Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb Book Review & Reaction | One of The Best Books I've Read All Year

[@annabanana42069]

Kennit always being worried that people are out to get him out double cross him just came across to me as him expecting everyone else to act like him. He's a perfectly written sociopath who actually only cares about himself. It's incredible.

[@BaldBookTuber]

This brings pure, unfiltered joy.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Ha ha glad to not let you down. Hopefully this redeems my AQ review in your eyes.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Good to see you embracing your inner pirate, Mike! I happen to agree with you that the character work in Liveship is, amazingly, even better than it is in Farseer. When you discuss Kyle, I think you hit on why: the multiple POVs and greater depth we get in an array of characters. You will continue to see plenty of struggle in this trilogy, that's for sure. It's going to be awesome discussing the full spoilers!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Aye, Matey.

[@ryno202]

I just finished the final 3 books in RoTE,(Fitz & Fool) and in my opinion they top them all. Hobb just tugs at your emotions and never let's go. It's a reading experience I will never forget and miss already!

[@sheherezadek.3812]

I'm SO glad you enjoyed Ship of Magic! Liveship Traders is such a magical series and in my opinion, a masterpiece of fantasy. What Robin Hobb does with the plot and the characters over 3 books is unbelievable. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Get ready, because Mad Ship is a crazy ride.

[@angelaholmes8888]

Yep mad ship is a crazy ride 💯

[@likewaterforcoffee1570]

I’m only 16% through the first book on my Kindle Oasis. I’m taking my time reading it because her writing is so delicious! I’m looking forward to reading through all three books!

[@roseNthorn]

Im more than half way through Mad Ship right now and kind of feeling some parts are sloggy. And a few of the characters I liked in book one Im now disliking (Althea!).

[@matthewdanforth5056]

Robin Hobb is fantastic. Her characters are so realistic. She writes relationships so well.

[@thebrothersgwynne]

Love that opening 🤣! Brilliant. So glad you enjoyed Ship of Magic and looking forward to all the future Hobb content!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Argh.

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

I'm ending Tawny Man now and I'm stoked that you are continuing.

[@mnbgfdsa]

Best intro ever :D

[@mitch8948]

I doubt I’ll ever read a character like Kennit again. Just an insane ride

[@claytonhomer3096]

I agree, to me he is the most fully formed antagonist I have ever read. Every decision makes sense albeit sick at times his past explains why he would do what he does. Just brilliant character work.

[@mirzunayedali1724]

Funny how i just was thinking about starting this series since so many booktubers were starting to cover this. Right now I'm reading The Troop cause you said it was rly good. This is getting me excited. Another big fantasy world I can just bloody dive into. It's like getting into a secret club man, that not many people are part of (books being less popular nowadays), and its amazing. Like some extended universe, with more room for imagination. Nice intro btw

[@akellerhouse83]

It's always great to see new people loving Liveship. I've been reading these books for 10 years and I love them. Your review makes me want to reread them again... I figured out the Amber mystery too the first time I read it. I usually don't try to theorize when I read books, but I got that one.

[@kirstenholmes6]

I’m really excited that you are reading this series. It was so different than Farseer. It’s my favorite of all of Robin Hobb’s books. I didn’t catch the Amber thing until well into the Tawny man Trilogy.

[@ericmerrell8622]

Robin Hobb has become one of my all time favorites, and I've only read the first six books so far.

[@supernorry3847]

I have never read it in my life but it sounds so intresting and the fact that you switched from not really liking the last farseer book to LOVING this one. I gotta get into this series

[@mattaldridge]

Your explanations of why the characters are so believable and human were so on point, new sub!

[@derrisreaditbefore]

I'm relieved that you found so much to enjoy in SoM, and that you're comfortable in trusting any confusion to be both deliberate, and will be explained as Robin Hobb needs it to be. Yes. Capt. Kennit is the absolutely best written character within RoTE, and precisely for the reason you stated - without being inside his head, he would look completely different. Liveships can absolutely be read as a standalone. It does need to be read *after* Farseer though if that sounds like a story you might want to read at some point - events in Liveships add to the understanding you gain in Farseer, but knowing those events before going into Farseer, takes away from all of the major plot points - and there's no way of getting the same enjoyment from it. Look forward to the next reviews, and obviously, the spoiler talk.

