Robin Hobb’s Farseer book series comes in comic form! Check out the adventures of Fitz as he navigates through a tricky situation in Assassin’s Apprentice #1 by Dark Horse Comics!

Assassin's Apprentice #1 Review — You can read this issue via our Amazon affiliate link

ASSASSIN’S APPRENTICE #1 (OF 6)

Writer: Robin Hobb and Jody Houser
Artist: Ryan Kelly
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Editor: Brett Israel
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: December 14th, 2022

Previously in Assassin’s Apprentice: Robin Hobb is the pen name of Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden and is an American writer of speculative fiction. Winning several awards for her fantasy world, Realm of the Elderlings. Hobbs has taken her first book, Assassin’s Apprentice, to comic book form with scriptwriter Jody Houser!

CHIVALRY’S BASTARD

Assassin’s Apprentice #1 starts with a boy being dropped off at a military outpost. The boy is supposedly the King’s bastard. The men of the outpost, unsure of what to do, keep him fed and give him a bed with the hounds. The boy, who doesn’t have a name, is taken care of by Burrich, the stablemaster and hound master. Burrich names the kid Fitz and realizes that Fitz has an affinity for animals. Unbeknownst to everyone, Fitz can telepathically communicate with animals and bond with one of the dogs.

Meanwhile, Fitz’s identity is confirmed as the King’s bastard, and Fitz is ordered to go to Buckkeep. The only issue is that while the King wants to see his son, his wife does not.

A DANGEROUS SITUATION

I have found books to other mediums to be a difficult transition. Novels have a tone of room to explore specific ideas. At the same time, a comic book series is limited to a particular number of pages. However, a comic book allows visuals to fill in some of those details. Assassin’s Apprentice #1 seems like a decently faithful adaptation of the book. I admit I haven’t read this book in over ten years, but the essential details are still there if my memory serves me correctly. However, there is a lot of character conflict and drama when Fitz arrives at Buckkeep. I ponder if those ideas can be explored within a limited page count. Regardless, I’m engaged and interested in Fitz’s journey thus far.

The art is good as well. I took a specific interest in the linework on the character’s faces, which portrays a lot of emotion. That and the interpretation of Fitz’s magic are enough to show the audience what is going on but not overwhelming. Excellent work by the creative team here.

BOTTOM LINE: GREAT START

I really like Assassin’s Apprentice #1. As a comic book, it does a great job of hooking the reader in. As a fantasy novel adaptation, it has done its best without reducing many details and overwhelming the reader. I’m excited and curious to see how they continue this momentum in the next issue. This comic is a solid 4.5 out of 5 from me.

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