Book 1), Ship of Magic (The Liveship Traders

Since this is the first book of a series, any rating has to be tentative. This could be a five-star series very easily but it could also plummet like a paralyzed falcon.

This is a multi-threaded work, following the actions of several characters. The world-building is excellent and the various conceits, such as the live ships, the serpents and the various geographical areas and their peoples, seem very strong.

The non-sympathetic characters are notable for their depth and interesting detail. One of the most fascinating is the captain who knows what is good for everyone and sincerely believes that he would be the soul of generosity and kindness if everyone followed his plans. The pirate leader also manages to be more than a cardboard villain.

The sympathetic characters are also interesting and far from stock figures.

I was reading another fantasy novel that just had to be put down! I then picked up this novel, after having recently read her excellent 'Assassin' series.
The characters are developed and are individuals, and there are those you will care for, and those you will 'boo and hiss' when they have thier turn on the stage. Will your division of who are 'the good' and who are 'the bad' remain consistent let alone agree with mine?
There was an obvious original inspiration here, and there has also been the careful thought through of second and third drafts, plot elements are added and 'in thier proper time' utilized; and there are a few plotlines revealing themselves, discovering they are tied to other events.
I recommend this novel, I am left wanting to read the rest of the storyline, and wanting to read the 'Tawny Man' series. I guess I should say, it left me wanting to read MORE good writing.

OK, let's say right off that it reminded me a bit of a bodice-ripping potboiler, except that when the pot began to boil the contents didn't just cook down into goo. The image of the mad ship Paragon's living figurehead screaming and flailing underwater for months is striking and unpleasant. The offstage threat of the mysterious Rain Wilds, whose inhabitants become magic-touched mutants as they work with the magic upstream, is an added creepiness to an already creepy work. Would-be pirate king Kennit seems to alternate between statesman and moron; kept afloat by his loyal friends who keep frantically steering him right, he may end up as king of more than the pirates. And the irony of forcing a living ship to carry slaves is pretty thick. Meanwhile the malevolent sea serpents dog the liveships with a humanlike intelligence, searching for a secret they have almost forgotten over the ages ... a secret which seems about to be revealed. As the Vestrit family wars within itself for control of the newly awakened Vivacia, Vivacia herself must decide what her own destiny will be. Kyle Haven? Completely over the top and unrealistic, and if I hadn't seen his like blustering and threatening in every fast-food joint I'd say he was a cartoon character. I can't believe either Wintrow or Althea would be so naive, but it does move the action along. Can Hobb keep up the pace? Is the secret of the liveships worth slogging through two more humongus books to find out? Hmmm ... I'll let you know. It's vivid and detailed and obviously sailing towards a destination, and I'm signing on for another voyage.

The first book of this series didn't grab me like her Farseer trilogy did. I will read the next one, but did anyone else get the feeling that Hobb really doesn't like her characters? She really beats the heck out of them... Mainly Althea and Wintrow. Wintrow was shaping up to be my favorite character in this big door-stopper of a novel, but as time goes on, the poor kid just gets his face rubbed in the doo-doo over and over again. By the end of the novel, I was ready to beg Hobb to just put the poor guy out of his misery. He needs an adult!
As I write this, I can't help but recall how she did the same thing to poor Fitz-Chivalry in Farseer. I don't think it grated on my nerves as badly then, but I have to wonder if Hobb is some kind of literary sadist. I mean, we get the point- Your characters are real survivors!
Well anyway... I am dying to read the Tawny Man series, soon, but I am determined to finish (or officially give up on) the Liveship Traders series first. So, Mad Ship will be the test of where I go.

I picked this book up for several reasons...one, I'd heard some pretty good stuff about Robin Hobb, two, Waldenbooks was having a buy-four-get-one-free sale and this was number five on my list. *g*
From the cover and the writeup on the back, I was expecting a pirate novel in the best traditions of Robert E. Howard (Cormac Mac Art and Black Vulmea come readily to mind) and Robert Lewis Stevenson (TREASURE ISLAND....always a classic), but must admit I was pleasantly surprised. It took me a few chapters to switch gears mentally, having just put down a very good, very violent sci-fi novel, to reading a low-tech/slightly magical...well, drama. The characters are very well-developed, and for the most part, the story flowed nicely (with just a few minor snags/glitches that I noticed), and it was, as has been commented before, quite difficult to put down!
The only reason I was not able to rate this story a full five stars was the obvious lack of details anywhere fighting occurred. While this would be no problem for my mom, I myself like to get in there amongst the pirates hacking the merchants "to tiny bits, in Thy mercy" (to steal a quote from Monty Python).
All in all, I will definitely pick up the next book in the series. Robin Hobb uses very intricate, delicate, and unnoticeable lines to draw the reader in, and once you're hooked, there's no turning back! Kudos, Ms. Hobb!

Many of you know the writing of Megan Lindholm. But apparently not enough of you. The story I heard was that because of a lagging career, and on the advise of her publishers or perhaps her agent, this writer of innovative and critically successful fantasy and science fiction re-invented herself as Robin Hobb, writer of ponderously long, epic fantasy trilogies. Under the Lindholm name, her books had been mostly of a more normal length, and the ones I've seen, stand-alone stories, not series. Apparently, this change is what her career needed, since the Farseer Trilogy was successful. And now we have the start of a new series, The Liveship Traders.

At whatever length she chooses to tell her stories, Lindholm/Hobb is a
fine writer. Ship of Magic introduces us simultaneously to many stories: the charming and dangerous pirate Kennit; a tangle of sea serpents; Althea Vestrit, disowned daughter of a once-wealthy Trader family, who has a close relationship to the families' prize possession, a living, sentient merchant ship, along with many other vividly interesting characters, all told against a landscape which is other-worldly, decadent, magical and yet historically resonant.

I confess I feel this book was just a tad commercially contrived. It
touches many romantic stereotypes, and uses them effectively; a young lady masquerades as a boy to run away as a sailor; forbidden love, family intrigues and so forth. But Lindholm/Hobb is still an inventive, imaginative, effective writer, and I further confess I loved this book, and wait eagerly for the next.

Perhaps I also wish, however, that shorter books, which have a climax when you reach the end, were more popular.

Having never have read a work by this author or for that matter a fantasy written by a woman, I was simply blown away by how SOM drew me in. This book turned out to be a page-turner for me. Even during the scenes with Malta which were for the most part I considered teenage girl problems I found myself flipping pages faster than fast food establishments turn out hamburgers. SOM's most attractive feature is that it is a dramatic sea going adventure full of pirates, traders and their ships, and yes sea serpents who also have a quest of their own (though not as richly detailed as of yet). The richness of the characters developed is simply spectacular and I don't believe that to be an understatement. The concept of the liveships is handled quite nicely as this could of turned out to be silly. The liveships interact with the characters both physically and emotionally so that you really care about them. While reading I drew an analogy to the voidhawks of Peter Hamilton's The Nights Dawn Trilogy and the liveships in SOM. Of course this is fantasy, but if you are not a fan or have not read a book of this genre, I think that Ship of Magic would still be a very good read.
SOM has some very grisly scenes that animal rights activists would not be too happy about and that their is also human suffering described in uncomfortable detail. Of course the word fantasy tends to imply happy, but some of the material in SOM is disturbing.
Never the less, I did enjoy the book and am looking forward to reading Mad Ship.

This trilogy is quite different from the previous two Hobb trilogies I'd read (Farseer and Soldier's Son): it's in the third person, with about a dozen different main characters to follow around; there's certainly a wider scope this way, as well as a quicker pace, more action and less immersion in the lives of the characters. Apart from that, this trilogy is also much more consistent: where I found Farseer and Soldier's Son to start off brilliantly and then go downhill badly, this one started off okay and got better. I didn't ever love it the way I loved some previous Hobb books, but whether this is because I've gotten jaded toward her books (and their tendency toward emotional manipulation) or because she's at her best when getting deep into one character's head, I couldn't tell you. But the good news is that, unlike with the other two trilogies, I didn't hate any of the Liveship books either, so this might just be the trilogy I'd feel most comfortable recommending.

With as many main characters as these books have, the plot is complicated. Some of the threads are about characters' personal quests--one of the main characters, Althea Vestrit, spends the entire trilogy trying to reclaim her family ship--while others tell a larger story--Bingtown, the colonial city where most of the non-nautical action takes place, is facing major social changes and trying to assert its independence despite being located between two larger and more powerful neighbors. For the most part, Hobb weaves all these stories together well, although toward the end the bigger political story is sidelined in favor of the characters' personal ones. Ship of Magic begins rather slowly, with lots of long, repetitive arguments among the various members of the Vestrit family, but the plot picks up quite a bit in Mad Ship and Ship of Destiny, with more action (pirates! storms! sea battles! sea serpents!) than I'd normally expect from Hobb.

As for the characters . . . having so many of them is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they are well-conceived, they have psychological depth and complex motivations, and they grow and change. They also all have their flaws and make mistakes. Kennit, the pirate captain who's probably the closest this trilogy has to a villain, isn't the sort of fantasy villain who entertains himself with cruelty; he's willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants, but this is just as likely to be fighting slavery as it is murdering people. Meanwhile, Althea, who's arguably the heroine, is easy to sympathize with, but has a tendency to be selfish and dismissive of other people's feelings and contributions. We also get to know characters who normally get short shrift in fantasy: Ronica, the Vestrit matriarch, who's struggling to hold her family and their possessions together; Keffria, her daughter, who has to learn to take control of her own life back from an overbearing husband; and Malta, Keffria's daughter, who starts out a spoiled teenager but has to grow up quickly. Most of the main characters in the trilogy are women, and Hobb does an excellent job in creating in them well-rounded and realistic characters, much more relatable than the usual female fantasy characters.

