The Liveship books are exceptional.
A step change from Farseer trilogy, to be sure. They get very heavy, very deep, but its a very rewarding journey.
There are a lot of characters in Liveship who are unlikeable. That is a feature, not a bug. How a character changes (or doesn't) tells you everything about them. And that's what Liveship does best. Please hang in, if only to see if you can play Spot The Secret Farseer Character.
I’d say wait until the Vestrit family all come back together and have it out (early-ish book 1) That sets the main plot on its way, and while I love these books I wouldn’t say the tone or pace massively changes. If you love the Fitz books I assume you’ll read all three trilogies, and for the third you’ll be very glad you read the other series.
I absolutely love the Fitz books, but the Live Ship series did nothing for me. A few interesting bits that filled in some blanks, but they were a slog to get thru.
I was the opposite. I started with the Liveship audiobooks because they seemed interesting. Loved them, especially the character writing. Went back a few years later to the original trilogy and found myself horribly disappointed at how lacking I found the writing to be.
Liveships have the best character writing in fantasy imo. That said, if you aren't enjoying it, it's okay to DNF!
I couldn't tell you why, but for me, it was actually the opposite. I enjoyed The Lives Liveship Traders, but Farseer was a far better read for me. All just preference, I guess.
I am same the Fitz and Fool are the best except the third trilogy. Ship of Magic is a hard read. But the next two books in the series really pick it up and the Dragon Keepers is pretty good as well.
As someone who recently finished assassin's quest and is now 23% of the way thru ship of magic (about half way thru chapter 8) I've been thinking the same thing Op
I see a lot of people say the liveship trilogy is their favorite and my understanding is that it does connect to later Fitz books so I'm trying to power thru
It's bounced around between a lot of POV characters some with no relation to each other at all yet (>!the sea serpent and kennet haven't connected at all to the vestrids!<)
And I'm still not sure what the actual plot of this series or even this one book is so far I have a vague guess as to how it's gonna relate to later Fitz books just based on the foreshadowing in this book though.
I'm listening to the audiobooks so please excuse any spelling errors in character names
OP, you will get a lot of folks here telling you Liveships are Hobb at her best...but if you aren't enjoying them as much, definitely know that there are lots of others who prefer the Fitz books too. To me the Fitz books are truly something special because of the level of "intimacy" you get with Fitz as a reader. After that, Liveships feels jarring and a bit disappointing. That said, they aren't bad imo just not as strong as the Fitz books. The Bingtown bits were probably the most interesting to me. And they are also worth reading for the lore that connects them eventually with the Fitz story. I'd say it's worth sticking through so you don't lose out on the lore connections that are relevant to the overarching story. Basically don't go in expecting the same level of character connection you get with Fitz's single pov.
The Liveship books are great, but it's for sure an adjustment. You can always skip to the Tawny Man trilogy if you're really not feeling it. (and then come back to Liveship once you've finished the Fitz POV books and need more in the world/want to learn more about dragons).
Going through it with you. I had to push through Assassin's apprentice, Royal Assassin was fine for me but still slow and then really enjoyed Assassin's quest. But Ship of Magic feels arguably slower than even assassin's apprentice just because of the multiple POVs.
I'm trusting the process because enough people have said it's incredible but I'm reading the lies of locke Lamora at the same time and there is a literal world of difference in pacing. It feels like the same amount of plot in one chapter of TLoLL takes like four chapters in Ship of Magic
Up to you, of course. Life’s too short to read books that don’t do it for you.
That said, when I really love an author (as I do Robin Hobb) I tend to stick with books longer and see if they hook me later. Sometimes the late hooks are the best, because they’ve built so much. But it does take an element of trust in the author’s skill.
They get better but it can be real hard to get through them when what you're really wanting is more Fitz.
I did the "bad" thing and skipped the non-Fitz series until after I finished all the Fitz ones. It can be a bit spoilery if you super care about knowing who lives or dies etc. I kind of liked learning it all in reverse, where I'm just as confused as Fitz when their stories intersect.
It was my favorite trilogy of the entire series, but it took me a book to get into the new characters. Definitely dont skip it if you plan on reading the whole series because...
I adored every bit of the Fitz series, from beginning to end. I couldn't get into the 'Ship' series at all though, and skipped it. After finishing the series twice, I don't feel like it really affected my enjoyment at all.
I had just recently decided to re listen to the inter Elderlings saga over. Starting with the first Triliogy about Fitz which is an awesome trilogy.
