The Mad Ship – The Amazingness Continues!

Title: The Mad Ship (Liveship Traders #2)

Author: Robin Hobb.

Format: Audiobook/physical.

Publisher: Harper Voyager.

Page count: 906.

Release day: March 1999.

Genre: Adult, fantasy.

Rating: 5 stars.

See my review for book one here!

What is it about? (Summary from GoodReads)

The second volume in this superb trilogy from the author of The Farseer trilogy continues the dramatic tale of piracy, serpents, love and magic.

The Vestrit family’s liveship, Vivacia, has been taken by the pirate king, Kennit. Held captive on board, Wintrow Vestrit finds himself competing with Kennit for Vivacia’s love as the ship slowly acquires her own bloodlust.

Leagues away, Althea Vestrit has found a new home aboard the liveship Ophelia, but she lives only to reclaim the Vivacia and with her friend, Brashen, she plans a dangerous rescue.

Meanwhile in Bingtown, the fading fortunes of the Vestrit family lead Malta deeper into the magical secrets of the Rain Wild Traders. And just outside Bingtown, Amber dreams of relaunching Paragon, the mad liveship . . .

Rating:
Characters: 9/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Writing: 10/10
Plot: 9/10
Intrigue: 9/10
Logic: 9/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Average: 9.29

My thoughts:

This book took me forever to finish.. Not because I was not enjoying it, for some reason I kept switching between other books that I felt like I ‘had to’ read, so this one was put on the backburner. But every time I picked it up, I absolutely loved it!

All the characters are so interesting! I love how they all have their own stories, but all those stories do get together at some point!

I think Althea keeps being my favourite character, although Wintrow was getting very close (but he was a bit annoying at parts). I was really enjoying Malta’s story more near the end, were she was realizing that actually doing something is more useful then whining!

Kennit also stays a very interesting character, I just cannot wrap my head around what he wants. Which really keeps his story exciting because I never know where his parts are going!

The plot.. Near the end, so much was happening, a bit overwhelming, but I’m so excited to continue on in the next book! I just don’t understand how this book is 900 pages, and there is no part were the book is boring, there is always something going on, but not in a bad way! Robin Hobb just kept me on the edge of my seat for most of this book!

I still absolutely love the setting in this series, Bingtown is a very interesting place, and the Lvieships are amazing! I love Hobb’s writing, and I don’t think I will ever change my mind on that!

If you love fantasy books, I just really recommend you to pick up Robin Hobb’s work! If you did not like Assassin’s Apprentice, for some weird reason, I still really urge you to try this one! It is so good, and you can definitely follow without having read the Farseer trilogy (although I do not know if that stays true for the last book!)