The downside to having so many characters is that none of them are quite as well-developed as other Hobb protagonists, and that each reader is bound have at least one major character they find ridiculously annoying (Wintrow, in my case). Additionally, in Ship of Magic, there are a lot of rather pointless scenes with characters whose importance to the trilogy doesn't become clear until the second book (Paragon and the sea serpents in particular). Finally, in later books I found certain characters' development so dramatic as to seem a bit contrived.

Now to the story's world: Hobb does a lot here that I normally love in fantasy. We get to read about a seafaring, merchant-based society that has a 16th-century feel; there's political and social change, and an overall progressive ethos--Bingtown has to change and move forward, not return to what it was in the past; there's no ultimate evil, but rather a bunch of characters all struggling to get what they want. But while that's all good, it isn't memorable here. Hobb tends to skim over worldbuilding, a fact that's evident from her characteristically uninspired place names (the Wild Sea, Trader Bay, Shield Wall Island . . . and so on). The world feels underdescribed in a purely physical sense--rarely could I envision the places or the scenes--but beyond that, the societies are rather flat and uninteresting. I'm not convinced there are hidden depths beyond what's on the page. And there's precious little culture here: think "well-to-do merchant society" and you already know everything there is to know about the Bingtown Traders. Part of a truly compelling fantasy is a compelling, multilayered world, and despite some very good ideas, this isn't one.

As for the magic: I'm torn about that. I liked that there are no wizards here; the supernatural is (mostly) outside the characters' control. At the same time, particularly in the last book Hobb uses "destiny" to explain certain coincidences and the supernatural plays a role in a couple characters' psychology, which I wasn't thrilled about. But while I might have preferred a bit less of it, the magic fits well into the story, and it's fairly unique--living ships with talking, thinking figureheads aren't something you're likely to see anywhere else.

Ultimately, this trilogy is solid entertainment. It's a fun seafaring adventure with complex characters and some interesting concepts. With a better world, and a writing style that's more than merely serviceable, it might have been fantastic, but in the end I don't regret reading it and am glad I pushed through the first book to get to the good stuff.

I just finished reading Robin Hobb " Ship of Magic". Having previously read first Fitz trilogy, I was expecting a lot. The book was not as depressing as the above mentioned trilogy. After having read the first chapter, I smiled with pleasure. This book was going to be so enjoyable. It was and it wasn't at the same time. It was too long, but I would be hard pressed to say which part should end up on the cutting room floor. There was not enough action in the first 65 percent of the book, but then it came on fast and furious. I love pirate fantasy and "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. While Kennit was predictable and not too interesting, I loved the flavor of the pirate part of the story. The book was really cozy to get into, with small towns, taverns, whorehouses, serpents, disgraced priests, slavers and pirates. I kept thinking of colonial Virginia as the inspiration for Bingtown. Bingtown portion was very slow, so slow, so slow. However other portions of the book had me in awe of Hobb's skill in telling the story. For example I remember setting aside a book after reading of Wintrow's unfriendly encounter with the residents of a port town and thinking that there were not many fantasy novels of exploration and sea travel around. Overall I give the book 4 stars. I am ready for "Mad Ship" now.

I just finished the Farseer trilogy (which was just incredible) and reluctantly decided to continue to the next series Ms. Hobbs wrote before picking up the Tawny Man series which truly interested me because I loved the characters in the Farseer trilogy. Fitz has to be one of the great flawed protagonists and I was not interested in switching gears to - what was this?? The Chalced States? Bingtown? Liveships? what the? Yawn. I want more Fitz and the Fool.

I am happy so say - without any equivocation - that I stuck to my guns and just finished "Ship of Magic" and immediately started "Mad Ship." This series is enthralling and please add any number of superlative adjectives to describe it. Robin Hobb is just an incredible author!

If J.K. Rowling is the Louis Carroll of our era, Robin Hobb is Melville. Hobb claims in her web site that it was her intention to write a "swashbuckling adventure story with pirates thrown in for good measure." This may have been somewhat of Melville's intention too. I believe there is a bit of tease here. The greatest adventure, the most danger, is always the journey inside. The most difficult quest is the search for selfhood. The major characters in this novel must journey to find out who they are. They have a social identity, a role to play, or a place in the ecological scheme of things. But who are they really, at the core? What is their true identity?
As I have found in other books by this author, many of these characters at first glance seem exotic and strange, but as we get to know them, we see ourselves, or people close to us. Here are a few of my favorites. There are the liveships, Vivacia and Paragon - brought to live by some magic after three generations of their owners have died on board them. But who are they really, and where do these strange souls come from? There are Brashen and Althea, both children of prosperous merchants, both of them estranged from their families after insisting on going their own way. There is the pirate, Kennit. He is a casual killer who doesn't understand what love is. At the beginning of the first book he purchases for himself a good luck charm carved to his own visage. It is made of the same substance as the liveships. This charm serves him as a most uncompromising conscience and psychotherapist. He soon finds his direction has changed. But has he, himself, changed? There is the young man Wintrow, first headed towards priesthood, but then diverted to life at sea - both at his parents' whims. His younger sister Malta is a bratty self-centered teenager - is she there just for comic relief? Finally, there are the sea serpents, on a long migration they do not understand towards a destination they do not know.
The Liveship Traders Trilogy takes place in the same world as the Farseer trilogy, but unlike the earlier work, it is written from multiple points of view, frequently switched. Moreover, one does not get the same sense of inevitability, that events must work out as they do. The characters are set in their initial circumstances; they then make their choices. Some grow, others do not. Some are fortunate, others, not. This trilogy, then, may be a bit less organized and artistically coherent as the Farseer trilogy; but there is much suspense in this uncertainty, and delightful surprises. As in Moby Dick, the question is asked whether man or God is in charge of ones own destiny. One character wonders, if she had acted differently, whether the fate of the world would have been changed. The reader will not want to stop reading this trilogy after Book 1 or Book 2. But in the end, for those who survive, the journey must continue, and we must leave them, inevitably, midway through.

If J.K. Rowling is the Louis Carroll of our era, Robin Hobb is Melville. Hobb claims in her web site that it was her intention to write a "swashbuckling adventure story with pirates thrown in for good measure." This may have been somewhat of Melville's intention too. I believe there is a bit of tease here. The greatest adventure, the most danger, is always the journey inside. The most difficult quest is the search for selfhood. The major characters in this novel must journey to find out who they are. They have a social identity, a role to play, or a place in the ecological scheme of things. But who are they really, at the core? What is their true identity?
As I have found in other books by this author, many of these characters at first glance seem exotic and strange, but as we get to know them, we see ourselves, or people close to us. Here are a few of my favorites. There are the liveships, Vivacia and Paragon - brought to live by some magic after three generations of their owners have died on board them. But who are they really, and where do these strange souls come from? There are Brashen and Althea, both children of prosperous merchants, both of them estranged from their families after insisting on going their own way. There is the pirate, Kennit. He is a casual killer who doesn't understand what love is. At the beginning of the first book he purchases for himself a good luck charm carved to his own visage. It is made of the same substance as the liveships. This charm serves him as a most uncompromising conscience and psychotherapist. He soon finds his direction has changed. But has he, himself, changed? There is the young man Wintrow, first headed towards priesthood, but then diverted to life at sea - both at his parents' whims. His younger sister Malta is a bratty self-centered teenager - is she there just for comic relief? Finally, there are the sea serpents, on a long migration they do not understand towards a destination they do not know.
The Liveship Traders Trilogy takes place in the same world as the Farseer trilogy, but unlike the earlier work, it is written from multiple points of view, frequently switched. Moreover, one does not get the same sense of inevitability, that events must work out as they do. The characters are set in their initial circumstances; they then make their choices. Some grow, others do not. Some are fortunate, others, not. This trilogy, then, may be a bit less organized and artistically coherent as the Farseer trilogy; but there is much suspense in this uncertainty, and delightful surprises. As in Moby Dick, the question is asked whether man or God is in charge of ones own destiny. One character wonders, if she had acted differently, whether the fate of the world would have been changed. The reader will not want to stop reading this trilogy after Book 1 or Book 2. But in the end, for those who survive, the journey must continue, and we must leave them, inevitably, midway through.

I'm an avid reader of fantasy novels, but more and more I'mgetting bored with young nobody's suddenly turning into unbeatablewizards or godlike Conans in a quest to bring down an evil opponent. Imagine my sheer joy when I read the Otherland master pieces of Tad Williams. And imagine my sheer joy whilst reading about the really fleshed out characters in Hobbs latest trilogy. This is much more than a simple story, this is living with a whole group of persons I can really relate to, from the young Winthrow to the stubborn Althea, from the blinded Keffria to the o so real-live living ships Paragon and Vivacia. If I were a real writer (and not a hobbyist)I would like to write books like this. Hobb brings to live more than just her fabled ships. This is a Livebook. Needless to say: I love it.

I think Robin Hobb suffers from the same problem as Anne Rice. If you use 3 sentences to discuss a frown on someone's face, I think you have 2 sentences too many.
This book is not 'filled with action' as the synopsis states. There was hardly any until the last 75 pages (unless you count all the times one character slapped another)! It wasn't even until the last 150 that I began to even care what happened to the main characters. Before that, they were simply objects acting out the plot. Every one of them was so whiny or melancholy, I couldn't figure out why I was wasting my time with this book. *I* would have loved to be the one doing the slapping.
I would have gladly given this book 5 stars if it would have had about 250 less pages. I *will* read the sequel, but only in paperback.
Luckily, I have George R.R. Martin's new tome to occupy me for awhile.

I read this book over a year ago, and the storyline is STILL spinning in my brain. I tend to devour books - sometimes I'll read three or four in a single weekend... And this book was one of those. I flew through it even faster than most books... and then moved on to the next one. That night, after reading most of another book, I had dreams about the characters from this one.
This has to be one of the most real books I've ever read. The world is captivating, the plot exciting, and the main characters better developed than many "real" people I know... Its sequel, "Mad Ship" is equally good - and I can't wait until "Ship of Destiny" comes out in paperback. (Reading as much as I do, I can't afford the shelf real estate that hardcovers require).

