hooked from the moment I read one extract... (Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb)

Member Name: thera_42

Product:	Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb
Date:	19/02/01 (51 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good sized book that's worth the money (or the loan from the library)

Disadvantages: big enough to mean you need to worry about bending the spine if your a "keep the book neat" bookworm

Of course I was silly enough to read the extract in a sci-fi fantasy freeby and the book wasn't due out for months but I had it ordered as soon as I could get away to the shops. I was not dissappointed, for the first outing of this authoress who didn't let on she was a she until a little later...you had to look around a bit to find out...this book was brilliant.

I am biased, I admit that, I like a lot of science-fiction or fantasy, but saying that it's very rare nowadays that I find a book with that little something that puts it above the rest. I've read so much in this genre it's scarey...even my English teachers at school told me off for reading too much...and to find something that is fairly original and can keep you going through the whole of a book that size is great. I couldn't wait for the next in the series to come into the shops, from that first little extract I put Robin Hobb in amongst my favourite authors and hopefully she will continue to produce works as good as all those I have read to date.

If you like fantasy novels, if you like good characters that are well developed and strong, and if you just like a good book that will keep you going for a while I'd say this is definitely a book to look out for...and be warned you may be wanting the next book in the series to pick up where this one leaves off...



Spoiler alert: If you don't want to know too much about the storyline of this book don't read any further?it's probably about the same as you would find on the cover info but at least I've warned you it's here?



Assassin's Apprentice is the story of Fitz, a boy who lives under a shadow he doesn't immediately understand you see Fitz is the bastard son of the Crown Prince Chivalry, heir to the throne of the Six Duchies. Fitz is dumped off at the castle gates as a small boy after being cast off by his mother's family and is raised in the
royal court by his father's stableman, Burrich. Fitz's father, the ironically named Prince Chivalry, abdicates his place as King-in-Waiting when the truth about Fitz is known, depriving the boy of formal acknowledgement.

He is treated well by the palace folk as long as he avoids too much notice, and though Fitz has no true parents and is regarded as an embarrassment, his grandfather, King Shrewd, decides to have Fitz taught the skills and subterfuge of an assassin. The position is supposed to be a secret but Fitz finds he has suddenly become a liability for those who have their own ambitions.

Fitz has, as a result of the mix his islander royal blood and his inland common blood, a unique combination of the magic "Skill" and the dangerous "Wit" and must be careful in everything he does. The King has plans to use Fitz in ridding the kingdom of the terrible Red Ship Raiders who terrorise the coastline and "Forge" the people of the Six Duchies. The people who are sent back "Forged" are stripped of their humanity and because of his mix of "Skill" and "Wit" Fitz is able to sense these "Forged ones" and so a teenage Fitz is co-opted to take a covert role in protecting his country.

As he prepares to take on the unpleasant tasks of an assassin and face his dangerous mission to the Mountain Kingdom, he goes from being an annoyance to the enemies of the state to a direct threat. Fitz knows he is a pawn, but can't quite tell who is directing his hand. He must also stand in the way of the treacherous Prince Regal, the youngest son of King Shrewd, who wants to inherit the kingdom himself. The young assassin eventually must put his life on the line to achieve this, as Fitz and his friends protect the Kingdom against the traitorous Prince and others who should be their allies.

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