Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Farseer: Royal Assassin
- Author: Robin Hobb
- Narrator: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 29:17:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 24/05/2010
- Publisher: Tantor Media
- Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
The first time I pressed play on Robin Hobb’s “Farseer: Royal Assassin”, I was winding through the misty highlands of Scotland, where crumbling castles seemed to whisper secrets much like the stone walls of Buckkeep. Paul Boehmer’s voice became my traveling companion through those fog-drenched valleys, his narration wrapping around me like the thick wool cloak Fitz might wear on his nighttime missions. This audiobook experience transformed my journey through physical landscapes into an equally rich exploration of Hobb’s intricate fantasy world.
Hobb’s second installment in the Farseer Trilogy deepens all the elements that made “Assassin’s Apprentice” remarkable, while raising the stakes to breathtaking heights. We find FitzChivalry Farseer returning to court physically and emotionally scarred from his first mission, only to be thrust into even more dangerous political machinations. What struck me most was how Hobb makes the personal feel epic – Fitz’s coming-of-age story becomes inseparable from the fate of the Six Duchies. The Red Ship Raiders’ attacks create a mounting sense of dread that Boehmer captures perfectly in his pacing, letting silence linger just long enough before delivering each new horror.
As someone who’s documented oral storytelling traditions from Oaxaca to Marrakech, I’m particularly attuned to how a narrator can make or break an audiobook. Boehmer’s performance is nothing short of masterful. He handles Hobb’s large cast with distinct voices that feel organic rather than performative – from the raspy menace of Regal to the warm wisdom of Chade. His portrayal of the Fool particularly stands out, capturing that character’s ethereal quality while grounding him in very real emotion. I found myself pausing the audiobook during my travels just to sit with particularly powerful moments, much like I would when a master storyteller in some distant village delivered a perfect line.
The novel’s exploration of loyalty and sacrifice resonated deeply with me. There’s a scene where Fitz bonds with Nighteyes that reminded me of watching a Bedouin tribesman in Wadi Rum communicate with his falcon – that wordless understanding between two beings that transcends species. Hobb writes these relationships with such authenticity that you can almost smell the wolf’s fur and feel the weight of the connection. Boehmer’s narration enhances this, his voice taking on a rough, guttural quality for Nighteyes that never veers into caricature.
Hobb’s worldbuilding continues to impress with its lived-in quality. Unlike many fantasy novels where magic systems feel tacked on, the Skill and the Wit are woven seamlessly into the cultural fabric of the Six Duchies. I particularly appreciated how the political tensions mirror real historical conflicts I’ve studied – the Red Ship Raiders’ attacks have the same destabilizing effect as Viking raids on medieval Europe, while the internal court politics wouldn’t feel out of place in Renaissance Italy. Boehmer handles all these layers with a storyteller’s instinct for rhythm, knowing when to let the prose sing and when to pull back.
If I have any criticism, it’s that the novel’s pacing occasionally suffers from Hobb’s meticulous attention to detail – a trait that becomes more pronounced in audio format. There were moments during long journeys or extended periods of Fitz’s introspection where I wished for slightly more narrative momentum. However, these are minor quibbles in what is otherwise a superb listening experience. The 24-hour runtime might seem daunting, but like the best travel experiences, the journey is its own reward.
For listeners new to epic fantasy, “Royal Assassin” serves as an excellent entry point, with Hobb’s focus on character making the genre trappings feel fresh and immediate. For longtime fans, it’s a masterclass in how to deepen a series’ mythology without losing sight of the human element. The audiobook format particularly shines in conveying the novel’s emotional weight – there’s something profoundly intimate about hearing Fitz’s struggles whispered directly into your ear, as if you’re privy to secrets not meant for the court at large.
As I stood on those Scottish cliffs listening to the final chapters, with the wind howling like the Wit and the sea crashing like the Red Ship Raiders’ assaults, I realized Hobb and Boehmer had done what all great storytellers do – they’d made their world feel more real than my surroundings. That’s the magic of this audiobook: it doesn’t just tell you a story, it takes you on a journey you’ll feel in your bones long after the final words fade.
May your literary journeys be ever rewarding, Marcus
Marcus Rivera
