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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Once again Hobb has created a masterpiece!,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Mad Ship: Book Two of The Liveship Traders (Mass Market Paperback)
This book, which is the second instalment of Robin Hobb's fabulous trilogy, 'The Liveship Traders' sees several major developments in both character and story. This instalment is definitely darker than the first and those of you familiar with Hobb's Farseer Trilogy will begin to recognise her ability to make it seem as if all of her characters actions and fortunes are decided by fate, and that they all have a destiny to fulfil.As this novel progresses it all begins to look distinctively bleak for the Vestrit trader family. In the first book, "Ship of Magic", their liveship Vivacia was captured by the pirate king Kennit. As their family fortunes are tied up in this ship it is imperative that they retrieve her. But does she want to be reclaimed or is the pirate life all that she ever dreamed of? Meanwhile, the Vestrits themselves are struggling not to be drawn ever deeper into poverty. As their funds begin to dwindle and all that can be sold is, they begin to consider the ultimate form of payment for their ship, the hand of their youngest family member Malta in marriage to the son of the trader family to whom they must continue to pay for Vivacia. While all of this is going on in the foreground of the novel, in the background the reclusive Amber is living in the captain's cabin of the beached liveship Paragon. While all others in Bingtown fear the mad ship that 'turtled', killing his entire crew, Amber looks forward to the day when she will make him sail once again. Amongst all of this, the tale of the serpents that seemed totally separate from the events in the last novel slowly becomes clear, and their importance and relationship to everyone and everything else in the novel is established. All in all, this is an astounding book. Robin Hobb writes so astonishingly well that you cannot help but be transfixed by every written word in this novel.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Seafaring success gathers speed...,
By
This review is from: The Mad Ship: Book Two of The Liveship Traders (Mass Market Paperback)
The transition from 'Ship of Magic' to 'The Mad Ship' is as smooth as silk, even the exposition for readers who've been away from the trilogy for a while (are there such people?!) is interlaced with the new material, so that you barely notice the subtle recounting of all that came before. The consistancy of this author is almost obsessional, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Once again the various character stories are woven seamlessly and somtimes in a way that leaves a massive number of pages between a cliffhanger-character moment and finding out just what happens next- the anticipation-reading is off the scale!!Contrary to the title though, this is not Paragon's story- the myriad sets of characters once again vie for the reader's attention and never does one group hog the limelight- always it is an ensemble piece, which I've discovered is just as attention-grabbing as stories that opt for a main character alone. Despite these continued unique perspectives though, I was slightly dissappointed Paragon was not given more in this book. I personally find the character fascinating and felt somewhat cheated that many of the aspects of this character, demons that so obviously bubble just under the surface, were not hinted at more. But doubtless I will get to know everything and more in the final installment of the trilgy- 'Ship of Destiny', which I'm now itching to read after just finishing this tremendous tale! If you havn't already, I hope this review immediately stirs in you the need to pick up 'The Mad Ship' without delay, because book 2 in the liveship saga does not disappoint. The best compliment I can give this book is that it's an effortlessly enjoyable read, while at the same time not ashamed to tackle bigger philosohpical, religious and moral issues. Simply superb.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Some of the finest high fantasy around.,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Mad Ship: Book Two of The Liveship Traders (Mass Market Paperback)
Having read the Farseer Trilogy and Ship of Magic, I was looking forward to this book but never had gotten around to picking it up until I borrowed it off a friend last week. He told me that he hadn't like it, and had only gotten halfway through.I'm going to have to ask him how this is possible. I was engrossed by the characters and the plot and it's been a long time since I read a book as entertaining as this one. The revelations on Liveships, sea-serpents, dragons and the Others were astounding, so I will reveal no more than that the "dragons" in the Farseer Trilogy were not dragons at all. They are mentioned briefly towards the end, more to explain how they fit in with the true dragons, but the book concerns itself more with philosophical questions about whether the means can justify the ends and the nature of slavery, even when it's only memories that are held slave. The Rain Wilds Traders and the Jamailan Satrapy are dealt with in greater detail than previously, and the interactions between the Old and New Traders are a wonderful study, but the interacions between serpents, dragons, Liveships, Bingtown Traders and Rain Wilds Traders are the focus of the book. If you're a fan of high fantasy, read this and you won't be disappointed. I have to get the next one now.
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