Liveship Traders trilogy, by Robin Hobb

[farseer2]

I just finished this one. It is a worthy successor to the Farseer Trilogy. Even though it takes place in the same world, some years after Farseer, it can be read independently. There are some passing references to what happened in Farseer, but they can be read independently without missing anything.

Liveship Traders is told in third person, using several point of view characters. We lose some of the closeness we had with FitzChivalry, the first person narrator of the Farseer trilogy, but it worked for me just fine. Hobb still excels at creating appealing characters. Althea, Wintrow...

Kennit's character arc was a favorite of mine. It did not go as I was expecting

Spoiler

I was expecting him to become a dark hero, but he ended up a tragic half-villain, providing some of the most emotionally powerful moments at the end, when the circle of his character arc was closed.

One disappointment was that I had expected Amber to have a more central role, after having been built up so much. Also, as often happens with these doorstopper books, at some points I felt some pruning might have made the story flow better, but it never became too bad.

Highly recommended for those who enjoyed the Farseer trilogy!

 

[N. E. White]

You know, Ms. Hobbs is one of my very favorite authors, but I tried this series twice and couldn't get into it. Maybe I'll give it another go...maybe.

 

[farseer2]

You know, Ms. Hobbs is one of my very favorite authors, but I tried this series twice and couldn't get into it. Maybe I'll give it another go...maybe.

That's a pity. I was concerned that it wouldn't be as good as the Farseer trilogy, but I thought it was at the same level.

 

[jackdaw]

That's a pity. I was concerned that it wouldn't be as good as the Farseer trilogy, but I thought it was at the same level.

I'd agree with that. But we all know just how subjective these judgements are... once out and out clangers are avoided and writing isn't patently bad...what objective measures can really be applied?

 

[farseer2]

I'd agree with that. But we all know just how subjective these judgements are... once out and out clangers are avoided and writing isn't patently bad...what objective measures can really be applied?

Sure, but when you have two works by the same author keeping a somewhat similar style, then if you like one it's more likely that you'll also like the other. In this case the big change is that in Liveship Traders we have third person narrative instead of first-person and several POV characters instead of one. The characterization, worldbuilding and plotting seemed to me at the same level. But, as you say, that's subjective.