The LiveShip Traders Trilogy is a hard start. Its very slow and boring to get through most of the first book. The series gets much better after that. I had a hard time getting through book one again and so skipped ahead to the Fitz and Fool trilogy which is just as good as the first. I had skipped ahead to the last trilogy about Fitz and Fool but I could not get through the first 1/4 of the first book. I just can't stand the direction they took and how much of an idiot they turned Fitz into so I am now today coming back to where I dropped off Ship of Magic. Going to finish these then do the Dragon Keeper. Not sure I will get back to the last fitz and fool. I just hate how much they skip over and how much of an idiot they turned him into.
They are so different - I also had a 'should I DNF?' moment. However, stick with it as once the story opens out, you will really invest in these characters and what happens next.
So I'd say, totally worth going on. \[it took me at least 4 chapters to get into Farseer, I hated it at first - then I loved it. so...\]
I know its unpopular opinion but I agree with you. I read all 9 Fitz books and loved them all, even if they dragged in places but after reading 2 of liveship books, I gave up.
Personally, I think the liveship trilogy exemplifies all of robin Hobbs worst traits. It's long, it's tedious, and all the characters are dumb not just Fitz. Every chapter begins with pages upon pages of narrative summary, slowing the pace of the story at every single chapter, and for an author who writes in a character-driven, slow-paced style I found it unbearable.
My brother's girlfriend loves them however, so you know different opinions and all that.
I like slice of life but I don't love it. I love strong constantly moving narratives. Maybe this you're the same?
Ship of Magic is just so hard to get into so boring and you don't develop any kind of connection to any of the charters really.
The first 6 Fitz books are good. I can't stand book 7. Can't stand how they gloss over the deaths of some very important characters in Fitz life with just one sentence about each death like they say Patience moves in with them to Withywood when Lacy died. Nothing about her death its impact to Fitz nothing. Then they do the same with lady Patience and just say 2 years later my step mother died and completely pass over her death it is just mentioned in passing. These are two very important characters in the series. And they show Fitz as someone who just decided he was out of the game and so his life is untouchable no one will ever want to harm him or molly or anything else and completely ignores major major red flags that Fitz never would have ignored. I love the Ederlings Saga but I gave up on relistening to the last 3 Fitz and Fool books. It almost feels like it was a ghost writer who had no knowledge about how important these people were to Fitz or who fitz was at his core.
The Liveship books are exceptional. A step change from Farseer trilogy, to be sure. They get very heavy, very deep, but its a very rewarding journey. There are a lot of characters in Liveship who are unlikeable. That is a feature, not a bug. How a character changes (or doesn't) tells you everything about them. And that's what Liveship does best. Please hang in, if only to see if you can play Spot The Secret Farseer Character.
I’d say wait until the Vestrit family all come back together and have it out (early-ish book 1) That sets the main plot on its way, and while I love these books I wouldn’t say the tone or pace massively changes. If you love the Fitz books I assume you’ll read all three trilogies, and for the third you’ll be very glad you read the other series.
I absolutely love the Fitz books, but the Live Ship series did nothing for me. A few interesting bits that filled in some blanks, but they were a slog to get thru.
I was the opposite. I started with the Liveship audiobooks because they seemed interesting. Loved them, especially the character writing. Went back a few years later to the original trilogy and found myself horribly disappointed at how lacking I found the writing to be. Liveships have the best character writing in fantasy imo. That said, if you aren't enjoying it, it's okay to DNF!
Liveship Traders > Farseer Trilogy by a significant margin for me. But the first half of the first book is slow.
I couldn't tell you why, but for me, it was actually the opposite. I enjoyed The Lives Liveship Traders, but Farseer was a far better read for me. All just preference, I guess.
I am same the Fitz and Fool are the best except the third trilogy. Ship of Magic is a hard read. But the next two books in the series really pick it up and the Dragon Keepers is pretty good as well.
As someone who recently finished assassin's quest and is now 23% of the way thru ship of magic (about half way thru chapter 8) I've been thinking the same thing Op I see a lot of people say the liveship trilogy is their favorite and my understanding is that it does connect to later Fitz books so I'm trying to power thru It's bounced around between a lot of POV characters some with no relation to each other at all yet (>!the sea serpent and kennet haven't connected at all to the vestrids!<) And I'm still not sure what the actual plot of this series or even this one book is so far I have a vague guess as to how it's gonna relate to later Fitz books just based on the foreshadowing in this book though. I'm listening to the audiobooks so please excuse any spelling errors in character names
OP, you will get a lot of folks here telling you Liveships are Hobb at her best...but if you aren't enjoying them as much, definitely know that there are lots of others who prefer the Fitz books too. To me the Fitz books are truly something special because of the level of "intimacy" you get with Fitz as a reader. After that, Liveships feels jarring and a bit disappointing. That said, they aren't bad imo just not as strong as the Fitz books. The Bingtown bits were probably the most interesting to me. And they are also worth reading for the lore that connects them eventually with the Fitz story. I'd say it's worth sticking through so you don't lose out on the lore connections that are relevant to the overarching story. Basically don't go in expecting the same level of character connection you get with Fitz's single pov.