After the first couple of chapters I was worried that this book would suffer the same problem of so many other books... 1-D characters... the typical Good vs Bad set up of many Fantasy books. Not so.. every character was believeable. I wasnt sure if I was going to get through the book though.. the set up for the characters was just so depressing, but I suppose that every book needs a trial that the Characters must overcome...Stick it out and you will be rewarded. Hobb's writing style is just so impressive. Every setting is crafted beautifully, the rooms and characters leap vividly off the page.
However if you are looking for C.S. Forester's "Hornblower" like action this is *not* your book. Clearly Hobb's interest is more in Character development.. and not the detailed minuet details of seamanship, that authors such as Forester and Kent provied. No detailed descriptions of setting Gibs, mainyard arms ect here... just basic descptions of sailors dutey. And they are sufficient for the story.
Im looking forward to the next book.

After reading the Assasians Apprentice series (and loving every sentence), I was going to skip the Liveship Traders series and go right into another three books about Fitz...
I am not a big ship fan or a big pirate fan...but on the strength of Hobb's writng I figured I would give it a try.
It's amazing.
Kennit, Althea, Brashen, WIntrow, Etta, Keffria, Ronica, Davad, Malta, Vivicia, Paragon... every character is just as interesting and unpredictable as people in real life.
And the concept of wizardwood is a new and quite original idea.
These books are works of art. The words make the sentences which make the paragraphs, but the ideas they create are painted on the page and the picture they reveal is pure magic.

I cannot figure out what is wrong with me. I read this book for the first time about, oh, four years ago, just after completing the Farseer Trilogy. It took me a good month to get through it and for some reason I was not all that impressed. However, a second reading really changed things for me: I loved it. I think it's better than Farseer.Maybe that's because this is my style: high-seas, swashbuckling adventure and action, multiple characters, and distant ideas. It's all-aroudn juicy. Maybe it's not as emotionally complex, but I am a girl that likes a good, exciting story.And still Hobb worked hard for this. She once again created a rich mythology set against the practical setting of a proper merchant society, giving us on hand an almost plausible story and a mind-blowing fantasy on the other. And I'm not just going on about the talking ships.This is a book (and possibly a trilogy) for those who loves interesting characters and a good, satisfying story.

After reading the Farseer trilogy I could not wait to continue on the the Liveship books. I was blown away by the adventures of Fitz and the exquisite writing that brought him to life. Those three books were the kind that were next to impossible to put down. With that level of expectation coming into this series, I have to say that I was very disappointed. One of the things that I have come to love in Hobb's writing is her amazing insight to her characters that she crafts like beautiful pieces of artwork. At no point during this book did I feel a true attachment to any of the characters. I would come close, and then the focus would shift and all would be lost. This book easily could have been halved in length and nothing would be lost.

I actually think I might have enjoyed this book if there weren't so much superfluous events scattered throughout. In the Farseer trilogy, every single detail that was written was important in some way. There was not one thing that happened that did not effect later events or have some deep significance. This is not the case at all in this book.

That being said, the overlaying concept and system of magic is very interesting. I enjoyed reading about the wizard wood and magic that is associated with it. The problem is in the fact that there is so much filler, that I forget how interested I was with this new area of th world. It seems to me like this book is 800 pages of setting material.

I may come back to these books at some point, but for now I'm going to move on to the Tawny Man trilogy and my man Fitz.

I started this 750ish page book on a Sunday and finished it by Friday despite classes, labs, and work! I found it hard to get into at first, but once I'd been introduced to the entire cast of characters, exposed to the many different twisting plots, I was hooked! The greatest aspect of this book (aside from the deep character development, amazing dialogues, and beautiful prose) was that the reader is never stuck in one place with one character for too long. We are constantly taken from one place to another learning each character's motives and perceptions of the events. Right now I'm half way through the sequel, Mad Ship, and I haven't been able to put it down since I started. If you like fantasy, intrigue, pirates, a little romance, or just a great story, I highly suggest this book.

I began reading Hobb's Farseer series. This story makes the reader impatiently wait to read the next in the series. A captivating read from beginning to end. The sea serpent-like creatures are a new species to me.

I rushed through the first reading of her series. I immediately picked it up and read it again. The second read was even more enjoyable. If you dislike a book that leaves you hanging until you've finished the series, steer clear & read another series. If you like to be held in suspense & don't mind reading a series of long books, you'll be in hog heaven. I'm a fantasy fiction junky and this is by far my favorite series.

[...]

As a kid, of course, I loved the great sea stories like Peter Simple or Moby Dick - and now that I am, in addition to all my other interests, an active reader of modern fantasy, it feels a bit strange to read a book which skillfully combines these two genres - an attempt certainly never made before. I loved Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy, even if the last volume was something of a letdown, but it seems here she is making an effort for something even more epic, grandious and eccentric. Ship of Magic contains several plotlines, and God knows how is all this going to end. But the book surely captivated me with its lively characters and unexpectable plot twists, so I'm waiting for the sequels.

This book - and the rest of the Farseer Trilogy - has all the qualities of the Assassin Trilogy - and then it's even better! The characters are vivid and stunningly described - all seem to come to life from the first page, but believe me, you do not know them before you finish the last page of book three. Hobb has gained a fantastic ability in making her characters realistic, and noone in these books are only good or evil - the stark black and white of the Assassin Trilogy - in these books, the characters change and develop, and those you first dislike might end up being those you admire the most - and vice versa.
I can't wait for book three of the Tawny Man trilogy to be released - cause I won't torture myself by beginning on those books before I can read it all in one go! Once you've started, there's no letting go!

This was actually my first introduction to Hobb not the other way around. Very good it's a two-fold plot. One follows a family of Bingtown and their declining fortunes. The other vain follows Kennit a pirate who is out to make a name for himself and found his own personal empire. You really don't need any prior Hobb knowledge to enjoy this series I didn't.

Hobb's strength has always been in her character development

Looking back after I read the whole thing it was fun to see how much Kennit, Paragon and others developed over three books. Even the B-characters like David Restar are well drawn.

The only part I didn't like (and some will nail me for this) was the dragon POV in this book. Just was not as well written as the rest of the book.

If you like your characters to have depth, reasons for what they do and to be like real people, no one's pure evil and no one's pure good, then these are for you. What I like about this series is not only that the characters are great, but also that she follows some of them, one by one. They get one chapter each and take turns, which makes you scream when the chapter ends and you want to read more about that person, but then you start reading about the other one, and scream when that one ends, but then it's her again and... Wonderful, full of imagination and originality. I love them.
The only bad thing is two rape scenes. I DON'T enjoy reading them. I'm thinking about cutting out those pages. They feel unneccessary and I just hate such scenes. But that's the only bad thing about these books and they're worth it, I promise. Read the first book and if you still love them, keep reading even though these scener come later on, they are not in the first book.

As a fan of the 'Faseers' and 'Tawny Man' Trilogies i was abit reluctant to pick up the 'Liveship Traders' Trilogy also by Robin Hobb. I just didn't think it was possible to better them. I thought reading Ship of Magic would be a disappointment to be honest, but when i had ran out of good literature to read i decided to give it a go! And i am VERY glad i did! Ship of Magic in particular is my favourite of the Liveship Traders Trilogy and i just could not put it down. Hobb is such a realistic writer that you actually start to believe that at one time or another Bingtown may have existed. I read this book in about four days, and that was during the week off i had to prepare for my end of year exams! Ship of Magic is one of my all time favourite fantasy novel and the other two novels in this trilogy (The Mad Ship & Ship of Destiny), although not quite as good as Ship of Magic, are well worth the money, time and effort!

Sea serpents, pirates, sailing ships that are alive, a feisty female heroine who is bereft of her rightful inheritance by a cold, calculating brother-in-law, a young priest torn from his vocation and forced into a life he does not want, tantalizing, teasing hints about the Rain Wild River folk that leave you eager for more, and yes, even politics - this enchanting new fantasy explores new ideas in a genre that all too often plays the same old tune. Perhaps there is a hint of influence from Anne McCaffrey's "Ship Who Sang" series, but the ideas here are fresh. The characters are solid, their dilemmas absorbing, and you alternately admire, then are irritated by them as they develop.

Hobb has come out with an amazing book here. Rich in world building and description, this new series begins in the same world as her best selling Assassin series, but with a vastly different bent. Of particular interest are the wealthy trading families, who vie for position and wealth, the misshappen and mysterious upriver folk, and of course the liveships, made from a magical wood and "quickened" with the lives of three souls who them sail themselves, and think and speak. Here also, is romance, piracy, and the troubles of adolesence. Hobb is writing better than ever, and her words are smooth and flowing here. Get this book today!

Robin Hobb has taken this story and put emotions into it that the reader can feel. I've read many books that make me feel as though I were living the stories myself, but this story drew me into it and made me care about these people. Their hopes and dreams became mine, and the dangers they faced quickened my heart rate. The major characters are very believeable and they seem to react as unpredictable as humans often do. Ad magic and thing always seem to get really interesting. This series promises to be a very good and unstoppable read. I haven't read a better series since Steven R. Donaldson's 1st and 2nd Cronicles of Thomas Covenant.

I loved this book. It is well written and keeps the pace going steadily. I love that there are different characters developed and followed throughout the book and that each has their own personality that causes you to love or hate them. The story is interesting and I immediately downloaded the next book in the series after reading this one.

