Assassin's Apprentice: Difference between revisions
Cherylline (talk | contribs) |
Cherylline (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
Fitz is eventually made part of a class who are to be taught the Skill, a magic which allows its users to share thoughts and strength. The teacher, [[Characters_in_the_Realm_of_the_Elderlings#Galen|Galen]], despises Fitz while curiously revering his father (it is revealed later in the book that Chivalry magically branded him in a fit of rage). During the class Galen treats Fitz with no respect, referring to him as bastard. Eventually he tries to kill Fitz (and attempts to assassinate Burrich) then, with more success, tries to sabotage his Skill training. Although on Fitz's last test of Galen's class, Galen sends Fitz to Forge, to see if he can use the skill to get back. But Galen sends him to the forged infested area where Fitz is attacked. |
Fitz is eventually made part of a class who are to be taught the Skill, a magic which allows its users to share thoughts and strength. The teacher, [[Characters_in_the_Realm_of_the_Elderlings#Galen|Galen]], despises Fitz while curiously revering his father (it is revealed later in the book that Chivalry magically branded him in a fit of rage). During the class Galen treats Fitz with no respect, referring to him as bastard. Eventually he tries to kill Fitz (and attempts to assassinate Burrich) then, with more success, tries to sabotage his Skill training. Although on Fitz's last test of Galen's class, Galen sends Fitz to Forge, to see if he can use the skill to get back. But Galen sends him to the forged infested area where Fitz is attacked. |
||
Towards the end of the book Fitz is asked to go to the neighbouring Mountain Kingdom with the objective of assassinating its prince, [[Characters_in_the_Realm_of_the_Elderlings#Rurisk|Rurisk]], however this is compromised when Regal reveals Fitz's secret mission to Kettricken while drunk, rendering him useless. He finds himself in the middle of a plan to steal the throne for Prince Regal with the help of Galen, who tries to assassinate Verity. Fitz is poisoned and drowned, then, when finally he thinks he only has a few moments to live, manages to contact Verity to help him destroy Galen. He is rescued and healed by Jonqui afterward, the last pages of the book telling how much Fitz laments the death of Nosy during that event and the pain of an older narrator at writting this. |
Towards the end of the book Fitz is asked to go to the neighbouring [[The Realm of the Elderlings/Places#Mountain Kingdom|Mountain Kingom]] with the objective of assassinating its prince, [[Characters_in_the_Realm_of_the_Elderlings#Rurisk|Rurisk]], however this is compromised when Regal reveals Fitz's secret mission to Kettricken while drunk, rendering him useless. He finds himself in the middle of a plan to steal the throne for Prince Regal with the help of Galen, who tries to assassinate Verity. Fitz is poisoned and drowned, then, when finally he thinks he only has a few moments to live, manages to contact Verity to help him destroy Galen. He is rescued and healed by Jonqui afterward, the last pages of the book telling how much Fitz laments the death of Nosy during that event and the pain of an older narrator at writting this. |
||
==Editions== |
==Editions== |
||
Revision as of 12:32, 10 March 2007
 UK first edition cover (Voyager) | |
| Author | Robin Hobb |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | John Howe |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Farseer Trilogy |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Voyager Books (UK) & Spectra (US) |
Publication date | 1 April 1995 (US) & 7 August 1995 (UK) |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Paperback & Hardback in the UK, Paperback in the US) |
| Pages | 400 p. (Hardback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-00-224606-6 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
| Followed by | Royal Assassin |
Assassin's Apprentice is a book by Robin Hobb, the first in her Farseer Trilogy. It was her first book under this pseudonym, and published in 1995. The stories of characters found in the Farseer Trilogy continue in the Tawny Man Trilogy. Another Trilogy, The Liveship Traders, is set in the same world.
Plot summary
Template:Spoiler The beginning of Fitz's life as a "bastard" (hence his name, FitzChivalry, after his father Chivalry) in Buckkeep Castle as he begins his training as an assassin and finally completes his mission, almost at the cost of his life.
The story begins with Fitz (thus far just called "Boy") being dumped into the presence of Prince Verity by his commoner grandfather, who cannot (or does not want to) take proper care of Fitz with the limited means of his household. Even at a very young age he is shown to possess The Wit", a despised ancient magic which is rumoured to turn men into beasts, and this allows him to telepathically communicate with a dog named Nosy. Verity decides that Fitz is to be taken to the castle at Buckkeep. Shamed by the news that he sired a bastard, and concerned for the safety of his illegitimate son, Fitz's father (Prince Chivalry) and his father's wife (Lady Patience) have abdicated from the position of King-and-Queen-in-Waiting long before Fitz arrives at the royal city. Fitz is not of pure royal blood and therefore isn't accepted by the other nobility. Burrich, his father's right hand man is charged with raising him, which he does as best he is able, taking Fitz on as a stable boy. Fitz quickly learns his duties and grows although he is very lonely, especially after Burrich forbids him from using the Wit to bond with animals.
Eventually Fitz agrees to become a "King's Man" to King Shrewd and is bound by oath to serve the king. He is taken into King Shrewd's service and moves into the castle proper. Here he is schooled and is taught basic combat skills by Hod. One night he is also introduced to a recluse named Chade, who is a skilled assassin. Fitz agrees to learn Chade's skills as he is desperately lonely and seemingly has no other prospects. So during his childhood he is taught the ways of an assassin. He shows great talent in his duties and is able to complete the minor tasks given to him by the king.
As Fitz is growing up at Buckkeep, the coastal regions of the Six Duchies are being attacked by Outislanders known as the Red-Ship Raiders. The Raiders rampage through villages and towns, killing and taking hostages while stealing little, making their attacks seem to lack a motive. The hostages are returned, reduced to animals with little memory of their former lives. Fitz, when he encounters these returned hostages, finds he cannot sense them with his Wit at all. This stripping away of people's humanity is named after Forge, the first village to be plundered in such a way. Later on these forged ones start to become robbers and thieves that start to plunder the country side, putting another burden on the Six Duchies.
Fitz is eventually made part of a class who are to be taught the Skill, a magic which allows its users to share thoughts and strength. The teacher, Galen, despises Fitz while curiously revering his father (it is revealed later in the book that Chivalry magically branded him in a fit of rage). During the class Galen treats Fitz with no respect, referring to him as bastard. Eventually he tries to kill Fitz (and attempts to assassinate Burrich) then, with more success, tries to sabotage his Skill training. Although on Fitz's last test of Galen's class, Galen sends Fitz to Forge, to see if he can use the skill to get back. But Galen sends him to the forged infested area where Fitz is attacked.
Towards the end of the book Fitz is asked to go to the neighbouring Mountain Kingom with the objective of assassinating its prince, Rurisk, however this is compromised when Regal reveals Fitz's secret mission to Kettricken while drunk, rendering him useless. He finds himself in the middle of a plan to steal the throne for Prince Regal with the help of Galen, who tries to assassinate Verity. Fitz is poisoned and drowned, then, when finally he thinks he only has a few moments to live, manages to contact Verity to help him destroy Galen. He is rescued and healed by Jonqui afterward, the last pages of the book telling how much Fitz laments the death of Nosy during that event and the pain of an older narrator at writting this.
Editions
- An American English paperback edition was issued in New York by Bantam Books in 1995 with ISBN 0-553-37445-1. The cover of this edition is illustrated by Michael Whelan.
- A British English hardback edition was issued in London by Voyager/HarperCollins in 1995 with ISBN 0-00-224606-6. This edition's cover is illustrated by John Howe.