Live Ship Traders

[hodor]

I thought Sansa at first too...but now I think she is more like Cersei would have been when she was younger. Malta is both spoiled and very good at using people, while Sansa is merely spoiled. I was going to ask if she changes at all during the Mad Ship book...but I changed my mind, I want to find out myself.

I figured you would say that so I left out any potential spoilers. It is a good series and I would definitely chalk alot of that up to Hobb's characters. You picked a good series to tackle while in wait for the FFC's book I now you are dying to get your hands on.

 

[erickad71]

I figured you would say that so I left out any potential spoilers. It is a good series and I would definitely chalk alot of that up to Hobb's characters. You picked a good series to tackle while in wait for the FFC's book I now you are dying to get your hands on.

That's a serious understatement.

Now, if only AFFC came out as soon as I get done with this series.

 

[dwndrgn]

I agree that the sea serpents portions of Liveship are rather annoying - but they provide some important info that is related to the rest of the story. I felt she probably could have shortened it a great deal and still given enough of the info without going into such detail.

I also got the feeling (and this could be completely wrong) that at some point she would tell the story of how the 'lost civilization' (trying not to give any spoilers) got that way. Maybe she plans to revisit that later or just to leave it for our own imaginations. Who knows.

 

[hodor]

That's a serious understatement.

Now, if only AFFC came out as soon as I get done with this series.

Well if that was the case you wouldn't be able to read The Tawny Man next (assuming you have already read The Farseer trilogy).

 

[erickad71]

Well if that was the case you wouldn't be able to read The Tawny Man next (assuming you have already read The Farseer trilogy).

I've only read the Liveship books...I'm hoping my library has the others. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

 

[erickad71]

I also got the feeling (and this could be completely wrong) that at some point she would tell the story of how the 'lost civilization' (trying not to give any spoilers) got that way. Maybe she plans to revisit that later or just to leave it for our own imaginations. Who knows.

I don't find them annoying, but I can see everyone's point.

I have been very curious about that "lost civilization" as well. I think I would like it if she gave some more information about it.

 

[dragonqueen]

I'd go and read the Farseers books right now, but my library doesn't have them! It only has about 3 copies of each of the other six books! Crazy~ I found Malta really annoying at the start of the series, but towards the end, I came to like her~ I think Karl got everything he deserved too! The one problem was I read them all at once over a short period of time, and since they're such big books, I was really ready to finish with them at the end~ it gets that was when you only read for days on end! I was sailing at the time too

 

[Neon]

I just finished Ship of Magic, and loved it! I have to admit that going into the series I was a bit hesitant regarding a series of seafaring books, but Hobb is an absolutely great writer and I was swept into the story. I've just started on Mad Ship and look forward to finishing it and the last book in the trilogy.

Regarding the characters..... my favorite right now is Brashen, although at the current point in the story he's kind of backsliding into doing the cindin/drinking again. And of course there's the underlying love story with him and Althea that I'm sure will continue to develop. As with some of you, I too have found Malta annoying but it looks like (from your reviews) she gets better with time.

 

[Amber]

I read this series first, well after one of the Assasain books, and it was totally by accident- I needed something to read over the weekend, I picked the thickest book I could see and scurried out with it. Enter the Liveship traders *_*

Wow, I liked them so much, that the following day, I told the whole story to my dad- including the details about Wintrow cutting off his finger and chucking it into the sea, and Vivacia catching it and eating it. My dad looked like this ----> 0_0

I liked Althea because I like strong woman characters, Amber and of courseWintrow sorta sneaked in, though I didn't like how passive he was really. Even Malta had a sneaking regard from me by the end of the series.

The worst had to include Etta, Kyle and some others

 

[Princess Ivy]

hm, is the second time i'm trying to read ship of magic. i know i've skimmed it before. i just find that the drama is to drawn out. to many small not totaly relevant scenes. and not enough conclusion at the end of the story. i do like my series to have each novel being self contained. its agravating me that there are so many loose ends here. maybe if i try the farseer first. which IS the first book in the entire series? and which is the second in the live ship traders series?

 

[Alexa]

The first one is the Farseer Trilogy with Assassin's Apprentice; Royal Assassin;
Assassin's Quest, etc.

In the Liveship traders Trilogy we have the Ship Of Magic, The Mad Ship, Ship of Destiny, etc.

Sorry, I don't know the others, as I read the series in French and the names are different.

 

[Princess Ivy]

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can i assume that the 'mad ship' is primarily the paragon and vivacia after being a slaver and in the hands of the pirates? just checking as for me the paragon is by far the most interesting character, and i'm fascinated to know his story

 

[Alexa]

The Mad Ship is Paragon. He killed all his members and his family abandoned him on the shore.

All the ships of the traders are interesting, not only Paragon and Vivacia. They were supposed to be real dragons, but the cycle of their life was cut down and transformed in talking ships. Sorry, no more spoiling.

 

[Neon]

I too enjoyed reading about Paragon's story .... and as you progress along in the books it only gets more interesting! I personally loved the entire Liveship trilogy and didn't mind some of the drama-driven storyline. In fact, I liked this series better than either Farseer or Tawny Man (altho I'm not yet done with Tawny Man ... am about 400 pages into the last book).

 

[Princess Ivy]

i want to get copies, so that i can disect them at liesure. to bad my bank account is so badly depleted...
and i don't mind spoilers Alexa, just mark them clearly so that they can be ignored by people who do

 

[Alexa]

Tell me about it. I could find the books only in French from Pygmalion Edition. Beileve me, they are really expensive. I paid a little fortune to have them, but I don't regret at all.

 

[Princess Ivy]

meh, tried to bid them on e-bay, but got outbid. stupid gits!

 

[Alexa]

Some volumes are offered as e-books and they are less expensive. I bought Fool's Fate in e-book size because I couldn't wait any longer to read the end. The French translation is not done yet for the last volume of LiveShip Traders and Fool's Fate. Well, now I can wait for them.

 

[ScottSF]

Thinking about Liveships reminded me of something, I wonder if anyone has any ideas. . .

What was the deal with the White Serpent? It seemed to have secret knowledge the others didn't. It seemed to know things about Amber.

 

[smellon]

Robin is so cool coz she chucks all these secrate clues in for things happening in the book that arnt obvious. Like Fits is in the first instalment of the liveship traders but she doesnt just come out and say it. Its gotta be him though with a white lock at his temple and a scar down his cheak when wintrow gets bashed in that town with the temples.

And Amber - who is she, she carves wood, she has been described as being all the same colour, she has a mans body and deformed hands undernieth her gloves? I am almost sure she is one of the characters from the farseers