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The Assassin's Daughter
For most of her life, Katira has trained to take on the role of assassin. While it’s far from the life she would have chosen, the law known as the Inheritance Proclamation dictates that she must follow in her father’s profession. At seventeen, she’ll be expected to use her training on a real assignment any day.
When new information about an old fugitive brings questions about Kat’s past to light, she must make a choice: Prove her loyalties to the Tederan Order and their laws, or become a fugitive to search after answers she may never find.
When new information about an old fugitive brings questions about Kat’s past to light, she must make a choice: Prove her loyalties to the Tederan Order and their laws, or become a fugitive to search after answers she may never find.
- GenresFantasy
306 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2017
About the author
Jameson C. Smith
3 books43 followersJameson C. Smith is a genre-dabbling writer who’s been in love with stories since she was a little girl. When she isn’t getting lost in fictional worlds or chasing her own characters, she enjoys adventures in the real world, baking cozy things, and spending time with her family and cats.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 3, 2017
Assassins. Sweet characters. Strife between lands. What more could you want?
THE RUNDOWN
The Assassin’s Daughter is the first book in the Inheritance Proclamation series, set in a medieval-esque fantasy setting. The novel goes back and forth between Katira’s POV and her best friend, Ed, with a couple of other points-of-view thrown in occasionally. But the core focus is our girl Kat.
We start out in an academy where they train kids/teens to be professional assassins. Because, dude, math and history are too mainstream, let’s teach the kids to be MURDERERS. Sound plan. *nods*
Well, our sweet Kat doesn’t actually want to be a trained killer and be paid to murder people for the rest of her life. CRAZY, I KNOW. Unfortunately, due to a law known as the Inheritance Proclamation that claims children have to follow the profession of their parents, she’s got no choice. Because, ya know, her FATHER was an assassin. #DaddyProbs
When Kat is assigned her first official mission, it strikes a bit too close to home, and she has to decide if to defy the higher ups (which is a big no-no) or do the unthinkable.
CHARACTERS
The characters were hands down my favorite things in this novel. The relationships made the story.
Katira: (Or Kat, as she is mostly called.) I superbly appreciated Kat! At first, when I discovered Kat was one of the top rated in the academy, being super skilled with archery and sneaking and all that fun stuff, I feared a stereotypical “strong female character” which these days is pretty much synonymous for “emotionless, selfish, reckless female”. I am so sick of that kind of female protagonist! (But that’s a topic for another day.) Well, Kat wasn’t that way at all. *cheers and applauds* Kat has EMOTIONS. She’s not afraid to cry and love and be afraid. She doesn’t want to be an assassin because KILLING IS WRONG, KIDS. She doesn’t want to be in the academy because she can’t see her mother and baby sister anymore. She doesn’t have the, “I can do anything and don’t need help and am way too tough to cry,” attitude we see so often in female protagonists these days. But she wasn’t the weak and whiny character that happens a lot, too. Again, she’s one of the top rated in the academy. She can handle herself if she needs to. But, deep down, she was soft and sweet and, yes, made mistakes, but she cared about people. She was just a genuinely nice girl thrust into a world she didn’t want to be a part of. To me, she was a breath of fresh air in today’s view of “strong female characters”.
Edellion a.k.a Ed: In an academy where it’s frowned upon to have friendships because they can be a “weakness”, Kat and Ed go against the tide and form a team. Ed is Kat’s rock, and with good reason. He’s strong and protective and caring and makes witty jokes at any given opportunity. And he respects her, which was my favorite part about their friendship. When he knows she has a secret, he doesn’t push her to tell him, but lets her reveal things in her own time. When she’s going through a hard time or just needs a shoulder to cry on, he’s there. He never tells her to tough it out, he simply lets her be her and is always sympathetic. And that respects goes both ways. I think that’s another thing we just don’t see much anymore in YA novels. Aside from their relationship, Ed himself is just a precious human being. He can have a temper, and may rush into things a little too quickly, but he always tries to do what’s right, and that’s what matters.
