Assassin's Apprentice

Not even 50 pages into “The Assassin's Apprentice” and Robin Hobb has taken my heart and punctured it straight through. And again twice more later on, leading me to cry, lose my breath, and immediately vow to read more of this amazing 16-book series.

The characters live and breathe, whether people or animals. The court intrigue twisted and turned, made even more unpredictable by the two sets of magical abilities (the Wit and the Skill). On top of that, mysterious and menacing red ships lay waste to the coastlines Forging people into near zombies.

There are beautifully written passages, so well done that I can smell the salt spray of waves crashing against the cliffs outside Buckkeep or smell the herbs in the chandlery.

The 25th Anniversary illustrated edition is a real pleasure and I was lucky to get it from a local library. Even without the lovely illustrations, the book would be amazing.