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  <id>45100</id>
  <title><![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]></description>
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    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
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    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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    <body><![CDATA[This series is a guilty pleasure, really, as the books are most decidedly flawed.<br/>But it's a ripping yarn nonetheless, mainly because of the excellent way she has envisaged dragon culture, hierarchy and history.<br/>The humans can be VERY irritating, especially the Vestrits mimble wimble on an...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72664722">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
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    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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    <body><![CDATA[Althea Vestrit, wrongly denied her inheritance of the beautiful Liveship Vivacia, leaves Bingtown in order to prove herself as the true sailor she is and claim back her beloved ship from her brother-in-law's greedy grasp.<br/><br/>For Wintrow, Althea's nephew, Vivacia is nothing more than a slave ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71226772">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>65901606</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Ann]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
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  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Mon Aug 10 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[I read and enjoyed Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice series several years ago, but don't remember a lot about it (not unusual for me). The Liveship Traders series looks to be the same sort of read for me: A fantasy series with engaging (if not fully fleshed) characters, a serviceable if not vivid w...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65901606">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
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  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
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  <read_at>Wed Oct 06 00:00:00 -0700 2004</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Jun 04 13:11:09 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Jun 05 02:16:26 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I was intrigued by this book. I got about two thirds of the way through it before things really started to bug me. Robin Hobb's writing is still good, and readable, but the way this story is put together is really quite flawed, in my opinion. It's in the characters, the way the plot is put together,...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/23703176">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
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  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Sun Nov 29 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Nov 26 20:42:40 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Nov 29 21:50:38 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is a long book, and it really isn't a complete book.  It is pretty clearly 1/3 of a much longer story told in a trilogy.  Most of the book's main themes have no real resolution in this volume.  So, it seems premature to review it.  That being said, this is one of those books that will stay with...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79086253">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79086253]]></url>
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    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
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  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Feb 04 11:59:02 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Feb 04 12:01:38 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I've read this series before, but after watching some movies with ships in them I suddenly felt the need to read books about ships. These came to mind, so I picked them up again.<br/><br/>The first time I read them, I was a bit disappointed because they are quite different from the Farseer Trilogy, ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45372488">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45372488]]></url>
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      <review>
  <id>395050</id>
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  <isbn>000649885X</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">96</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <date_added>Fri Mar 23 07:36:48 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Mar 23 07:44:33 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I didn't like this series namely because it bridges the 'gap' between the Farseer trilogy and the Twany Man series. Only the only character in it is the Fool, who's pretending to be a woman named Amber. While I can understand why its necessary to HAVE the story, I didn't enjoy it. I don't even think...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/395050">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
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  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Mon May 18 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun May 10 11:02:57 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue May 19 12:28:28 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Nicely done fantasy about family machinations ensnaring a woman and a ship she wants, cast in a larger framework of political evolution. Women's roles, ship handling (and what happens when the ship can talk and act for herself), honesty, trust, slavery, family authority, piracy: all of these themes ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/55576458">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/55576458]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>41662858</id>
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    <id>1856908</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Toni]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[South Boardman, MI]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45100.Ship_of_Magic</link>
  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1998</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Jan 02 18:20:58 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Jan 02 18:26:46 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is an excellent pure-entertainment fantasy novel and the series deserves to be a movie.  It centers on the concept of a family (among many) which has its own &quot;liveship&quot;, a very old ship that is alive through the centuries and passed down by the bloodline.  The ship knows its true owne...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41662858">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41662858]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>65774893</id>
    <user>
    <id>1505142</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Shelly]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Fremont, CA]]></location>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">96</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45100.Ship_of_Magic</link>
  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Jul 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Aug 01 11:33:23 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Aug 01 11:33:23 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[When did I fall in love with this book? The beginning was a tough slog, and only my delight in the Farseer trilogy kept me going. And then all of a sudden, magic! That lost-in-the-story feeling. That, oh-it's-only-2 am-I'll-just-keep-reading-and-it-won't-be-a-problem feeling.<br/><br/>Althea Vestr...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65774893">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65774893]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>43369968</id>
    <user>
    <id>1923119</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Robert]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Lake Forest, CA]]></location>
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  <isbn>000649885X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780006498858</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">96</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45100.Ship_of_Magic</link>
  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Jan 17 12:05:32 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jan 17 12:15:07 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders trilogy ended up as my favorite series of all time. Her characters will stay with you long after you've finished reading the book. Captain Kennit will long stand IMHO as the best written villain of all time. This is a book full of love stories, I didn't realize until th...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/43369968">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/43369968]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>65062847</id>
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  <isbn13>9780553575637</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">22</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/618211.Ship_of_Magic</link>
  <average_rating>3.94</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>238</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>3</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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            <shelf name="traditional-fantasy" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Aug 20 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Jul 26 18:11:55 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Aug 20 11:11:53 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is a fantasy set in the same universe as Hobb's Farseer trilogy, but it stands alone, with only a very few references to the events in those earlier books. I like the writing very much, and the book was a page-turner.<br/><br/>It's composed of several interweaving stories and boasts living sh...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65062847">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65062847]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>45102129</id>
