Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb Review

Here we go, the last book in the series. I will warn you right now that I am about to reveal some significant spoilers from the end of book two, so if you haven’t read book two, stop and fix that asap.

Ok.

That ending of book two, though, wow. Fitz isn’t dead. He’s alive. That’s two times he’s almost died, this time for real. Ok, he’s had many encounters with death. It’s something that he does. I assume, as he is the assassin for the king, that it’s just what comes with the job. Unfortunately. 

Anyway, King Regal is a winner. He’s told everyone that King Verity has died on his pilgrimage to find the elderlings. However, Fitz knows that to be a lie, using the skill and being able to use that to talk to King Verity and all. But King Verity isn’t doing too well, and we know that to be true. 

Molly, Fitz’s love, has left the castle and left him. She’s doing what she thinks is best. Molly tells Fitz she has someone else who requires her and will make the right choice. Fitz doesn’t understand this, yet when the truth comes out, he realizes he should have known what she was saying. Molly was pregnant with Fitz’s child. A little girl. He witnesses the birth by using his gift of the skill. So Fitz, the bastard, now has a daughter who is also a bastard. How ironic. Also, I should add that I am not using bastard loosely. It’s a term that is used broadly in the book. Robin Hobb names her characters it. So I’m in no way trying to be offensive in this review. I am using the language that Robin Hobb is also using and the names of her characters.

Let’s back up a bit, though. Regal had him tortured and pretty much killed in the dungeons. Fitz used the wit to have his wolf carry his soul for him until his body was safe to return to, which he needed help doing. Burrich told him that he could give his soul to his wolf. So the one man discouraging him from using the wit ended up being the one saving Fitz and informing him he must use it or die. 

Fitz eventually learns how to use his body again, being a man, and leaves to find King Verity. On his journey, he joins up with a Minstrel, who is determined to stick next to him as she will be sure to witness a song and make a name for herself. However, on their journey to cross the river to get to the mountains, they are attacked, and once again, Fitz comes very close to dying. He makes it to a village before he collapses, and who is the one who rescues him? None other than the fool. 

They journey to find King Verity, and you’ll have to read the book to discover what happens. But, unfortunately, I’ve already given too much away.

Let’s get into the rating of this book. I’ve stuck with Fitz for three solid books now, with pages around 800 each. That is dedication and a sign of how much I enjoyed these books. Robin Hobb’s writing has me addicted. I’m officially a fan. I will say that she has moments where the book is prolonged. She’s doing it on purpose, though. She’s explaining the world and history, but that doesn’t make it easier to read. But that doesn’t mean I enjoyed those parts. It was a sign of how much I cared about these characters that got me through the mundane details of the book.