This book blew me away! Most books this size have at least one boring spot in them right,? or a place were they go on and on about nothing. But Robin Hobb made every word, every paragraph something to savour!
The character developement in this book is the best i've seen yet, (except from Lord of the Rings, but even then i'm not to sure). Wintrow and his miserable situation was heartbreaking, but it was reality and thats what most Fantasy writers forget about. I know your thinking "well there's a magic ship and pirates involved in the plot, how realistic can it really be?" But those aspects just give this book some interesting details, yet give you situations that are enlightening and entirely life like. The good guys don't have pure hearts or any of that junk, but they do have very human motivations and ideas. PLEASE and i mean this sincerly!, read this book, its a page turner and will give you something to read on those warm summer nights, sitting on the deck listening to the crickets perform.

I hesitated reading this book for a while because I put off by the ending of the Far Seer Trilogy, despite enjoying the series as a whole. After a while though, I couldn't resist picking up this book that was so highly reviewed.

I wasn't dissapointed. Hobb's great strength is her ability to create gritty, realistic, three dimensional characters who are neither entirely good nor entirely evil, and this is Hobb at her best. Whereas the Farseer Trilogy rose and fell on the shoulders of the wonderfully developed Fitz, the opening number in the Liveship Traders trilogy features an ensemble cast of characters who are equally well developed. There's literally half a dozen "Fitzes" in Ship of Magic, and none of them overshadow or diminish any of the others; to the contrary, they complement each other with near perfection.

Hobb appears to have grown as a writer since she began Assassin's Apprentice, and nowhere does it show more in the pacing of her storytelling. Her ability to create characters has always been evident, but the speed with which she told their tales was sometimes uneven. Ship of Magic is much more polished in that regard. The author expertly weaves numerous threads into a constantly developing plot that is both logical enough to make sense and mysterious enough to be unpredictable.

So with all that said, why is this not a five star book? Quite simply, it's not written to be. The story told is not self contained, rather, it is the merely the set-up for even grander events that are just appearing on the proverbial horizon as the first third of this trilogy draws to a close. If you're looking for a single book that's both a complete story and a quick read, this is the wrong place to look. If, however, you're looking to invest in a rich world with a dynamic story and trust the author to pay off your sizeable investment of time, this is a great place to start.

With a few minor "huh?" moments, the Liveship trilogy stands on its own, separate from the preceeding Farseer trilogy or the (technically) subsequent Tawny Man trilogy. Nonetheless, although I picked up the Liveship trilogy while Tawny Man was still being finished by Hobbs, I also put it down. I didn't find it as compelling--no Night Eyes, no Fitz, no Fool (OK, I'm not an idiot, but...). However, upon finishing Tawny Man, I realized how Liveship fit into the overall story and have since completed it with new and much more interested eyes.

Still, Tawny Man is a spoiler for Liveship in many ways. As such, perhaps you should power through Liveship. If not, you will certainly return here afterwards.

Robin Hobb is a master of story weaving. I am not especially fond of fantasy, but after a friend turned me on to the Assassins Apprentice series, we embarked on subsequent writings including the Liveship Traders and Tawny Man series. To maximize the effect of these interwoven novels, read them in that order (ie., The Farseer Trilogy, the Liveship Traders Series, and the Tawny Man Series.) The depth of the stories, as well as the richness and development of the characters easily rivals my all-time favorite series, The Lord of the Rings. Robin's work is truly a mastery of story telling. In fact, the only complaint I could conceive with her books is that they are too detailed (much in the same fashion of The Lord of the Rings.)

Satisfying-- that's what I thought after I read the entire series. These books are in my favorite genre- fantasy- but different enough from the cookie cutter fantasy story to really capture my attention. The concept of the liveships is fabulous and Althea (or any of the other characters) was not the typical farm-boy-finds-out-he's-royalty-and-has-to-save-the-world fantasy character. I enjoyed this series more than the Assassin's Apprentice series, which dragged a little at it's very dark conclusion. This is definitely a highly recommended read!

I have been strictly a Fantasy reader for the last 23 years. After reading the Farseer Trilogy, I was anxious to read other works by Robin Hobb. I must say I was a tad bit leary of this title. It looked a bit "historical romance" to me. To my surprise, this novel turned out to be delightful! Robin Hobb, you have created a devoted fan of your work. I just ordered Mad Ship in the hardback edition. I only do that with authors I truly enjoy! Your work will be among that of Tolkien, Eddings, Weis & Hickman, Salvatore, and various other favs of mine. Thank you!

This is probably a fine book for teenagers who devour every fantasy book their fingers can touch, and it is better written, technically, than a lot of fat, generic fantasy series. I'm inclined to categorize it as escapism, which is not so much a criticism as a shrug. There's nothing particularly special about the setting (liveships included); there's nothing inspiring or unique about the writing (I can think of dozens of authors who sound just like this one); the characters are standard teen/teen-like holograms that the reader is expected to project themselves onto; and at 809 pages, it is what every fantasy fanatic expects of a book these days -- complication without complexity, characterization without depth, darkness without getting your hands dirty, and a rather flat/acceptable/non-threatening view of storytelling.
It's about the same as watching a mini-series on the Hallmark channel. It'll pass the time, but don't expect it to have any sort of impact on you.

This is quite simple one of the best fantasy series around. Get it now.

I preferred this trilogy to the farseer trilogy as I seemed to get stuck on the first book, but with this series I never lost interest. However, I did lose sleep and the will to continue with my dull 'ordinary' life!

What I particularily liked was the range of characters. I cant say that I found any of them boring. Kennit is a brilliant character, hes an extremely ruthless and efficient pirate with great ambition - yet despite this he becomes extremely likeable.

Malta on the other hand begins the story as an annoying brat of a child - yet by the third book you find yourself liking and respecting her development into a responsible woman.

The plot holds your interest. In fact it does more - Robin Hobb seems to have the ability to spoonfeed bits of information, but enough to make you more and more curious and as the story moves on you become more desparate for answers to questions..

By the end, the story is a cascade of events where all the plot lines come together and everything fits together perfectly. Storytelling at its finest.

I have always thought that the best fantasy writing is that which allows us to most believe a fanatsy setting as real. Robin Hobb certainly does that.. everything has an ultimate purpose in the overall plot, the magics are toned down and creative, the characters change and grow and while im no expert on sailing, it would seem that Robin Hobb is knowledgeable about sailing matters and this reinforces the believability of the story.

Buy it read it and then read everything else by her!!

(Oh and be warned - you might lose a few days/weeks of your life!)

I loved the book, and I'd been looking forward to reading it for ages. It was worth every moment of the wait, but as I reached around the middle of the book, late in the night of the day I bought it, eager to know what happened in each coming page, I was suddenly forced to pause. To look back and read the last line of the previous page once more, followed by the page I was on. It was true. There was absoultely nothing similar about them. I looked to the top of the page- it was not the page that should have come next. But, more than that, it was not the same book. Somehow, the publishers only know how, Vanity Fair was entrapped in the pages of Ships of Magic. 80 pages of it, to be precise, replacing 80 pages of the book I was reading. Thus, the book infuriated me beyond belief, but, in the end, when at long last I actually got a chance to get the book replaced, and read the end of it- I loved it. I strongly recommend the book, but make sure it's all one book before you buy it!!!

I read The Liveship Traders trilogy MANY years ago; so many that I am unable to write the type of detailed review this series, and its author, rightly deserves. However, I did want to take this opportunity to write how much I remember enjoying this trilogy. I remember being so taken by it that I actually wrote a fan letter to Robin Hobb. It was my first fan letter EVER!

I still consider Robin Hobb to be one of my favorite writers. I've read almost all of her books, and the couple that I haven't are queued-up in my Wish List right now.

I highly recommend any book written by Robin Hobb, but especially those of The Liveship Traders trilogy. I hope you give the series a chance, and that you find yourself transported into her fantastic, new world with it's oh-so compelling characters.

~ Ship of Magic (The Liveship Traders, Book 1)
~ Mad Ship (The Liveship Traders, Book 2)
~ Ship of Destiny (The Liveship Traders, Book 3)

Enjoy!

Sentient ship family.

Set in the same world as the Farseer series of books, and geographically within trading distance this book is about a family that crews one of the sailing ships made of a magical wood that are actually alive.

When the father of the family dies the new owner of the ship comes as a surprise. After this, with the usual problems of trying to make a living in this industry throw in piracy on top of that, and pirate romance even.

Nowhere near as interesting to me as the Farseer books, unfortunately.

After reading many reviews on this book, and struggleing through it myself, I have come to a dissapointing conlusion. "Ship of Magic" is not a read again book, it was barely even a read until the end book. I was really interested in reading the Liveship Traders books, as I'd heard some good things about them, and I liked the Assasin's books, but I couldn't find the first book in the trilogy, so I tried the other two, and I couldn't get past the first few chapters. I hated to give up, so whe I finally found the first book, I bought it. But this book, though easier to get into, has too many pointless characters. Even the ones I like I didn't look forward to reading about. I forced myself through boring plot segments, that became cliches as they were repeated throughout the book. Althea always argues that Vestrit is hers, her sister alway concedes to Kyle, Kyle's always cruel(or totaly unlikeable) and Wintrow is always priestly and doesn't seem to learn.
I hate to do this to one of my favourite authors, but the reviewers who gave low stars were right. There is too much time spent on character development, and not enough on plot development. There's only so much you can say about charcter, before you want to know what that character DOES!
I would recommend, tentatively, this book to readers of long Epic fantasies with lost of charcters and lots of sub-plots, but one plot fans should avoid this book with their life.

Robin Hobb has definitely made it my list of favorite authors - love her. Ship of Magic took a little bit for me to get into, but once the story picked up, I couldn't put the book down. I either really liked or really disliked people (OMG Malta - I wish someone would just slap her already). I was completely into it - and I love the idea of sentient ships. I don't love it like I did Farseer and Tawny Man, but it's only book 1.

My only small complaints
1. The Fool only had a small part in the book
2. I hate the name Ronica!

