Assassin's Apprentice

by J.B. Redmond, S.R. Vaught, Susan Vaught

Book Overview

A murderer shoves a prince to his "death." An assassin legally kidnaps a terrified boy. A ruling lord orders an atrocity so devastating it will change the course of history. So begins this highly... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1599901625
• ISBN13: 9781599901626
• Release Date: May 2009
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Length: 374 Pages
• Weight: 1.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.1"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Assassin's Apprentice

I came across Assassin's Apprentice in the library and picked it up without even reading the jacket. Some assassin-in-training books that I've read have been good, others have been horrible. I was expecting this book to be mostly training and eventually, well, assassination. Now I know I shouldn't have judged this book based on my previous experience. Assassin's Apprentice is just my cup of tea. The author does not explain every little detail to the reader right away. You actually have to pay attention, read between the lines, and think a bit. Nor does the author give the back story of every character. Events in each character's pasts are hinted upon, but never explained. Nothing makes me want to eat a book up more than great characters with mysterious pasts. In addition, Assassin's Apprentice has a great plot. I am very interested in the Thorn and Stone guilds as well as the ruling houses, and that is something I hardly ever experience when reading fantasy books. As mentioned previously, the characters are strong. They are multidimensional and flawed. You will find no perfect heroes here, and I love it. I can't wait for the next installment in this series. When I first saw the reviews I thought they may be biased, but they are spot on. This book really is good. My only complaint would be that the second part of the novel drags a bit. My interest peaked in the first part and fell off a bit on parts two and three. That doesn't change the fact that I really enjoyed the book and would read the second installment in a heartbeat. Be warned there is a massive cliffhanger ending. Don't expect anything to be resolved in this installment.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Aron of Brailing dreams of raising animals, but his dreams are shattered when he is "harvested" by the Stone Guild and forced to become an assassin's apprentice. Unfortunately, someone would rather see Aron dead. Forced to train with his strange new master, Stormbreaker, and an even stranger young woman named Dari, Aron must learn to control his powerful legacy or meet certain death. Aron isn't sure what lies ahead, but he's determined to face it with all the strength and determination he possesses. Hopefully, it will be enough to keep him alive long enough to complete his training. The characters and world are compelling and thrilling as all good fantasy should be. It was easy to connect with the characters and the pacing was perfect, with enough action and adventure to keep me turning pages as fast as my eyes could take them in. I loved reading ASSASSIN'S APPRENTICE and am very much looking forward to volume two, A PRINCE AMONG KILLERS. Especially since volume one has an amazing cliffhanger ending. Reviewed by: Joan Stradling

In a word "Awesome!"

This book has vaulted to the top of my list of all-time favorites: and I'm talking #1 (replacing "Elfstones of Shanara", "The Hobbit," and R.R. Martin's "A Game of Thrones"). I hope the sequel turns out to be as good. I picked this book up and had a hard time putting it down. It's the first book I've ever read that I finished and immediately wanted to read again (and I rarely ever read any book more than once). The storyline is unpredictable, the characters easy to like, the world vivid and original. And the Dialogue flows. Scene-setters are gripping. You can smell, taste, feel everything the characters are experiencing. And you live what it's like to be a farmer on the fringe of society, and what it's like to be ripped from your family -- your whole being in life. And what it's like to struggle with new-found powers. It's truly a masterpiece, and the lore of this world is amazing and believable. Even better, it contains an unusual spirit afterlife that is, well, in a word "creepy." Not in the conventional sense, mind you. (I don't want anyone to think this is a blood-and-gut horror-genre book). No, this is a sort of secondary feeling that builds up and sneaks up on you, and gives you chills. The creepiness is in the realistic way the spirits are portrayed and the unusual lore behind them. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

"Fan"tastic

Most excellent! Wonderful! Great reading. By the end of the first chapter I could feel the dirt and smell the air as if I were part of the "Harvest". Be advised I am not talking soy beans. Redmond and Vaught are a natural team. Keep up the good work. I hope there is more than one sequel.