BOOK REVIEW: Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb (1998)
Books 1 of the Liveship Traders Trilogy
This review was originally written in 2013 and posted on Goodreads
I was amazed at how quickly I became invested in all of these characters.
I didn't initially realize that most of Hobb's books take place in the same world. So I first picked up Assassin's Apprentice and enjoyed it but found some flaws. Then I picked up the newest book at the time, which was the first of the Rain Wild Chronicles and I don't recall there being any characters linking them. I had also picked up the first book from the Soldier Son trilogy, which then actually is set in a different world, so all-in-all, I didn't know of the interconnections between the series.
So suddenly I was meeting Althea and Brashen and Paragon again as main characters. Instead of a new series for me, this became a trilogy where I would discover how Malta Vestrit became the Malta of TRWC, or how the liveships and serpents became aware of their history, and so on. In a way it was tragic because many outcomes were spoiled, but in turn, there was a new excitement in learning how things would turn out the way they are in the later series.
But I think never have I before ever been so engaged in characters so immediately. Althea's intense love for her ship taken away, Brashen's loss of a place and struggle to find a way, Kennit's cold ambition and odd lack of empathy, the heartbreaking relationship between Wintrow and Vivacia... even Kyle's charismatic and flawed logic. From chapter one I was completely hooked. Usually I pluck books froms series and read them here and there, but this time, the moment I put this book down, I was starving for the next.
Fantastic story, loved every moment of reading it!
Enjoy Bear’s writing? Consider joining her mailing list to keep up-to-date!
