Book I of Farseer. 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. Meanwhile, raiders ravage the coasts, leaving the people Forged and soulless. As Fitz grows toward manhood, he will have to face his first terrifying mission, a task that poses as much risk to himself as it does to his target – for Fitz is a threat to the throne – but he may also be the key to the future of the Kingdom.  Cover art by John Howe.