Scan barcode
A review by onejadyn
Assassin's Quest (The Illustrated Edition) by Robin Hobb
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This review contains spoilers.
18%
(After meeting the Old Blood for the first time)
I'm enjoying this book so much more than I ever expected. Though I was hesitant when I realised the full consequences of Fitz's bonding with Nighteyes, I quickly fell deep into his life and struggles, and felt every moment of his "recovery" to a man as though it were me.
Few stories can hold me so enraptured and close to a character's life as this one has, and especially the last book. I didn't expect to learn more of the Wit but after meeting Rolf and those of the Old Blood, my excitement to discover more is at an all time high.
Everything from recovering from his very close bonding, disappointing and being forced to separate from Chade and Burrich, leaving his cabin only to discover he'd slipped too deeply into his kinship with a wolf once again.
I didn't expect the depth to his trauma, but watching him struggle with Forged where he didn't used to is harrowing, and I really feel just how vulnerable he is at this time.
His traveling with the minstrels was also extremely telling in a lot of ways, about how healed he was in the presence of people, but also just how much he doesn't fit alongside men anymore, regardless of how he craves it. It seems there are reasons that those of the Old Blood, at least so far, seem to keep to themselves?
All I can say now is that I'm more enraptured in this book than any before it in this series, and the Old Blood fascinates me so deeply that I wish Fitz had stayed for learn the ways of it. As of now it's a 5/5 read.
73%
(While following the skill road)
This is easily the best of the trilogy for me. It's late and I don't have much time for this write up, but while we haven't learned much more of the Wit, we've learned so much else.
We've reunited with the Fool, and I really didn't know how much I'd missed him until he was back. What we lack in knowledge of the Wit is made up for all the bits and pieces we're learning of the Skill, especially on this long Skill Road. The way it affects Fitz is entrancing, almost more for me than him. I love the way his muddled mind is written—and I also felt an aching pain when I realised he couldn't hear Nighteyes in the depths of it.
Kettle is unfathomably interesting. She had all these hints of older knowledge and skill knowledge, but at the end of this chapter we got a great reveal — she had killed another member of her coterie, which for her exiled. She's Skilled!
All of this doesn't even mention all we've been learning of the Fool, and I'm definitely noticing hints that his gender is either changing or was never fixed in the first place? But honestly I just love his friendship and relationship with Fitz. It's desperate and companionable and longing and I honestly can't get enough.
Overall I'm thoroughly enjoying this one, so so much. Got to head to sleep, but I'm super glad I picked this trilogy up.
100%
Alright. I loved it. By the end I was immersed to a fault, and the relationship between Fitz and the Fool only got better. But it was more than that. I could feel the tired numbness in Verity, and despite that how much he truly cared for Fitz. I could feel the deep sadness of Girl-on-a-Dragon.
I also felt it when Fitz's illusion of coming home to Molly finally shattered. Trying to give his memories up to the dragon, with the Fool and Nighteyes trying to convince him otherwise—it was painful. Especially in the numb, always hurting, never healed sort of way that Fitz specialises in.
I don't think I need to speak of how I felt reading of Verity's dragon rising, and his last goodbye. Nor do I need to speak of the final battle where all the dragons were raised once and for all, a culmination so great I couldn't possibly have expected it. It almost felt cheap for being so "easy", but it felt as glorious as it did cheap and I certainly didn't mind.
I will speak of this: nothing made me happer than realising that Little Ferret fulfilled his vengeance on Regal. I gasped out loud. It was incredible. And a fitting end to Regal, essentially a spoiled child with far too much power and political cunning to do no harm with it.
5/5. Though at times a bit slow, and lacking in the some of the deeper exploration of Wit that I desperately wanted, this book soars legions ahead of the previous entries. It was an incredible culmination, with so much development, personal difficultly, interesting character dynamics, and just ... honestly incredible.
18%
(After meeting the Old Blood for the first time)
I'm enjoying this book so much more than I ever expected. Though I was hesitant when I realised the full consequences of Fitz's bonding with Nighteyes, I quickly fell deep into his life and struggles, and felt every moment of his "recovery" to a man as though it were me.
Few stories can hold me so enraptured and close to a character's life as this one has, and especially the last book. I didn't expect to learn more of the Wit but after meeting Rolf and those of the Old Blood, my excitement to discover more is at an all time high.
Everything from recovering from his very close bonding, disappointing and being forced to separate from Chade and Burrich, leaving his cabin only to discover he'd slipped too deeply into his kinship with a wolf once again.
I didn't expect the depth to his trauma, but watching him struggle with Forged where he didn't used to is harrowing, and I really feel just how vulnerable he is at this time.
His traveling with the minstrels was also extremely telling in a lot of ways, about how healed he was in the presence of people, but also just how much he doesn't fit alongside men anymore, regardless of how he craves it. It seems there are reasons that those of the Old Blood, at least so far, seem to keep to themselves?
All I can say now is that I'm more enraptured in this book than any before it in this series, and the Old Blood fascinates me so deeply that I wish Fitz had stayed for learn the ways of it. As of now it's a 5/5 read.
73%
(While following the skill road)
This is easily the best of the trilogy for me. It's late and I don't have much time for this write up, but while we haven't learned much more of the Wit, we've learned so much else.
We've reunited with the Fool, and I really didn't know how much I'd missed him until he was back. What we lack in knowledge of the Wit is made up for all the bits and pieces we're learning of the Skill, especially on this long Skill Road. The way it affects Fitz is entrancing, almost more for me than him. I love the way his muddled mind is written—and I also felt an aching pain when I realised he couldn't hear Nighteyes in the depths of it.
Kettle is unfathomably interesting. She had all these hints of older knowledge and skill knowledge, but at the end of this chapter we got a great reveal — she had killed another member of her coterie, which for her exiled. She's Skilled!
All of this doesn't even mention all we've been learning of the Fool, and I'm definitely noticing hints that his gender is either changing or was never fixed in the first place? But honestly I just love his friendship and relationship with Fitz. It's desperate and companionable and longing and I honestly can't get enough.
Overall I'm thoroughly enjoying this one, so so much. Got to head to sleep, but I'm super glad I picked this trilogy up.
100%
Alright. I loved it. By the end I was immersed to a fault, and the relationship between Fitz and the Fool only got better. But it was more than that. I could feel the tired numbness in Verity, and despite that how much he truly cared for Fitz. I could feel the deep sadness of Girl-on-a-Dragon.
I also felt it when Fitz's illusion of coming home to Molly finally shattered. Trying to give his memories up to the dragon, with the Fool and Nighteyes trying to convince him otherwise—it was painful. Especially in the numb, always hurting, never healed sort of way that Fitz specialises in.
I don't think I need to speak of how I felt reading of Verity's dragon rising, and his last goodbye. Nor do I need to speak of the final battle where all the dragons were raised once and for all, a culmination so great I couldn't possibly have expected it. It almost felt cheap for being so "easy", but it felt as glorious as it did cheap and I certainly didn't mind.
I will speak of this: nothing made me happer than realising that Little Ferret fulfilled his vengeance on Regal. I gasped out loud. It was incredible. And a fitting end to Regal, essentially a spoiled child with far too much power and political cunning to do no harm with it.
5/5. Though at times a bit slow, and lacking in the some of the deeper exploration of Wit that I desperately wanted, this book soars legions ahead of the previous entries. It was an incredible culmination, with so much development, personal difficultly, interesting character dynamics, and just ... honestly incredible.