“When you cut pieces out of the truth to avoid looking like a fool, you end up looking like a moron instead.”

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RATING:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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SYNOPSIS: 

In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma.

Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals – the old art known as the Wit – gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility.

So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.

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REVIEW:

I think I have found one of my favourite fantasy series, my only gripe is that I have left it this long to read. I honestly love this series so much and I cannot wait to read more about this world.

Assassin’s Apprentice is arguably a slow burn fantasy series and that is something that I cannot argue with. There is a lot of world building and character development however this is so necessary and is definitely worth sticking with so that you can make the most of this series. It is a difficult read in the sense that the physical copy that I own has very small writing, a lot of writing on the pages and the chapters are very long. It takes a lot of patience and getting used to however it is so worth it. I absolutely love the way Robin wrote in order to help me build up a strong connection with the world and the characters, this is a very unique writing style that I would like to see more in the fantasy world. I am personally a big fan of slow burn fantasy as I feel like a rushed fast paced fantasy misses out such important factors that helps me build a connection with the book; namely a big factor that will be the decider about me wanting to pick the book up or not.

I really like the story of FitzChivalry Farseer, I enjoyed learning about his life from the start up until the present. I really like seeing the story from his point of view, whilst stories surrounding other characters are being established. There are plenty of characters within this book, some you will love, some you will hate, and some that you will hate to love. I mean, I even built up connections with the animals in this book. I cried over an animal in this book – more than once. I would like to point out that I am not an emotional person, I have never cried at a fantasy book … until now. I cried and I am not ashamed to admit it. I believe this is massively down to the writing style and the attention to detail that Robin Hobb adapts in her books.

I enjoy the magic systems, which I am still very intrigued by. We are given just enough information, throughout which is spoon fed to us; so that we can understand the system. However there is not enough to satisfy the reader. I like the idea of this as going into the next book I feel like I still have so much to learn and I have such a thirst for this magic system I am sure it is going continue taking me by surprise. Whilst I feel like there is a lot more to learn, it is not made complicated for the sake of being complicated. I feel like it is easy enough to get along with; there is nothing worse than a really complicated magic system which leads away from the plot, world and characters.

This is such a great first book in the series and I cannot wait to continue. In fact whilst writing this review I am already half way through Royal Assassin and I am loving it even more as I continue to read. I definitely recommend this book.