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Assassin’s Apprentice

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Assassin’s Apprentice

By: Robin Hobb
Narrated by: Joe Eyre
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‘Fantasy as it ought to be written’ George R.R. Martin

The kingdom of the Six Duchies is on the brink of civil war when news breaks that the crown prince has fathered a bastard son and is shamed into abdication. The child’s name is Fitz, and he is despised.

Raised in the castle stables, only the company of the king’s fool, the ragged children of the lower city, and his unusual affinity with animals provide Fitz with any comfort.

To be useful to the crown, Fitz is trained as an assassin; and to use the traditional magic of the Farseer family. But his tutor, allied to another political faction, is determined to discredit, even kill him. Fitz must survive: for he may be destined to save the kingdom.

©1995 Robin Hobb (P)2026 HarperCollins Publishers Action & Adventure Animals Dragons & Mythical Creatures Epic Fantasy Genre Fiction Assassin Royalty Thought-Provoking
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Critic reviews

'Hobb is one of the great modern fantasy writers … what makes her novels as addictive as morphine is not just their imaginative brilliance but the way her characters are compromised and manipulated by politics.'
The Times
‘In today’s crowded fantasy market Robin Hobb’s books are like diamonds in a sea of zircons’
George R.R. Martin
‘Hobb is superb’ Conn Iggulden
‘Hobb is a remarkable storyteller’ Guardian
‘This is a historical novel with a sly touch of magic. The first in the Farseer trilogy, this book will get new readers hooked on a series that recalls HBO’s Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings’ Telegraph
All stars
Most relevant
I am not going to comment on the writing. I have read and reread this book as a paperback and audiobook multiple times. With the audiobook, I often found myself annoyed at the inconsistencies in pronunciation of names and bored, monotonous delivery among other things. So, imagine my suprise and delight that this has been rerecorded. Finally, they found an actor who is a joy to listen to. I haven't listened to the next to books yet, but this one is perfect. I really hope they will do the whole series with this actor. Thank you!

a balm to my heart

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This Is a book I've known and loved for a very long time. I first borrowed it from the library when it was released. I decided to revisit the series and first bought the Kindle version and have now followed up with the Audible version.
I absolutely loved the voice, Pacing and ability to adopt the different voices and accents for all the characters and it has really helped me to fully immerse myself in the story. I am still reading later books from the store series on my Kindle and find myself using this narrators accents with the characters in my head. Definitely the sign of a good audio book.

A Fantastic Story, Well Read

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I love this book, read it years ago and couldn’t resist giving it a listen when I spotted it on audible. The story is quite complex so the audio version actually helped me a lot to understand some details I missed. The narrator is fantastic he’s done an amazing job of characterisation whilst keeping a good pace, resulting in a highly immersive listening experience. Immediately on to the next one in the trilogy!

Really fantastic- praise to the narrator

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I really enjoyed coming back to this series after many years, the narration is fantastic. I really hope Joe Eyre returns for the later series.

Brought alive by narrator

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A gripping, masterfully written story that draws you into its world, further elevated by Paul Boehmer’s narration.

A gripping story

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