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Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy,…
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Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, Book 1) (original 1995; edition 1996)

by Robin Hobb, Michael Whelan (Illustrator), John Howe (Illustrator)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations / Mentions
12,503280493 (4.1)1 / 426
Fantasy. Fiction. Literature. With unforgettable characters, a sweeping backdrop, and passionate storytelling, this is a fantasy debut to rival that of Robert Jordan. Filled with adventure and bloodshed, pageantry and piracy, mystery and menace, Assassin's Apprentice is the story of a royal house and the young man who is destined to chart its course through tempests of change. Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal household by his father's gruff stableman. An outcast whose existence has forced his father to abdicate his claim on the throne, Fitz is ignored by all royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in the young man's blood is a heritage of magic, the talent called the Skill, as well as another, even more mysterious ability. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts and leave behind the zombie-like husks of the townspeople to prowl the countryside, Fitz is growing toward manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission, a mission that poses as much a threat to himself as it does for his target-for Fitz is a threat to the throne...but he may also be the key to the survival of the kingdom.… (more)
Member:MarkJH
Title:Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, Book 1)
Authors:Robin Hobb
Other authors:Michael Whelan (Illustrator), John Howe (Illustrator)
Info:Spectra (1996), Mass Market Paperback, 464 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:****
Tags:None

Work Information

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb (1995)

  1. 124
    A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (Tjarda, Patangel)
  2. 70
    The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart (LiddyGally)
    LiddyGally: Both "autobiograhical" accounts of the life of a man with powers of a magical kind, told from boyhood to manhood. Compelling writing makes for a great read and memorable story!
  3. 60
    Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn (Kassilem)
  4. 50
    Flesh and Fire by Laura Anne Gilman (Kaelkivial)
    Kaelkivial: If you enjoy the Master/apprentice relationship and the coming of age, rags to relative riches story lines. Both involve young boys who are capable of things that they do not yet understand and must harness their powers towards a greater end.
  5. 40
    Transformation by Carol Berg (sandstone78)
    sandstone78: For epic fantasy that is rarely makes things easy for its protagonists
  6. 30
    A Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette (Kassilem)
  7. 30
    Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn (soffitta1)
    soffitta1: A coming of age story, a noble boy with an uncertain future.
  8. 20
    Le Vaisseau magique, tome 1 : Les aventuriers de la mer by Robin Hobb (Patangel)
  9. 20
    Devices and Desires by K. J. Parker (NovaStalker)
    NovaStalker: Both books that have no feel good quality about them at all. If you finish them and their respective series and don't hate life, love, everyone and want to kill yourself you're either incredibly well adjusted or a sociopath. That's a recommendation.
  10. 20
    Imager by L. E. Modesitt (Dragget)
    Dragget: Similar coming-of-age themes where the plot follows the main character as he discovers and develops his skills against a background of political intrigue.
  11. 20
    Inda by Sherwood Smith (humouress)
    humouress: Both series share the similarity of a country defending itself from invaders from the sea with whom they in fact share their ancestry.
  12. 21
    Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (joyfulgirl)
  13. 10
    The Book of Unholy Mischief by Elle Newmark (mene)
    mene: Both books have a similar setting: Told by a narrator when he is already old and has lived his life, he talks about his childhood. Both main characters lived in the "important building" of the city (though in Assassin's Apprentice it's a fantasy world and in The Book of Unholy Mischief it's Venice in Italy), both boys go to town every now and then to meet his friends (and a girl), and both are apprentices of someone/something they cannot tell anyone else (except for a few people). Both books contain a bit of magic, though of a different kind.… (more)
  14. 00
    L'Assassin royal, tome 07 : Le prophète blanc by Robin Hobb (Patangel)
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» See also 426 mentions

English (262)  Dutch (5)  French (4)  Italian (3)  German (1)  Finnish (1)  All languages (276)
Showing 1-5 of 262 (next | show all)
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb has been on my Kindle for a very long time. The SFF KIT January challenge--Epic Fantasy--was all the encouragement I needed to read it. it definitely met the description as Hobb has created a world of magic and fantasy and mystery with "Boy," the bastard son of the King-in-waiting at the center of it. He moves into a precarious position at the court, learning to navigate with sometimes begrudging help from others. I was pulled in and wasn't sad I woke up early this. morning to finish it. It is the first of a trilogy and I hope to get to the next two sooner rather than later. ( )
  witchyrichy | Jan 28, 2024 |
The first half of this book was a slog for me. A lot of setup as our main character, Fitz, recounts his childhood from age 6 to 12 in painstaking (and laughably unrealistic) detail. I was ready to abandon this until the plot finally started going somewhere and then I was hooked. I wouldn't say all the setup in the first half is necessary, but you are rewarded for making it through with thrilling twists in the plot. A few revelations I totally saw coming, others were just plain shocking to me (I was flabbergasted when the wine Fitz and Rurisk drank was poisoned and Rurisk died. I had to read it again to make sure I read it right.). There really aren't a lot of lovable characters (hence the GoT comparisons) but most are sufficiently three-dimensional. What really stood out to me in this book was the (eventual) plot, the world building, and the political machinations.

