L'Assassin du roi

3.5 starsRoyal Assassin was like a breath of fresh air compared to the first book in this series. The endless telling, political conversations, and generally slow plot have all but gone. In its place is a plot and character-driven story which moves, twists, and turns just as an assassin-themed book should.Royal Assasin does start with a slow build, but this time, it seems to make sense. Rather than a means to do slow world-building (as it was in the first book). Things happen and although it did drag in parts with an overload of information, it was much better in terms of pacing and action.There are some characters within this series that are fun and entertaining to read. One of those is the Fool. He has just enough subtlety and chaotic energy that sucks you into a scene. Another is Kettricken. While reading, I started to wish I was reading the story from Kettricken's perspective. I wanted to learn more about her upbringing, and her journey to this new place. The struggles she went through and the change she brought about. At points in the book, I felt her story would be much more interesting and fascinating to follow. For such a long book though, it feels weird for it to be so focused on such a small set of characters and plot points. I understand court intrigue and murder plots are interesting enough, but it feels a little too confined to one location. Towards the end of this book, it felt as though it should have reached out more. I guess that's the result of focusing on just one character.I did feel the overarching 'big bad' wasn’t threatening though. In fact, it felt kind of mundane and normal. Although the characters talk about it a lot and there is some focus on it, they're doing nothing substantial about it. This is probably because we're following an assassin as the main character, not a king.Having said all this, I did feel myself getting sucked into the story. The last handful of chapters were incredibly emotional and violent. Honestly, it's one of the things I like about this series. It doesn't shy away from the reality and the violence of what’s happening.The end was beautifully written, almost as though the author had really gotten into her stride. It was emotional and atmospheric. I really enjoyed it. If only the series started out that way.For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel

I gave Assassin’s Apprentice a solid 3.75 stars, and honestly, I expected to rate Royal Assassin lower. The first three-quarters of the book dragged so much I started to lose hope. But then Robin Hobb did what she always does.She starts slow. Painfully slow. But she does it for a reason. She's a master of planting seeds so quietly you don’t even notice until they all bloom into something breathtaking right at the end. The final chapters of Royal Assassin hit me like a tidal wave. Everything that had been slowly, carefully building just erupted into this unforgettable, gut-wrenching climax. I was floored. I will never recover, I fear. The pacing may be slow, but by the time you reach the ending, you realize it had to be. Every moment mattered. Robin Hobb’s prose is rich and absorbing and surprisingly cozy. You don’t just observe the characters, you become them. You feel their fears, their shame, their quiet joys. Even the side characters are vivid and alive. Burrich, Patience, Lacey, Kettricken, and the Fool. They’ve all carved out a little corner in my heart.And the magic. The Skill and the Wit are explored so much more deeply in this book, and Fitz’s bond with Nighteyes was one of my favorite parts. Their connection was so compelling and interesting to read about.As for the romance… I am such a sucker for yearning and heartbreak and all the messy emotions in between. Fitz and Molly gave me all of that. At times it was exhausting, frustrating even, but I still found myself rooting so hard for them. I need them to get their happy ending. If they don’t, I might have a personal vendetta against Robin Hobb.And then there's Regal. REGAL. That man infuriates me to no end. How did everyone just… not see it? After all his scheming in the first book, how was he still allowed to slither around unchecked? He got away with far too much for far too long, and it drove me insane. I cant think of anything else but this world and its characters and I’m so ready for Assassin’s Quest.