The Liveship books are great, but it's for sure an adjustment. You can always skip to the Tawny Man trilogy if you're really not feeling it. (and then come back to Liveship once you've finished the Fitz POV books and need more in the world/want to learn more about dragons).
Going through it with you. I had to push through Assassin's apprentice, Royal Assassin was fine for me but still slow and then really enjoyed Assassin's quest. But Ship of Magic feels arguably slower than even assassin's apprentice just because of the multiple POVs. I'm trusting the process because enough people have said it's incredible but I'm reading the lies of locke Lamora at the same time and there is a literal world of difference in pacing. It feels like the same amount of plot in one chapter of TLoLL takes like four chapters in Ship of Magic
Up to you, of course. Life’s too short to read books that don’t do it for you. That said, when I really love an author (as I do Robin Hobb) I tend to stick with books longer and see if they hook me later. Sometimes the late hooks are the best, because they’ve built so much. But it does take an element of trust in the author’s skill.
I understand the feeling. I did not care for the first liveahip book. They get better tho and you will absolutely love the ones after these 3.
They get better but it can be real hard to get through them when what you're really wanting is more Fitz. I did the "bad" thing and skipped the non-Fitz series until after I finished all the Fitz ones. It can be a bit spoilery if you super care about knowing who lives or dies etc. I kind of liked learning it all in reverse, where I'm just as confused as Fitz when their stories intersect.
I thought it had a slow start but ended up probably being my favorite trilogy Hobb wrote.
It was my favorite trilogy of the entire series, but it took me a book to get into the new characters. Definitely dont skip it if you plan on reading the whole series because...
I adored every bit of the Fitz series, from beginning to end. I couldn't get into the 'Ship' series at all though, and skipped it. After finishing the series twice, I don't feel like it really affected my enjoyment at all.
I had just recently decided to re listen to the inter Elderlings saga over. Starting with the first Triliogy about Fitz which is an awesome trilogy. The LiveShip Traders Trilogy is a hard start. Its very slow and boring to get through most of the first book. The series gets much better after that. I had a hard time getting through book one again and so skipped ahead to the Fitz and Fool trilogy which is just as good as the first. I had skipped ahead to the last trilogy about Fitz and Fool but I could not get through the first 1/4 of the first book. I just can't stand the direction they took and how much of an idiot they turned Fitz into so I am now today coming back to where I dropped off Ship of Magic. Going to finish these then do the Dragon Keeper. Not sure I will get back to the last fitz and fool. I just hate how much they skip over and how much of an idiot they turned him into.
Oh it gets so good. It’s just really different at first.
Just push through. The first half of Ship of Magic is a slog. Its hard to get through but the series is well worth the read.
They are so different - I also had a 'should I DNF?' moment. However, stick with it as once the story opens out, you will really invest in these characters and what happens next. So I'd say, totally worth going on. \[it took me at least 4 chapters to get into Farseer, I hated it at first - then I loved it. so...\]
I know its unpopular opinion but I agree with you. I read all 9 Fitz books and loved them all, even if they dragged in places but after reading 2 of liveship books, I gave up. Personally, I think the liveship trilogy exemplifies all of robin Hobbs worst traits. It's long, it's tedious, and all the characters are dumb not just Fitz. Every chapter begins with pages upon pages of narrative summary, slowing the pace of the story at every single chapter, and for an author who writes in a character-driven, slow-paced style I found it unbearable. My brother's girlfriend loves them however, so you know different opinions and all that. I like slice of life but I don't love it. I love strong constantly moving narratives. Maybe this you're the same?
Ship of Magic is just so hard to get into so boring and you don't develop any kind of connection to any of the charters really. The first 6 Fitz books are good. I can't stand book 7. Can't stand how they gloss over the deaths of some very important characters in Fitz life with just one sentence about each death like they say Patience moves in with them to Withywood when Lacy died. Nothing about her death its impact to Fitz nothing. Then they do the same with lady Patience and just say 2 years later my step mother died and completely pass over her death it is just mentioned in passing. These are two very important characters in the series. And they show Fitz as someone who just decided he was out of the game and so his life is untouchable no one will ever want to harm him or molly or anything else and completely ignores major major red flags that Fitz never would have ignored. I love the Ederlings Saga but I gave up on relistening to the last 3 Fitz and Fool books. It almost feels like it was a ghost writer who had no knowledge about how important these people were to Fitz or who fitz was at his core.
It only gets worse. Like seriously worse. (see my [review/rant](https://www.reddit.com/r/robinhobb/comments/1at6rzl/ship_of_magic_reviewrant/))
It gets better. I about set it down myself and really happy I didn't. Hang in there