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Assassin's Apprentice

The Farseer #1 / 3 ✓
by Robin Hobb
Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer #1) by Robin Hobb
  ★ 8.74 / 159
1★12★3★14★15★116★67★538★139★7310★

British Fantasy Award nominee 1996.

A new legend begins...

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

Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals – that 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 taken from his warm stable and finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and learn a new life: weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.

Meanwhile, the land is beset by a terrible hazard: the Red Ship Raiders who descend from silent ships at dead of night and steal hapless victims from their beds, only to make strange demands of the village elders: pay us the ransom, and we wil kill our hostages. One village leader laughed and refused, therefore, to pay: but the consequences were dire.

It seems the only way to combat the marauders is to use the Skill – the ancient discipline of mind-sharing and thought-suggestion. Fitz is apprenticed to Galen the Skillmaster, a cold, mean-spirited man with a loathing for those who have the Wit. Fitz finds that he has many secrets that must be hidden during Skilling: the Wit, his apprenticeship as assassin, his very soul.

Being a royal bastard is dangerous enough in a court full of intrigue, ambition and treachery; but having both the Wit and the Skill will render him a threat to some and a valuable tool to others, and he must learn to see clearly those who are his friends, and those with malice in their hearts.

Hobb covers portrayed here are from UK editions, by John Howe.

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Standard Shelves
Updated 01/21/2025
Category: Fantasy, High Fantasy
Release date: May 1995

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Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb's stories are woven from the fabric of dreams, doubt, and destiny. Within the pages of her books, readers don’t just meet characters—they walk alongside them through kingdoms of intrigue, forests of magic, and oceans of inner turmoil. Known for crafting intricate worlds that feel as real as our own, Hobb's works capture the essence of what it means to be human, even when the characters are far from it.

Born Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden in 1952, Hobb’s childhood began in Berkeley, California, before she moved to the remote wilderness of Fairbanks, Alaska, where her deep connection to nature and isolation shaped much of her future storytelling. While her early years in Alaska filled her with a sense of rugged independence, it wasn’t until her teenage years in Colorado that she found her true calling. A communications major at Denver University, she honed her writing skills and went on to work as a journalist, weaving tales of human experience with the same depth and empathy that would later define her novels.

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Under the pen name Megan Lindholm, she began writing in the 1980s, publishing works that spanned science fiction and fantasy, but it wasn’t until she adopted the name Robin Hobb that she truly became known as a creator of unforgettable worlds. With Assassin’s Apprentice, the first book in the Farseer Trilogy, she introduced readers to FitzChivalry Farseer, a young royal bastard thrust into a world of political intrigue, magic, and dark prophecies. This was just the beginning of her journey into the Realm of the Elderlings, an expansive universe that spans multiple series and explores themes of identity, duty, and sacrifice.

Hobb’s writing resonates because it doesn’t just explore fantasy—it digs into the heart of what makes us human, even in the face of unimaginable odds. Her characters, flawed and deeply personal, feel as though they’ve stepped off the page, bringing readers into their world of complex emotions and intricate relationships. The Realm of the Elderlings books, which include Liveship Traders, The Tawny Man, The Rain Wild Chronicles, and Fitz and the Fool, form a living, breathing world where no decision is without consequence, and where magic isn’t just a tool, but a means of shaping one’s fate.

Throughout her career, Robin Hobb’s ability to explore the darkest corners of the soul while still offering glimmers of hope has earned her a devoted following. Her influence is undeniable, with millions of copies of her books sold worldwide, and her work translated into over twenty languages. Hobb’s unique voice has garnered numerous accolades, including the prestigious World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2021, cementing her place as one of the most beloved authors in the fantasy genre.

Despite her fame, Hobb remains grounded, living a quiet life with her husband Fred and their menagerie of animals in rural Washington. When not immersed in her fantastical realms, she enjoys the simplicity of rural life, which serves as a constant source of inspiration for her writing.

For Hobb, writing isn’t just about telling stories—it’s about crafting worlds where readers can lose themselves and find parts of themselves in return. As she once reflected on reading The Lord of the Rings as a young girl: "In all my life I will never write anything as good as this. He's done it; he's achieved it. Is there any point in my trying?" But try she did, and in doing so, created some of the most remarkable and beloved works in fantasy today.

Photo: Szymon Sokół

The Farseer

The Farseer Trilogy follows the life of FitzChivalry Farseer, a royal bastard and trained assassin, in a kingdom of The Six Duchies while his uncle, Prince Verity, attempts to wage war on the Red-Ship Raiders from The OutIslands who are attacking the shores of the kingdom.

The Farseer consists of three books — considered a complete series. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

Main series The Realm of the Elderlings

Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer #1)
  ★ 8.74 / 159
Royal Assassin (The Farseer #2)
  ★ 8.78 / 129
Assassin's Quest (The Farseer #3)
  ★ 8.68 / 120

Book Reviews

03/27/2025
Darkki avatar
Darkki
253 books, 27 reviews, 326 posts
★★★★★★★★★★ 10 / 10

I first read Assassin’s Apprentice back in 1996, and now, after re-reading it, I can say it’s just as incredible as I remember. Robin Hobb’s storytelling is immersive, and from the very first page, I was drawn back into the life of FitzChivalry Farseer.

Fitz’s journey as a royal bastard turned assassin’s apprentice is filled with hardship, loneliness, and the constant struggle to find his place in the world. Hobb’s character work is exceptional, making Fitz one of the most deeply human protagonists I’ve ever read. His pain, doubts, and small moments of happiness feel real, and that emotional depth makes the story hit hard.

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The world-building is rich but subtle, weaving in court intrigue, the mysterious Skill and Wit magic systems, and a looming sense of danger. The slow, character-driven pace might not be for everyone, but I love how it lets every moment sink in, making the relationships and betrayals feel even more impactful.

Even after all these years, Assassin’s Apprentice remains one of the best fantasy books I’ve ever read. It’s a beautifully written, deeply emotional story that only gets better with time.

05/19/2012
Emmi avatar
Emmi
75 books, 13 reviews
★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8 / 10

Robin Hobb had been highly recommended to me and this book did not disappoint. I am endlessly skeptical of books written in the first person, but Hobb managed to make a very interesting book in spite of the limitations provided. She keeps all of the characters interesting and the story in itself was utterly fantastic, completely engrossing, and I look forward to the next book. Particularly, books that stretch over a long timespan can often be uninteresting, but everything seems to somehow be relevant and fun to read. My criticisms are few, yet I did find it was far too easy to predict who would be a bad guy, who would betray someone, and when something sinister happened, I felt as though there weren't that many surprises. This did not, however, make the story any less interesting. I was never able to predict what would happen, only who would turn out to be a "badguy" in the end. There was very little in the way of character "mystique". All-in-all though, it was one of the best books that I read last summer and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

10/02/2007
Seregil of Rhiminee avatar
Seregil of Rhiminee
3707 books, 260 reviews, 15 posts
★★★★★★★★★★ 10 / 10

Assassin's Apprentice is the first book of The Farseer Trilogy, which is one of the best fantasy series ever written. Assassin's Apprentice is a touching, sinister and entertaining story about a young royal bastard who is trained to be an assassin. The story is unique and the characters are memorable. I must say that I love this book (and the other books in this series) very much.

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