Customer Reviews

Assassin's Quest: The Farseer

5 star:		(89)
4 star:		(48)
3 star:		(31)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I feel like I should be putting this review on the the page for the first book to prevent people from getting to this point, but here goes anyways. I loved the first book in the trilogy, then immediately when on to read the second book. I didn't like it as much as the first, but I HAD to know what would happen, and how it would turn out. So I picked up Assassin's Quest and began reading. It was terrible. For every rise in action in the book there was way too much lead up, then a disappointing wrap-up. It felt like all the book was about was Fitz traveling around being an idiot. The book was written so that the reader knows everything that Fitz knows, so you know exactly what terrible thing is going to happen to Fitz next, even though he seemed to be to stupid to realize what was coming. I could understand if he made a stupid mistake once, but over and over again the same thing happened: Fitz gets into skill trouble and Verity has to save him. Now this sounds like I just don't like that bad things happened to the main character, but that's not true. I love the character Fitz, and love that he is flawed and realistic, and that his story is somewhat gritty. BUT Hobb did not write him to be frustratingly stupid...which he was in this book.

The only good thing that I have to say about this book is that there are the occasional moments where Hobb brought back the joy of the first books. I love Hobb's descriptions of the settings (and the dragons!!!) and history. And I loved the relationships of the characters in the book, banter between Fitz and the Fool brought smiles to my face. Even lesser characters had depth and were worthy of attention. Despite these few good things, I still would not recommend this book to anyone...not even those who have read the other two. Image your own ending, you'll put more thought into it than the author did.

I think the end of this trilogy may not have been what readers were expecting, but I think it fits Fitz's journey perfectly. Nothing ever happens the way you want it to, things take longer than you want, and there's never a straight path. Hobb just did something wonderfully right with these characters.

Again, her writing was nothing short of amazing. Again, the characters were formed and reformed around the challenges that faced them. Writing at its best.

The first 200 pages are excruciating. FitzChivalry goes through a transformation of sorts before going on his grand adventure. Instead of giving us glimpses of this change, the author spends a third of the book exploring it in explicit detail and virtually copy pastes passages from the first two books. It's a waste of the readers time and it totally destroys the pace which made the series such a pleasant read.

I very rarely skim read, but in this case I just had to do it to avoid stopping altogether.

After plodding through that first part of the book, the pace does pick up, although the story just isn't as compelling as I had hoped. There are a lot of elements to pique the reader's curiosity in the second half of the book and it's unfortunate that the author didn't explore them further and create a few more side quests at this stage, rather than spending so much time on the beginning.

The ending is a bit anti-climatic. I was hoping for an epic conclusion to the tale, but it's anything but. Albeit a few final hurdles, the story unwinds without gusto and the author simply ties up the loose knots without much story telling. We're told what happens after the mission is accomplished, when you'd expect that to be part of it. How boring.

So, although the first two books were thoroughly enjoyable, don't be too anxious to read the conclusion. If you don't keep your expectations in check, you'll be disappointed.

I know a lot of people tend to get defensive when their favorite author, actor, etc. is critiqued so no doubt some will be offended by this review but oh well.

First off like many have stated before the book easily is 100-200 pages to long. The search for Verity really dragged along for longer than it should have. But despite the length of this final book it was'nt completely bad. My biggest complaint was the way the story was wrapped up. The outcome of Regal, Verity, the mystery of the Red ships and a few other areas were really poorly done in my opinion. In fact in regards to the ending the only thing that wrapped the way that it should have been is Fitz and Molly's relationship. Outside of that the ending appeared to rushed with not a lot of thought put into it. I almost gagged on those last couple of chapters.

However I still would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first 2 books (which were remarkable). Since Hobb is still essentially a new writer its understandable how perhaps the conclusion of her first series could be a bit awkward. I just hope George RR Martin does'nt follow the same path when eventually concludes his series.

"Assassin's Quest" is the third and final book of Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy. When this series began, we met a young boy without a name. This boy was taken in by the royal house of Buck. See, this boy was the illegitimate child of one of the princes. He was given the name FitzChivalry and was trained as an assassin for the king. Through treachery, the king was slain and the prince that has Fitz's loyalty, Verity, was away on a quest to find they mythical Elderlings to enlist their help against the Red Ship Raiders that have been terrorizing the kingdom. With Verity gone and King Shrewd now dead, Prince Regal is free to act against, Fitz, whom he has always hated. At the end of book 2, "Royal Assassin", Fitz was presumed dead by Regal and buried. But like it is said in "The Princess Bride", Fitz was only mostly dead (he took a poison that would simulate death, much like Juliet did in "Romeo and Juliet"). The story picks up several months later and Fitz is in the care of Burrich, the man who has raised him all these years. Fitz acts like an animal, for that is what he believes he truly is (for the poison to work, Fitz had to use the "Wit" magic that has bonded him with a wolf). Burrich is working to restore Fitz's mind and reflexes to that of a human.

