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abhi_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
archiegitdog's review against another edition
4.0
This book is 900 pages long or 34 hours on audio (which is the way I absorbed it). it has taken me a month to six weeks to get through it and sometimes it needed a rocket up its ass to get it moving. Nevertheless I did enjoy it and now on to the final book in the trilogy and then it will be almost September!
makocat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
sprit's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This book fucks so hard and there’s ELEVEN MORE??????
lydiathedragon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
meoreyn's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lauraeydmann82's review against another edition
5.0
I’m currently re-reading the Liveship trilogy, and after The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince this was top of my list to read next.
We follow on the story of the Vestrits, an old trader family in Bingtown, part of the Farseer world. As the original settlers to this part of the world they share secrets with the Rain Wilders, settlers who travelled further up the toxic river, to discover the secrets of the ancient Elderlings. One of the secrets is a magical wood like substance that liveships are made from – it soaks up memories and when the third generation of a family dies aboard, the figurehead comes to life.
In this instalment we see the Vivacia – the Vestrit liveship, being used as a slaver, being taken over by pirates and falling for Captain Kennit. Althea and Brashen team up with the mysterious Amber and launch Paragon to rescue the Vivacia, despite his reckless behaviour and weird outbursts. Malta finds herself swept up in the unborn dragon’s will to release her, her blossoming romances and her distress at her fathers captivity.
If you’ve not read any of these books before, this is obviously not a good book to jump into the series, but this trilogy can be read standalone to the other Farseer trilogies (although why would you want to? Read them all!) I know some Hobb fans aren’t as keen on this trilogy, whereas I love these books as much as the Assassin books and the Fools books – perhaps because I am a sailor, and I really love the sailing, the pirates, and the swashbuckling adventure of this book.
There is still a great deal of fantasy in these books, and whereas the magic in the Assassin’s trilogy are more “down to earth” almost subtler magics – Wit and Skill, this feels a little more exotic, sea serpents with a mysterious mission, dragons, talking figureheads, magical secrets in the Rain Wild, Elderlings…
The character’s are wonderfully written, I find myself siding with Kennit, almost admiring him, seeing why Vivacia and Etta follow him the way they do. His connection with Wintrow, and how he sees himself in the boy is a fantastic par tot the story, and we see Wintrow grow and become a convincing human being, struggling with his choices, and trying to be a good man. Althea continues to be headstrong and we see her make mistakes, and act out, but we are still on her side, the same with Brashen. Even the figureheads are likeable characters in their own right.
There is also of course Amber, and as I have read all these books before, I know the secrets behind this character, but this doesn’t make her story any less interesting or enjoyable to read. A difficult book to put down, I only wish I had had more time recently to sit and really savour it, instead of sneaking ten minutes here and twenty minutes there. I can’t wait for the last in the trilogy!
We follow on the story of the Vestrits, an old trader family in Bingtown, part of the Farseer world. As the original settlers to this part of the world they share secrets with the Rain Wilders, settlers who travelled further up the toxic river, to discover the secrets of the ancient Elderlings. One of the secrets is a magical wood like substance that liveships are made from – it soaks up memories and when the third generation of a family dies aboard, the figurehead comes to life.
In this instalment we see the Vivacia – the Vestrit liveship, being used as a slaver, being taken over by pirates and falling for Captain Kennit. Althea and Brashen team up with the mysterious Amber and launch Paragon to rescue the Vivacia, despite his reckless behaviour and weird outbursts. Malta finds herself swept up in the unborn dragon’s will to release her, her blossoming romances and her distress at her fathers captivity.
If you’ve not read any of these books before, this is obviously not a good book to jump into the series, but this trilogy can be read standalone to the other Farseer trilogies (although why would you want to? Read them all!) I know some Hobb fans aren’t as keen on this trilogy, whereas I love these books as much as the Assassin books and the Fools books – perhaps because I am a sailor, and I really love the sailing, the pirates, and the swashbuckling adventure of this book.
There is still a great deal of fantasy in these books, and whereas the magic in the Assassin’s trilogy are more “down to earth” almost subtler magics – Wit and Skill, this feels a little more exotic, sea serpents with a mysterious mission, dragons, talking figureheads, magical secrets in the Rain Wild, Elderlings…
The character’s are wonderfully written, I find myself siding with Kennit, almost admiring him, seeing why Vivacia and Etta follow him the way they do. His connection with Wintrow, and how he sees himself in the boy is a fantastic par tot the story, and we see Wintrow grow and become a convincing human being, struggling with his choices, and trying to be a good man. Althea continues to be headstrong and we see her make mistakes, and act out, but we are still on her side, the same with Brashen. Even the figureheads are likeable characters in their own right.
There is also of course Amber, and as I have read all these books before, I know the secrets behind this character, but this doesn’t make her story any less interesting or enjoyable to read. A difficult book to put down, I only wish I had had more time recently to sit and really savour it, instead of sneaking ten minutes here and twenty minutes there. I can’t wait for the last in the trilogy!
alexane_w's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
talestoldtall's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0