Robin Hobb The Assassins Apprentice

[Hoolahoophop]

I'm finding it hard to get into, but have heard good reports about Hobb in general and the whole series.

Is it worth ploughing on?

Do you like fantasy in general? If so, it’s definitely worth ploughing on with. If not, it might just not be your thing.

I really liked it - and all the subsequent series. It's set in the kind of fantasy world I enjoy and the magic was an interesting concept. I think @TheendofmrY is right - give it a bit longer if you're a fantasy fan!

I loved it. It’s not my usual thing, but I ended up addicted to the whole series.

How far in are you? Maybe give it a little longer, if you like the general idea of it?

I'm listening on Borrow Box, it could be the narrator, not sure about his voice. I am 3 hours into a 17 hour reading.

Fitz/Boy is just starting to get some training so it is getting a little more interesting, but I haven't seen much magic yet, it feels a bit simple, basic medieval rather than fantasy.

I read pretty much anything and everything. Favorite fantasy books are the Rivers of London series, and I tend to gravitate towards witches (both funky fun ones for beach reads and falsely accused wise women or spooky dark tales for darker days). Oh and vampires, I was a Buffy teen so will always have a soft spot for a Vampire.

I had this and Gormenghast on my tbr list and this one came up in the library first.

@Hoolahoophop have you read Bury our Bones in the Midnight Soil. I'm not really a vampire lover but this was good.

I read Robin Hobb so long ago I don't remember too much, probably due for a re-read but I have a long list of new books and re-reads before I can even contemplate that

@Purplebunnie thanks for the suggestion, just looked it up and added to my good reads tbr pile!

This series is my absolute favourite and just gets better and better the further you get. The world she creates just builds and builds with every new
trilogy. I’ve read all 16 books multiple times over the years and am keeping my fingers crossed that she writes some more!

I wasn’t that keen on Robin Hobb but if you like Rivers of London, try the Chronicles of St Mary’s series by Jodi Taylor. If they don’t have them on BorrowBox try the Libby app.

I lover this series. It’s fairly slow burn, not loads of action drama etc.
I think the narrator is Paul Boehmer - completely agree, his narration is somewhat lugubrious and mannered. Better narrators appear for later trilogies. I found (by book 3!) that the best thing to do is to play at 1.2 or 1.1 speed. I never do that normally but it really helped me not be as annoyed with him!

Agree these others are also brilliant.

You are very welcome

Ah yes, the narration for the Farseer Trilogy is pretty bloody awful. I listened to the first one recently, after having originally read them, and although I did make it to the end I haven’t gone back for books 2 and 3. As PP said, the narrators for the later series are a lot better.

I finished the Assassin's Apprentice last week.
I really liked it. It's very slow, all the way through ... The style doesn't change.
It's wonderfully written but I can see why a lot don't get on with it if they want fantasy books full of action and adventure.

I tried to reserve the second book on BorrowBox but it isn't available until June 🤦🏻‍♀️, I ordered second hand online and am now 150 pages into it.

I don't know what it's like on audio, but the physical books proving to be great so far

I read Assassin’s Apprentice in the summer and I’m now on the last book of the third trilogy! I love her writing but if you don’t like the pace of the first one then the third one will probably put you off, even I thought that was a slog. But then it got me emotionally involved again by the end.

The second trilogy is amazing, only loosely connected to the first so could easily be read alone. Her world building is so good.

Thank you all for the brilliant feedback. I persevered with my audiobook set to 1.5x speed! I think it was the narrator, that really put me off as I was hooked towards the end and will probably try reading the second. I wont bother with another audio version.

It was also quite a contrast to the e book i have on the go at the moment which is A day of fallen night - dragon riders, mages and Sidon are more in your face fantasy than the skill.

My family and I are all huge fans of Robin Hobb and the Realm of the Elderlings series. They are my absolute favourite fantasy novels and I have read and listened to them countless times.

Why oh why someone decided that Paul Boehmer was the appropriate narrator for these books is beyond my ken. I always read the physical books in the first trilogy. The narration gets better with subsequent novels.

These are serious books, very character driven and multi layered. I must admit they have spoiled me for lots of fantasy now. My dog is called FitzChivalry Farseer (he only gets his full title when he’s in trouble!)

I love Rivers of London; now in Kobna Holdbrook Smith there’s a narrator who absolutely contributes and enhances the stories.

OP read the physical books and give them a chance. But be prepared to have your heart broken!

Great, glad you liked it!
The narrators are different and a lot better after the first trilogy. So you could dip in there again if you wanted later on.

Totally agree with the poster praising Kobna Holdbrook Smith for rivers of london. I also liked the Mistborn narrators, and particularly loved the narrator for Project Hail Mary, and was astonished by the Dungeon Crawler Carl narrator - very very different genre and style to Robin Hobb though! 🤣

🐺 💔 😭