Assassin’s Apprentice Review: 29 Years Later, It’s Still One of the Best Fantasies

After discovering Brandon Sanderson last year, I was desperate to find more authors who could write complex rich worlds with great character development.

Checking through the book forums and BookTok led me to discover that Robin Hobb was one of the fantasy writers who paved the way for contemporary fantasy in the 90s and that the Farseer trilogy was one of the best fantasy series out there. So I decided I had to get in on this world and picked up Assassin’s Apprentice.

This Assassin’s Apprentice review will help you understand why this book has lasted decades and still has readers. If you like complex fantasy worlds and morally gray characters you’re in luck!

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Review Overview

4.5 Stars

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb is the first book in the Farseer Trilogy. Book two is Royal Assassin and book three is Assassin’s Quest. The trilogy is the first in a larger series of books known as the Realm of the Elderlings, which contains five different series over sixteen books.

Yes, it’s a lot, but it’s one of those things where you’ll go from feeling overwhelmed to being glad that there are that many books!

Side note: The paperback cover is pretty in its own right, but if you can swing it, I highly recommend getting the illustrated hardcover edition. The illustrations are gorgeous!

Read If You Like

• Epic fantasy that takes you to a fully realized world

• Characters that grow and change over time

• Coming-of-age stories with young protagonists facing hard choices

• Fantasy with a medieval feel and political intrigue

• Character-driven plots

• Assassins, royal courts, and secret magical orders

• Deep worldbuilding with unique magic

• Morally gray characters making tough choices

• Series that reward the patient reader

• First-person narration that puts you in the protagonist’s head

• A Robin Hobb book with deep character work and immersive storytelling

Don’t Read If

• Slow-paced books.

• Books with less action.

• Long paragraphs and descriptive text.

Story

Assassin’s Apprentice follows Fitz, a young boy who finds out he’s the bastard son of the noble prince Chilvalry. As he grows up in the royal household, he’s trained as the king’s assassin while learning to navigate a world of courtly manners and magic. Essentially, the story is about Fitz’s struggle with identity and loyalty as the illegitimate son of royalty in a world of intrigue and danger.

The plot is definitely a slow burn, with lots of character work and world-building. It reminds me of Brandon Sanderson’s cosmere books, where the author takes their time to set the stage. Not everyone will like the pace but I loved getting lost in Fitz’s world.

I loved following the development of political intrigue and Fitz’s training throughout the book. The character relationships were also brilliantly done, as was the slow reveal of the kingdom’s dangers.

In the last quarter of the book, the pace picks up, and from there, it is a sprint to the end; I couldn’t put it down as everything was happening fast and the plot threads tying together.

Themes And Motifs

Destiny’s Call

I felt the weight of destiny throughout the story. Fitz’s journey from abandoned child to royal assassin seemed inevitable. The way his path unfolded despite the obstacles gave me chills.

Coming of Age

Watching Fitz grow up in this coming-of-age story makes you feel like you’re growing along with him. His struggles with identity and purpose hit close to home. His awkward attempts to find his place in the world left me brimming with empathy.

Animal Companions

Fitz develops bonds with a few animals throughout the book and it adds an emotional layer I didn’t expect. Fitz’s relationships with his animal friends moved me as much as his human relationships, particularly the one he forms with one of Burrich’s stable hounds.

Court Intrigue

I love political intrigue in a high fantasy, and this book has it in spades. As a royal bastard and assassin tot he king, Fitz’s position within the royal family is complex, to say the least. The scheming and backstabbing that ensues is intense. You’re never really quite sure who to trust in this book.

World Building

Hobb’s world-building is on point. From the politics of the royal court to the daily life of the servants, everything felt real and thought out.

The Six Duchies come alive through court life, the royal family, and the wider world. I felt like I was right there with Fitz, experiencing the sights, sounds, and smells of the royal household and the world beyond it.

The magic system has a couple components, the first is known as The Skill, and the second is Fitz’s magical link with animals knows as the Wit. Both are interesting and mysterious. The first book does not reveal a lot of details about them, and I expect these magic systems will play a larger role in future books. I love how Fitz’s powers are not necessarily viewed as a good thing by the people in his life, which is a refreshing take.

The history and legends scattered throughout added depth to the world. It felt like I was only seeing a small part of a much larger, older world with secrets waiting to be uncovered.

While the focus is on the Six Duchies, the hints of other lands beyond made me curious. I found myself wanting to learn more about the wider world and its many cultures.

Characters

The character work in this book is arguably the best thing about it. Robin Hobb does an excellent job bringing them to life.

Fitz

Fitz, the illegitimate child of Chivalry Farseer, won me over from the start. The story is told from his perspective looking back on his life. He’s a bastard born to the crown prince. He starts the story at just six years old, and you follow his journey as he grows up, and by the end, he is fifteen.

Normally, I don’t enjoy reading about characters when they are so young, but knowing this is the first book in a trilogy (and the first trilogy in a winder-reaching series of 16 books) I appreciate that Hobb wanted us to start at the literal beginning with this character. 

The Fool

I loved The Fool, the mysterious character at court who befriends Fitz. They had me guessing all the time, wanting to figure them out. I’m really excited to learn more about this character in future books.

Burrich

Fitz’s caretaker, Burrich, is Fitz’s father’s gruff stableman and a complicated character. I both loved and hated him at times. I found myself flipping between frustration and admiration for his tough but protective nature.

Regal

Prince Regal made my blood boil. I loved to hate this perfectly crafted villain whose schemes and cruelty added tension to every scene.

King Shrewd

The king is as cunning as his name suggests, and his deal with Fitz adds another layer of complication to the plot.

Chivalry and Verity

These royal brothers were in the background but had a big impact on Fitz’s world. I liked how their actions and decisions rippled through the story.

Writing Style

Robin Hobb writes this series in first person narrative. I am not a fan of this as first-person usually comes off feeling a bit too “YA” for high adult fantasy. However, this book is the exception, and I loved being able to learn of Fitz’s story through his eyes. 

Hobb’s prose is beautiful. As a writer myself, I found myself pausing to admire her language. Her descriptions are vivid without being overwhelming. Her way with words is easily one of the best things about this book. 

Lastly, I loved how the writing fit the medieval fantasy world. It was authentic without being hard to read or understand, which can be really tough to pull off in this genre.

Final Thoughts And Rating

Overall, I’m so glad I read Assassin’s Apprentice as it instantly made Robin Hobb one of my favorite authors. I give it 4.5 out of 5 and think it is a great start to the series.

It’s a slow-paced novel, but in a deliberate, immersive way. The politics and magic mesh together perfectly and I was emotionally invested in Fitz’s journey throughout the story.

Is it perfect? No, but the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses. Fitz’s problems often feel like his own prisons, about personal responsibility and self-imposed limitations.

I’m already looking forward to reading Royal Assassin, the next book in the Farseer Trilogy. In fact I’m fairly certain I’m going to read all 16 books in the Realm of the Elderlings series.

FAQ