Bayor: Kat and Ed’s mentor was a lovely addition to the story. He had that classic comfortable mentor personality that every fantasy story needs. He’s a little quiet and rough around the edges, but still makes jokes with Kat and Ed, and tends to care more about them than the law. His character was complex as well. You know he holds secrets, but never can figure out why he does the things he does. I desperately want to know more about this guy! I keep having to remind myself this is only the first book of a series. I’m sure answers will come. But but but I WANTS TO KNOW MORE.
There were a few others that played key roles in the story, but that may be getting into spoilery territory. So I’ll just say, all the characters were deep and complex and human. The relationships between each of them had such depth as well.
I JUST REALLY LOVED THESE BABIES.
I felt like the plot started out a smidge on the slow side, but it did pick up. Overall though, the plot was pretty simplistic. Nothing mind-blowing. BUT. I felt like the real focus of the plot wasn’t on the action, but on Kat’s inner turmoil. On her struggle to break away from a life she doesn’t want and find answers about her past.
With that said, there were still plenty of fun happenings. I was super intrigued by an assassins academy. And later on we get tangled into some strife between the different territories of the world.
I think my biggest complaint was the vagueness of how the government and things worked. The main point of the story is that Kat is forced into this assassins academy, and how the government is trying to take over everything. But…I was super confused how the government type stuff worked and how the academy functioned. There was also a ton of stuff about Kat’s past that never got explained at all. Every time it looked like we were about to get answers, the scene cut off or the characters were interrupted or something. I would have liked a whole lot more explanations and descriptions of things.
But, again, this is the first book of a series, so I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. It was a good setup to a much bigger story ahead—a great introduction to the characters, leaving me aching for more time spent with them and desperate for more answers. As any first book should be!
Content Cautions
Really…nothing! There were definitely some deaths, but they were never described in great, gory detail. There was also not a stitch of language and basically no romance (…yet *cough, cough, cough*). It was a refreshingly clean read!
Conclusion
If you enjoy standard, medieval fantasy with good, down-to-earth characters this is the one for you! The world and plot were pretty straightforward and simplistic, but that just made for a quick, comfortable, clean read.
I cannot wait for book 2!
Review originally posted on my blog:
http://musingsofanelf.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-assassins-daughter-by.html
THE RUNDOWN
The Assassin’s Daughter is the first book in the Inheritance Proclamation series, set in a medieval-esque fantasy setting. The novel goes back and forth between Katira’s POV and her best friend, Ed, with a couple of other points-of-view thrown in occasionally. But the core focus is our girl Kat.
We start out in an academy where they train kids/teens to be professional assassins. Because, dude, math and history are too mainstream, let’s teach the kids to be MURDERERS. Sound plan. *nods*
Well, our sweet Kat doesn’t actually want to be a trained killer and be paid to murder people for the rest of her life. CRAZY, I KNOW. Unfortunately, due to a law known as the Inheritance Proclamation that claims children have to follow the profession of their parents, she’s got no choice. Because, ya know, her FATHER was an assassin. #DaddyProbs
When Kat is assigned her first official mission, it strikes a bit too close to home, and she has to decide if to defy the higher ups (which is a big no-no) or do the unthinkable.
CHARACTERS
The characters were hands down my favorite things in this novel. The relationships made the story.
Katira: (Or Kat, as she is mostly called.) I superbly appreciated Kat! At first, when I discovered Kat was one of the top rated in the academy, being super skilled with archery and sneaking and all that fun stuff, I feared a stereotypical “strong female character” which these days is pretty much synonymous for “emotionless, selfish, reckless female”. I am so sick of that kind of female protagonist! (But that’s a topic for another day.) Well, Kat wasn’t that way at all. *cheers and applauds* Kat has EMOTIONS. She’s not afraid to cry and love and be afraid. She doesn’t want to be an assassin because KILLING IS WRONG, KIDS. She doesn’t want to be in the academy because she can’t see her mother and baby sister anymore. She doesn’t have the, “I can do anything and don’t need help and am way too tough to cry,” attitude we see so often in female protagonists these days. But she wasn’t the weak and whiny character that happens a lot, too. Again, she’s one of the top rated in the academy. She can handle herself if she needs to. But, deep down, she was soft and sweet and, yes, made mistakes, but she cared about people. She was just a genuinely nice girl thrust into a world she didn’t want to be a part of. To me, she was a breath of fresh air in today’s view of “strong female characters”.
