The Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb is the first book in The Liveship Traders Trilogy. Set in the world of the Realm of the Elderlings, it follows the lives of various characters and their interactions with a sentient ship called Vivacia. The story takes place in the city of Bingtown, a center of power and wealth. Bingtown is known for its liveships, magical ships made from the wood of the rare and mysterious wizardwood trees. These ships, when quickened, become sentient and develop personalities of their own. The book introduces readers to a wide cast of characters, each with their own motives, desires, and secrets.
Others plot to win or steal a liveship. The Paragon, known by many as the Pariah, went mad, turned turtle, and drowned his crews. Now he lies, blind, lonely and broken on a deserted beach. But greedy men have designs to restore him, to sail the waters of the Rain River once more.
His daughter, Althea, who had assumed that the ship would come to her after her father s death, is shocked to see that her father has given the ship to her sister, Keffria, who in turn had given ownership to Kyle, her Chalcedean husband. Only a liveship is capable of crossing the perilous Rain Wild River to trade with the Rain Wilders, who have valuable goods plundered from an Ancient Elderling ruin.
The book introduces readers to a wide cast of characters, each with their own motives, desires, and secrets. Among them are Althea Vestrit, the daughter of a liveship trader who yearns to be a sailor and captain of her family's ship, Vivacia; Wintrow Vestrit, Althea's nephew who is unwillingly forced into becoming a sailor; Kyle Haven, Althea's brother-in-law and the captain of Vivacia; and Brashen Trell, a former sailor who seeks to win back his place on board Vivacia. As the story unfolds, the lives of these characters become intertwined and their actions set into motion a series of events that threaten the stability of Bingtown.
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb (The Liveship Traders: Book 1)
The Ship of Magic is book one of the Liveship Traders trilogy written by Robin Hobb. First published in 1998, the series is set far to the south of The Six Duchies, the setting for the excellent Farseer Trilogy.
After having read and thoroughly enjoyed the Farseer trilogy I was expecting more of the same again. I was not disappointed; in fact I found the writing of even higher calibre. This is no small compliment as I find Robin Hobbs’s use of the English language superb and a joy to read.
The story is unique, the character development excellent. In just a few chapters the characters are well drawn and take on a life of their own. There is a distinctly nautical feel to the Liveship Traders but it is in no way important that you have a passion for the sea as the story could be based on land, sea or air, it really wouldn’t matter.
The event upon which the story is central is the “quickening” of the liveship Vivacia. Once three family members of separate generations have died on board the ship it will become “alive” and share the memories of the deceased and become a being in it’s own right. This is a wonderful notion and adds certain freshness to the story that remains throughout.
" They all looked up at him from the sea-bottom, their great eyes of green and gold and copper unwinking. Shreever spoke for them all when she asked, ‘Why? The water is warm, the feeding easy. In a hundred years, winter has never come here. Why must we leave now? "
Ship of Magic: Prologue
Once the liveship Vivacia has been wakened, the pace of the narrative slows down; the characters are further developed, at this, a key moment in the lives of all the main characters. The inevitable infighting that plagues families times of bereavement also affects the Vistrits and they are a family torn apart. Kyle Haven exerts his newly foundcontrol of the family and this drives a further wedge amongst them.
It is at this point that Paragon once again returns to the narrative. Paragon (or Pariah) is a half-crazed liveship, renowned for being cursed and bad luck. It is to this ship that Brashen and Althea turn in their hour of need. This is a very interesting sub plot and hopefully will play a bigger part in the subsequent books.
“ ‘It’s done,’ Althea breathed. She doubted if anyone but Brashen heard her. But as his grip on her tightened and he began to pull her up, Vivacia suddenly turned to her. She reached up, her strong hands catching hold of Althea’s own. Her green eyes met Althea’s.
‘I had the strangest dream,’ she said engagingly. Then she smiled at Althea, a grin that was at once impish and merry. ‘Thank you so for waking me.’
Ship of Magic: The Quickening of the Vivacia.
The second half of the book follows Althea, Wintrow and Brashen as they endevour to find contentment within their new lives. Alongside their stories is the social-drama that is life in Bingtown for Keffria, Ronit and Malta. There is a definite class system in place and image very important. Keeping up appearances even though they have fallen on hard times is very important to the Vestrit family.
Wintrow's troubles however far outweigh the rest of his families. He is a figure that is easy to fall in behind, a soft, gentle caring boy who is thrust into a life that he does not wish for.
You can add to this story a pirate by the name of Captain Kennit and have an excellent nautical tale fall of excellent characters.This is a large book and takes some reading. It is an orignal theme that has very good characters and a gripping storyline. Thoroughly enjoyable.
The book's cover illustration's are by the John Howe.
"Refreshingly original" Jenny Wurts
10/10 Hobb keeps up the high standards in this new trilogy.
18 positive reader review(s) in total for the The Liveship Traders series
The story is unique, the character development excellent. In just a few chapters the characters are well drawn and take on a life of their own. There is a distinctly nautical feel to the Liveship Traders but it is in no way important that you have a passion for the sea as the story could be based on land, sea or air, it really wouldn’t matter.
The story explores themes of family, duty, sacrifice, and the consequences of power. At the heart of the narrative is Vivacia, the liveship. Vivacia not only serves as a vessel for transportation but also possesses a consciousness and has a will of her own. Through her point of view, readers gain insights into the bond between a liveship and its crew, as well as the struggles Vivacia faces as she grapples with her newfound sentience. The Ship of Magic is a richly-detailed and character-driven novel that delves into the intricacies of politics, trade, and the human condition. Robin Hobb's writing creates a vivid and immersive world where magic and politics collide. The story is filled with twists and turns, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover the secrets of the liveships and the characters' fates. Overall, The Ship of Magic is a compelling and thought-provoking read that sets the stage for the subsequent books in The Liveship Traders Trilogy. Whether you are already a fan of Robin Hobb's work or new to the Realm of the Elderlings, this novel is a captivating introduction to a world full of magic, intrigue, and complex characters..
Reviews for "The Power of Love and Loyalty in Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb"
1. JaneDoe1990 - 2 out of 5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Ship of Magic" by Robin Hobb. The plot seemed promising at first, with the concept of living ships and a political intrigue setting. However, I found the pacing to be extremely slow and the story dragged on for far too long. The characters felt one-dimensional and the attempts at building suspense fell flat. Overall, I struggled to stay engaged with the narrative and ended up feeling frustrated by the lack of development.
2. Booklover27 - 3 out of 5 stars - While I appreciate the unique world-building in "Ship of Magic," I found the writing style to be overly dense and verbose. The abundance of descriptive prose often overshadowed the actual plot. Additionally, the multiple POVs made it challenging to connect with any of the characters on a deeper level. There were some interesting moments, particularly when exploring the bond between the characters and their sentient ships, but it wasn't enough to fully captivate me. Ultimately, "Ship of Magic" fell short of my expectations.
3. DisappointedReader82 - 2.5 out of 5 stars - I had high hopes for "Ship of Magic" based on the recommendations I received, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype for me. The story started off with an intriguing premise, but the execution felt disjointed and scattered. The pacing was uneven, with certain parts dragging while others were rushed. Additionally, the numerous side plots and subplots made it difficult to keep track of the main story arc. I struggled to connect with the characters and found their actions and motivations lacking depth. Overall, I wasn't engaged enough to continue with the series.