Rating: 
Summary: A rarity
Review: This is one's good. One of the very few fantasy books that grabs you right from the start and actually concludes with a climax. Doesn't crap on and on. If you hate Jordan you'll love Assassin's Apprentice.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantastically Real . . .
Review: There is something awesome tucked inbetween the lines of Hobb's story, something eerie enough to feel real. Though set in a world apart from our own, with creatures and places totally dissimilar, the people of the tale---as well as their actions---pull the reader through. Even at the very beginning, Fitz's abandonment and his mother's seeming grief touch the heart. Learning and watching the world through Fitz's eyes, experiencing pain and rare joy, ties a knot to the sympathetic soul. Friends, foes, an unknown father, an assassin relation, an aberrant talent, a desperate love, a distant grandsire---things that one may, if not relate to, then understand. The tale in itself was fabulous: confusing, not always clear, filled with betrayals and jealousies and unexpected aid---much like life, really. Had Fitz's story been transplanted from the Duchies into our world, I doubt that much of his tale would be different. The Assassin's Apprentice is an inescapable book that offers as much tears and heartaches as smiles, if not more. In all, it is a story seen through the eyes of a wise and solemn child who had scant opportunity to experience innocence.
Rating:
Summary: other references
Review: There are already so many reviews on this deserving book that I will not add to them; just take my praise as read. However, I thought it might be worthwhile to try to place the book in context with other similar books, so that if you are thinking about buying this one, you have a better idea of the style, and if you have read it, these might give you an idea of some others you might want to read:
I have not yet received the second volume in the series, but "Assassin's Apprentice" falls somewhere between Michael Scott Rohan's 'Winter of the World' series ("Anvil of Ice" etc) and the Riftworld series of Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. ("Magician" etc and "Daughter of the Empire" etc.) Another work in similar style is Mike Jeffries' "Glitterspike Hall" et al.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Start to an Excellent Series
Review: Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer) should probably not be read as a stand-alone book. It goes fairly slowly and doesn't wrap up very many (or, I believe, any) loose threads. The resolutions in this story seem somewhat contrived. However, Assassin's Apprentice should not be read as a stand-alone book. It should be read as an introduction into a fairly complex world of intrigue, politics, love, hate, and loyalty. Sounds kinda corny, doesn't it? Amazingly enough, it's not. Hobb is an excellent storyteller, and manages not only to make the characters believable, but also easy to sympathize with. I felt horribly sorry for poor Fitz when, well, never mind. I wouldn't want to give away the story, now would I? Essentially, Assassin's Apprentice is a prequel, a foundation upon which Hobb builds the world. You need to read it to get to the "meat" of later books in the series, but if you're impatient, I suppose you could just skim it . That, though, would be a mistake. It's not often a storyteller of this measure comes along, and to miss any one of the elegantly crafted sentences would be an injustice to the author and the book. A good read, but don't read it if you're not ready to commit to the series
Rating:
Summary: Story Telling At Its Finest
Review: This is one of those unexpected treats you find on accident while perusing the shelves of the local book store. Hobb is an excellent story teller plain and simple. He writes well, the characters are interesting and the plot flows logically. You can really empathize with young Fitz and that is what grabs most people, and the above praise is what keeps them coming back for more. It is very difficult to pull off first person without becoming repititious and tedious, but Hobb knows his skill and does exceedingly well. He has It and I hope to see more
Rating:
Summary: Fitz, a hero that touches us all
Review: This was an incredible book, a real treat. It has an aura
of authenticity, a rich and detailed world that draws you
in. Only Steven Brust writes a better first-person
narrative. Not since Orson Scott Card's Ender have I been
so touched by the tragedy and triumph of a character. Fitz's
journey becomes our journey; this is what makes the book
great.
Rating:
Summary: Growing up isn't easy as a bastard assassin.
Review: This novel takes us into the life of Fitz, the bastard son of the eldest prince.
Dropped off by his grandfather at the steps of the castle, Fitz is taken in and
raised. Along the way, he becomes ensnared in the deepest workings of the royal intrigue.
This novel does a wonderful job of showing the underbelly of royal society, and to show that
it isn't always a good thing to be the son of a prince!
Rating:
Summary: A great beginning to an interesting series
Review: This should actually be a 9.9, but since they don't allow us to chose point increments, I'll note it down here. There is something about this book that I simply cannot put my finger to. It drags you in with and holds you till the last page. Having encountered this book completely by accident, I must say that I am pleasantly surprise every time I read it. The adventures of FitzChivalry Farseer just fascinates me without fail, showing a sense of depth, emotion and realism that I have not seen in any since Melanie Rawn's Dragon Star trilogy. Not even Tad Williams Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy stirred me the way this relatively unknown (not for long) author has. If you haven't already read this, read it now! You won't regret it. (It might spoil your enjoyment of other fantasy novels, though
Rating:
Summary: outstanding book
Review: As the author's first book, it was really unbelievable surprise. Author shows deep understanding of human mind, and wraps all in the very realistic, yet imaginary surroundings. In this book you can find everything - adventure, mistery, wisdom... and it works perfectly! Simply, every fantasy fan must read it
Rating:
Summary: The start of an adicting series of fantasy books.
Review: I picked this book up at random, and I wonder at how I could have stumbled onto such a gem so accidentally.
The boy called Fitz has wrapped me up in the challenges, danger, and potential of his life.
This series is different from any fantasy novel I've read (save Anne McCaffrey's DragonSong series).
It drags you in because it (at times) believable -- like a magical telling of a historical time.
[WARNING: Other books may bore you after reading this series.]
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