Edellion a.k.a Ed: In an academy where it’s frowned upon to have friendships because they can be a “weakness”, Kat and Ed go against the tide and form a team. Ed is Kat’s rock, and with good reason. He’s strong and protective and caring and makes witty jokes at any given opportunity. And he respects her, which was my favorite part about their friendship. When he knows she has a secret, he doesn’t push her to tell him, but lets her reveal things in her own time. When she’s going through a hard time or just needs a shoulder to cry on, he’s there. He never tells her to tough it out, he simply lets her be her and is always sympathetic. And that respects goes both ways. I think that’s another thing we just don’t see much anymore in YA novels. Aside from their relationship, Ed himself is just a precious human being. He can have a temper, and may rush into things a little too quickly, but he always tries to do what’s right, and that’s what matters.
Bayor: Kat and Ed’s mentor was a lovely addition to the story. He had that classic comfortable mentor personality that every fantasy story needs. He’s a little quiet and rough around the edges, but still makes jokes with Kat and Ed, and tends to care more about them than the law. His character was complex as well. You know he holds secrets, but never can figure out why he does the things he does. I desperately want to know more about this guy! I keep having to remind myself this is only the first book of a series. I’m sure answers will come. But but but I WANTS TO KNOW MORE.
There were a few others that played key roles in the story, but that may be getting into spoilery territory. So I’ll just say, all the characters were deep and complex and human. The relationships between each of them had such depth as well.
I JUST REALLY LOVED THESE BABIES.
I felt like the plot started out a smidge on the slow side, but it did pick up. Overall though, the plot was pretty simplistic. Nothing mind-blowing. BUT. I felt like the real focus of the plot wasn’t on the action, but on Kat’s inner turmoil. On her struggle to break away from a life she doesn’t want and find answers about her past.
With that said, there were still plenty of fun happenings. I was super intrigued by an assassins academy. And later on we get tangled into some strife between the different territories of the world.
I think my biggest complaint was the vagueness of how the government and things worked. The main point of the story is that Kat is forced into this assassins academy, and how the government is trying to take over everything. But…I was super confused how the government type stuff worked and how the academy functioned. There was also a ton of stuff about Kat’s past that never got explained at all. Every time it looked like we were about to get answers, the scene cut off or the characters were interrupted or something. I would have liked a whole lot more explanations and descriptions of things.
But, again, this is the first book of a series, so I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. It was a good setup to a much bigger story ahead—a great introduction to the characters, leaving me aching for more time spent with them and desperate for more answers. As any first book should be!
Content Cautions
Really…nothing! There were definitely some deaths, but they were never described in great, gory detail. There was also not a stitch of language and basically no romance (…yet *cough, cough, cough*). It was a refreshingly clean read!
Conclusion
If you enjoy standard, medieval fantasy with good, down-to-earth characters this is the one for you! The world and plot were pretty straightforward and simplistic, but that just made for a quick, comfortable, clean read.
I cannot wait for book 2!
Review originally posted on my blog:
http://musingsofanelf.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-assassins-daughter-by.html
January 4, 2019
Starting the new year off right...with assassins. O.O
Okay, I'll admit, I'm not really a big fan of assassin characters and plots (although there are a few reformed-assassin books that I have read and enjoyed). What intrigued me about this book was the fact that Kat isn't being trained for this profession by her own choice; she is literally being forced into it by a government mandate that binds children to their father's profession. I was very curious to figure out where this was all going to lead.
