Royal Assassin (The Illustrated Edition)
Readers rate it 4.3 (1.4K on Hardcover)
797 pages · Released Nov 5, 2002 · Spectra
Content report card
What's inside
LGBTQ+ themes
What it offers
Educational value
A note for parents
Royal Assassin is a character-driven fantasy that explores themes of duty, loyalty, and sacrifice through a protagonist shaped by trauma and hardship. While it contains violence typical of the assassin-fantasy genre and some mature emotional content, it emphasizes emotional depth and moral growth rather than gratuitous action. The novel is best suited for mature teens who can handle complex moral ambiguity, psychological weight, and darker fantasy themes without being shocked by graphic content.
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From the publisher
“Fantasy as it ought to be written . . . Robin Hobb’s books are diamonds in a sea of zircons.”—George R. R. Martin Fitz has barely survived his first hazardous mission as king’s assassin. Battered and bitter, he vows to abandon his oath to King Shrewd, remaining in the distant mountains. But love and events of terrible... “Fantasy as it ought to be written . . . Robin Hobb’s books are diamonds in a sea of zircons.”—George R. R. Martin Fitz has barely survived his first hazardous mission as king’s assassin. Battered and bitter, he vows to abandon his oath to King Shrewd, remaining in the distant mountains. But love and events of terrible urgency draw him back to the court at Buckkeep, and into the deadly intrigues of the royal family. Renewing their vicious attacks on the coast, the Red-Ship Raiders leave burned-out villages and demented victims in their wake. The kingdom is also under assault from within, as treachery threatens the throne of the ailing king. In this time of great danger, the fate of the kingdom may rest in Fitz’s hands—and his role in its salvation may require the ultimate sacrifice. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Robin Hobb's Assassin's Quest. Praise for Robin Hobb and Royal Assassin “[Robin] Hobb continues to revitalize a genre that often seems all too generic, making it new in ways that range from the subtle to the shocking.”—Locus “[Royal Assassin] reaches astonishing new heights. . . . The Farseer saga is destined for greatness—a must-read for every devotee of epic fantasy.”—Sense of Wonder
Shelved under
- Fiction
- Strong Character Development
- Loveable Characters
- A mix driven
- Not Diverse Characters
- Diverse Characters
- Character driven
- Unloveable Characters
- Plot driven
- fantasy
- Weak Character Development
- Adventurous
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ISBN 9780553897494 · Spectra