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    Assassin’s Apprentice
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    Assassin’s Apprentice
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    Assassin’s Apprentice
    Audiobook17 hours

    Assassin’s Apprentice

    Written by Robin Hobb

    Narrated by Paul Boehmer

    4/5

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    Unavailable in your country

    Unavailable in your country

    About this audiobook

    The first volume in Robin Hobb’s internationally bestselling Farseer series.

    In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma.

    Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals - the old art known as the Wit - gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility.

    So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.

    Editor's Note

    A beautiful unique world, crafted with depth...

    If you’re looking for an epic fantasy saga to dive into, look no further than Hobb’s “Realm of the Elderlings” series. “Assassin’s Apprentice,” the first of 16 primary works, introduces readers to Fitz, an outcast shunned because he’s a bastard child who possesses a rare, powerful magic called the Wit. After he’s adopted into the royal household, he must renounce his old way of life and train to become an assassin.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateAug 30, 2012
    ISBN9780007496785
    Unavailable
    Assassin’s Apprentice
    Author

    Robin Hobb

    Robin Hobb was born in California but grew up in Alaska. It was there that she learned to love the forest and the wilderness. She has lived most of her life in the Pacific Northwest and currently resides in Tacoma, Washington. She is the author of five critically acclaimed fantasy series: The Rain Wilds Chronicles (Dragon Keeper, Dragon Haven, City of Dragons, Blood of Dragons), The Soldier Son Trilogy, The Tawny Man Trilogy, The Liveship Traders Trilogy, and The Farseer Trilogy. Under the name Megan Lindholm she is the author of The Wizard of the Pigeons, Windsingers, and Cloven Hooves. The Inheritance, a collection of stories, was published under both names. Her short fiction has won the Asimov's Readers' Award and she has been a finalist for both the Nebula and Hugo awards.

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    Reviews for Assassin’s Apprentice

    4/5

    4,118 ratings160 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This book is all about character building at its best. The story builds up slowly in a very good way
    • 5/5
      This was well-written with intriguing characters, an engaging plot, and a well-realised world. I found it a bit slow at the beginning but was soon caught up in the wonderful storytelling.
    • 5/5
      Fascinating story that BEGS for silver screen. Can't wait to start next volume
    • 4/5
      Final installment--each entry independently intelligible--of Hobb's stunning fantasy trilogy (Royal Assassin, 1996; Assassin's Apprentice, 1995) about the beleaguered Six Duchies and their Farseer kings. Months ago, King Verity vanished into the far mountains in search of the semi-mythical Elderlings, whose help he must have in order to defeat the rampaging Red Ship Raiders, leaving his murderous, venal, and insanely ambitious brother, Prince Regal, to dispose of Verity's last few loyalists at his leisure--including narrator, spy, and assassin FitzChivalry. Poor Fitz, unable to contact his beloved Molly (she thinks he's dead) and daughter (by Molly) for fear of exposing them to Regal's attentions, uses his magic Skill to locate Verity and receives an imperious summons: ``COME TO ME!'' So, abandoning his plan to assassinate Regal, Fitz enters the mountains with a small band of helpers. Eventually, having evaded Regal's minions, Fitz comes upon Verity Skill-carving a huge dragon out of black rock; nearby stand other lifelike dragon-sculptures that, to Fitz's animal-magic Wit, seem somehow alive. Are these eerie sculptures what remain of the Elderlings? Yet, for all his Skill, Verity cannot bring the dragons to life; and soon Regal will arrive with his armies and his Skilled coterie. An enthralling conclusion to this superb trilogy, displaying an exceptional combination of originality, magic, adventure, character, and drama.
    • 5/5
      Tremendous ending to the Farseer trilogy. I had some doubts about the first two books but this third book is outstanding.
    • 4/5
      An enjoyable sci-fi tale - a royal bastard with talents learning to use them. The start of each chapter includes a commentary on new aspects of the world we have entered. It feel as if the author has only gradually come to flesh out the world, and these are the somewhat haphazard additions to the world.
    • 5/5
      With this trilogy Robin Hobb positioned herself amongst the greatest fantasy writers. In the third volume we follow the epic fate of Fitz and the Realm. I especially liked the not-so-happy ending....
    • 4/5
      A bit confusing at the start, but then got very interesting. Enjoyed a lot.
    • 4/5
      Again, a very good book by Robin Hobb. It continues in the style of her other assassin books, and explains more about how everything has come to pass. The ending is good and satisfying, I just found that the life Fitz chooses for himself in the wrap-up is a bit disappointing. It doesn't seem like him somehow.
    • 4/5
      A great book that was easy to read and interesting.... awesome
    • 4/5
      It's always hard to finish a saga. it usually ends up being a little too long and wordy.In addition, trying to explain everything that was a mystery up to this book (over more than a 1000 pages) will always be a little bit of a let down since the biggest part of the fun is the mystery.However, this book explains everything in a very satisfactory manner, save for the red ships that just become a slight non-issue.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the first two books of the Farseer trilogy immensely, but found this conclusion to be overly longwinded and ultimately unsatisfying. Some judicious editing could easily have cut 100 pages and made it a better read. I didn't feel prepared for the the nature of the Elderlings; in a way the very nature of the fantasy world Hobb was creating seemed to shift about two thirds the way through this book. To the extent that the nature of forging and the motivation of the red ship raiders was ever explained I found the explanation confusing and unconvincing. As this book progressed I found FitzChivalry and Kettricken and Verity all becoming less sympathetic as characters. Which is all not to say that this third book of the series was completely without merit. In particular, I enjoyed the development of the Fool's character. But ithe book doesn't live up to the very high expectations created by the first two books of the series. Overall, I would recommend the trilogy, but with regrets that it didn't really achieve the great potential of the first two books.
    • 5/5
      best books I've read, best books I've listened to !
    • 1/5
      The book was probably ok but I couldn't cope with the reader so stopped listening after a few chapters. Mispronounciations galore, vowels far too rounded - almost like an examination piece and a strange emphasis on some words. He really needs an editor. I was going to listen to the whole series but not with this narrator. Would rather suffer a burnt stick in my eye than listen to him.
    • 4/5
      By reading this novel from beginning to end in three weeks, I complete this epic trilogy. The timeframe rightly suggests that I find the story compelling and looking forward to resolution; the resolution is creative and dynamic. The characters are believable and have depth. I found the repeated plot reminders and foreshadowing a wee bit redundant and acknowledge that someone who read less quickly might find these more helpful. At some point, I will begin the next series by Robin Hobb. Well worth my attention.
    • 5/5
      Beautifully written. The lore, the characters, the intrigue are well balanced
    • 5/5
      Even though this was a reread, I found I could hardly put it down. Fitz has been a favorite character of mine for years and I enjoyed listening to his story again. The story of a unwanted boy growing up in a castle is not new but even so Hobb made this story unique with her writing style. I can't even pin it down nicely. I just know that instead of reading the few exerts I remembered and wanted to see again, I read the first chapter and decided I must read the whole of it again. I only slightly regret that decision and only then because it kept me up all night and now I have a headache from lack of sleep. :) The characters here are works of art, the writing is full of expression and life, the story flows very well. And okay, I'm a sucker for animal bonding too (I am really looking forward to the next book and NightEyes - the wolf). If you're a fantasy fan and haven't read any of Robin Hobb's books, I highly recommend that you find one in the near future. This is her first book but it is one of my favorites.
    • 5/5
      WOW. Hobbs wraps up her first Six Duchies trilogy with a satisfying conclusion that ties up a lot of loose ends without feeling pat or forced. The protagonist-narrator, Fitz, has grown and changed a lot over these three books, and here we finally see him come into his own: into adulthood, and into an understanding of his place in the world. The supporting cast are just as fascinating (or more so -- e.g., The Fool, who gets his own, later, trilogy) and just as fully realized. I can't quite put my finger on the techniques that Hobbs uses to balance character with plot, but it's brilliantly accomplished. Rare is the traditional (!) fantasy novel that does so -- much less maintains that approach over a series. I am left with that most enjoyable of sensations: Satisfaction in the story told here, but eager to revisit the Six Duchies for more.
    • 4/5
      I do not read fantasy novels very often but I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next instalment.
    • 2/5
      this could have been a good book. The magics and whatnot we're good, as was the writing: not to many cliche's and such. However the stupidity of all the characters in this book, and especially the hero left me feeling frustrated while reading every page.
    • 4/5
      A beautiful ending to a beautiful series.

      I will briefly describe its very forgivable faults so I can move on to the gushing;
      *Fitz is not exactly a genius. There were times throughout the series, this book in particular, where I was screaming at him in my head to realise the obvious. However, it is nice for a hero to have some flaws, and though sometimes I did figure things out early, there were suprises aplenty to make up for it.
      *I will compare this to the Song of Ice and Fire series, as that is one of the few other medieval-style epic series that I have read. In comparison to that, the politics in this series were woefully unsophisticated. However, this may have been a blessing as it left me to focus more on the characters, and allowed it to be wrapped up in a trilogy, rather than in A Song of Ice and Fire's mammoth series.
      *The writing was not flawless. I regret to say that at the beginning of the second book I lost interest for a while, and forgot the genius of the first book. However, I was soon swept away again, and I was engaged with the third book from start to finish!
      *The historical fragments at the beginning of the chapters were often useless and annoying, although occasionally they added some charm or suspense to the story.