To be honest, Kat didn't really come off as very assassin-ish--but then again, that's kind of the point, right? She was a lot softer and more vulnerable than I would have expected for someone who had spent years training in this type of environment. Then again, neither her mentor nor her partner are really the type to crush that out of her, so maybe it's not that surprising. I would say the surprise is that she's been able to hide her reluctance so long, but maybe she hasn't done such a great job of that either... All of which is a bit of a long way around to say, she did come off as a believable character, just not exactly the character I was expecting. :)
Ed was--an interesting mix. His conscience isn't nearly as soft as Kat's, but there's some reason for that in his backstory, and he does have lines of his own that he won't cross. His friendship with Kat is spectacular, and their banter was a lot of fun! I especially loved the way he'd purposely joke to take her mind off things when he could tell she was upset or stressed.
Probably the most intriguing character in the whole book for me was Bayor. I'm very, very curious just what is underneath the surface there. The little glimpses we got of it were extremely fascinating and made me want a lot more!
I probably should have expected it (sometimes I'm a little ridiculously optimistic), but there is a fair amount of violence and bloodshed in this book, although it didn't feel gratuitous or overly graphic. This does include a couple of assassinations, not all of which are carried out by the antagonists. While certain characters rationalize their actions, these murders are never presented as a good or justified thing, which I thought was very important.
And yes, it's my own fault--the #1 is very prominently displayed--but there wasn't very much resolution to the main conflict in this book. No actual cliffhangers, but things are left very uncertain and tenuous, so go into it prepared for the long haul! This book does have a satisfying arc of its own, but it's not the kind of story where you're going to be content to let it rest here. ;)
My hands-down favorite part of the book was the friendship theme and the way that Ed and Kat cared for and looked out for each other, even when it went against all their training and their common sense. It was a bit of a shock to hear even their "good" (better?) mentors telling them how dangerous the idea of friendship was, but the way they stuck to and trusted each other was beautiful. <3
Content--violence and bloodshed, including murders (see above); some mild expressions ("blasted", etc.) used frequently
Okay, I'll admit, I'm not really a big fan of assassin characters and plots (although there are a few reformed-assassin books that I have read and enjoyed). What intrigued me about this book was the fact that Kat isn't being trained for this profession by her own choice; she is literally being forced into it by a government mandate that binds children to their father's profession. I was very curious to figure out where this was all going to lead.
To be honest, Kat didn't really come off as very assassin-ish--but then again, that's kind of the point, right? She was a lot softer and more vulnerable than I would have expected for someone who had spent years training in this type of environment. Then again, neither her mentor nor her partner are really the type to crush that out of her, so maybe it's not that surprising. I would say the surprise is that she's been able to hide her reluctance so long, but maybe she hasn't done such a great job of that either... All of which is a bit of a long way around to say, she did come off as a believable character, just not exactly the character I was expecting. :)
Ed was--an interesting mix. His conscience isn't nearly as soft as Kat's, but there's some reason for that in his backstory, and he does have lines of his own that he won't cross. His friendship with Kat is spectacular, and their banter was a lot of fun! I especially loved the way he'd purposely joke to take her mind off things when he could tell she was upset or stressed.
Probably the most intriguing character in the whole book for me was Bayor. I'm very, very curious just what is underneath the surface there. The little glimpses we got of it were extremely fascinating and made me want a lot more!
I probably should have expected it (sometimes I'm a little ridiculously optimistic), but there is a fair amount of violence and bloodshed in this book, although it didn't feel gratuitous or overly graphic. This does include a couple of assassinations, not all of which are carried out by the antagonists. While certain characters rationalize their actions, these murders are never presented as a good or justified thing, which I thought was very important.
And yes, it's my own fault--the #1 is very prominently displayed--but there wasn't very much resolution to the main conflict in this book. No actual cliffhangers, but things are left very uncertain and tenuous, so go into it prepared for the long haul! This book does have a satisfying arc of its own, but it's not the kind of story where you're going to be content to let it rest here. ;)
My hands-down favorite part of the book was the friendship theme and the way that Ed and Kat cared for and looked out for each other, even when it went against all their training and their common sense. It was a bit of a shock to hear even their "good" (better?) mentors telling them how dangerous the idea of friendship was, but the way they stuck to and trusted each other was beautiful. <3
Content--violence and bloodshed, including murders (see above); some mild expressions ("blasted", etc.) used frequently
May 1, 2021
His world was one of survival, not friendship. Except for her.
