Book · 1995
Assassin's Apprentice
by Robin Hobb
A bastard prince trained as an assassin narrates sixteen books of loss, loyalty, and one very long grudge against fate.
What does Reddit think of Assassin's Apprentice?
r/Fantasy owns this recommendation: 1665 of 2255 total mentions, next to 447 on r/suggestmeabook and 143 on r/printSF. It comes up constantly as the answer to best character work in fantasy, usually pointed directly against Sanderson — one thread argues his plots are strong but his characters aren't, and Robin Hobb gets offered as the corrective. The warning is as consistent as the praise. One commenter (↑382) says the books made them feel blue for weeks and quit halfway through twice; another (↑1652) tells a reader they'll be emotionally destroyed but the destination is worth it. Fitz himself gets called endearing and "a frickin idiot" (↑354) in the same breath, which is the general shape of the fandom's affection: total, but not blind. Mentions have stayed remarkably steady, never dropping below 266 in any of the seven tracked years.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · character-driven fantasy
- · emotional endurance as reading experience
- · found family and betrayal
- · the unreliable, self-sabotaging narrator
Common praise
- + Readers point to Fitz as the character-work benchmark other fantasy protagonists get measured against.
- + The Sanderson comparison keeps surfacing, with commenters arguing Hobb does what his plot-driven books skip.
- + The top recommendation (↑1652) calls it the best-written characters the commenter has ever read, full stop.
Common criticism
- − One reader (↑382) says the books are too sad and quit halfway through twice because the mood bled into daily life.
- − Fitz's decision-making gets mocked even by fans, who call him 'a frickin idiot' (↑354) in the middle of recommending him.
Who it's for
Come here for the character work, not the worldbuilding pace. If you've bounced off Sanderson because his casts feel functional rather than felt, r/Fantasy points here directly, 1665 of the book's 2255 mentions. Sixteen books across five series is a real commitment, so don't start Farseer expecting a quick read; expect, per one commenter, to come out the other side emotionally destroyed. A book that reliably darkens your mood for weeks, by a fan's own admission, is worth weighing against your year before you start it.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for Assassin's Apprentice?
Top-upvoted quotes across the subreddits where this book is mentioned. Click through to read the full thread.
“I am sorry to do this to you but it is exactly what you've asked for. Fantastic prose, the best written characters I've ever read and incredible character arcs. The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb. You will be emotionally destroyed but the journey (and the destination) is worth it. Amazing…
“Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
“Sanderson is a widely prolific author, but character work is NOT the reason why. His characters are above-average interesting, but nothing more. What he excels at is plot-driven narratives (in opposition to character-driven narratives). As others have said, one great author for character work is J…
“> What I do know is what matters most to me: characters Read Robin Hobb, start with Farseer Trilogy.
“The Farseer Trilogy is probably the best example of what you're looking for.
“Try Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb. Sixteen books long, divided into five smaller series. Dragons, very realistic characters, strong female characters. Might not tick/avoid all your points, but many of them.
“The Farseer trilogy. To me it’s too sad and Fitz is too unhappy for me to enjoy the books. I’ve stopped reading halfway through the second book twice, the second time was because I realized the book was affecting my mood in the rest of my life, I just felt blue while reading it and I low-key dreaded…
“Fitz chivalry farseer it's a very interesting very courageous, very determined character and I enjoyed following his story immensely for every second as far as I am into the series. He's also a frickin idiot
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Readers also mention
All books like Assassin's Apprentice →Books that share discussion threads with Assassin's Apprentice — counted from the comments, not curated.
Gardens of the Moon
Steven Erikson
An empire quietly marks its own soldiers for death, and the gods are already choosing sides before the Bridgeburners find out.
The Blade Itself
Joe Abercrombie
Nine-Fingers the barbarian just wants to survive one more winter, but a torturer's investigation and a prince's war have other plans.
The Eye of the World
Robert Jordan
A farm boy's village burns in one night, and the Aes Sedai who saves him says the Dark One marked him before he could walk.
A Wizard of Earthsea
Ursula K. Le Guin
A prideful young mage summons a nameless shadow to prove his power, then spends years learning to face it instead of running.
Mistborn: The Final Empire
Brandon Sanderson
A street thief gets recruited into a heist crew plotting to overthrow a god-emperor who has ruled unchallenged for a thousand years.
A Game of Thrones
George R. R. Martin
A direwolf litter found beside a dead stag opens a decades-spanning war for the Iron Throne with no guaranteed survivors.
Assassin's Apprentice — frequently asked
Is Realm of the Elderlings worth the sixteen-book commitment?+
r/Fantasy thinks so overwhelmingly, 1665 of 2255 total mentions, more than either r/suggestmeabook or r/printSF combined. The top comment (↑1652) warns you'll be 'emotionally destroyed' but insists the destination is worth it, which is the general shape of the endorsement across threads.
How does Realm of the Elderlings compare to Sanderson's fantasy?+
Threads use it as the direct counterpoint. One highly upvoted comment argues Sanderson is plot-driven with above-average but not exceptional characters, while Robin Hobb is offered as the author who actually delivers character-driven fantasy.
Is Fitz a good narrator in Realm of the Elderlings?+
Divisive in a specific way: fans love him and mock him in the same sentence. One commenter (↑354) calls him 'a frickin idiot' immediately after praising his courage and determination across the series.
Why do people warn you before reading Realm of the Elderlings?+
Because the emotional toll is treated as real, not hyperbole. One reader (↑382) says the books made them feel blue for weeks and that they quit halfway through the second book twice before finishing, which is a common enough caveat to show up unprompted in recommendation threads.