Ship of Magic: Spoiler Free Review + Character Analysis

I apologize in advance for the length. Believe it or not, this was me keeping it brief. Would love to hear your thoughts on Ship of Magic!

For more bookish content, feel free to join me on:

0:00 Spoiler Free Review
18:00 Spoilers
18:14 Althea
22:23 Wintrow
24:45 Malta
27:21 Kyle
35:58 Kennit

[coleton]

Your ability to review and discuss novels is as good as Robin Hobb's ability to write novels. Such wonderful enthusiasm and insight and wisdom. I love how it was talking about Kyle that caused you to use the rare curse word on the channel. 🤣

[derrisreaditbefore]

Simply Fabulous.
This is exactly the insight I was hoping you would offer for both Kyle and Kennit. THANK YOU!!
One advantage to setting so much of this trilogy onboard ship, is the enforced closeness, the inescapability of situation. None of our characters can get away from their stressors, bringing emotions to boiling point that much faster. All of that enabled Robin Hobb to write at intensity level 11 and have it feel completely natural.
You didn't get a chance to mention the serpents (totally understand - if asked to choose, I'd absolutely pick talking about K & K instead), but I'm going to ask you to re-read the passage you mentioned about Kyle almost throwing Wintrow overboard, and notice the concurrent serpent interactions. I'd be interested in your thoughts on if and how the serpents contributed.
The Rain Wilds are a fascinating place, and if you're interested, there's a short story - Homecoming, included in the collection The Inheritance, which tells the story of the founding of the Rain Wilds community (wait until the end of Liveships though).
Have a good New Years celebration :)

[Johanna_reads]

I’m so happy you loved Ship of Magic! I am so excited to start The Realm of the Elderlings in 2022 with The Farseer Trilogy. I actually like the idea of nautical fantasy, and the world-building and characters sound incredible. I’m also curious to learn more about the psychological themes and familial drama. Can’t wait to get to know all these characters and return to watch your character analysis!!

[thefantasynuttwork]

I was dying to hear your character analysis and was not disappointed. Malta has one of the best arcs I've ever read. I'd say Kennit is the best antagonist I've ever read.

This trilogy removed my naval hatred bias 🤣

[BaldBookTuber]

Wonderful review Sarah! So excited to see you working through Realm of the Elderlings, my 2nd favorite fantasy story behind A Song of Ice and Fire. LST is amazing

[Amy-iitt]

Haha nice mea culpa! I loved the insight into both Kyle and Kennit, and would happily watch another hour of you talking about the characters

[afantasybabble]

Fantastic video. Will love hearing your thoughts as the series progresses.

[jannarosereads]

Thank you for making this video! Just finished Ship of Magic myself and I was so interested to hear your thoughts on the characters from your therapist point of view. :)

[Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

👏👏👏👏👏 Standing ovation!!

You make me want to reread this again right now!!

[ChristyLuisDostoevskyinSpace]

Penny sent me your video bc I DNFed Liveship this year 😂 She has been pushing me to try it again. I love so many of the ideas of the story 😍 I struggled with the characterizations in this one, buuuut you make it sound so good! And your shirt is so adorable!

[crystalsingh]

So glad you enjoyed it Sarah! Althea & Brashen are some of my all time favs. Kennit is truly a complex & fascinating antagonist & reading about him was such an amazing experience 😀 Kyle is despicable 💀

[jenniferobin]

Great video! I loved your perspective on the psyche of the characters. I was so conflicted with Kennit! I hated his motivations but if he was able to achieve his goals it would actually help a lot of people so I kept rooting for him. My heart will always belong to Fitz but I truly loved the magic and mystery of this trilogy. I'm glad you are enjoying this trilogy so far and I think it will continue to give you more of the things you love the most. That being said, I can't wait for you to start the Tawny Man trilogy and experience that comfort and homecoming of being back with Fitz. Nothing beats that feeling. Robin Hobb has spoiled a lot of fantasy for me because I keep chasing that character bond.

[Rglet]

kennit definitely easily my favorite character in this trilogy. such a complex character and keeps getting better throughout the trilogy

[thisandthat]

Thankyou for your excellent review, i have been really looking forward to this, as with your expertise, you are able to wonderfully articulate what we all feel about these broken people (and ships!) but find difficulty in expressing just how brilliantly crafted they are! I can't wait for your review on the next two books as the story unfolds....😳👏

[esmayrosalyne]

Well thanks Sarah, now I want to reread Liveship Traders haha. I read these books in the summer of 2020 and I had really forgotten how much happens already in this first book! Loved hearing your thoughts, I am so happy you had such a great time with this book. Can't wait for you to see the character arcs in this trilogy, it is just immaculate writing... so memorable and impressive. Enjoy the rest of the series!! :)

[rabbitmaze]

wow I'm really excited to read it now. well even more. Gosh, I need to hurry up and finish "assassins quest" (or read more then 3 pages) so I can move on to liveship traders. But its so effing big! D:

[thatsci-firogue]

I recently finished Farseer (love it) and will be making the rest of Realm of the Elderlings my priority Fantasy read after I'm caught up/finished Malazan and Dresden.
Can't wait to get to Liveship Traders, despite my love of Fitz & Nighteyes!

[JolienReads]

Oooh, the best book you read this year? That's so high praise! I think you will like the second book EVEN more! Like you I enjoy one POV most of all and that's why I had a hard time with the beginning of Ship of Magic. It took me a while before I got into it. But all of the characters are so rich and multilayered that the multi POV aspect becomes one of the major positives of the series. I think that most authors aren't good enough in terms of characterwork for me to like multi POV, but Robin Hobb pulls it off (like George RR Martin for instance does as well).

Fitz is ofcourse very close to my heart, but Kennit is probably one of the most intense and interesting characters ever written. Definitely my favorite of the trilogy.

[phenmenos]

Excellent review. I can't wait to see what you think of the next two books! I'd be especially interested in a character deep dive for Kennit once you finish Ship of Destiny - he's one of the most fascinating characters I've ever read!

[craigpapworth]

Hobb is brilliant characters world building but its the mysteries in this series that takes it to another level.