ASSASSIN'S QUEST by ROBIN HOBB
Betrayed, tortured and left for dead, Fitz has survived the depredations of his mad uncle Regal and been taken to safety in the countryside of the Six Duchies. Plagued by nightmares and trauma, Fitz eventually recovers enough to swear himself to two tasks: the murder of Regal and the safe rescue of Verity, the long-missing true king.
Over the past six years I have read the book cover to cover and it has not failed to keep me enthralled. This book sits right there with Lord of the Rings in my opinion.There is a lot of mental processing on Fitz's part as he traverses his new life and new found mission. Others have found it boring and wished the writer had just skipped to the "good bits". However for me, it is actually how I get to be inside Fitz's head that I enjoyed the look. In real life, you do not get to skip to the good bits; before taking any meaningful action, you ruminate over and over again. I did wish that he had found a happier ending but then again such is life. There is no guarantee of glory at the end of the quest except the peace we choose to make within ourselves.
The story lays out the scope of all human existence and acts of extraordinary achievement. It is never about who has the strongest skill, the best training or resources but who has the strongest heart.
Visit this Youtube channel to get a round up on the trilogy.
Robin Hobb began her writing career as Megan Lindholm. A prolific scribbler in her high school years, she first began submitting fiction and poetry to magazines in the 1970’s. Her short story, “The Poaching,” was awarded a grant by the Alaska Council for the Arts and was republished in an anthology, Finding our Boundaries, in 1979. In the late seventies, she moved from writing children’s stories into the realm of fantasy and SF. As Megan Lindholm, she went on to publish ten novels, including The Gypsy, a collaboration with Steven Brust and numerous short stories. In 1995, she launched a parallel career under the pseudonym Robin Hobb, to publish epic fantasy written in a style that is very different from her style as Megan Lindholm. As Megan Lindholm, she continues to write and publish short stories.
Illustration brings a story to life. Magali Villeneuve is an amazing illustrator who does just that. His fan art is outstanding.
