Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb Summary
Overview of Assassin's Apprentice
A royal bastard becomes history's deadliest assassin in Robin Hobb's fantasy masterpiece - translated into 20 languages and celebrating 25 years with special illustrated editions. What dark secrets lie behind this character-driven epic that captivated 180,000 Goodreads readers with a 4.21 rating?
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A Bastard at the Castle Gates
The six-year-old boy stood bewildered at Buckkeep Castle's gates as his grandfather declared, "He's Prince Chivalry's bastard, fed at my table for six years with never a word or coin from his father." With those harsh words, the child was abandoned to a new life that would shape his destiny. Delivered to Burrich, the Prince's stableman, the boy's unmistakable Farseer features confirmed his royal blood-and created immediate political turmoil. Prince Chivalry, heir to the Six Duchies throne and renowned for his honor, had produced a bastard while his wife Patience remained childless. Without ever meeting his son, Chivalry abdicated his claim to the throne and retreated to a distant estate-a gentle exile for a man who would have been King. Housed in the stables under Burrich's stern care, the nameless boy discovered an innate ability to mentally connect with animals-a magic called the Wit that was considered unnatural and dangerous. When Burrich discovered this bond, he separated the boy from his beloved puppy Nosy, believing the magic would make him "less than human." The separation left the child feeling as if part of himself had been torn away. For years, the boy lived as a shadow in the stables, occasionally sneaking into Buckkeep Town to meet his few friends-including a girl called Molly who stood up to bullies despite her own troubles. These brief moments of freedom were his only escape from the loneliness of being unwanted and unnamed.
The King's Weapon
Blood-Red Ships and Stolen Souls
Magic's Double Edge
FitzChivalry Farseer: Named and Purposed
Betrayal in the Mountains
Finding Home in the Shadows
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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