The Way of Shadows- Brent Weeks

I picked up this book during one of my regular book hunts, looking for a new author to hopefully fall in love with.  The Way of Shadows is the first in a trilogy called "The Night Angels" trilogy and is Brent Weeks debut novel.  It's about a young boy in slums, Azoth who later becomes Kylar Stern, a self described guild rat who has to steal to survive.  He gets taken on to apprentice with a "wetboy", an assassin of the most deadly variety.  I had been hoping I'll admit to finding a story similar to Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy, which I love, a character akin to Fitz.  This was nothing like it.  It's much gritter and darker, the world these people inhabit is a far harsher place then the Six Duchies of Hobb's.  Nevertheless I did find myself liking the story, though I didn't really get into it until about half way thru the book.  I'd even put it down for a few weeks reading other things, I was that lukewarm about it.  I won't say that I loved this book or it's characters.  I will say however that the characters are very real, they are flawed, dark things and they do seem to breathe on the page.  I might have been lukewarm about it at the begining but by the end I was wanting to read the second.  If you like darker fantasy you will most likely enjoy this.