"The Apprentice murderess" Robin Hobb is the first volume of a trilogy, done, published by the publishing house Fanucci fantasy in the series. The story told in the fantasy genre can be found some elements, but it is worth pointing out that not meet elves, dwarves, dragons, magicians and other figures are typical of this kind of narrative, rather than the fantasy element is immaterial, discreet, hidden, and ancestral the opposite of a magic visible invoked, jarring and ostentatious, but rather closely linked with skill and talent of the individual: a magic that has mental or expansion in the Art of the Spirit beyond its borders, its origin and strength. It 's a dark magic and ethereal that when you will be charmed.
In this first volume of the trilogy is narrated growth and learning of the Bastard Fitz, the Court of Castelcervo, kingdom of Lungavita. Fitz is not a common boy but the real bastard and his descendants will only lead him to become the instrument of the King, the murderess of the court, who acts in the shade where war and diplomacy fail to arrive. Court recognized Fitz will learn many other arts, such as the use of weapons and the rules of etiquette, as well as his secret apprentice, but before anything else will have to struggle to survive, including intrigue and betrayal, in a room with him He considers it a hostile way and a threat and then to delete.
must not fall into false hopes or misconceptions: we eliminate the memory from the mind of the typical story of an orphan and poor, but the real origins, and after mishaps and adventures will be recognized and upheld in court, where he will find redemption and ultimately happiness. This novel is rare happiness is fleeting and when it appears, double-edged, well others are feeling and the harsh tones that accompany the growth of Fitz. At the age of six years will be torn from his mother's arms and taken to court Lungavita and the care of these Burrich, the confidence man, the groom and dog trainer of Prince Chevalier, the father of Fitz. The child will be raised to the rugged, quiet and loyal man, to the Village of Castelcervo, away from the Castle and, perhaps, those years will be less unhappy and most carefree of the child, although the relationship between them will be characterized by mutual incomprehension, that poison and choke every expression of affection, as Fitz will remember: "We were both tied in solitude, and looking every night we saw the one who believed responsible .
only consolation for Fitz will be the discovery of possessing the Spirit, maternal inheritance, the subtle magic of communicating with animals, dogs in particular, to the possibility of complete mind meld with them.
the tenth birthday of Fitz's life will be disrupted again by the decisions of others: on the order of wise King will be welcomed to the Court and entrusted to his special training, the mysterious, intelligent and dangerous Umbra, who will teach his deadly art. It will be with him that the boy be able to find a semblance of emotional balance and confidence, but happiness does not seem to be written in his destiny so that the imposition of the King that also learn the art, the magic inherent in Lungavita, shocked once again, but more dangerously, the life of Fitz.
background we follow the struggles among the six that make up the United Ducati, the court intrigues, and especially the struggle against an external enemy of the Kingdom and terrible, Pirates of the red ship, coming from the sea, are able to bring the madness in the mind and in the hearts of the people of the villages in which they carry out their raids.
Hobb The world in which the moves the characters is that, many times experienced in fantasy fiction, which brings to mind a medieval setting typed. The thing to note, however, is the attempt by the author to break the static landscape, in which several sottoscenari Fitz grew up and lived his adventures, then tying them into a single credible diverse world. There will be only the Castle in an elevated position with the town to siege, but also the port with its zone of more or less disreputable inns and their cargo of variously degraded humanity, there will be cities and the inland mountain areas with their populations and expanses of forests and swamps to separate them. The author demonstrates ability to maintain a good trade between the actions carried out in closed environments and those in open spaces, so that there is a constant dynamism, combined with smoothness and continuity of the narrative, making it extremely enjoyable reading.
I think the strength of this book, however, is to be found in characters created in their characterization and thickness. There is the duality of good / bad, black and white, but all are depicted in gray scale, the actors are not examples of virtue nor a melting pot of sins, then the reader is to understand those who show an imperfect beings and the higher the opportunity to understand different points of view. Not everything that appears, then, is an expression of reality, the human soul is dark and complex, contradictory and Fitz, at his expense, he will find out quickly. As will be forced to accept the near-impossibility of being masters of their destiny, the difficulty of free choice and the torment of being faithful to duty even at the expense of their sense of justice. Fitz is the bastard real
apparently simple figure, and revolve around him and interact with a number of intriguing and complex characters, whose ties with the boy and the mysterious past of each of them, their true nature, are the elements of strength and structure of the novel: Umbra, Burrich, the Fool, Veritas it out for the interest Reader! The care of the characters discusses the importance of dialogue, never dull and always incisive and shaped by the personalities of protagonisti.Il novel is written in first person, the past, and the narrative voice is that of Fitz, I personally find this difficult choice not only courageous but also highly successful. The ideas and moods of the protagonist, child-adult, involving intense, creating a charming atmosphere and a unique bond of trust between the narrator and the individual reader. You will get to follow with the participation of the painful process of growth of the boy, who suffer not only for the birthmark that will force him on the edge of the royal family, but especially for his condition as "different between the different" because of his nature that he is forced to hide. The loneliness and misunderstanding between him and those around him, with the corollary of emotions caused by this condition, are perhaps the feelings that accompany those of his better years, but emotions fortify his character, allowing it to rise again after the countless falls.
The version I read is not in the original language, but the Italian translation by Paola CARTOCETO and according to this judge the style of Hobb smooth, precise and nice without being heavy or redundant.
Robin Hobb, The Apprentice murderess, Pocket Imaginary Fanucci (ISBN 88-347-1088-6)
This review I wrote several months ago at the end of reading the first book of the Saga of Lungavita. Since then I not only finished the trilogy but I started reading the series follows. Re-reading this review a sense of dissatisfaction pervaded me: I find it cold, a little exciting and a bit 'petulant. Especially one thing, though, I rode: I realize I have not been able to make the richness and fullness and beauty of these books. Know that you are excited. You will be involved. We become attached. I had to specify it for good. In short, read it!
