This felt like it was bringing my brain back to life! It’s not hard to read at all, it’s beautiful and creative and makes me expect more from everything else I’m reading now. Have already ordered the next book and can’t wait to continue

Wow. Wow wow wow. This was such a bizarre experience because I've read this before, years and years ago, but barely remembered anything about that experience besides me rating it 3 stars. I could not for the life of me tell you why. But oh how that changed. I adored this. The writing is so beautifully descriptive without being overly-flowery, and yet managed to show a somewhat gritty story alongside. It's not often I can truly "see" the settings and journeys described, but it just happened so effortlessly when reading this. I fell into the story with absolutely no problem, and it felt like I had to pull myself out of the book bit by bit every time I had to put it down. Which, by the way, wasn't too often, as I found myself reading for much longer periods of time than I usually would and managed to read the final half in one go without much thought. I know the common complaint about this book is its being slow - and it is. The majority of this book is a steady build up of political tensions, difficult relations, and an introduction to fantasy elements tied in. But being slow isn't a bad thing - in fact, I found it to be the perfect pace, artfully building a world you can tell will become so much more in future books, but has enough groundwork to be amazing by itself. I loved steadily making my way through the different areas of this story, from court to stable to various areas across the map, each feeling as important as the other thanks to the intricate build up in relation to Fitz's childhood. The small details won me over - the tidbits of history at the beginning of each chapter, the meaning behind names, the legends that pervaded the land. It all contributed towards a complex story, one that was revealed bit by bit until before you know it, you're stuck in this web and can only read on to find out how to get through it. It's intriguing, addictive, but in a steady way that almost lulls you into a send of security until everything hits HARD. And it does - hit hard, I mean. Off how this tugged at my emotions at times. So it's fair to say I loved this book, and will berate my younger-self for not continuing with the series. Still, I have ample chance to do so now, and can't wait to see where this story goes. TW: animal death, suicidal thoughts, domestic abuse

I struggle to focus reading unless a book really captivates me and I’m happy to say this one has done just that I really like the story development as well as the character development chade is one of my faves along with fits all tho all the characters bring something different to the table and really brings out the theme this is the first book of this genre that I have really found hard to put down even with my struggles

Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice is a stunning introduction to the world of the Farseers. Fitz’s journey as an illegitimate royal turned assassin is richly immersive, with unforgettable characters and intricate worldbuilding. The political intrigue and emotional stakes kept me hooked, and while some moments were hard to read (especially involving a dog), this is a book that stays with you. An absolute must-read for any fantasy lover.

This book is definitely a slow burn, but it takes its time with every single detail. At some point I started hearing Fitz thoughts in my own head. I recommend this book to absolutely anyone who wants a classic fantasy adventure story with a character that has no plot armor but somehow manages to scrape by (and anyone who wants a good gut punch).