This is my first Robin Hobb book, but i can tell you it wont be my last. Her writing style, though a little long winded, creates a colorful picture of the events happening, and is always interesting to read. You actually appreciate the level of detail she goes into.
This story is heavy on characterization. Like many others have said, the characters are realistic, dynamic, people. As they are interwoven into the plot(s), you get a feeling of sympathy, disgust (Kyle!!!!), or even frustration. Hobb does an excellent job writing the cast.
With an intriguing plot(s), a variety of intersting dynamic characters, and great writing, i dont see how one could be disappointed with this book. I know it's one of the most enjoyable books i've read in a long time! I cant wait to read the rest of the series.

At first, I thought I would not like this novel. I'm not usually a fan of novels that dedicate a small section to one character, then two pages later jump you to another character. I find them too chaotic to read. However, this is one of the things that keeps me plowing through this series! No more do I get angry that the story is jumping to a new character, than I find myself totally caught up in THAT person's part of the story. There is amazing depth to the characters in this series...there are characters to hate, many to like, many to feel great sympathy for - all of the things that make me like a novel! You learn small glimpses of these people's pasts that make you *just* think you understand them - then they turn around and surprise you with something else!
This is definitely not a typical fantasy - no mages, goblins, orcs, dragons....oops...well...okay.....maybe dragons...but none of that other stuff! Truly an exciting novel.

Well maybe not quite, BUT very good! I couldn't believe it when I saw a re-issue of this in hardcover. I was so bummed 'cause I thought it was the second book in the series! I went back and tried to buy all the old Megan Lindholm stuff I could find (thank you Powells for telling me the two are one and the same). Her work as Lindholm was extreemly good (try Harpy's Flight or Reindeer People) but this book and the Farseer trilogy are new heights. She breaks the staid mold of fantasy!

This is the first book of Robin Hobb's new series. The concept is really cool, ships made out of "wizard wood" that come to life. Hobb creates compelling characters and has a great knack for storytelling.
The only criticism I have is that I find the pacing of the story a little slow. There's nothing in particular I can point to. Perhaps it the internal dialogue of the characters. Probably I'm just impatient for the plot to resolve.

I almost never made it through this book. There were several times where I almost gave up on it. It moves very slow and while, there are some interesting things happening, not much of anything develops until the last two chapters. Even then, however, it doesn't deliver.
It was pretty disappointing because I LOVED Robin Hobb's Assassin series. They are some of my favorite Fantasy books. So, it was quite a let down when I read this book. It's still written quite well and the characters are deep and unique, but the story just doesn't go anywhere.
At this point I don't plan on reading the other books in this series and hoping that the Tawny Man series will resume what I liked about Robin's stories in the Assassin series.

I would never have picked up these books if I hadn't already read been a Robin Hobb fan. The thought of sentient ships just didn't appeal to me. However, I really enjoyed this series for the same reason as I like her other works. Some of the characters overlap, also, which is nice. I had become attached to the characters in The Farseer Saga and Tawny Man Trilogy, so it was nice to see them again!

I been a fan of Hobbs since I read her assasin series so I was thrilled that she was going back to her fabulous world but in a different area.This novel introduces us sentinent ships made by wizardwood,terrifying sea serpents and bloodthirsty pirates.Hobb's world-building skills are execellent as usual and her characters are fully described like charismatic but ruthless pirate named Kennit.Great start to a series.

This is the first book in a fantastic stand-alone series written by the author of the Farseer and the Tawny Man trilogies. It does contain one character from the other series, Amber, but surrounded by an entirely new and unique cast of characters and surroundings. Truly a fantastic read, this book pulled me in and once I read the first one, I immediately had to read books two and three!

Ok, so maybe it won't come out "soon," but it should be out by the spring. Ship of Magic is absolutely incredible, from first page to last. The more you read it, the more you find to snigger about (look for small details, and maybe you'll understand what I mean). Kennit, Althea, Wintrow, Kyle, Malta, Ronica, Brashen, Paragon, and, of course, Vivacia all have their parts; none of them pointless. Even the characters who are known just as names have their own personalities. The plot slowly weaves together, pulling the characters closer and closer, but never quite having them meet. Make a point to get hold of the sequel, as you will have to love it if you loved Ship of Magic. Robin Hobb has never disappointed me with her writings.

I have read a lot of fantasy in my time and it is rare to come across a story that is truly original. The world Robin Hobb has created in this series is unlike any I've seen, the magic is subtle and the characters are alive. After reading the Farseer trilogy (also by Robin Hobb), I couldn't wait to get my hands on more of her books. This one was as good. The characters Robin creates are real people, they don't always behave the way you expect them to, they make mistakes and they evolve based on what has happened to them. None of the characters are completely good or completely evil, and they don't fit into classic stereotypes.
This series is actually placed in the same world as the Farseer trilogy and there are a few subtle ties to that story (which is fun if you've read it). If you find you like Robin Hobb's style, you should really consider listening to her works in order. Each trilogy stands alone, but is made better if read in the right order. Start with the Farseer trilogy, next is the Liveship Traders, then the Tawny Man, and finally the Rainwild chronicles. If on the other hand, you are only going to read one set...this one stands alone the best. It is impossible to stop reading until you've reached the end.

After reading Hobb's Farseer Trilogy,and loving it, I forbore reading anything else by her until recently. I waited and bought all three of the Liveship Trader series and spent most of four days reading the entire series. It was gripping, involved and kept me wanting more. I sincerely hope Hobb follows this trilogy up with another set in the Rain Wilds and Bingtown. You come to hate then love many of the characters in her books. Characters are complex and intriguing and make the reader relate to them on many levels. Great Job!! Looking forward to more stories but please, don't let release dates between books keep us in agony.

I read this book mostly when I was in waiting rooms or similar circumstances. Since I would only read 5-10 pages a week, it took over a year and a half to finish. In spite of that, the book was a marvel. The characters were so well drawn, the story was so involving that I had no difficulty in picking up the thread even if a month when by between reads.

Forewarning: I will not spoil any plot, so read on without fear.
I've only just finished this book, so I can only review from that perspective. Looking over reviews, people tend to be either absolutely impressed, or else disgusted. Both views have merit.
I decided to read this after being pleasantly surprised with Hobbs "Farseer Trilogy". Most people will agree that the strongest point was the character of Fitzchivalry, even moreso than the plot itself. Hobb certainly has a way of creating deep characters. However, in Ship of Magic, Hobb has changed from writing in first person to third. This is a double edged sword in that her writing seems to have matured greatly, and she can follow all of the many stories within. Unfortunately though, none of the characters draw you in like Fitzchivalry did. I didn't find myself caring much for Althea, nor did I seem to really dislike the "evil villian" figure in the way that I loathed Regal.
In terms of storyline, I'm rather disappointed. I feel that this could easily have been written in 400 pages rather than 800, without losing any of it's strength. The only real progression at all occurs in the first few and the final few chapters. There seems to be a WHOLE lot of inconsequential little events spread throughout. Considering that the next books in the series are even longer, I feel I may not read them for fear of wasting my time.
What storyline there is, some is interesting, most is not. I did like the story of Wintrow, a priest-in-training who is forced to leave that way of life and sail aboard Vivacia with his ignorant and controlling father. This story touches more on some real life moral issues such as religion, aspirations, and slavery. Also the comparatively small story of the abandoned liveship Paragon, although it goes absolutley nowhere, seemed like it had potential to unveil well. The pirate Kennit seems to be the "baddie", but as said before he doesn't seem to build up too much.
On the other hand, we follow Althea who has been betrayed by her family and kicked off her families liveship Vivacia. From that point on, her plot doesn't go very far, but stretches unnecessarily. Then there's the most tedious story of all, the household of the Vestrits. Very long and rather uninteresting. Not to mention the serpents, which for the most part seems totally unrelated, though I'm sure it'd be revealed late in the last book.
I suggest if you are intent on reading this series, read this before you buy the others, because you may, like me, find that you simply can't be bothered reading through it all for something that doesn't seem to be happening. There honestly doesn't seem to be some ultimate goal that this is leading to, and that makes it very hard to read and remain motivated and drawn into it. 2 1/2 stars.

Having read the Assassin and Tawny man series, I deliberately left a year before I started the Liveship Traders as I knew it would become as addicted to this as I had to Robin's earlier works. This book introduces us to a new world of characters, geography, politics, history and magic - a completely imagined other realm, and the plot compels the reader to find out more. Like many fantasy series the first volume just opens the door to the rest; not many questions are answered by the final page. I've just started the second in the series, and as anticipated, I'm addicted.

I was lost in the Pittsburg airport when I picked up this book, and I must say that it is the most exceptional piece of fantasy that I had ever read. In its supreme brillience, I find myself emmersing entirely with Althea with her bulk of family conflicts, and sensing the path of tears down my face as I read of her agony. Brashen in my opinion is as interesting and intrigueing as a person could be, and I sincerely wish that he and Althea would repair their differences. As it is my most prominant dream to become a fantasy novelist myself one day, Robin Hobbs is the author which I hold my own standards to; and they could not begin to reach a greater height considering that Ms. Hobbs is, by a far margin, the most magnificent writer that I have ever had the honor of reading.

Robin Hobb creates a magnificent world in this book. Nice character development and description. This entire series makes the Farseer Triology and the Tawny Man trilogy all the more enjoyable.
I do recommend reading the Farseer Trilogy first, though. If you read that trilogy first, then the Liveship Traders and finally the Tawny Man trilogy (only 2 out so far) you'll appreciate the pieces much more.

I was enthralled the moment that I picked up the book and started to read. The book is a rare find nowadays as it is always borrowed out. Even though the Ship of Magic was the first book written by Robin Hobb that I had read, I didn't feel that I really should have read the Farseer trilogy first. I will definetely encourage others to read all of Robin Hobb's books.

