‘Royal Assassin’ by Robin Hobb

My rating: 4 stars

Long books can be just the perfect size. Either the stories within couldn’t possibly be told in fewer pages or the pacing is so exquisite that they never feel dull. Unfortunately, that is not the case with Royal Assassin, the second book in The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. In fact, it could have been an outstanding fantasy book had it been much shorter. For almost half of it, the pacing is lopsided and the plot doesn’t seem to have a defined, clear direction. The rest of the novel, however, is superb, enthralling and affecting.

Following the events of Assassin’s Apprentice and what Prince Regal had done to him, Fitz was left wondering whether he should return to Buckkeep or not. He also questioned what to do regarding Molly. Not being sure about which path to take, he told Burrich to return to Buckkeep while he continued to recover. Nevertheless, after learning through a vision that Siltbay, the town Molly was in, was being raided, he decided to return with Burrich after all.

Not only was he then reunited with Verity (one of the few people who knew what Regal had done) and Patience, but he was also surprised to discover that Molly was at the keep as well, working as a maid. She had gone to Siltbay to help some relatives with the harvest. After the town was raided, however, she returned to ask for his help. It was only then that she learnt that he was not the scriber’s boy but the bastard of Prince Chivalry. She felt betrayed.

Book Series – What I’m Reading

Reading book series is a great way to become fully immersed in a fictional world. I’m currently sinking my teeth into five book series and, until I finish at least one of them, I don’t plan to start a new one. Whenever I complete a book series, the plan is to replace it with another one of those on my wish list. I’m only mentioning on this post the series that I’m not caught up on (reason why the list below doesn’t feature A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin) and that I want to finish.

 

The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb

This is the first trilogy in a larger fantasy series set in the Realm of the Elderlings. So far, I’ve only read the first book, Assassin’s Apprentice, which is set in the Six Duchies, a land ruled by the Farseers. Fitz, the bastard son of Prince Chivalry, is trained as an assassin and in the traditional magic of the Farseer family – the Skill. Not only is this book full of court intrigue, it also delves into various human emotions.

After finishing this trilogy, I’ll certainly read the other series set in the same world. Although I considered the possibility of reading all the series featuring Fitz first and only afterwards picking up the remaining ones, I’m now more inclined to read them in order of publication.

‘Assassin’s Apprentice’ by Robin Hobb

My rating: 4 stars

Fantasy novels aren’t merely a vessel to transport readers to a world full of magic. Assassin’s Apprentice, the first book in The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb, deals with very true-to-life topics. Not only is this a story about court intrigue and lust for power, but it also delves into human emotions in a believable way. Set in the Six Duchies, which are ruled by the Farseers, this is the first introduction to a meticulously imagined world that begs to be discovered and savoured.

When the narrator was six years old, he was left by his grandfather at the castle of the town where they lived in. He was the bastard son of Prince Chivalry, the Crown Prince, who, according to the old man, was aware that he had got his daughter pregnant. A guard took him to Prince Verity, who then ordered him to be fed and taken someplace where he could sleep until he decided what was to be done with him. For some weeks, he slept at the stables and was taken care of by Burrich, who at the time was his father’s man. He was later taken to Buckkeep without ever knowing Chivalry.

His existence complicated the line of succession. Prince Chivalry was married to Lady Patience, but they didn’t have a child together, as neither of her pregnancies had lasted the full term. He, thus, ended up abdicating the throne, and Verity assumed his place. At first, the political aspects of the book are just hinted at. The political machinations that took place among the royal family can be inferred from the conversations between the characters. They become more obvious as the story progresses.