I've seen multiple glowing reviews for this book, so I knew I was in for a treat. The book follows Fitz, the bastard of a prince after his maternal grandpa drops him off at the castle, demanding that father's family take him in. Maybe I just don't read a lot of high fantasy, but I don't think I have ever read anything quite like this book, the plot lines are interesting, and the characters have so much depth. I felt so much for Fitz as he learned about court and the world that he was thrust into. He starts out just be raised by man in charge of the stables before being recognized by the king and receiving a more formal education and training - he also secretly begins being trained as an assassin by the king's current assassin. I never knew what to expect or where the plot line would take us next. I liked learning the backstory of the realm through Fitz and I liked how things weren't black and white, many of the characters did things that were likeable and dislikeable.  

After all that praise, you might be wondering why I only gave the book 4 stars. Despite enjoying it immensely, the book never reached a level of unputdownable for me. I was reading it in 30-minute increments and each time my timer went off, I had no problem putting the book down and moving on to whatever I had going on next. 

Synopsis:

In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma.

Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals - the old art known as the Wit - gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility.

So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.

Goodreads | Amazon