Assassin's Quest

SYNOPSIS:

Fitz is about to discover the truth about the Fool's prophecy.

Having been resurected from his fatal tortures in Regal's dungeons, Fitz has once more foiled the Prince's attempts to be rid of him.

REVIEW

(4 STARS)

Idea (15/20) What an improvement! I'm glad I kept reading this trilogy otherwise I would've lost major plot-twists! I loved how original the dragon factor was and how she developed everything surrounding the Skill and the Wit. Plot (12/20) Even though the book starts with a powerful moment that made me stay awake late at night, it loses its consistency afterwards. The story begins to drag its pace and gets more tedious with the quest to find Verity losing its primary focus. Of course, there are some interesting moments in between, but most of the times, Hobb presents us with a series of unfortunate events that tend to be very similar among themselves. Sometimes, it felt like the author was more focused on writing a big book instead of a compelling story. Most times, the plot was very predictable and too descriptive to my liking. I loved certain parts of the book with a fierce passion while hating others with the same amount of repulsion. Some bits needed more development (like when Fitz finds Old Blood), while others could've been shortened off (his obsession with killing Regal). Overall, the plot was engaging even if too extensive. It happened the same as in previous books where the whole action takes place in the last hundred pages of the book and then a million things are left unexplained. Characters (15/20) Is it enough to say that the only character that truly annoyed me was Fitz? While everyone else seemed to be growing and overcoming their fears and problems, Fitz kept making all the wrong decisions. I understand and respect his trauma, but for someone so intelligent, he sure acted dumb. He didn't see the plots and conspiracy Regal had planned for him and he treated the ones that cared about him so bad I would never have forgiven him. He's a man-child that needs some serious growing. I had no other grievances with any of the characters (except the bad guys, of course). I even liked Starling! I think she's a strong female character, with a sharp mind and a deep knowledge of the world around her. However, Nighteyes keeps on being my favourite! World (18/20) I think this is the sphere where Robin Hobb truly shines. Her imagination never ceases to surprise me! First of all, she takes us all around the Six Duchies, creating a land of different weather, languages and people. She lets her spirit run wild and presents us to diverse fauna and flora without being too taxing or repetitive. Then, she takes several ideas that exist already in fantasy (the ability to talk to animals or telepathy) and makes it more intricate. She's like a fairy godmother, that beautifies everything she touches. Writing (18/20) There's nothing I can say that's new. Hobb is an amazing fantasy writer who seduces you at first sight (or, shall I say paragraph?). Even though I found this book too long, I never got tired of her writing, that appears to come so effortlessly. She knows exactly what to do to make you interested, and exactly how to be descriptive without being tiresome. I just wish she was more succinct when it comes to the plot, but otherwise, I love to read her work.