Reviews tagging 'War'

Mad Ship by Robin Hobb

7 reviews

marymayne's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Another great installment in the Liveship Traders.

I liked this one more than the first. The characters motivations were clearer, making even the bad or wrong decisions feel justified.

The plot was great, continuing the story, adding more twists and turns and unravelling the mystery further. It felt less in this book like bad thing after bad thing was happening, and there was less (although still some) sexual violence - which had felt excessive to me in the first book.

There were some pacing issues as other reviews have mentioned, the 2nd and 4th quarters were great and engaging, but the 1st and 3rd felt super slow, which made it hard to pick up sometimes ~ especially given it is 900 pages lol

Really excited to read the 3rd book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Slavery

Moderate: Murder and War

errie's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Torture, Violence, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, War, Rape, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

lentzar's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Trafficking, and Violence

Moderate: Rape and War

caroclaw's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The last time I picked this series up was about ten years ago, and I can't even remember if I finished this one. I found the middle chunk of it so slow paced it was insurmountable.

This time, I deliberately relaxed through it and took it chapter by chapter, relishing the thoughtful characterisation and trying to pick up on those hints at the great mystery of this series that Hobb is so good at threading through her books. It was so much easier, and reading this with the eyes of an adult certainly tinted many parts with different colours- particularly parts to do with Malta.

As usual, no matter how the pace dawdles through 85% of the book, Hobb sure does body slam you right at the end. I'm hoping the final Liveship Traders novel is complete chaos, because I have only the tiniest clue where this is going.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery and Violence

Moderate: War, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

readwithbells's review against another edition

4.25

What a romp! I loved the character development in this one - watching Malta become an interesting and practical person is so satisfying after the first book. I’m so curious to see where it goes! I’m definitely not as attached to these characters as the Farseer ones (except for Kennit I’m obsessed with him) but I am genuinely interested in the story. 

This one does suffer from the middle book curse, and I was never super excited to pick it up, but once I did I was wrapped up in the story wholeheartedly. I love the experience of Hobb’s writing. She makes everything real and desperate and exciting. I’ll probably take a minute before the last instalment but it won’t be too far behind. 

I loved the explanations in this one that tie to the Farseer books, namely with Verity and the stone dragon. And watching Amber’s prophecy come true with the release of She Who Remembers ala Wintrow (the nine fingered boy) and the Tintaglia from Malta and Reyn. I’m curious as to Althea’s role in the next book. Where does she go from here? Does she get Vivacia back from Kennit? Will Vivacia even want her back? Will the serpents take her down? Will Wintrow want to return to a monk’s life? Will he and Etta fuck?? So many questions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism

Moderate: War and Xenophobia

ofthebrownajah's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Slavery

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Drug use, Slavery, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Body horror, War, Abandonment, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Animal death, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit, Classism, Ableism, Excrement, Death of parent, Homophobia, Pregnancy, and Xenophobia

Sexual coercion, abuse of power; victim blaming/rape culture (challenged), complicity in assault and abuse. Descriptions of sexual abuse and rape in captivity as well as the aftermath thereof, but no graphic scene; attempted rape and discussion thereof in one scene. Withdrawal. Illness, epidemic. Earthquakes. Relationships between adult men and pre-teen/teenage girls, as well as allusions to relationships between adult women and teenage boys.