A story of friendship, survival, and forging your own path, "The Assassin's Daughter" kept me intrigued the whole way through. Ed and Kat's friendship was so sweet. (yes their *ahem* friendship that is just friendship and nothing more) ((guys, they're totally in love and it's totally adorable and I love them))
I think this is the first time I've read an assassin centered book where the main character wants nothing more than to not be an assassin. Kat is uncomfortable and unconfident in this profession she's stuck in, which I thought was a really interesting spin on it! Basically the whole time I was thinking to myself, "can we get this girl set up in a bakery somewhere? she strikes me as the baker type" xD (I stand by this opinion, I bet she could make a mean blueberry scone)
Ed is absolutely that "could kill you but is actually a cinnamon roll" trope, and I love it. He can kick butt but also he's so soft for Kat and it makes me soft. ;-;
My only real complaint about the book is that there seemed to be a lot of moments where I would have liked for the characters to drive the plot a bit more? The plot was good, don't get me wrong, but I feel like a lot of it happened to the characters, rather than because of the characters... if that makes sense.
Content-wise, outside of a few moments of violence (they're training to be assassins, so... yeah), there's no language or sexual content! Yay for clean adventures!
There is so much more of this world I want to explore, which I'm hoping we'll get to do in the second book! Overall, I'm very much intrigued to experience more of the story! Four stars from me!
**I received a copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
A story of friendship, survival, and forging your own path, "The Assassin's Daughter" kept me intrigued the whole way through. Ed and Kat's friendship was so sweet. (yes their *ahem* friendship that is just friendship and nothing more) ((guys, they're totally in love and it's totally adorable and I love them))
I think this is the first time I've read an assassin centered book where the main character wants nothing more than to not be an assassin. Kat is uncomfortable and unconfident in this profession she's stuck in, which I thought was a really interesting spin on it! Basically the whole time I was thinking to myself, "can we get this girl set up in a bakery somewhere? she strikes me as the baker type" xD (I stand by this opinion, I bet she could make a mean blueberry scone)
Ed is absolutely that "could kill you but is actually a cinnamon roll" trope, and I love it. He can kick butt but also he's so soft for Kat and it makes me soft. ;-;
My only real complaint about the book is that there seemed to be a lot of moments where I would have liked for the characters to drive the plot a bit more? The plot was good, don't get me wrong, but I feel like a lot of it happened to the characters, rather than because of the characters... if that makes sense.
Content-wise, outside of a few moments of violence (they're training to be assassins, so... yeah), there's no language or sexual content! Yay for clean adventures!
There is so much more of this world I want to explore, which I'm hoping we'll get to do in the second book! Overall, I'm very much intrigued to experience more of the story! Four stars from me!
**I received a copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
July 30, 2021
I put off reading this book for months. Why? I have no idea. But I now regret that decision.
I went into this not knowing what to expect really. It is rare that I read a book with an assassin so it was a bit like jumping into something completely new.
Once I finally did start reading, I was pulled into the story straightaway and could not put it down.
I really like the characters. Unlike those from other books, Kat was not alright with killing and she wrestled with it the whole novel (it was shown quite well).
I am shipping Kat and Ed so much...
Overall, I would recommend this to fans of fantasy and adventure.
4.25 Stars
*I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.
I went into this not knowing what to expect really. It is rare that I read a book with an assassin so it was a bit like jumping into something completely new.
Once I finally did start reading, I was pulled into the story straightaway and could not put it down.
I really like the characters. Unlike those from other books, Kat was not alright with killing and she wrestled with it the whole novel (it was shown quite well).
I am shipping Kat and Ed so much...
Overall, I would recommend this to fans of fantasy and adventure.
