Rating: 
Summary: Very Good Fantasy
Review: I wanted to try something new, and explored this book by Robin Hobb. All told, an impressive debut. If Robin has improved since this auspicious beggings, I will pick up the new series. This is a book that traces the story of a young boy (without a name really) from his first memories up to his teens. Reviewers point out that it is rather unusual to have a first-person perspective in fantasy novels. The result is a very intimate portrayal of our young hero. Robin Hobb excels at characterization. By the end of the novel, young Fitz (as he is most commonly called) and his misfortunes (things go mostly against him throughout the book) have become interwoven into a passionate story. Every character, including some animals, is very interesting. Fitz sees Prince Verity as a boorish old man at the beginning, but comes to regard him as an exceptional man who is wasting his life for the Six Duchies. Instead of being static, every person grows and changes. And Fitz' view of the world changes as the story is told. Very well done by Hobb. What I believe the book lacks is a compelling storyline. I found the pacing very deliberate and was awaiting some major revelation at some point. The climax at Jhaampe comes so suddenly and quickly that Galen's struggle with Verity and Fitz is over before you can blink. I had the impression that this book was written almost as an introduction to the remaining novels (that I am about to read). The dramatis personae are introduced: by the end of the book we have a solid understaning of the internal politicking at Buckkeep and the struggle with the Red-Ship raiders. But I wish that the story moved at a brisker pace. All told a fine novel, by an author that has a great facility to make the characters come alive.
Rating: 
Summary: The character is the story.
Review: In writing The Farseer Trilogy (Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin's Quest) I realized that the writer does not choose between plot and character as the bedrock of the book, but that the characters determine the plot. This is especially so when one is writing in the first person. If the writer remains true to that view point, then the reader perceives the story entirely from the narrator's viewpoint. The reader could know only as much of the story as Fitz knew at that point in time. In Fitz's case, this meant that his interpretation of events is based on his own life experience. Often the astute reader will realize that what Fitz believed to be true is in fact only a facet of the whole truth. Once I accepted this to be so, Fitz's voice took command of the writing, and I often found the story moving in directions that were logical, given Fitz's character, but not ones that I had predicted in my outline. The deeper I went into the story, the more the characters took it over. Because of these factors, it is particularly gratifying to me when readers comment that the characters have become real people to them.
Rating: 
Summary: Best Fantasy Novel I've Read Since Tolkien
Review: This novel simply goes above and beyond what I have expected from today's fantasy. It brilliantly creates both a character and a world. The magic in the story is also interesting because it has nothing to do with the typical and tiring throwing of fireballs, dragons, transformation and other overused archetypes of the genre. One thing this definitely does, is it affects the reader's emotions, and it almost perfectly creates the story in his mind. Definitely recommended.
Rating:
Summary: a great writer
Review: I have read many fantasy books. I usually go for the fairy tale type with magic, princesses, a little conspiracy and monsters, and then a happy ending. This book was a surprise to me. The characters were so real and alive that they felt like real people instead of just figments of the author's imagination. Their faults weren't the clear-cut "She loses her temper' or "He is proud" but had a gray area that is true with most people. As the book moved along I was caught up in the story. To me it felt like everything was going wrong. The 'good' people weren't winning and the relationships were more often having problems then not. Amazingly enough I found the writing refreshing and I applaud her story-telling abilities. I have re-read the books and only now am I completely beginning to appreciate Robin Hobb's talent. The writing of this series and her Liveship series rivals in my opinion other authors like Raymond Feist and David Eddings. I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates fantasy, a great story and excellent writing.
Rating:
Summary: My Review
Review: Robin Hobb is easily the best fantasy writer out there. Her plot twists are plausible (unlike those of Terry "RJ Copycat" Goodkind) but not predictable (unlike those of Robert "Milk out the series to its Full Potential" Jordan). There is no way that you can dislike this series. The characters are incredible and so is Hobb's Six Duchies (and the rest of it as well). I tend to like the second Farseer book the best, which is unusual as most authors tend to sag in the middle of a trilogy and then pick up the pace in the third book (I also felt this way about The Restaurant at the End of the Universe). The Farseer is a very dark series. The images that remain with us are interior scenes of musty stables, dungeons and palace chambers. There isn't so much of the "let's go off and save the world and have a series of amusing misadventures" mentality. The fact that it relies on the characters' minds for the advancement of the plot seperates it from lesser novels. An interesting tidbit is that the Farseer is written entirely in first-person. Hobb handles this extremely well. At first it seemed to me to be a limitation- the story could only be told from one viewpoint. This style best suits the Farseer, though, especially with the particular magic system (I won't give any spoilers!) What Robin Hobb has done is to create a sort of beauty out of the darkness of the Farseer. It is something that George R. R. Martin and Terry Goodkind can try to imitate, but never will match.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing book that is truly original with deep characters.
Review: The characters and setting in this book are great, it is an interesting read and the entire series is very good. This isnt the generic same ol same ol story that most fantasy writers are putting out now days, its a good solid book that focuses on its characters most of all and in the end it comes out to be well worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: Really Really Good
Review: I started this not expecting a lot, and boy was I wrong! This book (and the two after) are Great! Go get lost in the good writing and the engaging world.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Fantasy!
Review: This book is a great example of how well and alive good fantasy still is. Assassin's Apprentice is obviously the story of a young boy learning to be an assassin, but there is much, much more to it. Secrets of a troubled kingdom, the enticing magics of the Skill and Wit, the mind of young Fitz-all of these factors help brew up a delicious, can't-put-down book. Hobb also brings strong charactor and setting descriptions into it to offer a very intriguing and realistic look into the world of the Six Duchies. This is a book I'm going to read again for sure-I recommend it to anyone!
Rating:
Summary: Execellent book
Review: It is a griping story about a six year old boy which has no memory of his parents he learns he is son of a prince he is raised to be an assassin for his king he leads a second life away from the keep with his friends with no responsibility he enjoys it until he cannot be there anymore... read the book yourself i will not give away anymore.this book was bought to me by a friend i was intruiged by the title i started to read it and could not put it down.. i was engrossed into the story. i am currently reading the third i believe this series the best i have evr read i recommend it for all people
Rating:
Summary: best book
Review: After I read any book, my reaction is "this is the best book I ever read! " or "ewww, what a waste of paper". I read this series about a year ago, and I can still say these where the best books I ever read. Did that make anysense? anyway, READ THESE BOOKS!
|