[@godmathias]

My favorite review you've done this year Mike. Very well put together. The Wintrow staring at Vivacia line had me rolling.

[@kaitlynslucher9257]

That intro was amazing! Great review! I really loved this book as well!

[@mikesbookreviews]

🏴‍☠️

[@GandalfsHorse84]

I’m a huge Hobb fan but have only ever read the Fitz and Fool trilogies. Your discussion of Ship of Magic convinced me it was time to give this series a go. Thanks!

[@derrisreaditbefore]

Best news ever!!

[@charleypatterson9956]

This was your most engaging video yet, Mike. Watching you be so enthusiastic about this book is why I wanna read it! I want that experience, and your excited explanation totally sold it to me. Thank you!!

[@jakebishop7822]

Mike before Ship of Magic: I don't know how I feel about nautical fantasy Mike after Ship of Magic: The first 30 seconds of this video

[@mikesbookreviews]

LOL took me back to my Treasure Island obsessed days as a preteen.

[@madisongoodyear5040]

This is the best review you’ve ever done.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Wow. Really? Eh.

[@madisongoodyear5040]

It’s possible im biased because of the content haha

[@Scornsavant]

I tuned in for the book review but I stayed for the t-shirt. Kudos to you sir for both.

[@WhatCassRead]

There is seriously no other fantasy series like Realm of the Elderlings. I'm really glad you've enjoyed this book!!!

[@jctmanu]

Great video! Some of the best books I’ve ever read and love seeing your reactions and thoughts

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

Now that I just finished Liveship I'm having a blast going back to your videos! I ended up falling in total love with the series, and seemed to have a very similar experience getting totally wrapped up in all the different characters' journeys. "Everything here matters" couldn't be a better summary of this slow burn book, it did so much heavy lifting to set things up for the character arcs and series wide plot and context so we could be maximally invested as everything unfolds.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Liveship is great. Think it set the bar too high for me with Tawny Man.

[@sevuz1]

I had hard time getting into ship of magic when I started reading it, and I took a 1 month break from it, but when decided to continue it just sucked me into the world and I read the whole liveship traders in a week! Awesome stuff, some of the best character work and prose in fantasy!

[@MattonBooks]

Your intro is the first time I laughed out loud watching your channel. 😆 Love seeing you loving Liveship after hating Farseer so much (kidding!), and you’re getting me hyped to re-read RotE maybe next year! 🙂👌🏻

[@scottferris2686]

I know you said that people don’t like the book review videos but I love them (and i love Hobb) - really good video!

[@eiliscantsleep]

These books are so good I was able to read this while physically getting tattooed, which impressed the artist. Thanks hobb for making me look cool! And I'm very impressed he instantly connected the dots with Amber. Its somehow super obvious yet took me so long to realise. I think the tawny man tops the realm of the elderlings for me, but I love the weird knot of character arcs that liveships has.

[@NicolesBookishNook]

Argh, me matey! I’m glad there’s a solid pirate book out in the wild. I have to pick it up soon.

[@jason198146]

Ha! Great review, glad you liked it! This was the book that made me a Robin Hobb fan!

[@tesselliott8090]

IDK How I missed this but I read this last month and it's definitely one of my favorite books I've ever read. I am reading the second slowly because I love it so much.

[@ColinsCornerYT]

Great review, Mike! This will be my next Hobb read, I just finished Farseer a couple of months ago and taking a tied hiatus for some friends to catch up so we can read Liveship together. This got me so pumped!

[@TRUc972]

Really glad you like it Mike

[@rpbandz3533]

Omg!! I am about to finish the final book of the Farseer Trilogies (#9) and I was so happy to see that I have one more trilogy to read in this world. Can’t wait to read these books 🔥🔥🔥

[@angelaholmes8888]

Love the intro Mike ❤

[@mikesbookreviews]

Ha ha was my youngest son's idea. He loves when I do the Talk Like a Pirate thing.