4.25 Stars
*I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.
February 25, 2017
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. There were moments where I wasn’t quite sure where the plot was going, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It kept me guessing on what was going to happen to the characters, which can be rather fun. This is the first book in a series, so there were some story threads left to be explored in the future. I’m interested in learning more about the world of this story, because it seems like there’s a lot of interesting aspects to it.
Personally the characters were my favorite part of this book. Kat and Ed were really great characters and I loved their relationship. Their friendship and loyalty to each other felt like one of the strongest elements of this novel to me. Also can I just say that I love how simple their nicknames are to pronounce? I love fantasy stories, but they often leave me feeling clueless about how some of the names are supposed to be pronounced. It feels like it’s kind of a staple for the genre, but I really hate it when I’m not sure how to pronounce the protagonist’s name. Kat and Ed as nicknames were rather refreshing for a fantasy.
The rest of the characters were great too. All of them were interesting and I’d like to learn more about them, so hopefully we’ll get to see them again in the next book.
All in all, this was an enjoyable novel and I look forward to seeing where the story and characters will go in the next installment.
Personally the characters were my favorite part of this book. Kat and Ed were really great characters and I loved their relationship. Their friendship and loyalty to each other felt like one of the strongest elements of this novel to me. Also can I just say that I love how simple their nicknames are to pronounce? I love fantasy stories, but they often leave me feeling clueless about how some of the names are supposed to be pronounced. It feels like it’s kind of a staple for the genre, but I really hate it when I’m not sure how to pronounce the protagonist’s name. Kat and Ed as nicknames were rather refreshing for a fantasy.
The rest of the characters were great too. All of them were interesting and I’d like to learn more about them, so hopefully we’ll get to see them again in the next book.
All in all, this was an enjoyable novel and I look forward to seeing where the story and characters will go in the next installment.
June 20, 2019
I won this book in an IG giveaway and forgot I had it. I'm so glad I opened it up and read it, though. Let me get the negatives out of the way first so I can get to the wonderful positives.
I felt like the freshly graduated assassins were pretty bad at their professions, especially since Ed was discovered on the streets and already had some skill in making do with a bad lot in life. I feel like they should've been better at disguise, better at knowing when to hide and when to be still. They have studied the craft exclusively for something like 6 or 8 years. I suppose youth could make up for some of that impatience, but I don't think the higher ups would be signing off on youths who didn't show they could do the job. In that respect, I feel Bayor failed his students since he didn't seem to speak out about them not being ready. Perhaps there was a reason for this and I missed it. I may re-read the book to see. One other thing I noticed was once it was discovered that the officials were nearby and that enemies were all around, why would any seasoned assassin, and a fugitive one, at that, stand at a window for surveillance? So that part didn't make sense to me. Even so, all this only meant the loss of one star.
Now, on to the positives. I loved the friendship and loyalty between Edellion and Katira. And I absolutely love the names in this book. The way the plot played out seemed plausible to me. I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens next. This is not a stand-alone novel, in case you were wondering. I like the world the author has crafted. It's varied and the problems are believable. I could see clearly where I was in the story and how the characters were moving about. The dialog was interesting. I didn't notice a lot of contractions or slang within it, which is different than a lot of books. It didn't spoil the reading for me. I felt like it just fit the fantasy world very well. If it would have shown up anywhere, I'd have expected it to be only with Ed since he grew up on the streets.
Overall, The Assassin's Daughter is an interesting book. I think if you like fantasy, epic fantasy, tales of friendship, and quests, you'd probably like this one. Just don't expect it to be like any other assassin-themed book you've read. I think that probably makes it a treat!
