[Book/Fiction]: The Liveship Trader Trilogy, reviewed by Jake (5/4)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/9/9745.phtml

Jake de Oude's Summary:

There are a lot of familiar elements in this trilogy, but Hobb's superb style raises it to great heights.

Go to the full review for more information.

Post originally by Wes Johnson at 2003-10-01 08:55:42
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I liked this series a lot and hopefully this review will motivate some more peopel to read it.

My one big gripe about Hobb (and this series in particular) is that she spends an awful lot of time having the characters feeling sorry for themselves.

Post originally by Kiriath at 2003-10-01 10:52:07
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Very nice review!

A quibble, though; is it really low fantasy? You make good points for why it could be considered such - and make me wonder if it is - but it was almost too swashbucklery to think of it as -low-.

Low I think of as relentlessly dark- maybe that'd have to be dark fantasy.

Just an odd quibble; maybe sway waffling readers

Kiri, loving the Hobb serieses

Post originally by Shannon Appelcline at 2003-10-01 16:37:44
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And if you like Robin Hobb, check out her books under her real name, Megan Linholm. (She had to change it because she was a midlist author in her previous life, and that eventually leads B&N, Borders, and other such stores to stop carrying your tiles.)

Post originally by Stormcrow at 2003-10-01 22:25:20
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Liveship Traders was a great series, but the Farseers were even better. When you are done with this trilogy I highly recommend reading Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin's Quest.

They were recommended by an Australian friend of mine. I scowled when I saw the title (oh joy, yet another book about assassins), but was very pleasantly surprised after the first few chapters. What was even more ironic was the fact that these books were recommended by someone a world away from me and I find out that the author lived down the street from me.

Post originally by Richard Wells at 2003-10-02 01:47:24
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Much more happens in the Robin Hobb novels while the Meghan Lindholm titles were much more emphatic about mood and tone than having scenes of action. Liking one does not ensure liking the others.

Post originally by Jake at 2003-10-02 02:55:56
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Kiriath wrote:
<I>Very nice review!
A quibble, though; is it really low fantasy? You make good points for why it could be considered such - and make me wonder if it is - but it was almost too swashbucklery to think of it as -low-.
Low I think of as relentlessly dark- maybe that'd have to be dark fantasy.
Just an odd quibble; maybe sway waffling readers </I>

Thanks for the praise, Kiri.

And I could very well be confusing some terminology. For me, it's low fantasy because the books aren't really epic in scope. Also, there's little magic in it, and the little that is available is poorly understood. Then again, 'high' and 'low' fantasy isn't very clearly defined.

Bye,

-- Jake

Post originally by Kiriath at 2003-10-02 10:45:58
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Makes sense, ayup. I've been starting to call this sorta story 'Poetic Fantasy' myself; the writing style feels like it, and the ending fits almost poetically.

Same sorta feel as the Dragonriders of Pern before the SciFi took such a hold on that one

Kiri

Post originally by Wes Johnson at 2003-10-05 17:11:32
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I would agree that the Farseer trilogy was good stuff. Assuming a reader can tough it through to the third book. The second book if filled with so much self pity that it has annoyed a couple of readers that I know.

--Wes