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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
Strongly disliked nearly every character. Also found most of the scenes at sea to be quite anxiety-inducing. Not sure nautical fantasy is really my thing. Great writing and world-building though. Will be continuing the series to follow all the redemption arcs and because I love this world.
This is its own kind of fantasy. So powerful and so personal.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
What an absolutely beautiful book from start to finish.
I have frequently made a complaint of books in the past that the entire book served as a prologue. Nothing was resolved, the story was only just beginning, and why didn't the author just start later on in the story when Things started Happening. A good example of a trilogy I liked given that requirement was Mistborn. Each book seemingly resolved all the major threats, giving a good sense of resolution, but the next book revealed that there was more at play than anyone realized and upped the stakes.
When I read the first Fitz trilogy by this author, I was disappointed with it because it didn't follow that formula. It felt like it was one big book split up into volumes because it simply had too many pages to fit into one physical binding. There were no resolutions at the end of the first and second books, so I felt obliged to keep going to find out what happened. After a while, this got old. I wasn't getting what I was reading for. But I was also reading for the wrong thing.
Ship of Magic has, in a way, changed my understanding of what reading is. Sometimes, it is not the destination that is important, but the journey that gets us there. There were threads in this book that ultimately led nowhere. Paragon is simply forgotten in the closing pages, and his plot is left barely even started. Malta's plot didn't even start until about two thirds of the way through the book and we've just been intoduced to what appears to be her main struggle. But the book wouldn't have been the same without those pieces. Brashen doesn't seem to be involved all that much with the "main plot" but it's still nice to see how he's doing at the end.
And that's because this is possibly the first book since Name of the Wind where I have found myself enjoying the reading for the sake of what's happening now, rather than for the sake of how it's all going to come together at the end. In retrospect, the first Fitz trilogy was going for this same style, but I don't think that it pulled it off nearly so well.
Ship of Magic is a master course in this kind of fiction. Every single character has a rich history and nuanced personality. They are believable, and you empathize with their struggles even when you can't relate to their actions. Even Kyle, the absolute scum of the earth, makes some kind of sense when you try to look at things the way he sees them.
The only bad things I have to say about this book are that the plot never went the way I wanted, and why can't anybody just have a good thing happen to them just once. But, the very fact that my complaint is "I can't deal with all these emotions I'm having because of the empathy I'm feeling for these characters" means that the author did her job incredibly well. Her goal isn't to make me feel good; her goal is to make me feel like I'm in the story, like these are real people I'm sharing experiences with.
I haven't been so impressed with a book in a long time.
I have frequently made a complaint of books in the past that the entire book served as a prologue. Nothing was resolved, the story was only just beginning, and why didn't the author just start later on in the story when Things started Happening. A good example of a trilogy I liked given that requirement was Mistborn. Each book seemingly resolved all the major threats, giving a good sense of resolution, but the next book revealed that there was more at play than anyone realized and upped the stakes.
When I read the first Fitz trilogy by this author, I was disappointed with it because it didn't follow that formula. It felt like it was one big book split up into volumes because it simply had too many pages to fit into one physical binding. There were no resolutions at the end of the first and second books, so I felt obliged to keep going to find out what happened. After a while, this got old. I wasn't getting what I was reading for. But I was also reading for the wrong thing.
Ship of Magic has, in a way, changed my understanding of what reading is. Sometimes, it is not the destination that is important, but the journey that gets us there. There were threads in this book that ultimately led nowhere. Paragon is simply forgotten in the closing pages, and his plot is left barely even started. Malta's plot didn't even start until about two thirds of the way through the book and we've just been intoduced to what appears to be her main struggle. But the book wouldn't have been the same without those pieces. Brashen doesn't seem to be involved all that much with the "main plot" but it's still nice to see how he's doing at the end.
And that's because this is possibly the first book since Name of the Wind where I have found myself enjoying the reading for the sake of what's happening now, rather than for the sake of how it's all going to come together at the end. In retrospect, the first Fitz trilogy was going for this same style, but I don't think that it pulled it off nearly so well.
Ship of Magic is a master course in this kind of fiction. Every single character has a rich history and nuanced personality. They are believable, and you empathize with their struggles even when you can't relate to their actions. Even Kyle, the absolute scum of the earth, makes some kind of sense when you try to look at things the way he sees them.
The only bad things I have to say about this book are that the plot never went the way I wanted, and why can't anybody just have a good thing happen to them just once. But, the very fact that my complaint is "I can't deal with all these emotions I'm having because of the empathy I'm feeling for these characters" means that the author did her job incredibly well. Her goal isn't to make me feel good; her goal is to make me feel like I'm in the story, like these are real people I'm sharing experiences with.
I haven't been so impressed with a book in a long time.
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A thrilling adventure filled with pirates, magical creatures, family drama, and action, this is a book that anyone who loves high seas stories will enjoy. There are multiple storylines and confrontations that lead to exciting moments, and I didn't realize how much I had truly enjoyed this book until it was over.
SHIP OF MAGIC is the story of a "live ship," a sentient vessel made of magical wood, and those who own or seek to own one. There are plenty of characters in SHIP OF MAGIC, from the ambitious and tenacious Kennit, to the naïeve Malta and Wintrou, to the spirited Althea, to the demure Kephria and more. Each character is fleshed out and driven by their own goals. They are highly flawed and even the characters whose personalities I didn't like (looking at you Malta) were layered and complex.
The plot felt more like the slow burn to that larger story than one cohesive book, with this large cast of characters beginning the journey that would change their lives, yet I enjoyed the groundwork being laid for this epic.
The world-building is fantastic. Highly detailed, easy to understand, and immersive, it truly takes the reader on an unforgettable adventure. Though the pacing is slow, I was never bored, because I was moving through this world with the characters. This is a book for readers who want to get lost in a cool pirate fantasy with engaging protagonists and morally grey schemers. I really, really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see where the story goes next!
SHIP OF MAGIC is the story of a "live ship," a sentient vessel made of magical wood, and those who own or seek to own one. There are plenty of characters in SHIP OF MAGIC, from the ambitious and tenacious Kennit, to the naïeve Malta and Wintrou, to the spirited Althea, to the demure Kephria and more. Each character is fleshed out and driven by their own goals. They are highly flawed and even the characters whose personalities I didn't like (looking at you Malta) were layered and complex.
The plot felt more like the slow burn to that larger story than one cohesive book, with this large cast of characters beginning the journey that would change their lives, yet I enjoyed the groundwork being laid for this epic.
The world-building is fantastic. Highly detailed, easy to understand, and immersive, it truly takes the reader on an unforgettable adventure. Though the pacing is slow, I was never bored, because I was moving through this world with the characters. This is a book for readers who want to get lost in a cool pirate fantasy with engaging protagonists and morally grey schemers. I really, really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see where the story goes next!