Just started Royal Assassin

[AuntiePam]

Royal Assassin and Assassin's Quest came in the mail. I was reading the text on the back covers, and the stuff on the back of Quest really gives a lot away about what happened in Royal Assassin.

If I worried about spoilers I'd have been ticked off.

Anyways. Royal Assassin started off a bit slow. The prologue was a bit wordy and Fitz is being pretty whiny, but then the actual story starts and wow, there's Fitz in Shrewd's head and we're all in Siltbay. Outstanding.

I'm tickled pink about these books.


**MOD EDIT**

CARE, there are plenty of spoilers to follow in this thread...

Thanks, Juzzza

[Crow]

I like Royal Assassin best because it deals with intrigue more. Regal is a very cool antagonist, fun to hate, but he's also understandable, not evil.

[AuntiePam]

I dunno, he's pretty evil so far. I can understand Regal trying to take over if he thinks Verity won't do a good job or that Verity would be bad for the Duchies, but so far, all I'm getting is that he's ambitious.

I do like a good villain though, especially if he's not totally bad.

[Crow]

Well, it's not that he thinks he can do better, it's that he's a spoiled brat and he believes he is more regal. He thinks he's of better blood than his brothers, and his mother drilled it in his head that this was so. Also(Not sure if this happened in AA or RA), he believes his father killed his mother, but really she just killed herself with herbs.

His mother babied him, and he truly thought his father killed her, so of course he's going to try and get back at his dad and brothers.

[AuntiePam]

I got the impression from AA that maybe there was some foul play involved in Regal's mother's death.

Early on, they're saying she did it to herself, but there was a hint later that someone may have helped her along, given her stuff that was too powerful.

I guess it doesn't matter which is true, as long as that's what Regal thinks. More motivation there.

[Crow]

If it did, it either wasn't explained in latter books, or I might have missed it. Fitz also tells you several times during the trilogy that he believed she killed herself with her indulgence to herbs.

[Eldanuumea]

Originally Posted by AuntiePam

Royal Assassin and Assassin's Quest came in the mail. I was reading the text on the back covers, and the stuff on the back of Quest really gives a lot away about what happened in Royal Assassin.

If I worried about spoilers I'd have been ticked off.

Anyways. Royal Assassin started off a bit slow. The prologue was a bit wordy and Fitz is being pretty whiny, but then the actual story starts and wow, there's Fitz in Shrewd's head and we're all in Siltbay. Outstanding.

I'm tickled pink about these books.

It's wonderful to see these books get more avid readers. The more I read, the more I consider Hobb the finest published writer of fantasy. I enjoy many other authors a great deal......Douglas, Marillier, Martin, Carey, among others.......but there is just something about Hobb's world and characters that resonates more deeply with me.
Maybe I just have a hopeless "crush" on FitzChivalry Farseer (blush).

[AuntiePam]

Is Nighteyes the wolf? I'm at the part where Fitz is caring for him, but he hasn't given the cub a name yet.

While I'm here, I gotta say it's great that you guys are here too. It's making the books even more enjoyable for me, your insights and stuff.

[Eldanuumea]

Yes, Nighteyes is Fitz's wolf, the animal he has bonded with. I love his sense of humor, and the wisdom he often shares with Fitz.

[Crow]

You'll have to keep reading about the cub to find out, it's not him though, he dies before he can get very big. Fitz finds another wolf though, later in the story, his name is Nighteyes because he can see really well in the dark.

[Eldanuumea]

Originally Posted by Talan

You'll have to keep reading about the cub to find out, it's not him though, he dies before he can get very big. Fitz finds another wolf though, later in the story, his name is Nighteyes because he can see really well in the dark.

(slaps head in disgust)
What was I thinking?
I forgot about the one before Nighteyes.

[Evil Agent]

Um.. I'm pretty sure you guys are wrong!

The cub wolf IS Nighteyes, there was only ever ONE wolf. Fitz had 2 dogs before that, maybe that's what you're thinking of. And again, let's be careful of spoilers for people who haven't read the trilogy yet.

As for Nighteyes, he was one of my favorite parts of the whole series, probably because I'm a hopeless animal lover, I want to adopt every animal I see at the SPCA. The minute Fitz found that wolf, I felt I had bonded to him as well!

I find it unfathomable that some people don't love animals!

[Burrich]

Originally Posted by Eldanuumea

It's wonderful to see these books get more avid readers. The more I read, the more I consider Hobb the finest published writer of fantasy. I enjoy many other authors a great deal......Douglas, Marillier, Martin, Carey, among others.......but there is just something about Hobb's world and characters that resonates more deeply with me.

I agree completely. I think Hobb has set a new standard.

[Evil Agent]

It's such a good book! Hobb always feeds you more and more intrigue and explanation, through the little blurbs before the chapters, and through all the various characters like Chade, etc. I love how Hobb's world is always like this continously unfolding mystery/tapestry.

With regard to Regal in particular, I found him to be one of the most memorable villains I've ever read. I couldn't get a handle on him, at first I thought he was pure evil, then as Hobb showed me different angles on him I wasn't as sure, then I hated him again...He just really stood out for me, making the book dark and tense. Even though I hated him, I loved all the little scenes where he encountered Fitz in the hallways, sometimes bumping into him on purpose...

Fitz is 'The Bastard', but I think that name fits Regal much better!

[Crow]

Even though I think Hobb did a good job with all that you said, I believe that George R.R. Martin does a better job with it. Regal was one of my favorite villains, but Tywin, Jaime, Tyrion, Cersei, Little Finger, and on and on are much more 3d.

Actually, I don't even think Tyrion is a villain anymore, he's probably my second favorite character after Jon Snow, possibly first.