugliness of the villains in this book. And moreover, the blindness of the other characters to just how evil these people are, and the inability/unwillingness to stop them in their cruelty and ugliness -- it was upsetting, to say the least. Personally, I prefer villains with a bit more nuance. Villains who think they're doing the right thing. I prefer a kinder world. Of course bad things happen, and there's conflict, but... a little more kindness, please. And enough with the animal cruelty, ffs.
This is high fantasy in the classic sense -- a huge body of work (16 books!) immersing the reader in a new world with its own magic and history, so the reader has to be ready and patient to let that unfold at a gradual pace. I think Hobb does this quite well. Her writing is beautiful, and her development of the relationships between Fitz, Burrich, the Fool, Lady Patience, Chade, Verity, and others is expert. The relationships are what hooked me into this story because:
Oh my GOODNESS, the cruelty and ugliness of the villains in this book. And moreover, the blindness of the other characters to just how evil these people are, and the inability/unwillingness to stop them in their cruelty and ugliness -- it was upsetting, to say the least. Personally, I prefer villains with a bit more nuance. Villains who think they're doing the right thing. I prefer a kinder world. Of course bad things happen, and there's conflict, but... a little more kindness, please. And enough with the animal cruelty, ffs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
brynalexa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Adorable and cruel magic system. Heart wrenching.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape