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Mar 06, 2019
In Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb, the bastard son of a king-in-waiting grows up balancing on a seesaw controlled by the many characters around him who fear, loathe and—in some cases—stand in awe of him. The boy knows a few things for sure: his very presence has caused deaths and royal upheavals … and he is expendable. As he gets older, the boy gains a variety of abilities, much knowledge and a name. These gifts combine to thrust him into a battle for both his life and the salvation of the throne as he believes in it. I enjoy light fantasy with dark twists set in locations reminiscent of Arthurian times, and this book did not disappoint. One of the things I think the author did exceptionally well is capture the mindset of a boy of six, a boy of nine and a boy of fourteen. As he got older, his thoughts and the way he saw his place and the world around him grew. This book is the first in a trilogy and, as such, ends with many unanswered questions. However, it’s done quite well and leaves the wisp of an “I wonder … ” in the reader’s mind between books. I am anxious to learn who his mother is, how the excerpts at the beginning of every chapter come into play in later installments and more about the Forging and the Forged—especially since they remind me of the reavers of Firefly fame. Another aspect I relished was how Hobb deliberately chooses each word or phrase. One example of a great little turn of phrase that made me stop and contemplate lies on page 401. “I took my poison and left.” I sent her mental high fives when I read that. The excerpts at the beginning of each chapter were a little confusing at first, and I went back to read the first one a few times as characters emerged; however, I could definitely see a purpose and a place to them toward the end of the book. Several aspects of Hobb’s book put a grin on my face because she tends to break the “rules;” and she does it well. Many would condemn those opening excerpts, for one example. Another instance that comes to mind is the fact that her main character is a kid. The voices are loud that would claim an author cannot write an adult novel and have a child as the main character. For all those, I will now and forevermore point to Assassin’s Apprentice. My only sorrow in reading this book is that I’m just now coming to Robin Hobb’s work. Of course, I suppose I can look at the brighter flip side of that and eagerly anticipate reading all the rest! If you enjoy adventure, intrigue, mind games, magic, sorcery, description, details and deeply flawed characters you will want to grab a round at the pub with, you will enjoy this book.