[@annelisegreen9206]

So glad you liked the book! As far as the Serpents… all will be explained and then it will all make sense! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Mad Ship.

[@musicgenius1948]

I’m so glad to get this review!

[@kyrilson71]

One of my all time favorite fantasy series is the Liveship Traders Trilogy. So glad you liked the first book!

[@wormemperor4167]

Great review! Perfectly sums up everything that's great about it! Glad you seem to enjoy your time quite a bit.

[@kohhna]

Yeah its absolute god-tier stuff.

[@wpaunan]

I aspire to write like her. Her character work is beyond all other modern fantasy writers. My favorite is Ronica! She is the voice of reason in all this beautiful chaos.

[@jimave]

Hobb does a great job of closing the loop on characters and making connections with all of her other books.

[@likewaterforcoffee1570]

I’m reading Ship of Magic right now! Hobb’s prose is just beautiful!!!!

[@chadia25]

Great review. So glad you liked it 🥰

[@claytonhomer3096]

This makes me so happy to hear cause I believe this to be the best trilogy I have ever read. The character work is fantastic across the board. The arcs of the characters are brilliant and Kennit is my favorite character in any fantasy book ever(not as a person, obviously, just the skill with which he is written.) The serpent stuff absolutely makes no sense in this book but it does by the end...as with every word shes written in the series lol. Can't wait to hear the other 2 reviews, I personally think each book gets better, can't wait to hear what you think.

[@likewaterforcoffee1570]

I’m enjoying Kennit as well. He’s a real character and not a shallow rip off of your typical cliche pirate story

[@bottle1211]

I need to read these books again so many great characters and how they interact with each other.

[@formulaeternal]

Great review. I’ve never heard of this series but putting it on the list

[@Ink129]

I read The Tawny Man trilogy a couple of months ago. I'm progressing through The Realm of the Elderlings in order and have loved every book so far - that's including Assassin's Quest ;-) No one can make me cry manly tears like Robin Hobb. The way she treats her characters makes me sad... yet she does it so incredibly well...

[@72mje]

Awesome review, Mike! I look forward to reading this book next year. /Minna

[@Emroczart]

It’s so great….there’s that nice 4 banger to follow up this trilogy to

[@TheNerdyNarrative]

“If they make ugly tweets but works hard, I’m there for them” 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@mikesbookreviews]

Hard work > Good PR

[@dpeady78]

Loool eating lunch and that intro came up and food came out my nose

[@mikesbookreviews]

Always happy to help clear the nasal cavity.

[@mustardtiger9875]

I'm with you Mike, nothing beats putting on my bib and my helmet for a good ol action movie

[@chasehowells8803]

Your intro Gave me goosebumps. So you're doing something right!

[@rubberparrot1]

I’m glad you love Kennit he’s my favourite

[@xcBlackDiamond]

Great video. I love this series

[@heidi6281]

This was a great review, I tried searching for your Liveship Traders spoiler discussion with Philip, Madison, Jake & Scott? Did it happen?

[@sjkrum320]

Just moved this trilogy to the top of my TBR. I haven't read anything else from this world, so hopefully everything will make sense.

[@prpunk787]

Robin Hobb is a hit or miss for people there's no in-between, I love the Realm of the Elderlings, I'm almost done with Rainwild Chronicles.

[@Wineoclockbookworm]

A lot of people don't seem to like Rainwild Chronicles. I loved it. It wasn't my favorite in the series but I still really enjoyed it!

[@prpunk787]

@@Wineoclockbookworm Yeah, it focuses more on true crime/contraband plots, I guess that's why, because its a change of pace from the usual themes of her books.

[@lukeharrison1487]

Loved this book as well. Haven't continued reading the series but I think I know who Amber is!!! Hope I'm right would really connect the trilogies together

[@509SKATEboarders]

I forgot how much she tricks you into liking kennit at first. I'll be interested to see what you think when more is revealed. Such a good book!

