Royal Assassin
Locus Award nominee 1997.
The legend continues...
Regal's treasonous attempt to usurp the Six Duchies throne from his half-brother Verity has been foiled; but Fitz has been left prone to bouts of trembling and faintness as a result of the foul poison administered to him
One night, Fitz has a dream: of Red-Ship Raiders sacking a coastal village, leaving not a single man, woman or child alive or unForged, including, it seems, a familiar dark-haired woman sheltering two children in a fisherman's cottage. Was it Molly he saw in his dream? Is she still alive; or worse, has she been Forged? Tortured by this terrible vision and by his physical traumas, Fitz returns to the Six Duchies court. Where all is far from well.
Despite a marriage designed to stabilize the kingdom, the Mountain Princess, Kettricken, finds herself sadly neglected by King-in-Waiting Verity, who spends all his time in his tower-room, attempting to Skill storm and poor navigation upon the Red-Ship Raiders. It seems that nothing can stop their terrifying marauding. Frustrated in all his efforts, Verity makes what appears to many an insane plan: to seek to awaken the mystical Elderlings in defence of the kingdom.
With King Shrewd struck down by a mysterious sickness, Verity's departure leaves Regal free to pursue his evil plottings; and Fitz, friendless but for the wolf Nighteyes, rescued from a market-trader's cage, and the King's Fool, who torments Fitz with his cryptic prophesies: "Keystone. Gate. Crossroads. Catalyst. All these you have been, and continue to be. Whenever I come to a crossroads, whenever the scent is uncertain, when I put my nose to the ground, and cast about and bay and snuffle, I find one scent. Yours. We are here Fitz, you and I, to change the future and the world..."
Hobb covers portrayed here are from UK editions, by John Howe.
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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.
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
Book Reviews
Royal Assassin is everything I hoped for after Assassin’s Apprentice, and it completely lived up to my memories of this series. This book takes everything from the first installment—Fitz’s struggles, the court intrigue, the emotional weight—and pushes it even further.
Fitz’s journey in this book is painful but incredibly compelling. He’s torn between duty and his own desires, constantly pushed to his limits, and the way Robin Hobb writes his suffering feels so real. The relationships, especially between Fitz, Burrich, Verity, and the Fool, are beautifully written, full of raw emotion and quiet, powerful moments. The bond between Fitz and Nighteyes is also a highlight, bringing both warmth and heartbreak to the story.
Royal Assassin continues the story of Fitz, a royal bastard. I started reading Royal Assassin when I finished reading Assassin's Apprentice and I was impressed by its quality, depth and style - this book was much better than the first part. The ending of this book is unique and quite memorable. I highly recommend this book to everybody, who wants to read good and entertaining fantasy.