Fitz has to recover, or else there will not be much of a story. When he does, he decides to seek his revenge on Regal and Regal's coterie of Skill users who helped to kill Shrewd and sabotage Buck against the Red Ship Raiders. The title of "Assassin's Quest" is especially apt for this book. Fitz is the titled Assassin, and this novel truly has a quest feel to it, especially as the story progresses. Every since Verity first started out to find the Elderlings, I have wondered what will become of this quest, and Fitz also seeks to answer this question as well.

The Farseer Trilogy is excellent fantasy. Being told in the first person point of view, it is a change from the typical fantasy novel, and Hobb does not hold anything back. We know what Fitz can know, so this cannot be a broad sweeping saga. And yet, this series is not lacking for any depth of storytelling. Hobb also does not protect her protagonist any. Horrible, horrible things happen to Fitz throughout the series and that is a part of the raw power here. The series may be slower moving at times, but that is not for any lack of quality writing on Hobb's part. Quite the opposite. The story moves slowly by necessity, but it never fails to be interesting. "Assassin's Quest" only serves to make me want more Hobb, and to move on to the "Liveship Traders" and then onto "The Tawny Man" series.

-Joe Sherry

Now that you have read the first 2 books of the series you have no other choice than to read the third. No doubt the earlier books have grabbed your attention and will not leave you thinking of poor Fitz the (...) in such a way. My advice, don't read the book if you like predictable endings, if you have a girlfriend you left in a friends care, or if you have a thing for traveling minstrels. Other than that dig in. Oh yeah, if it starts to get boring start skimming it picks up after a page or so.

First of all, I just want to say that while it's been awhile since I last read this book, 4-5 months, I can still honestly say that while it was missing several of the elements that made the first two such outstanding and evoking stories, Assassins Quest nicely wrapped up the series to my sensibilities.

Throughout every book it was obvious that Fitz wasn't destined to some happily ever after. The first few pages in Assassin Apprentice was clearly written by an old man that is later fleshed out as living in a cottage with no grand hall, loveless and childless. What about this made you think he would win the day, the girl, and riches to boot.

The whole story is about Fitz tenacity and loyalty strengthening him through everything fate can throw at him, him no or minimal thanks or rewards. From the very begining he was made to be the unsung hero, except for the few close friends that have stood by him though hell and highwater, which weren't many.

As for the story lagging, most of this book was about Fitz finding himself after he was betrayed and left behind. He's no longer the Assassins Apprentice, no longer the Kings Man, so what is he? That is the first answer he needs to find. I found this quest and the answer he found to be the most endearing section of all three of the series. Having to go through some of the same soul searching myself it was even more potent. If this didn't touch you in some way I can only assume you've had all of lifes questions answered for you.

And now that I've turned this into less of a book review and more of a mud slinging match, I just want to say that whatever you've heard about this book, good or bad, you should read it and form your own opinions.

In the end, for all his brave stupidity, Fitz is still the most human hero I've even had the pleasure to meet.

You must read Farseer books 1 and 2 first to really enjoy this story. Like George RR Martin's outstanding Song of Fire and Ice series it's a gritty, well written and engrossing story of family, politics, magic, mayhem and violence that needs to read from the start.

If you've already read 1 and 2 why do you need a review of 3? You should be seriously addicted by this point and know Hobb is going to grab you and hold your complete attention for another 600+ pages. I think you'll find it meets even your highest expectations. Fitz will locked in your imagination forever.

I was glad I did not listen to the negative reviews given about this book. Sure some characters changed in the last book. I guess the people who don't like the changes like things to be nice and predictable in there books. Maybe this book does not fit a formula that some readers have. I thought the book(s) were just fine. It is a fantasy after all! Give it a read and see for yourself..

I think the first two books of this series are great. In fact, I think they are some of the best fantasy that I have ever read. However, the third book does not compare to the previous two. It is about 200 pages longer than it needs to be. The quest for Verity drags to mind-numbing length and detail. Overall I was quite letdown. Lets face it though, as good as the first two books in the series are, there is no way you could read them and not read the finale.