This is a beautifully written, slow, but relentlessly paced, character-driven tale, that follows the life of Fitz, the Bastard of the King-in-waiting, from his first being unceremoniously dumped at a guard station, at the age of six, by his Grandfather, through his being incorporated into the royal household, the positions and duties he is given to perform and undertake, as well as the events he is involved in, as he grows into his early teens. 

The writing style elicits a feeling of the period this would be based in, late medieval, and has a rhythm to it that makes for enjoyable and addictive reading. 

The main characters are all well fleshed out and are likeable or otherwise, dependent on their role in the plot, even the non-human characters, Nosy & Smithy, have a sense of personality too. 

The tale is told from Fitz's point of view, which is a style I enjoy reading, as you get to know the main character in depth, all his feelings,  hopes, fears, joys, doubts etc are revealed. 

There is plenty of intrigue and mystery to the plot, as well as a good amount of humour and heartache that complement the basic learning Fitz undertakes and his adapting to situations and life in general, that comprise most of the plot, making for a fascinating and engaging story. 

As the first book in a trilogy, this does what it needs to, delivers a good story, invests you in the characters, and leaves you wanting more, so I will be picking up the next book in the trilogy.