      Now to the gushing...

      The sheer humanity in the series is startling. The major draw of the series is the connections between the characters, both human and animal, created through the Skill & Wit, and mundane means. My favourite connections were between Fitz & Nighteyes, and Fitz & The Fool. The connections between the characters will probably linger in my memory long after I've forgotten the plot of the series. (On this score, the two examples of this type of bond that spring to mind are His Dark Materials, and Eragon, which both demonstrate beautiful bonds with the animal characters, although the Farseer Trilogy far surpasses them in my humble opinion).

      The magic, the Skill and the Wit, are described perfectly, and I love that the series makes ample use of the two magics, which sometimes fantasy stories fail to do. I found the use of these to forge empathy and connections between the characters to be more magical than the typical abstract kind of magic.

      The characters were all well-written, three-dimensional, and perfect in their imperfections. They were diverse, with characters from all walks of life and with different personalities. And given the often murky waters medieval fiction can enter into regarding feminism, I was very impressed with the female characters, who were just as well-written, strong, and flawed, as the male characters.

      The ending was perfect. It was bittersweet, which suited Fitz. It had just the right amount of cheese and optimism, balanced with some regrets and an awareness of future troubles.

      I hope that my fellow readers loved the series as much as I did, and that any future readers that stumble upon this decide to follow in my footsteps and take the journey.
    • 4/5
      I'm not generally a fan of coming-of-age fantasy stories, but I enjoyed this. The protagonist, Fitz, illegitimate son of Prince Chivalry, is a likable person. He makes mistakes, but Hobbs does not invest him with adolescent petulance so that he can lose it later on, a far too common technique in this sub-genre. The supporting characters are distinct and interesting, especially Burrich, Chade, Verity, Molly, and the Fool. Hobbs has the narrator, old Fitz, layer in details whose significance young Fitz doesn't understand at the time, but an alert reader may catch. This is a solid story in its own right, and a promising start to a series.
    • 4/5
      A young orphan is trained to be an assassin. Someone reading this book might think that every horrible thing that could happen to Fitz has happened, but no! There are so many more books in which to torment the main character (and thus, the reader). Almost unrelentingly grim.
    • 4/5
      great worldbuilding. Interesting epic problems to solve. Unfortunately the main character is dumb as a stump.
    • 5/5
      When I first read this, I was captivated. It's brilliant fantasy, the underlying concepts come together in a way that's fresh and interesting, the characters are amazingly put together, ... the list of praise could go on, and on, and on.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book almost from page one. It had me hooked from start to finish.

      I love Fitz and the way he grows up. I love the secrecy, his training, his mentor and the entire concept and execution of this story. One of my new favourites.
    • 5/5
      Amazing book, really moving. Loved the point of view used.
    • 3/5
      Seemed like a lot of setup for following books rather than a strong standalone story
    • 4/5
      well I certainly cannot wait to read the next one. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what happens to Fitz next.
    • 3/5
      Again Fitz starts off a novel feeling desolate (and many more episodes of that will follow), and it takes nearly a hundred pages for the story to get moving. He spends most of the rest of the book wandering about the countryside trying to keep a low profile. The story is at its weakest when Fitz shirks the company of others and travels alone, setting aside new and interesting characters, and that's regrettably often. At least some of the characters we care about return to the story in the final third, which saves it a bit.The troubles with Fitz as a character become abundantly clear on this outing. He's far too passive, even with his new independence. Bad things happen to him, then other people rescue him, over and over. As much as he strives to determine his own fate, he never gets to do it - even in the small things. I suppose this is the stuff antiheroes are made of, but fantasy antiheroes just give me a "what's the point" feeling (particularly when the story is not tragedy). He is also unforgivably, inexcusably dense at times, very blind to certain plot points concerning Molly and ridiculously blind to Regal's machinations to find her. He also spends countless sentences mooning over the same thoughts (Molly this, Molly that), while right around him astonishing things are happening that he barely pauses to reflect on (and sometimes, frustratingly, not at all).This novel doesn't justify its length. I thought the ending at least might save it, but unlike the exciting conclusions of the first two books this one's is first confusing, then chaotic (involving numerous unlikelihoods that border on deus ex machina). After a long slog to get to the end, the resolution is inexcusably rushed and left me unsatisfied, particularly the grocery list format in the final pages. This trilogy ends on a weak note and Royal Assassin remains its high point.