A little Sumpin Sumpin and an Assassin

Lagunitas- A little Sumpin Sumpin Ale

Petaluma Ca

Lagunitas is a fun little brewery just down the road from me in Petaluma. They make a bunch of great beer but until today I had never had A Little Sumpin Sumpin Ale.

Here are my fantasy character inspired notes:

Blond appearance with a nice thick head that had a fair amount of lacing; reminded me of how Stansa clung to Joffery in A Game of Thrones . The nose had a heavy dose of hops and some good funk mixed with citrus, similar to Burrich from Assassin’s Apprentice. Viscosity and body were both medium; neither overwhelmed me, nor did they let me down. The finish came on strong like Regius after Wizards of the Cost launched 3^rd edition. All in all I would call it a magnificent brew!

So what to pair with this finely crafted Ale? I had just finished a fun book on vacation but I feel it will fold under the pressure of this hoppy delight. However, since I mentioned Burrich I will go with the Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb. Published in 1995, this book tells the tale of a royal bastard, bonded to a wolf. No, I’m not talking about John Snow, although sometimes I wonder if Fitz Chivary did not plant the seed for Snow. Fitz weaves through an impressive array of court intrigue, love, and a healthy dose of assassinations while trying to find his place in life.  Hobb does a beautiful job of character development and weaves a very satisfying tale. If you haven’t read this book crack a pint and have a look.

Buy the book here: Assassin's Apprentice

Check out Lagunitas web page: Lagunitas

Assassin's Apprentice

Assassin’s Apprentice
by Robin Hobb

This is the first book in the Farseer Trilogy. The series follows the adventures of Fitz a royal bastard who’s father chose to abdicate his claim to the throne when knowledge of Fitz existence comes to light. Tales of royal bastards abound in fantasy from King Arthur himself to Jon Snow (eerie similarities between Fitz and Jon! Especially given that George R.R. Martin is a Robin Hobb fan). Unlike most fantasy though which tend to be skim the surface of real emotion, Hobb delves deeply into the psyche of her characters. Her writing is such that you really feel what’s going on with Fitz. So much so that at times I have found I had to set the books down and sort through my own complicated emotions with the books and characters.

The world of the Farseer Trilogy is in its infant stages throughout the beginning of this series but it really expands and comes into focus in the second book. With later series taking characters all around the continent. I have yet to real Hobb’s latest trilogy which is just finishing up, but it is on my list of books to get to.

Besides the wonderful characters within this first trilogy (and I can’t stress enough how wonderfully flawed they are) the magic systems are great and mysterious, as magic should be. The Wit and the Skill are two different and yet eerily similar forms of magic. The Wit is a beast magic (again strangely similar to Martin’s wargs) while the Skill is the hereditary magic of the Farseer’s. The line of kings and their progeny who rule the kingdom.

The best part about Hobb’s work’s are how prolific she is. If you like her books check out her other works under the pen-name Megan Lindholm.

Visit her site here!

Purchase the first book in the series here!

The Farseer Trilogy
Assassin’s Apprentice
Royal Assassin
Assassin’s Quest


Review by Brendan