Assassin's Apprentice

Robin Hobb

Book 1 of the Farseer Trilogy

I think this is the beginning of nice long diversion. Hobb has four trilogies in this Realm of the Elderlings world, and based on book 1, there are lots of possibilities. I like the fantasy and magic. I like that not everything is explained all at once (we will see if I keep liking that :), but at the same time enough clarity is provided so I am not just reading large portions of books with general confusion. Fitz is our protagonist and this story covers his discovery (at age 6) to his late teens, and all of his training and learning. Fitz is the illegitimate son of the heir to the Farseer throne. So political intrigue. He is largely oblivious to political intrigue, but clearly intelligent and his own person. So when he is secretly apprenticed to the kings assassin, and his talents are used to help rid the country of soulless victims of the Red Raiders, and he placed as a pawn in inter-kingdom diplomacy and subterfuge - Fitz doesn't always just "go along". A really good built world. What's next?

4 stars (out of 4)

The Ships of Air

 Martha Wells

Book 2 in the The Fall of Ile-Rien

This volume takes place mostly in Cineth, and Tremaine and her crew are using the parallel world as an escape hatch of epic size. And along the way, they are actually able to travel to the Guardier homeworld, which comes with its own surprises. Like the first volume, there is plenty of depthening as we, the readers, are continually let into more of the secret at the same time as Tremaine. I feel like I am discovering at the same rate that she is, and the confusion about what is really going on is part of the puzzle and fun of the reading. 

4 stars (out of 4)

The Wizard Hunters

Martha Wells

Book 1 in the The Fall of Ile-Rien

You know I love Martha Wells. Can't believe I hadn't read this series. On the surface, Tremaine is a fragile young protagonist without much self confidence. She lives in a world where a magical, invading force (The Guardier) is invading her country Ile-Rien. There seems to be no hope. But Tremaine is also full of mystery and strength beyond her own knowledge. We follow Tremaine as she discovers that the Guardier are actually invading by using a parallel universe as a staging grounds for the invasion. And that in this parallel world, there are both potential allies and enemies. I love the slow development of this plot, revealing the magic and the reality, the differences between the worlds as a way to tell the story of what Ile-Rien actually is. It is going to be a fun ride. 

4 stars (out of 4)