Sometimes books start great and then lose steam. This is the opposite and it left me wanting to give it four stars, even though on balance I think it should be three.

My other criticism is that it seemed like the author was trying to create a world with some gender equality (e.g. the firstborn inherits whether male or female) but I think overall she failed. Molly, Patience, Jonqui, Kettricken, and various queens of the past have interesting parts to play in the story, but I think this fails the Bechdel Test. And I was annoyed that every duchy was ruled by a duke. Out of six, you'd think at least one would have a duchess worth a mention.

Oh and, Esperanza, if you're reading this review, take note: YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ THIS BOOK. DOGS ARE HARMED. REPEAT: DOGS ARE HARMED. ( )
  LibrarianDest | Jan 3, 2024 |
This novel is about Fitz, a bastard son of the heir to the throne of the Six Duchies, who grows up in the keep and has to find his own way. Initially mocked and shunned, he tries to carve out a path for himself and finds some friends, but also powerful enemies. And while he is talented in the Skill, a kind of telepathic magical system, he also possesses another aptitude that he must disclose because it is not approved of by society.

I don't exaggerate when I say that this was the best book I have read in ages, for several years at least. I loved it so, so much!
The world-building, the characters, the narration, the pace. And the dogs!
In the end I could not stop sobbing. My emotions about this story just overwhelmed me because I felt so connected to Fitz. ( )
  MissBrangwen | Jan 1, 2024 |
I struggled a little bit with this read. I really enjoyed the characters and the world building but I struggle with the writing style and how this story was told. It was a book that kept me guessing but It was not a book that plot engaged me. I thought the wold was super fun and hope in future books this world gets fleshed out this world. I did not feel super connected to these characters and felt like the world was not fleshed out as much as i wanted to. I wanted to love it but I did not. I will still give book 2 another chance and just hope i grow to love the character and the world building. ( )
  lmauro123 | Dec 28, 2023 |
I struggled a little bit with this read. I really enjoyed the characters and the world building but I struggle with the writing style and how this story was told. It was a book that kept me guessing but It was not a book that plot engaged me. I thought the wold was super fun and hope in future books this world gets fleshed out this world. I did not feel super connected to these characters and felt like the world was not fleshed out as much as i wanted to. I wanted to love it but I did not. I will still give book 2 another chance and just hope i grow to love the character and the world building. ( )
  lmauro123 | Dec 28, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 262 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (11 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Hobb, Robinprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Boehmer, PaulNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Howe, JohnCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Santikko, SauliTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Spångberg, YlvaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Whelan, MichaelCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Canonical title
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
Dedication
For Giles
And for Raphael and Freddy,
the Princes of Assassins.
Bantam 1996 edition:
To Giles
and
to the memories of
Ralph the Orange
and
Freddie Cougar
Princes among Assassins
and
Felines above Reproach
First words
A history of the Six Duchies is of necessity a history of its ruling family, the Farseers.
Quotations
[The Fool] was proffering a leather drawstring bag. "What is it?" I asked, and tried not to let him hear either the flowers or the doll in my voice.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Despite some titles similar to those of the original 6, the French version of the Farseer books splits the 2 trilogies into 13 books. This is 1 of 13 and it is the only book that is exactly the same as the original one. Make sure you combine only with identically split parts of the series.
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English (1)

Fantasy. Fiction. Literature. With unforgettable characters, a sweeping backdrop, and passionate storytelling, this is a fantasy debut to rival that of Robert Jordan. Filled with adventure and bloodshed, pageantry and piracy, mystery and menace, Assassin's Apprentice is the story of a royal house and the young man who is destined to chart its course through tempests of change. Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal household by his father's gruff stableman. An outcast whose existence has forced his father to abdicate his claim on the throne, Fitz is ignored by all royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in the young man's blood is a heritage of magic, the talent called the Skill, as well as another, even more mysterious ability. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts and leave behind the zombie-like husks of the townspeople to prowl the countryside, Fitz is growing toward manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission, a mission that poses as much a threat to himself as it does for his target-for Fitz is a threat to the throne...but he may also be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

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Book description
Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him sectetly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill--and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.
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