I wil say it, and probably regret it later, but...most fantasy is trash. Don't get me wrong, I like fantasy quite a bit, but most of it is cheesy, banal, and pretty much the same stuff over and over again. What's my point? Robin Hobb is one of the few writers of fantasy today who write like fantasy is a form of literature, not an overdone sub-genre. Her characters, for instance - like him or not, Captain Kennit will jump out from the pages and speak to you. Her heroine, Althea, is at times both courageous and intelligent and yet clumsy and naive - just like a real person with real feelings. Like John Irving or Charles Dickens, Hobb isn't content to just give you a physical description and let it go from there. You will learn what makes these people good guys or bad guys... and you will be all the more entertained for Robin Hobb's efforts.

This is my first Robin Hobb book. It was recommended to me by my fellow bookworm father.

I have to admit, it is long, and there are a lot of characters that you get to meet and read their perspectives, but as the story moved on, man, I just got sucked right in and had been so eager to dive right in every chance I got. I have about 10 more pages to go, and I have been so impressed I needed to go ahead and put my two cents in about this books greatness.

Lots of adventure, interesting characters- the ones that make you want to fight for them, then the ones you totally want to smack. There is a bit of romance and it was just plain fun to mingle with pirates and out in sea with a magic ship and sea serpants! Worthy book.

I learned about Robin Hobb just recently and this is the first book I've read of her. What a great treat. It is a superb novel. I can't wait to get and read the next one in this great series. About the Verasit family and their liveship Veracia, this book keeps you turning its pages. A strange mix between real life and science fiction. A very good read.

I'm not a huge fantasy reader especially if it has dragons in it - when I was given Princess Assassins I waited till I was totally desperate to read it - what can I say but pleasantly surprised. So I waited with baited breath for the next books - Ships of Magic not only didn't let me down it surpassed all expectations - my life was put on hold as it gripped me body and soul. Honestly I prefer it to Assassin's - perhaps for some of the most honest female characterisations I've found in any form of Literature - the mother, the daughter, the granddaughter all bound together to survive in a man's world - done so well I cried - dashing pirates with surprising soft sides - "hero" figures with addiction issues - and more mysteries to come - why do I have to wait so long for the next one!

This was the first Robin Hobb book I read. What a great story. The characters and world were so three dimensional that they almost seemed real. Bingtown is alive with the stories of its inhabitants. Kennit and Althea are definitly strong characters, as is Vivacia. I recommend this novel to any dedicated reader of fantasy, or anyone who isn't familiar with the multitudes of fantasy writers available.

From the first page, this book had me hooked. As soon as I opened it I was no longer reading a book, I was on board the Vivacea, tasting the sea air for myself. I can't wait to read the next one.

Note: I also posted this review on Goodreads.

A fabulous book! The characters are complex, real people. The plot twists and foreshadowing are well done. The world Robin Hobb has created is fascinating. If you like Robert Jordan or enjoyed Hobb's Assassin series you'll enjoy this. Not a sequel to the Assassin series, but set in a different part of the same world.

Since I've read Hobb's first trilogy (the Farseers), I still regonice some of the world described in this book, and her style of writing (in which I fell in love through the Farseer trilogy). This is a promising start on the new trilogy, and she still have a way of describing the world vivid enough to create pictures in your head as you read. You feel with the characters, and it's hard to let go of them when the book ends, and you get the feeling that you MUST know what happens next to them. This is a great book, and I recomend it to any fantasy reader, new as old.

Robin Hobb's second series after the Farseer Trilogy is absorbing. Never afraid to kill, maim or torture her characters, Hobb weaves an intricate story that provides some answers to riddles from her first series but is in every way a completely new story about lands and cultures that simply share the same planet with those of the Farseer books.
Robin Hobb's writing transports me into the lands she describes and I feel a connection with the characters she develops so well. They feel REAL.

It is a little difficult to come up with something original in the Fantasy genre, I think, at the moment. Most of the themes have been done over and over. Robin Hobb however has created a world with unique characteristics that really capture your mind, your imagination. It's a sure bet when you know you just have to go and buy that very next book as soon as you can and I have now read all the Liveship series and the Farseer series and they are so well written. It is a very good blend of Fantasy, magic, mystique and characters to love and loath.

I found this book to be a great "first novel" for this new adventure (of course, I'm biased -- I loved the "Assassin's Apprentice" series). Both the magic system and the political system are unique and well thought-out, and the characters (while not all pleasant) are believable and interesting.
The hardcover copy I read was a nice 650 or so pages, which makes it a great book to curl up with for a few nights (if you can stand putting it down). On a side note, Ms. Hobb apparently published earlier SF/F novels under the name Megan Lindholm; now I have to go out and find copies of those :)
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who's enjoyed books by Eddings, Jordan, or other similar authors.

I highly recommend this book. With so many fantasy novels out there that are all about the same, Hobb takes you into a whole new world. Not only is this innovative and inspiring, but also an emotional journey for any reader. I found I could not put this book down, and can't wait for the sequel! Bravo and well done!

Having read the Harpy's Flight trilogy (15? 20? years ago?) I have looked for and read everything by Megan Lindholm. I have not found any series in the hundreds of books I have read that match her imagination and vision. I have not liked every book she has written, particularly the Vietnam Vet in Seattle (Wizard of Pigeons?) but her books are so emotionally entralling you remember every one. I picked up Ship of Magic to find a new writer and could not put the book down. As I read and read, I was excited to find a new author that was so enthralling. As I got to the last page, and read "About the author" it should have been no surprise it was Megan Lindholm. Megan, Robin, if you read this, you are the best!

This was my first Robin Hobb series. At first I had trouble getting into the slow pace of the story. I stuck with it and am glad I did. One of the best series I have read and I have read a bunch. At times a bit "TOOOO" slow, but necesary. The end left me wanting more. Perhaps a series will be written to continue as there sure is enough material to suggest a grand series.

This book is brilliant. That was all I was gonna say but heck who cares? A friend recommended this book to me and I was reluctant to read it at first cos it was about ships on the open sea and I wasn't really into all that... BUT this book has totally converted me. It's absoloutly brilliant and you end up with a real connection to the characters. There are a few different bits to the plot and all twist and turn making you wonder what's gonna happen next. One of the best books I've ever read. Although the problems aren't resolved at the end of the book - I'd definetely recommend this book to anyone. READ IT and that's an order.

This is a huge book with dozens of characters and a POV for almost every one of them. The book could easily have been trimmed to its advantage. But it's still a delightful read about a delightful world with a delightful seafaring twist.

I was hooked from the beginning of this book to the very end of this trilogy. Lots of adventure and unforgettable characters wrapped up in a story you'll never forget. I would highly recommend this series to anyone.

Ms. Hobb's new book is definatly worth your while. I eagarly await the next volume. The liveships are a very interesting creation and the hints at a larger story of the sea serpants highten the fasination of the story. I just wish the author had not left so many questions hanging out there.

Since I've read Hobb's first trilogy (the Farseers), I still regonice some of the world described in this book, and her style of writing (in which I fell in love through the Farseer trilogy). This is a promising start on the new trilogy, and she still have a way of describing the world vivid enough to create pictures in your head as you read. You feel with the characters, and it's hard to let go of them when the book ends, and you get the feeling that you MUST know what happens next to them. This is a great book, and I recomend it to any fantasy reader, new as old.

Robin Hobb's second series after the Farseer Trilogy is absorbing. Never afraid to kill, maim or torture her characters, Hobb weaves an intricate story that provides some answers to riddles from her first series but is in every way a completely new story about lands and cultures that simply share the same planet with those of the Farseer books.
Robin Hobb's writing transports me into the lands she describes and I feel a connection with the characters she develops so well. They feel REAL.

It is a little difficult to come up with something original in the Fantasy genre, I think, at the moment. Most of the themes have been done over and over. Robin Hobb however has created a world with unique characteristics that really capture your mind, your imagination. It's a sure bet when you know you just have to go and buy that very next book as soon as you can and I have now read all the Liveship series and the Farseer series and they are so well written. It is a very good blend of Fantasy, magic, mystique and characters to love and loath.

I found this book to be a great "first novel" for this new adventure (of course, I'm biased -- I loved the "Assassin's Apprentice" series). Both the magic system and the political system are unique and well thought-out, and the characters (while not all pleasant) are believable and interesting.
The hardcover copy I read was a nice 650 or so pages, which makes it a great book to curl up with for a few nights (if you can stand putting it down). On a side note, Ms. Hobb apparently published earlier SF/F novels under the name Megan Lindholm; now I have to go out and find copies of those :)
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who's enjoyed books by Eddings, Jordan, or other similar authors.

I highly recommend this book. With so many fantasy novels out there that are all about the same, Hobb takes you into a whole new world. Not only is this innovative and inspiring, but also an emotional journey for any reader. I found I could not put this book down, and can't wait for the sequel! Bravo and well done!

Having read the Harpy's Flight trilogy (15? 20? years ago?) I have looked for and read everything by Megan Lindholm. I have not found any series in the hundreds of books I have read that match her imagination and vision. I have not liked every book she has written, particularly the Vietnam Vet in Seattle (Wizard of Pigeons?) but her books are so emotionally entralling you remember every one. I picked up Ship of Magic to find a new writer and could not put the book down. As I read and read, I was excited to find a new author that was so enthralling. As I got to the last page, and read "About the author" it should have been no surprise it was Megan Lindholm. Megan, Robin, if you read this, you are the best!

This was my first Robin Hobb series. At first I had trouble getting into the slow pace of the story. I stuck with it and am glad I did. One of the best series I have read and I have read a bunch. At times a bit "TOOOO" slow, but necesary. The end left me wanting more. Perhaps a series will be written to continue as there sure is enough material to suggest a grand series.