[@littlevahn]

Been looking forward to this!

[@thisandthat418]

Hooray!!! You like it, and it gets better too 👌😃

[@safinan8008]

Hi 👋 this is one of my favourite series from Robin Hobb!! Thank you for ur thoughts 💭... happy reading to you!! 📽🎞🎥

[@danijelb.3384]

Awww man I might have to push this up the TBR. That's some insane praise, considering you don't even like books on boats lol Anyhow, excellent review, Mike

[@violetbliss4399]

I remember my arc with these, as initially I was like "Do I like this?" and not being sure about that, but then as the books came out... I just got more and more invested. In the end it's probably one of the stepping stones (pillars?) that's kind of made me value character writing. Out of the 'older' fantasy generations I think she's my favourite one at that, with the one contender being J. V. Jones, which I expect not many will have heard about, but who I wish the very best hoping the Endlords writing bug will untangle again! Anyway I digress, I think in a curious way the whole arc of Hobb's books is like a master class in how to technically write but in different flavours, while somehow also capturing that magic that technical cannot on its own. It's always a pleasure to read her books to me, though... hard pressed to say which I like best.

[@Cyber_Crows]

Thanks for inspiring a reread

[@rkgrkg]

I'm surprised! Like you, I rooted for Glokta the whole time, but unlike you, I HATED Kennit! I never once felt like his motives weren't selfish and manipulative. Masterfully done character, but he's one of my top villains, alongside Dolores Umbridge, and I could never see him as anything else. Awesome review, and looking forward to the next two! :)

[@spencercorpuz]

OMG that intro had me leaning against the wall dying 😂😂😂

[@nightmarishcompositions4536]

I'm in the middle of War for the Rose Throne, Chronicles of Amber and The Belgariad right now but I'm hoping to start Farseer before the end of the year!

[@bottle1211]

I never thought of Glokta as a bad person but a survivor.

[@Ulmo90]

Great review Mike! Love Liveship

[@FlowerPower69123]

I loved this trilogy read this before farseer trilogy. Farseer still my favourite but so glad you liked this one

[@bluwillowsoaps]

I almost didn’t watch this because obviously I’m a horror gal but the intro was worth it! 🤣🤣🤣 and I stuck around to be supportive lol

[@atom0191]

Thanks for the videos

[@emilielemay1647]

Just finished it and went back to watch this video! Such a good book… im kind of in a love-hate relationship with Hobb, Im tired of her making my fav characters suffer…. But it makes for a good story and great characters growth/development

[@wrightfamily735]

Yes I know !! People will say What!! I haven't read any Hobb Do I need to read The 1st 3 before starting Liveship Traders Iam a very experienced Fantasy reader Just have never picked up ! Yet!!

[@pabloalfredomorelos8553]

I'm on the last 60 pages , I can only said wow wtf , one of the best best books I read in a long time.

[@MatthewLikesToRead]

It gets better and better!

[@azurepulse1870]

Yeah, SoM, Kennit was the most fascinating character to read. Wintrow is a very soft intellectual well suited to being a priest. I always imagine him as Aang from avatar at first, without all the bending and acrobatic atheletics. Althea has sailed on the ship with her father and legitimate loves it and learned a lot about the workings of the ship, if less about working in personally. Kyle, the in-law who feels like he's gotta roll up his sleeves and do everything himself to fix this family. Very stiff and authoritative figure who has a way of doing things that just does not allow for anyone else to get in the way and is very resistant to outside input cuz he is sure he knows best.

[@macs3304]

Malta is my all time favourite character

[@roseNthorn]

I agree! Im halfway thru Mad Ship and she is so compelling. I cant wait to see what happens with her.

[@markmiles3768]

Mike! I tried. I really did. I read 138 pages of Assassin’s Apprentice and I wanted to pull what is left of my hair out! I rarely DNF books. It’s a matter of pride really. This one got me. I didn’t care. So, I quit. Please don’t be mad at me.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Not at all. She’s not going to be an author that everyone loves, I don’t think.

