Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Third Book
Review: A stunning end to the series, full of ups and downs, and an overall exciting book! The ending didn't bother me with its shortness, as I feel the bulk of the book was spent on the appropriate subjects: Fitz finding his ultimate "quest", further explanation of the Skill and Wit, and the land beyond the Mountain Kingdom.I am glad to have found Hobb and more glad to add her to my "favorite author" list.
Rating:
Summary: the best of fantasy
Review: I came across Assassin Apprentice read the back and thought OK, I bought three other books at that time but I can't even remeber what they were about. Sense that first exposure to Hobb I've been hooked. I was haunting the book stores for this book for weeks and as everyone has mentioned I was depressed by the ending but the ending was for told. Others would raise his children and he will raise another's as his own. But this isn't the end, the world contined and returns to where it starts. This book is the ending of a crisis in the but the world goes on and shall lee
Rating:
Summary: Best in the series
Review: This is the last novel in the Farseer Trilogy and the best. The dark style that started in the first book continues and the ending doesn't suddenly pop into happy fantasy land. Hobb's following trilogy, the one starting with Ship of Magic is also entertaining but lacks the character of this first trilogy due to its use of the third person. Hopefully she will return to the first person in her new books, I believe it is called the Tawny Man or something similar to that.
Rating: 
Summary: beautifully depressing
Review: This being more a summary for the entire Farseer trilogy, I will say that the book is somewhat disappointing in the sense that it leaves questions I had concerning the story unresolved. Where are the Red Ships coming from? How do they Forge people? Why are they attacking in the first place? We never find out. However, I suppose Robin Hobb could be excused for these loose ends, as everything is told from Fitz's, the main character's, point of view. And as a point in Hobb's favour, I both liked and mourned over the ending of Assassin's Quest. The heroes in most stories, fantasy or otherwise, all get the girl and ride off into the sunset. The matyred tradgedy that is Fitz's tale goes in another direction altogether; the conclusion of Assassin's Quest finds him crippled, in both body and mind, and living in isolation. Because of the duties and responsibilities forced on Fitz all through the books, it if difficult, at times, to remember that during the course of events he is no more than sixteen years of age or so. Despite his earlier dislike for his work as an Assassin, one feels a certain bitter glory for the exploits of his past. And now Fitz has lost everything: the companionship of old friends, the chance for love, the irretrievable gem that was his youth. Even as the hero(such as it is) of the story, he has no 'just rewards' coming for him, not even recognition for the part he played in the salvation of the Duchies, nor some form of happy ending to make up for the lack of loving and care in his younger days. Yet, despite the utter unfairess of the conclusion, and the aching bitter-sweetness experienced for Fitz's fate, one cannot help but wonder if this is the best way Hobb could have ended it, afterall.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome author and spellbinding series
Review: Fantasy fans must check out this author. Her plotting and characterization are superb and I tore through all three books in this trilogy in a weekend.
Rating:
Summary: I am torn about this review
Review: On a purely objective level, I think this book deserves five stars. The story is powerful and Fitz is one of the all-time heroes of fantasy. But there are other aspects, of a more personal nature, that make me reconsider the five-star accolades. It may be a trivial matter, but the cover is a disaster. No, not because I don;t like it, but because it gives away part of the plot for the end of the book. As soon as I saw it, i wish I hadn't. If you read the first two parts of the series and glance at the cover, you will know exactly what I mean. All right, that is a rather minor point. On a more serious level, Hobb has decided to write about a different kind of hero. Not the kind that is remembered in song for generations to come, but the kind that for some reason or other, has to remain in the shadows, is instrumental in the outcome, but is rewarded by few. And therein lies the problem I have with the book. Fitz is savagely beaten, tortured and humiliated, mentally and physically, and really has nothing to show for it. While this is in tune with Fitz' character, it just pained me almost to tears to read about it. In other words, yes, this is a unique hero figure, but no, I really did not like all that he had to go through. To continue on this, the ending seems really rushed. Once Fitz "does his thing" (I don't want to spoil it for you), it is time for others to reap the fruits of what he has sown. No songs for Fitz, just a life of seclusion. So the final battles are not even chronicled, because the part that Fitz has played is now over and almost not worth telling. In addition to this, at the end, Fitz no longer writes about some of the central characters that were part of the story. Sure, we can excuse it on many factors, and Hobb makes a believable case. But heck, whatever happened to some of those characters? It left me with a bit of emptiness at the end of the read. Again, bravo for Hobb for doing something unique, not not so bravo in making it so sad...