I felt like the freshly graduated assassins were pretty bad at their professions, especially since Ed was discovered on the streets and already had some skill in making do with a bad lot in life. I feel like they should've been better at disguise, better at knowing when to hide and when to be still. They have studied the craft exclusively for something like 6 or 8 years. I suppose youth could make up for some of that impatience, but I don't think the higher ups would be signing off on youths who didn't show they could do the job. In that respect, I feel Bayor failed his students since he didn't seem to speak out about them not being ready. Perhaps there was a reason for this and I missed it. I may re-read the book to see. One other thing I noticed was once it was discovered that the officials were nearby and that enemies were all around, why would any seasoned assassin, and a fugitive one, at that, stand at a window for surveillance? So that part didn't make sense to me. Even so, all this only meant the loss of one star.
Now, on to the positives. I loved the friendship and loyalty between Edellion and Katira. And I absolutely love the names in this book. The way the plot played out seemed plausible to me. I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens next. This is not a stand-alone novel, in case you were wondering. I like the world the author has crafted. It's varied and the problems are believable. I could see clearly where I was in the story and how the characters were moving about. The dialog was interesting. I didn't notice a lot of contractions or slang within it, which is different than a lot of books. It didn't spoil the reading for me. I felt like it just fit the fantasy world very well. If it would have shown up anywhere, I'd have expected it to be only with Ed since he grew up on the streets.
Overall, The Assassin's Daughter is an interesting book. I think if you like fantasy, epic fantasy, tales of friendship, and quests, you'd probably like this one. Just don't expect it to be like any other assassin-themed book you've read. I think that probably makes it a treat!
September 4, 2025
Three Stars: Good book, may read again
When I read The Assassin's Daughter, I had actually forgotten what the story was about, which made it interesting to read. I wasn't sure what the plot arc was supposed to be, and honestly, I'm not sure I necessarily know now what the plot of the book was. The story wasn't bad, but it seemed like it was laying the groundwork for the rest of the series.
The pacing of the story felt off in the first half of the book. Each chapter was its own individual scene, which lead to the narrative feeling a little choppy. As the story progressed though, the scenes starting flowing better.
There were also several times during the novel when the author kept the reader from knowing the details of something the characters learned. I think she did this to try and create suspense and intrigue, but it started to feel overused after a few times. It also made a couple of scenes a little confusing.
I would have loved for Smith to have explained more of the worldbuilding. I always love a story with awesome worldbuilding, and I do think that some of the worldbuilding needed to be explained more for certain elements of the story to make sense. For instance, the academy. Later on in the story, a little bit of explanation is given for why an assassin academy exists. But I want to know more. How many people know about the academy? What is the general opinion on a school for assassins? And I would have loved more explanation behind the law that dictates what your career path is and how that came to be.
I realize that this review seems very negative so far and that it probably sounds like I didn't like the book. But I didn't dislike it. Rather, The Assassin's Daughter shows me the potential Smith has to grow as a writer. I think as Smith grows as a writer and hones in her craft, she could write some great novels. The Assasin's Daughter is just more of a "beginner" novel--though not a bad story.
When I read The Assassin's Daughter, I had actually forgotten what the story was about, which made it interesting to read. I wasn't sure what the plot arc was supposed to be, and honestly, I'm not sure I necessarily know now what the plot of the book was. The story wasn't bad, but it seemed like it was laying the groundwork for the rest of the series.
The pacing of the story felt off in the first half of the book. Each chapter was its own individual scene, which lead to the narrative feeling a little choppy. As the story progressed though, the scenes starting flowing better.
There were also several times during the novel when the author kept the reader from knowing the details of something the characters learned. I think she did this to try and create suspense and intrigue, but it started to feel overused after a few times. It also made a couple of scenes a little confusing.
I would have loved for Smith to have explained more of the worldbuilding. I always love a story with awesome worldbuilding, and I do think that some of the worldbuilding needed to be explained more for certain elements of the story to make sense. For instance, the academy. Later on in the story, a little bit of explanation is given for why an assassin academy exists. But I want to know more. How many people know about the academy? What is the general opinion on a school for assassins? And I would have loved more explanation behind the law that dictates what your career path is and how that came to be.
