Book Review – Ship of Destiniy
Author: Robin Hobb
Cover Artist: John Howe
Publisher: Voyager
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publication Date: 2001
The final part of Robin Hobb’s Liveship Traders trilogy. This is actually a reread for me, I have read all the books in the Realm of the Elderlings before. One thing that strikes me about these trilogies is that the third book in a trilogy never seems to be quite as good as it might have been. Although a fitting end to the trilogy and definitely the best “book 3″ in the Realm of the Elderlings, Ship of Destiny has a few flaws.
Tintaglia has escaped her cocoon and the buried city of the Elderlings. The first real Dragon in living memory sets to the sky again and immediately changes the balance of power in the world. What she sees doesn’t please her however. The land has changed beyond recognition and humanity is embroiled in a bitter fight for power and control over trade. Bingtown is a smoking ruin, it’s inhabitants divided into factions. Jamalia appears to has lost it’s Satrap and is faced with the treat posed by the Chalcedan fleet and King Kennit’s ever growing fleet of pirate ships. Amid this political turmoil the Sea Serpents, Tintaglia’s real interest, are making a last desperate attempt at migrating to the cocooning beaches.
Most of our main characters have more immediate problems on their hands though. In Trehaug Selden and Reyn are still caught in the collapsed Elderling city without much hope of escape. Malta and the Satrap are being swept down the Rain Wild River in a rickety boat that cannot last long in the acidic waters of the river. In Bingtown the Vestrit estate has been plundered and Keffria and Ronica are hard-pressed to keep what little is left to them together. Brashen and Althea have taken the Paragon out on a fools errand to recapture the Vivacia. Paragon appears to have his own agenda though. On board the Vivacia Kennit is getting ever more ambitious and Wintrow still struggles finding his place in the pirate world. Dragons are back in the world though, that changes everything. None can escape their destiny.
I suppose it is not absolutely necessary to read the Farseer trilogy first but you will miss quite a lot of references to those books. Although it becomes obvious in the second book, the significance of the character Amber and her motives are probably less clear if you haven’t read them. The way Hobb wove in details linking this series to the Farseer trilogy was an aspect of the book I quite enjoyed.
Hobb created a very complex political situation and spread sent her main characters scattering in all directions. There are an awful lot of threads to pull back together. It is quite an achievement she managed to wrap it up in one book, even if it is a 900 page paperback. That is probably the weakness that most people will point out. With so much left to resolve the conclusion will to some readers feel Hobb is pulling the strings too obviously. Personally I didn’t think any of it was done badly but with so many story lines converging in the final part of the book it is easy to see why Amber believes in destiny.
Another point of critique would be the rather abrupt changes some of the characters undergo. Malta’s transition from a spoiled little girl to a shrewd trader was well done but Selden, who doesn’t become a significant character in the story until the end of the second book, seems to rocket to prominence. I thought his character less convincing. What’s even less convincing than Selden’s development, is Althea’s healing at the hand of Paragon from the treatment Kennit gave her. A third issue I have with the books is the way it deals with, or perhaps I should say correct, the inequalities in Bingtown society and the speed at which these changes are accepted. Granted, this acceptance is gained after an awful lot of violence and pressure from the Chalcedeans but many people would find such a dramatic change very hard to accept.
There’s quite a few things about this book one could criticize but considering the task Hobb set herself in The Mad Ship I think she managed very well. Hobb’s writing is good as ever and again packs an awful lot of story into the book. Even if the ending was probably too neat is left me satisfied. As far as epic fantasy goes this trilogy is some of the best out there but, like with the Farseer trilogy, I liked the second book best.
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