Last week, I launched this feature so I can yap about all things RoTE. I’m already into the second book of the Farseer Trilogy, so I figured I’d make a recap for the first book too. This week, I’m sharing my first entry to make up for Assassin’s Apprentice. It’s been a couple of months since I read Assassin’s Apprentice, and while I don’t remember every single detail of every chapter, I remember how it made me feel—and I think that’s enough to keep going.
What stuck with me the most:
- Fitz was a child caught in something way bigger than himself.
- He was constantly torn between duty, longing for love, and just… trying to survive.
- There was a gruff, horse-loving guardian I grew to care for (even when he was frustrating).
- Magic wasn’t flashy—it felt wild and intimate, like something dangerous you whispered about.
- There was someone hidden in the shadows teaching him how to be useful (and deadly).
- The palace life was full of politics and power plays, but Fitz was always skirting the edges of it.
- A few animals stole my heart. And yeah, maybe I cried a little. Maybe.
No detailed recap here—just a memory log. But it’s wild how even vague memories of Hobb’s writing still hit hard. I remember the atmosphere more than anything: lonely, harsh, but weirdly cozy? Like I was living in the halls of Buckkeep with Fitz, just trying to keep my head down and not die.
I was worried I wouldn’t be able to pick things up again, but Royal Assassin kind of welcomed me back like I never left. The tone, the pain, the quiet magic—it’s all still there. And I’m already emotionally invested. Again.
Wow, this is easily a 5-star read for me and is now probably my most favorite Junji Ito by far! Fragments of Horror consists 10 short stories with different themes.
This book caught my attention the very first time I learned about it—one of the reasons is that my lolo is from Isabela which makes him Ilocano and Lam-ang is based on the Ilocano epic Biag ni Lam-ang.
Lenn of Spades ♠ 