I Read Books: The Mad Ship
Hobb expands the world a little in this second volume of the trilogy; one viewpoint character is a Companion of the Satrap, his expert on Bingtown and the north, so we see why the politics are messed up. Meanwhile several Bingtown characters appear to be stuck in place having lost their ship, but this allows the novel to take a look into the stranded and titular mad ship Paragon. Kennit, pirate captain, having lost his leg but gained a liveship finds himself progressing towards his goal to be king of the pirate isles, but also strangely repeating events from his past. (In theory the metaphysics of prophecy in this world is based around cycles, each time trying to improve things, sometimes going wrong and grinding down into tyranny and inhumanity).
Malta grows up a bit, going from dumb whiny brat into manipulative and slightly naive young woman, taking up her heritage of being a Trader and striking her own bargains on a larger and larger scale. This intersects with the sea serpent and Rain Wilds magic plot that also moved into the foreground.
All kinds of bits and pieces slot together, not quite as though made for each other, but close enough to be believable; wood-carving, the nature of livewood, the politics, the debts and bargains, the backstories. Occasionally it goes on a little – several characters are having to confront their previous bad choices and make decisions, agonising for several scenes. But they all pay off so I can’t complain.
Read This: For more high seas fantasy though there’s a fair amount of land based action, which is true for historical sailors and age of sail fiction too
Don’t Read This: If you haven’t read or didn’t like the first volume.
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