[@naturescreed]

yaaassss, as much as I love Fitz, this is one of my favorite trilogies of all time.

[@deelak2329]

"Don't know what's going on with the serpents." Ohhhhhhh. You just wait my friend. :D

[@kohhna]

Yeo, ever read any of Hobb's eariler stuff she did under her real name? That first series begining with Harpy's Flight family plays a big role and it is brutal and very real, absolute banger world building too.

[@velcrocee7886]

I love it!!!! Astro fan raising the Jolly Roger. Go Buccos!!!!!

[@rawrj]

Liveship Traders is so damn good. Wish all of the Elderlings books were based there.

[@timmeyer9191]

"I hate you, Kyle." - Eric Cartman

[@annetteanderson7482]

I actually have only the Live Ship Trader's Trilogy when it came out and really liked it. I had not read the first Farseer triology and it it did not matter. As you indicated, this was a character-driven book and I just kept turning the page to see what would happen to each character. The ending was not what I expected or hoped for but in reality, it made sense for these characters and their development. That is probably one of the reason this series still resonates with me after all these years. I was also thrown by the dragon chapters but again, it all does make sense in the end.

[@saktii2318]

These three books are amazing

[@Hilipinapixili]

Kyle is such a hate-sink... But he is so in a way that you can feel he's not malicious or on a megalomaniacal power trip; he really does think his actions are the correct way yo save the family and is eager to put his plan in practice and prove to everyone he can do it. In a way this actually makes the character more frustrating, but that's what makes him a memorable antagonist. The Liveship Traders trilogy is the only work of Robin Hobb I've actually read so far, and was attracted to it not because of the author but because pirates are kind of my fetish-setting (was raised playing Monkey Island). I still haven't read the third one, but so far this might very well become my favorite fantasy series overall.

[@vincentd.2284]

"Nobody likes Althea at the beginning" I'm not sure that's true. I certainly did. Her father clearly signaled to her the ship would be hers. This is not entitlement. Her only dreams gets taken away from her. Sure, she doesn't react well to this. But, I fully empathized with her. She remains sympathetic all the way through.

[@nikk345]

I didn't figure out the Amber mystery until late into book 2, when it becomes pretty obvious to folk who have read The Farseer Trilogy, but still vague enough that idiots like me almost still missed it.

[@eiliscantsleep]

It took me a STUPID amount of time. I got that there was a connection between her and (spoiler). But it took until her directly refrencing the events in Farseer to be able to confidently say, yep, same character. It's my favourite kind of twist, where it works whether you pick up on it or not

[@hanak69]

After I re-read tolkien books, I will contineu HOBB.

[@thummumcrysanth]

You can keep going with the next Robin Hobb trilogy after starting with Liveship, and then pick up the first books sometime later.

[@DanielSClouser]

I'm pretty sure that I commented on an older video of yours, where you were talking about not liking nautical fantasy and thinking about reading Liveship, exactly what you said at the end--that if you're going to sort this into Treasure Island or Moby Dick, it's definitely Treasure Island. I was worried some of Althea's storyline might remind you more of Moby Dick, but overall, it's way more Treasure Island.

[@ryno202]

Liveship is my 2nd favorite series in RoTE! So good. None of them top the final series, Fitz and the Fool in my opinion! They are all great, however I did find Rain Wilds to be a bit of a slog and a snooze. But I would still read them for the lore alone. She closes the series in epic fashion with Fitz and the Fool. Hope you get there. Enjoy!

[@chucklitka2503]

This was the first Hobbs book I tried, but I just couldn't focus on any one character, due to its many point of view characters, which I need to get into any book.

[@jrtween4120]

Thank you Mike for the review, tbh not a big fan of this trilogy, this story just doesnt seem interesting for me and the whole magic system with liveships and serpents seems dont know why but i dont like it. Anyway its my personal opinion, the majority of Robin Hobb fans says that they like this trilogy more than Farseers, I'm just the opposite, Fitz is my favourite fantasy character) Can't wait to see your review of Fool's Errand!

[@mikesbookreviews]

No one thing is for everyone, I figure.