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  <isbn>000649885X</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">96</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
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  <date_added>Sun Feb 01 20:45:15 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Feb 02 17:26:22 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[My love of Robin Hobb escalated to amazing heights when I read this book.  She kept her amazing ability to not only take her readers on an exhausting emotional roller coaster, but to make them crave the adventure.  Hobb is such an amazing storyteller that you feel the emotions of every character in ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45102129">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>67229697</id>
    <user>
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    <name><![CDATA[Jason]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Silver Spring, MD]]></location>
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  <isbn>000649885X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780006498858</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">96</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45100.Ship_of_Magic</link>
  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
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  <date_added>Thu Aug 13 08:22:05 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Aug 13 08:30:26 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Robin Hobb has quickly become one of my favorite authors.  Both for her ability to create a complex fantasy world with a huge variety of new creative magical rules, but interesting political systems with differing national policies and interesting characters that challenge each other as well as you ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/67229697">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>52271419</id>
    <user>
    <id>2196240</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Anthony]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Canberra, 01, Australia]]></location>
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  <isbn>000649885X</isbn>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45100.Ship_of_Magic</link>
  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
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  <read_at>Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Apr 10 23:53:17 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Jul 31 16:04:03 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I've just re-read this for the first time in about five years, as a lead up to Hobb's new book (A sequel to this particular trilogy, which is, in itself the second trilogy in a linked series of three trilogies. It's a big effort, any way you look at it.) For me, this particular book is one of the mo...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52271419">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52271419]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>12433153</id>
    <user>
    <id>627337</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Tina]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Ithaca, NY]]></location>
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  <id type="integer">618211</id>
  <isbn>0553575635</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780553575637</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">22</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
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  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1236657024m/618211.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/618211.Ship_of_Magic</link>
  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 1998</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Jan 13 17:26:03 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jan 13 17:27:44 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[There are several stories going on in this book: Althea's quest to regain her ship, Kennit's quest to become a king of pirates, Ronica's quest to keep her family together, the serpents' quest for who-knows-what, the mystery of Paragon, the political intrigue surrounding Bingtown and, most compelling...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/12433153">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/12433153]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/12433153]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>7039217</id>
    <user>
    <id>434609</id>
    <name><![CDATA[John]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Saltsburg, PA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/434609-john]]></link>
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  <isbn>000649885X</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">96</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45100.Ship_of_Magic</link>
  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2006</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Sep 30 12:33:00 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Nov 02 14:27:21 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Two summers ago, I read Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy and reviewed it. She also wrote a trilogy called The Tawny Man, of which I reviewed the first and last books. These trilogies followed largely the same characters. In between the writing of these two series, Hobb wrote The Liveship Traders trilogy...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7039217">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7039217]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7039217]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>40433386</id>
    <user>
    <id>831793</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Kaelie]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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  <isbn>000649885X</isbn>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45100.Ship_of_Magic</link>
  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Fri Dec 26 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Dec 18 21:44:25 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Dec 29 15:52:19 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Hobb creates a vivid and richly textured world but her stories are character-driven, and it's the people, with all their flaws, that keep me rabidly devouring her books.  The premise of this one -- family-owned, sentient trading ships made of wizard wood, and the accompanying familial and political ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40433386">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40433386]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40433386]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Travis]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
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  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[Anyone who isn't diometrically opposed to a fantasy setting.]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[Jason]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Feb 29 12:35:01 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Feb 29 12:50:11 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The Liveship Traders Trilogy is my favorite fiction of all time.<br/>The story is compelling, the plot lines finely interwoven, and Hobb answers just enough questions to leave you satisfied but not over-stuffed.<br/>The world Hobb creates is so believable it seems it could almost be historical, we...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/16710987">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/16710987]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/16710987]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>51014893</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Kat at FanLit]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">45100</id>
  <isbn>000649885X</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780006498858</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">96</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>4.03</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2263</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer trilogy, has returned to that world  for a new series. <em>Ship of Magic</em> is a sea tale, reminiscent of <em>Moby Dick</em> and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series in its details of shipboard life. It is also a fantasy adventure with sea serpents, pirates, and  all sorts of magic.	The <em>liveships</em> have distinct personalities and partner with specific people, somewhat like Anne McCaffrey's Brain ships and their Brawns, though these are trading ships and have full  crews.<p> Hobb has peopled the book with many wonderfully developed characters.  Most of the primary ones are members of the Vestritts, an Old Trader family which owns the liveship <em>Vivacia</em>.  Their stories are intercut with those of Kennit, the ambitious pirate Brashen, the disinherited scion of another family who served on the Vestritt's ship, and <em>Paragon</em>, an old liveship  abandoned and believed mad.   The sentient sea serpents have their own story hinted at, as well.<p> Though <em>Ship of Magic</em> is full of action, none of the plotlines get resolved in this book. Readers who resent being left with many questions and few answers after almost 700 pages should think twice before starting, or wait until the rest of the series is out so that their suspense won't be too prolonged. But Hobb's writing draws you in and makes you care desperately about what will happen next, the mark of a terrific storyteller. <em>--Nona Vero</em></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <read_at>Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1995</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Mar 31 06:20:51 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Mar 31 07:59:09 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This review refers to the whole Liveship Traders Trilogy: <br/><br/>I would never have picked up Liveship Traders if I hadn’t already read been a Robin Hobb fan. The thought of sentient ships just didn’t appeal to me. However, I really enjoyed this series for the same reason as I like her othe...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51014893">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51014893]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51014893]]></link>
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