Rating:
Summary: A great conclusion to a great trilogy
Review: The main problem with fantasy literature is that after reading Tolkien, you tend to get spoiled. This trilogy, however, lived up to my high expectations. The main character is well portrayed, and the conflict is so well drawn that you are there with Fitz all along the way. Now, some people have complained saying the ending was too unhappy, but I disagree. Fitz finally gets a life of his own, free of royal intrigue and conflict, which is what he always wanted. I highly recommend all three books.
Rating: 
Summary: Realistic doesn't have to mean depressing
Review: First off, I just have to say that all of Ms Hobb's books are incredibly well-written and 'Assassin's Quest' is no exception. Ms Hobb's characters are more completely fleshed out than any other authors' that I've read. My only complaints of the book are the hasty defeat of the Red Ships (a little detail would've been appreciated) and the state of mind and body that Fitz was in at the end. I'm not childish enough that I have to have the protagonists of the fantasy books I read become kings or omnipotent wizards by the end of the book but to know that Fitz's fate is that of a forgotten and unrecognized cripple is just too much. A lot of the other reviews for 'Assassin's Quest' applaud it for its realism but in my opinion making a book realistic doesn't have to mean that that book is mind-numbingly depressing. However, there is a light at the end of this tunnel- Robin Hobb is writing a sequel trilogy about FitzChivalry right now. If you've read the first 2 books in the Farseer Trilogy I do recommend reading 'Assassin's Quest' but don't start reading it expecting a great ending to this great trilogy because there isn't one in this book. I can only hope that the next Fitz trilogy that Ms Hobb is writing will grant Fitz some of the honor that he deserves.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantasy Reader's Fantasy
Review: I read these books one after the other over three days. I was very much involved as a reader in the stories. In fact, they filled my dreams and nightmares while I was reading them. There is a great deal of writing skill in this trilogy. Plot twists abound and the characters are deeply drawn. This is well worth reading! The style and feel of the introductions reminded me a little of Proust's Remembrance of Things Past. The descriptions of scenery and life were all rich in the Proustian tradition she recalled. The ending recalled to me The Prisoner of Zenda, but not in as positive a light, but for the sake of comparison. The Prisoner of Zenda ended up much the same as Fitz except that it was entirely by his own choice, his own enlightened view of what was not only best for all of the people involved but what had to be the case if all that he had personally done to bring it about was to mean anything. I am one of the readers of this trilogy who was a little disappointed in the resolution (and the haste of it). I also hope that it is correct that another work concerning FitzChivalry is in progress (as one reviewer stated). It seemed to me that Kettricken, seeming somewhat royally petulent in the last volume, and Chade who became the court dandy and popularly conceived hero of the events made out quite well in the story. And the minstrel was still unfeelingly barging her way through any life she touched. I'm not sure whether the resolution is realism and cynicism or the fantasy writer/reader's love of royalty. I mean, I guess I can understand why royalty did what they did, but I would have felt more satisfied if, say, Kettricken hadn't just shown up at Fitz's once in awhile to not say anything, but simply sit there in silence with him ... because there was nothing that could be said. Read these books and hope with me that there is more of Fitz to come!
Rating:
Summary: Truth is Better than Fluff
Review: I would say the main strength of Robin Hobbs writing is her real world brutality. Her main characters are not exempt from a beating, from death, from embarrassment, or from any ill that would befall us mortals outside of the fantasy realm. The heroes ego keeps itself in check, and I think this is the major accomplishment of these last 3 novels Hobb has written. It is very easy to fall into the trap as a fantasy writer of allowing your main characters/heros to be invincible and omnipotent. What makes for a better story though are the flaws in these characters, and actually haveing them realize these flaws and work to make them better. This book was the last in the installment for the Farseer trilogy, and as sad as I am to see it end, I think Hobb did a great job of ending it. I am sure it took a lot of strength to say "This series sold really well, why not just extend it by 1 book, 2 books, 3 books, 4 books., . .. " until she got caught in the same vicious loop as Jordan and maybe Goodkind. The book is gratifying, it ends the series and ties up all the loose knots. Not all of them are happy knots to be tied up, but they are tied up nonetheless and the reader has to be content with this. Instead of just admiring the characters on a surface level when done with the book though, I got a much deeper feeling than that about them. The characters were not perfect, but they grew in their faults and their accomplishments much as i would in my life. I came to admire and respect deeply these characters, and it is because of this fact that I will buy any book Robin Hobb puts out after this one, no questions asked. You should do the same.
| 