This book is brilliant. That was all I was gonna say but heck who cares? A friend recommended this book to me and I was reluctant to read it at first cos it was about ships on the open sea and I wasn't really into all that... BUT this book has totally converted me. It's absoloutly brilliant and you end up with a real connection to the characters. There are a few different bits to the plot and all twist and turn making you wonder what's gonna happen next. One of the best books I've ever read. Although the problems aren't resolved at the end of the book - I'd definetely recommend this book to anyone. READ IT and that's an order.

This is a huge book with dozens of characters and a POV for almost every one of them. The book could easily have been trimmed to its advantage. But it's still a delightful read about a delightful world with a delightful seafaring twist.

I was hooked from the beginning of this book to the very end of this trilogy. Lots of adventure and unforgettable characters wrapped up in a story you'll never forget. I would highly recommend this series to anyone.

Ms. Hobb's new book is definatly worth your while. I eagarly await the next volume. The liveships are a very interesting creation and the hints at a larger story of the sea serpants highten the fasination of the story. I just wish the author had not left so many questions hanging out there.

I mean honestly all this stuff about harry potter which is nothing compared to Robin's works. Robin's charcters have a huge amount of depth and I ended up hating each one at a certain point in each book but then theres always some spark of goodness in them afterwards and um... ahem Liveships are an INCREDIBLE invention of the imagination (hope you heard that...hmmm...) wasn't really pointing that at anyone you know honest but anyhow do not worry about the books being long because beleive me by the end of the trilogy you wish they'd been longer!

I can see why people would love this book, but it wasn't for me. Having read and fallen in love with the Farseer Trilogy, and then the Tawny Man Trilogy, I was thrilled to hear of another series set in the same world, and ordered book one of the Liveship Traders immediately.

I got to about page 60, before I really decided to give up. Knowing that there was a whole other two books as well as this one, and not at all enjoying much of it so far, I decided not to waste my time.

The problem with this book is that it reads, mostly, like a collection of character profiles and backstories. Huge, huge info-dumps. It's called character development, I suppose, but it's not at all how I like to see characters established.

The writing was good, excellent, as is Hobb's standard. But I was bored, immensely so. And there just didn't seem to be an actual plot that was important enough to hold my interest. Everything felt like a kinda side-story, but I'm not sure where the meat and action was supposed to be.

I was very much dissapointed having expected great things from this series after reading Farseer. But Liveship is completely different and not nearly as good.

I have been an avid reader of sci-fi and fantasy for nearly 50 years---I consider myself something of an expert. It was with great delight that I started this first book of the trilogy. There were some great new, inventive ideas...where would they lead? The author laid out some of these ideas and many, many mysteries which we knew were about to unfold. But who could hang on that long? I have finished all three books of the trilogy and in truth there is a good story here. You will find it in the first half of volume one and the last half of volume three. The rest is filler---it took me two years to trudge through it because I really didn't want to give up---but how many others would push through that. And then some of the mysteries---especially the who and what Amber is -- is a two sentence delivery as her whole purpose for being at the end. I can only imagine with the loose ends such as this left that it is set up for a trilogy sequel ... ouch.

This was the first book I ever read by Robin Hobb and I soaked it up like a sponge! Hobb creates a magical world that is entrancing. Don't just buy the first book. You will be itching to continue reading the trilogy once you are done this one!

I read this after having finished the Farseer and Tawny Man series and was disappointed. Maybe the second book will be better or maybe I just like books that take place in castles better but whatever the reason this has not struck my fancy. I will continue so as to finish the series but I hope Hobb goes back to Fitz rather than follow these characters around any more.

This book was just awful. I can't believe people want to read about whining idiots and obvious drama created for dramas sake with no story. It's one big tragedy of bad things happening to people you are supposed to side with. i could just stand in the rain for a couple hours instead.\

the shifts of perspective are unnecessary and annoying as well.

this book suuuuuuucked

i don't often read such books, but after the assassins series, i knew that this would be a good series. i was not disappointed. it was a pageturner until the end of the last book. it was a little darker than the assassins series, but all the threads were neatly tied and i really learned/enjoyed myself reading it. awesome, just read it.

The Liveship Traders trilogy is some of the best epic fantasy written since LOTR. All of Robin Hobb's works are worth your time but these books are her best. 2400 pages is a substantial commitment, but upon finishing each of those pages you'll find yourself turning eagerly to the next. Buy these books and enjoy them. Buy Robert Jordan's books and despise them.

After reading The Farseer Trilogy which was very promising, I decided to take another chance with the author and try The Ship of Magic series. This first book is very silly. The concept of a liveship which speaks to it's occupants was intriguing but it loses it's appeal as the characters were very annoying, and the magic was very unsophisticated. I tried very hard to find some good in this novel but it falls short of anything spectacular. Only for the extreemely imaginative and open minded. If you have your feet planted firmly on the ground, this fantasy novel is not for you. Goodkind fans will find this novel a hard read. The Farseer trilogy is far better.

This is a book that I couldn't put down. In fact, I spent way too much time one night (early morning) and paid the price in sleep deprivation the next day! The characters are all so full and vibrant; it's as if Ms. Hobb didn't have to create these people, they were already there and alive, just waiting for someone to simply tell their story. This is the mark of a fine storyteller. I can't wait for the next installment.
I have not read any other of Ms. Hobb's books before; now I will go out and buy the other series. Thank you for a great book!

If you are bored with Jordan, have given up on Goodkind, and are just waiting for Martin to finally get out the latest, this series is a nice interlude. It's a nice change to the typical fantasy series becauses it is mostly a tale of the sea. This series should have a broad appeal, but may not be appropriate for young readers. I highly recommend it.

I'd never read any of Robin Hobb's books before, so I did not know what to expect. On the basis of this, I never plan to read any more. I hated this horrible book, and sold it off as soon as I could. I gave it two stars instead of one because Hobb does have some imagination and writing talent. But her book is full of stupid, unpleasant people doing stupid, unpleasant things to each other for stupid, unpleasant reasons. And as for the storyline involving Malta - Yuck! This girl is fourteen, and Hobb is female herself! Where the story can go from here I cannot tell and do not care. Avoid.

kind of a slow starting book/trilogy. Really wanted to read tawney man trilogy but new i should read robin hobbs books in order. Overall a good book. Don't think i'd read it again though. Has must read information about characters from the first trilogy and continued in the tawney man i think.

Yet another simply gripping book by Hobb. The world created could so easily lead to at least 20 other novels. Couldn't put down this one just like I couldn't put down any of the assassins series or tawny man series. Would so love a prequel to all these .

I read the Farseer Trilogy, and I thought it was pretty good, but Ship of Magic is far better. The characters have much more depth and feeling. I thought that Kennit was one of the most interesting characters. Althea was admirable, although a little too stubborn for her own good. My one complaint is that Brashen didn't receive as much attention as he deserved. This is a must read for anyone! Also, another great series is the Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. The Death Gate novels were the best I have ever read, so check them out sometime.

Once again Robin Hobb's vivid and three dimensional characters take us on a riveting adventure that promises the best is yet to come. As for the Kirkus Review, they messed up! Ronica's oldest daughter is Keffria NOT Malta. Those of us who really READ books know the difference! So if you enjoy high epic fantasy adventures and feel like spending time with a few sea serpents and pirates BUY THIS BOOK. It's a keeper!

robin hobb continues to be one of my favorite authors…her characters are very well developed and the stories thoroughly entertaining. ship of magic is no exception…..characters you love and characters you love to hate. the liveship concept is remarkably brilliant and original. a must read

Great book - hoping that they will republish in hardcover. I have all of these books - all twelve and I was not able to get hardcovers in about four of them - especially the Liveship Traders trilogy.

As always, Robin Hobb writes a fasinating story that compells the reader to read on. Every book he writes he just gets better. This book is well worth the money and the time well spent. You will yourself not wanting to put this tale down. When you do, you'll be wondering what the characters are up to. Bravo, Mr. Hobb! Keep up the excellent work, I look forward to The LiveShip Traders, Volume 2.

You can forget about the Kirkus Review for this book. What they characterize as unresolved plotlines are actually a terrific setup for the next book. Maybe the faceless minions at Kirkus fail to realize that this is a "book 1" of a series. The characters are well thought out and the story progresses at a rapid clip, pulling the reader along. This easily has the potential to surpass her Assassin trilogy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I read the Farseer trilogy first, and then moved on to this book. I really enjoy her writing style and the world which has been created is captivating, and seems to be endless. I look forward to future books, and have strongly encouraged friends to read these for themselves. I can't wait til I can get my hands on Mad Ship. I must see what happens next!

This entire series is a great one with a novel (and I believe unique) concept about the "Live Ships".

Great read... always kept me turning the page. I didn't "like" the turn of events in the last book, but it was... real. ;)

Read it if you like novel sci-fi/fantasy.

This is a difficult book for me to rate.

As a novel, with all of the elements and characters and plots, it is a five star written novel; However ...

The one star part of this review is that this novel is NOT book one of a trilogy, but PART one of a three part story. There is absolutely zero resolution at the end of this novel. Every character and every plot (9 by my count) has just made the move from Beginning to end of act one, ready to move into the 'action' phase of doing things. Understand that what I am saying is that this is an 809 page Act one to a long epic tale.

But, what makes me read this is the rip-roaring maritime adventures of these characters in different parts of the world and on different ships. The action is lively, the stories are intriguing, and everything is continually flowing. Were there some sort of feeling that this was a stand alone book, it would retain the 5 star rating. However, this is no more a trilogy than the repackaged Lord of the Rings. LotR is very much one long tale, and has never tried to be anything but. This is the Liveship Trilogy, yet, it is not. It should be renamed The Liveship Epic, and each novel be titles Book One, Book Two, and Book Three.

I cannot in good conscience give this a 5 star rating because this is NOT a novel that is able to be read and enjoyed without having to complete the series.

