Assassin’s Apprentice is the first book in The Farseer series, and is written by Robin Hobb. I picked this book up after being forced to find a SSR novel for my English class. I was having trouble finding something to read so I just grabbed this at the last minute and decided I would read it until I could find something better. I was shocked when I found out that this book was actually good. The author tells the story through the memory of the character himself, starting each chapter with the main character writing down all of these events and then moving on to his story itself, which gives the reader a good sense on how the character himself feels about every situation and leaves the reader wondering about thing happening behind the scenes. Although the lore, which is engrossing to an extent, before every chapter acts a bit like a speed bump, completely breaking the flow of tension at times, which is annoying and tedious, the story beyond makes up for it.

Readers follow the life of young Fitz, the illegitimate son of Prince Chivalry, whom is the next in line to the Six Duchy throne, from childhood to adulthood, a coming-to-age tale to an extent. The discovery of his existence causes much trouble in the political world, and because of this many of the royalty show distain for him. The two people who actually show outward affection for him as he grows up is mainly Burrich, a stable master that opted to take him in and is basically a father to Fitz, and Chade, the man assigned to teach Fitz how to become an assassin, for that was all a illegitimate son was good for to the king. Fitz grows up with political strife, murder, corrupt princes, raiding barbarians that give their victims fates worse than death, and a taboo, beast ability that is supplemented by an ability only seen in the nobility of the realm. The biggest running trend is Fitz’s desire to get some form of human contact, and throughout the whole book it is clear he is trying to find his place in a world where his linage follows him like a trail of smoke.

This is an amazing fantasy book that did not allow a moment to put it down. The only thing that really broke the action was the awkwardly placed lore, although it did add a depth not seen in many fantasy novels, at the beginning of each chapter that I felt I was almost obligated to read, although it did add a depth not seen in many fantasy novels. The negatives were easily made up with compelling characters and a grand adventure. I actually cared for the fate of the main character. It is an amazing fantasy novel. Characters are extremely detailed and most of them have a trait one may figure out on his own, but is never stated in words, provoking the reader to want to see more of every character, evil or not, which makes it a more in-depth story.