The first instalment of the Farseer trilogy, it is a novel with an enthralling story that is gracefully written and will appeal to many readers over a long period of time due to it not being set in a current time scale or world. It tells the tale of an unfortunate child, a bastard, who has been left at 6 in the care of the palace stable master, Burrich, because his parents and relatives reject him. In Buckkeep Castle he works hard and his loyalty to his king and grandfather is bound by oath when offered the chance to become a royal assassin. Lost without purpose, Fitz, as he has been branded by Burrich, takes this chance to belong. He also manages to gain a friend in Buckkeep town in the form of the exciting Molly Nosebleed, a girl who provides an escape from the rigid hierarchy of the castle. However with friends come enemies and in his over-ambitious half-brother Prince Regal there is someone who will stop at nothing to worm his way to the crown and find the most painful way possible to dispose of Fitz in the progress. Also troubling the land of the Six Duchies are the Red Ship Raiders who mercilessly plunder the coasts of the land, leaving grief and despair in the form of the mysterious Forging.
Hobb’s writing skills are at the fore in this novel as she aims to write a novel that will entrance many a teenager’s imagination. Like a siren would a sailor, she entices the reader into the depths of the book where they can truly experience the masterful characterisation and writing style. The constant appearance of a twist in the story keeps the ideas fresh and entertaining, preventing the reader from being able to place it back on the shelf. It is a book that will be loved by many readers and I would recommend it to confident readers at 14+. A thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring story which rivals other similar classics of its kind.
Douglas, 17
