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Nov 24, 2015
Emma
rated it
it was amazing
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re-read,
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found-family,
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Wonderful. I actually enjoyed this even more than the first in the series. Robin Hobb weaves such a tale..I am completely caught up in the characters and the world she has created. I love the way her characters grow and develop over time.
Re read. April 2019. LOVED it! Amazing, the turn about in Malta through this book and how Wintrow is equally involved in the destiny of the serpents. I really felt for Paragon as he begins to remember who he really is. I was hardly breathing when the wizardwood ...more
Re read. April 2019. LOVED it! Amazing, the turn about in Malta through this book and how Wintrow is equally involved in the destiny of the serpents. I really felt for Paragon as he begins to remember who he really is. I was hardly breathing when the wizardwood ...more
An excellent continuation to a gloriously imaginative story.
Honestly, Hobb is amazingly creative and her character development for me ranks up with my all time favourite at characterization, Juliet Marillier. In the last book, Ship of Magic, I was left feeling slightly physically ill every time Malta made an appearance on the page. It's almost unbelievable to me that in The Mad Ship, Hobb managed a believable growth and shift in Malta, so that by the end I was left feeling like she might be a re ...more
Honestly, Hobb is amazingly creative and her character development for me ranks up with my all time favourite at characterization, Juliet Marillier. In the last book, Ship of Magic, I was left feeling slightly physically ill every time Malta made an appearance on the page. It's almost unbelievable to me that in The Mad Ship, Hobb managed a believable growth and shift in Malta, so that by the end I was left feeling like she might be a re ...more
Just as good as the first book. Paragon‘s story really takes off. There are some interesting things happening with Reyn and Malta as well.
Malta evolves from spoilt girl to a more mature person. I did not really buy this change of personality or maturing, it was a bit abrupt. She was an annoying brat and then she was not, from one chapter to the next. It did work out in the end and I really liked her last chapter, where she really comes into herself. I still don‘t like her though.
Kennit is just ...more
Malta evolves from spoilt girl to a more mature person. I did not really buy this change of personality or maturing, it was a bit abrupt. She was an annoying brat and then she was not, from one chapter to the next. It did work out in the end and I really liked her last chapter, where she really comes into herself. I still don‘t like her though.
Kennit is just ...more
So brilliant! I can feel that this is going to be the rare instance where every book in this trilogy is going to be 5/5 stars. All the feels, all the imaginative world-building, all the gorgeous prose. It's all here.
Also, the character development in The Mad Ship is absolutely amazing!
I'm in awe at the nuanced complexity of Hobb's characters. Even though there are some truly traumatic events that take place in this novel, it still felt like a cozy read because I was so connected to these chara ...more
Also, the character development in The Mad Ship is absolutely amazing!
I'm in awe at the nuanced complexity of Hobb's characters. Even though there are some truly traumatic events that take place in this novel, it still felt like a cozy read because I was so connected to these chara ...more
More brutal things happen for everyone in this book, not surprisingly. Robin Hobb really likes to put her characters through the wringer!
-Wintrow continues to question being on Vivacia, and fight against his unwanted emotional connection to the liveship.
-Kennit has fun manipulating Wintrow and Ella and Vivacia.
-Althea continues her fight to regain Vivacia but after returning home to cloying family expectations and larger problems in Bingtown, and Malta remains irritating.
-We get to finally meet ...more
-Wintrow continues to question being on Vivacia, and fight against his unwanted emotional connection to the liveship.
-Kennit has fun manipulating Wintrow and Ella and Vivacia.
-Althea continues her fight to regain Vivacia but after returning home to cloying family expectations and larger problems in Bingtown, and Malta remains irritating.
-We get to finally meet ...more
I was pleasantly surprised by this second book. Revelations about the world and its magic is almost the most interesting part. I enjoy seeing the characters grow from absolutely annoying and hateful into a more well-rounded individual (Yeah, I'm looking at you, little girl,) and even watch as some of my favorites such as a certain little priest as he becomes less a man and more fanboy. I really want to see him swing back by the third book.
By nature, these books are somewhat slow on action and de ...more
By nature, these books are somewhat slow on action and de ...more
Sometimes nothing will do but tales of dragons, pirates and magic and for those times, you can't go wrong with Robin Hobb. Wonderful world-building and storytelling.
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This review is for my reread in 2024, 24 years after reading it the first time (which was pre-GR, hence no review).
I’m am so delighted by this reread. I distinctly remember loving, no, being blown away this trilogy when I read it in 2000/2001. I had forgotten that a certain mystery of connections was revealed at the end of this book and not at the end of the third book. But it was just as horrifying and thrilling as the first time around.
The scope of this story is immense and Hobb masterfully ...more
I’m am so delighted by this reread. I distinctly remember loving, no, being blown away this trilogy when I read it in 2000/2001. I had forgotten that a certain mystery of connections was revealed at the end of this book and not at the end of the third book. But it was just as horrifying and thrilling as the first time around.
The scope of this story is immense and Hobb masterfully ...more
“You’re mad.”
“Scarcely. Why do people always accuse me of that when I’m arranging things to my liking instead of theirs?”
Loved this, unsurprisingly, but goodness me it was long. Shades of ASSASSIN'S QUEST about this one.
A fairly dramatic shift from SHIP OF MAGIC, which looking back now feels very much like a prologue more than it did while I was reading it. Our characters find themselves in drastically different circumstances which bring out the best and worst in each of them.
We get to learn ...more
So I am slightly embarrassed it took me the entire month of June to read books 1 and 2. But on the other hand... wow. No middle book syndrome here.
I enjoyed this book more than the first one in the series, probably because I wasn't as annoyed by every single character (and I was very glad not to see much of Kyle). I especially like (and wonder about) Paragon.
...more
One of the characters has moved from the hated camp to favourites, also I have deduced who the character is that also featured in Farseer Trilogy. Gripping story.
If you've made it this far in Hobb's catalogue, you should have an idea what you're getting into: slower pace, character-based fantasy, magic systems based on mental connections that, honestly, often have costs that kind of suck, favourite characters being put through the emotional and physical wringer.
This is Robin Hobb and her Robin Hobb-iest.
The pace on this one is slow like molasses guys. This is 900 pages of character development and world building. If you're into that (I am), you'll love ...more
This is Robin Hobb and her Robin Hobb-iest.
The pace on this one is slow like molasses guys. This is 900 pages of character development and world building. If you're into that (I am), you'll love ...more
Jun 23, 2012
Amber (Books of Amber)
marked it as to-read