The book was great, at first i was slow reading it but then i got into the plot and couldn't put it down!!!! My only conplaint is Althea and Brashen! People who have read the book will understand, i hear in the 2nd book there is an other man!!!! I hope they {Althea and Brashen} as my bud Cal would say "get together" for good! An amazing read!!!!!

I first picked this book up in Sidney,AU, hoping for a good read on the plane back. I wasn't at all disappointed!Hobb's charecter development was EXSQUISITE, and I could actually feel the pains and happiness of the charecters. I would definately recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read! ~Celestina Kimsey~ ~13~

I was really exicted that Robin Hobb had a new series out following the really good "Assassin" trilogy.

But this was just plain bad. Whiny, uninspired characters that ruined what could have been a good book.

If you must read the series, do so at your own risk.

This first volume of The Liveship Traders was an excellent encore to The Farseer Trilogy. Hobb fans should be well satisfied. PLEASE MS. HOBB! I CANNOT wait a full year for the sequel. I doubt you need any more pressure than you're already under but...please HURRY.

This is my first Hobb book. I tried Farseer but I couldn't get into it. I thought I'd give her another try since so many people seem to like her so much. I'm glad I did, and I'll have to give Farseer another try.

Possibly spoilers here...

First the good stuff. The magic was really kool. The whole system was very intricate and believable. The wizardwood was really intriguing and even though the liveships do kind of have a cheese factor, I still liked it. The story was really a pageturner, I looked forward to picking up the book everyday ( I read it on breaks at work mostly). A lot of the characters broke out of the stereotypes of pirates and such although Althea...I dunno she kind of seemed too much the spunky heroine ya know? I liked her and all...but she wasn't the most interesting of the bunch. The most I liked her was when she did something I didn't expect, which was only a couple times...the plot point of her dressing up as a boy could be seen a mile away. But it doesn't put a damper on it, I think she still has potential in the rest of the story esp with Brashen. I also liked her thing with the woodworking girl Amber...which wasn't as much as I wish it would have been. The world was nice, and I liked the family dynamics and the contract with the Creepy Traders...although Malta was a bore. Kyle...who can say why Ephrom ever trusted him for a moment?

Now for some of the not so good stuff...

Paragon...I don't know, he was interesting but just a bit too blank sometimes characterwise. I can see why that could be since he lost his memories...but some of the stuff with him and Amber I didn't think added much to the story.
Interminable setting details...could have been A LOT shorter and tighter if some of that stuff was left out.
While I really liked Kennit and his whore...I wish there were more background information about what made him the way he is...hopefully that will be brought out in the next two books...but I would have liked more in this one! It would have made him less of just a villain.
Wintrow...was interesting and everything it's just I didn't find myself liking him very much at all. That's not all bad...I realize not every character has to be likable...but I had to read a lot about him and I thought he was spiteful and pompous...but I do see room for him to grow and I hope he does
I think the worst aspect of the book was the serpents...it did not go anywhere and was just a muddle. I know we'll see more...but bring it somewhere in the first book!

Most of this stuff is probably nitpicking...but I gave the book four stars and overall it is a really good book...just a few things that maybe will be resolved over the course of the trilogy but I wished were brought to a better tantalizing crescendo in the first book.

Happy reading!

well i think it was great. mainly because there are many stories in one book who are all related to each other. it is all about the ship but there are many substories! i just loved it and i am waitng for part two.

Read this book if you like it when every character behaves like a seven year old whining brat. There is absolutely no one to root for. The story goes on and on and nothing happens(except people complaining how miserable their life is). Save your time and money and read something else.

This is 809 pages of adolescent drivel. The conflicts established provided ample opportunity for a satisfying resolution that never occurred. Far too much elaboration on the shallow reflections of flat characters. As a reader, I felt cheated.

Very Long, very boring, none of the characers are likeable. I read this one after finishing the Tawny Fool Trilogy expecting to be as good. Boy was I dissappointed. I can't believe I read the who thing.

"Ship of Magic" is a soap opera in fantasy clothing: An aristocratic family which owns a ship made of living wood, complete with a talking masthead (Jason and the Argonauts, anyone?) has fallen on tough times, and risks catastrophic failure on an economic, societal, and familial level.

The family patriarch is dying, and that causes all sorts of power struggles, which we experience in the most agonizing detail and from as many points of view as possible. This causes the book to become so bloated that--surprise!--it can't be finished in one volume. Like I said, a soap opera... a never-ending soap opera. More importantly, though, the unnecessary shifts in POV distract us from Althea, the true main character, and dull what could otherwise be very sharp edges in the story. To make things even worse, we seem to be able to figure out what's going to happen in the lives of the main characters about 150 pages before it happens.

Coupled with the slow pace is the it's-so-hard-to-be-a-girl-in-a-male-dominated-society [feminist] bias that permeates this work, and nearly ruins it. This bias manifests itself perfectly in all of the major male characters: The paternal one who cannot trust a woman with the welfare of the family, the boorishly sexist one who seeks to dominate the women in the family, the sexy pirate to whom women are mere receptacles for his lust.... It's laughable, especially today.

Even if you walk away after the first book, I think you can do so confident that all male characters in the series will either come around to the "right" way of thinking... or be destoyed.

If you want a tedious, predicatable, feminist soap opera that clearly will not be even close to finished by the time you are halfway through, "Ship of Magic" is for you.

Hobb has created an audience for herself as ardent as any author could wish. They have learned to enjoy the hallmarks of her work and she executes these items very, very well. The immersive characters, the sense of justice, the romance of the work, these are all things that her readers have learned to expect and which she delivers (if not as grandly as in her Farseer books). But creating an audience does not a sufficient condition to influence a genre in the way we expect great books to do. Despite delighting her audience and constructing her plots well, we do not see anything in Liveships that will force future authors to grapple with her themes and elements in their own writing. Hobb's popularity will track evenly with her prolificity. When she ceases to write, we feel her books will be crowded off the shelves, new readers diminish quickly, and new audiences created for the next new series coming out that adequately serve such cravings. Her second and third books in this series will have to be far, far better in order to overcome the deficiencies of this first and launch The Liveship Traders in to true greatness.

WHO SHOULD READ:

Fans of Hobb's other work will disagree vociferously with the more critical elements of our review. They will like this book with tremendous energy. It satisfies readers who crave their dramatic tragedies delivered in tactile rather than philosophical arenas and become very emotionally attached to the romantic elements of the characters. Aside from readers who enjoy other notable fantasy authors who deal in this arena, we think these books could cross over very easily from some of the less cheesy novels from the straight romance genre and perhaps the less gruesome horror novels dealing in vampires. Similarly, we feel that enthusiasts of cop dramas (Law and Order, CSI, etc.) could also find great satisfaction in Ship of Magic. If the sex is more heated and the language a bit coarser than Farseer we still feel this book is eminently suitable for adolescents and teenagers.

WHO SHOULD PASS:

Not to belabor the point, but this is not a book for people worn out with conventional fantasy and looking for something strikingly new or different. For this, they'd be better served with The Etched City, Perdido Street Station, or City of Saints and Madmen. Also, as we mentioned, romance is a major theme here and if the reader finds himself in the camp of just not interested in the love interests of the characters, there are large sections of this book he will find distasteful. Sophisticated readers who are coming from Farseer entranced by some of the chances and elements that Hobb took in the latter part of that series will probably be disappointed with this book (as we were). Finally, despite popular press to the otherwise, while good this book is no substitute for George RR Martin (A Song if Ice and Fire).

READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW AT INCHOATUS.COM

I do not want paperback books cluttering my bookshelves. If you know of somebody that does, by all means have at it. The book that I am currently reading, the hardcover of this, is well worth the time of any RH fan. There is no need to read the Liveship Traders series to be able to enjoy this, but LSTs searies will addd additional flavor to this series.

I liked this book, but not as good as the first 2 Fitz trilogies. Still i would recommend for fans of robin hobb. I would caution that the book does not have a true ending like in her other trilogies.

Very Long, very boring, none of the characers are likeable. I read this one after finishing the Tawny Fool Trilogy expecting to be as good. Boy was I dissappointed. I can't believe I read the who thing.

"Ship of Magic" is a soap opera in fantasy clothing: An aristocratic family which owns a ship made of living wood, complete with a talking masthead (Jason and the Argonauts, anyone?) has fallen on tough times, and risks catastrophic failure on an economic, societal, and familial level.

The family patriarch is dying, and that causes all sorts of power struggles, which we experience in the most agonizing detail and from as many points of view as possible. This causes the book to become so bloated that--surprise!--it can't be finished in one volume. Like I said, a soap opera... a never-ending soap opera. More importantly, though, the unnecessary shifts in POV distract us from Althea, the true main character, and dull what could otherwise be very sharp edges in the story. To make things even worse, we seem to be able to figure out what's going to happen in the lives of the main characters about 150 pages before it happens.

Coupled with the slow pace is the it's-so-hard-to-be-a-girl-in-a-male-dominated-society [feminist] bias that permeates this work, and nearly ruins it. This bias manifests itself perfectly in all of the major male characters: The paternal one who cannot trust a woman with the welfare of the family, the boorishly sexist one who seeks to dominate the women in the family, the sexy pirate to whom women are mere receptacles for his lust.... It's laughable, especially today.

Even if you walk away after the first book, I think you can do so confident that all male characters in the series will either come around to the "right" way of thinking... or be destoyed.

If you want a tedious, predicatable, feminist soap opera that clearly will not be even close to finished by the time you are halfway through, "Ship of Magic" is for you.

I do not want paperback books cluttering my bookshelves. If you know of somebody that does, by all means have at it. The book that I am currently reading, the hardcover of this, is well worth the time of any RH fan. There is no need to read the Liveship Traders series to be able to enjoy this, but LSTs searies will addd additional flavor to this series.