I realize that this review seems very negative so far and that it probably sounds like I didn't like the book. But I didn't dislike it. Rather, The Assassin's Daughter shows me the potential Smith has to grow as a writer. I think as Smith grows as a writer and hones in her craft, she could write some great novels. The Assasin's Daughter is just more of a "beginner" novel--though not a bad story.
July 30, 2017
A well-written, fascinating debut novel! I was rather impressed by the quality of writing in this first-ever book. And the characters are great! While the plot seemed a little vague to me in places and we're left to wonder at just what and who are the forces in power and what exactly is it they are seeking, it definitely leaves room for a sequel and answers later. Having been trained as assassins for ten years, I felt both Ed and Kat should've exhibited more skill than they did. But I completely understand Kat's position in how (thanks to the Proclamation) she was forced into her father's line of work. She reminds me of myself as I would have the same doubts and fears as she does. I loved the characters of both her and Ed - their relationship is easy-going, sarcastic, and rather sweet. And Delest seems to be a man of many mysteries. I can't wait to learn more if what makes him tick! All in all, an intriguing beginning to an intriguing series!
December 22, 2020
A fast-paced novel about two assassins-in-training, The Assassin's Daughter kept me interested the whole time. I fully intend to read the sequel someday... so, why the 3-star rating, you ask?
Mainly it's due to a lack of worldbuilding and not receiving explanations for many of the questions posed in the story. There were also a couple parts that were confusing, but that might just be me and my brain.
I really enjoyed the main characters and their relationship! There was something refreshing about it, and I'm curious to see how it develops. Also, congrats to Jameson C. Smith for making a female protagonist who wasn't all about being tough and emotionless! THAT was refreshing, too.
Mainly it's due to a lack of worldbuilding and not receiving explanations for many of the questions posed in the story. There were also a couple parts that were confusing, but that might just be me and my brain.
I really enjoyed the main characters and their relationship! There was something refreshing about it, and I'm curious to see how it develops. Also, congrats to Jameson C. Smith for making a female protagonist who wasn't all about being tough and emotionless! THAT was refreshing, too.
March 25, 2022
A new series for romance/fantasy fans with political intrigue.
A master has taken two assassins as apprentices which is not common for this institution. For a decade they have practiced and learned together the arts of their parents. As much as Katira dislikes being forced to follow her parents' profession, she has endured this until the mission where she can make a crucial decision. Standing always with her is Ed, her partner, and loyal friend who doesn't have the same background/family story as she has and seems always content with what life has put in front of him - unless it threatens Katira...
A master has taken two assassins as apprentices which is not common for this institution. For a decade they have practiced and learned together the arts of their parents. As much as Katira dislikes being forced to follow her parents' profession, she has endured this until the mission where she can make a crucial decision. Standing always with her is Ed, her partner, and loyal friend who doesn't have the same background/family story as she has and seems always content with what life has put in front of him - unless it threatens Katira...
April 7, 2021
The Assassin’s Daughter is a suspenseful adventure, following two young assassins-t0-be as they come to face the sacrifice and cost required to be full-fledged assassins.
I loved watching Kat and Ed work through their struggles, and work through them together. I especially enjoyed watching Edellion’s character work through his natural survival instincts, and making sure Kat was just as safe as he fought to keep himself.
I would have loved to see more of the world, and understand more about how the laws worked that kept Kat and Ed in place, but I liked the political intrigue that seemed to lurk behind the scenes, promising more to come. Fantasy novels with little/no magic but political strife are ones I really enjoy, and TAD fits that perfectly!
Also, there is a certain assassin who is straight up kick-butt and I need more of him. xD
I loved watching Kat and Ed work through their struggles, and work through them together. I especially enjoyed watching Edellion’s character work through his natural survival instincts, and making sure Kat was just as safe as he fought to keep himself.
I would have loved to see more of the world, and understand more about how the laws worked that kept Kat and Ed in place, but I liked the political intrigue that seemed to lurk behind the scenes, promising more to come. Fantasy novels with little/no magic but political strife are ones I really enjoy, and TAD fits that perfectly!
Also, there is a certain assassin who is straight up kick-butt and I need more of him. xD
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