Age of Assassins v Birra Moretti

Book: Age of Assassins
Author: RJ Barker
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2017

Despite its name, this isn’t really an assassin book, in the same way the books about Fitz aren’t really about him being an assassin.

Girton is an apprentice to a master assassin and has been ever since he was rescued from slavery as a child. Now a teenager, Girton and his master have been called to Castle Maniyadoc. They are tasked, not with killing the prince but, with finding out who is trying to kill him. To do this Girton must ingratiate himself with the castle’s young nobles by becoming one of them, which is made difficult by how people like him are viewed by society in the Tired Lands.

Girton has a club foot, and physical aberrations are seen as the mark of having been affected by magic. Magic, due to it requiring the souring of life around where it is performed, is outlawed and feared.

So, what this book becomes is more of a murder mystery, crime thriller set in a Fantasy Castle. Girton is no Poirot or Miss Marple, but he and Merala Karn, his master, definitely have more of a Morse and Lewis vibe than your stereotypical fantasy master and apprentice relationship.

That said, Girton is an Assassin in training so you can definitely expect some brilliantly written fight scenes and twists that rely on the skills you’d expect of someone going through that sort of training.

Great debut from the author whose subsequent series has become one of my all time favourites.

Beer: Birra Moretti
Style: Premium Lager
Strength: 4.6%

I’m not a lager drinker. I’m definitely not a mass produced lager drinker. Moretti is an exception though. There is a depth to the flavour which I don’t find in most lager. Goes great with pizza too.