Looks like a few people got Kindles for Christmas. With e-book sales skyrocketing from $62 million in 2008 to $863 million in 2010, its no surprise. While people purchased hardcovers prior to Christmas to give as gifts, Kindle Fire sales will likely push hardcovers out of the top five for a while. Also notable that smaller, bite-size books are rising in popularity along with e-books. A Modern Witch, below, is available for $1.99 for the Kindle. Its going to be a wild ride in 2012.
The hardcover versions of the latest by King and Martin take precedence this Christmas week, as it seems like giving a physical object still feels more appropriate as a gift for the moment.
The Alloy of Law reviews are pouring in, but sadly the biggest news is the passing of Anne McCaffrey. We have lost one of the greats. Her craft will be continued by the current crop of talented fantasy authors, and you can check out interviews with a few current greats like R.A. Salvatore, Patrick Rothfuss, Lev Grossman, Terry Brooks and Daniel Abraham below. Also, Brandon Sanderson talks about writing the Infinity Blade novella. Cool stuff.
Stephen King continues to dominate the holiday season, but George R.R. Martin is still scooping up large swaths of bestseller weeks. Its likely Martin will rank first for the annual review.
Stephen King takes first and second this week, with two different formats of the same novel. A Dance with Dragons remains strong, with The Allow of Law by Brandon Sanderson making its debut in fifth.
George R.R. Martin continues to own the majority of books in the top 5 with Erin Morgenstern holding first place. Stephen King’s latest rounds out the top 5 this week.
Ship of Magic was one of my favorite fantasy reads to date, and Robin Hobb has certainly gained in popularity in recent years, so for the second novel in The Liveship Traders trilogy, I had fairly high expectations. To the joy of readers everywhere, Hobb continues in top form with Mad Ship, bringing back many of the memorable characters from the first novel, and introducing a few new ones.
The concept of living, breathing, talking ships is certainly novel, and Hobb continues to explore this inventive theme in Mad Ship. She does so with the same enthusiasm displayed in Ship of Magic, and in Mad Ship takes the idea to a new level. In Ship of Magic Hobb reveals a richer backstory to the liveship theme that lends even further credibility to what was already a logical and believable magic system in Ship of Magic. I won’t get into details and ruin the book for those who have yet to read it, but suffice to say the storyline following the sea serpents, their connection to liveships, and some of the history backing the story are very satisfying.
Hobb brings back a wonderful cast of main characters such as Althea, Captain Kennit and Wintrow, liveships such as Ophelia and Paragon, and introduces or focuses more on supporting characters such as Malta, Reyn, Brashen, Amber, Serilla and Magnadon Cosgo. Also, there is a dragon in Mad Ship. We thrill to see Althea return to Bingtown and struggle with deciding to stay and support her family versus returning to the open sea to save the family liveship, Ophelia. We struggle while Wintrow fights to survive aboard Ophelia, while Ophelia struggles to determine how to handle her kidnappers, pirates lead by Captain Kennit. We are frustrated and occasionally appalled watching Malta quickly mature from a young girl into a young woman, and how she immaturely tries to handle the courting of a Rain Wild man, Reyn. In short, there are characters in Mad Ship you will connect with, and will come to love.
Another aspect of Mad Ship I enjoyed thoroughly is the structure of the chapters, and variety of the story lines. I immediately noticed the similarities with the structure of George R.R. Martin’s novels. In the first eight chapters of Mad Ship, you’ll find six or seven different story lines and point of views. The variety is healthy enough that the reader will never get bogged down in one single plot, but not so much to be overwhelming. The key is how Hobb ties all the point of views together, to weave the beautiful overarching story that is Mad Ship.
Of course, we are presented with Hobb’s powerful writing chops, including fantastic descriptive/introspective passages like this example:
It was like sweeping his fingers across a stringed instrument, save that the chord he awoke was not sound. Kennit’s life suddenly sang with his own. Wintrow reeled with the force of the connection, then sat down hard on the deck. A moment later, he tried to describe it to himself. It had not been Kennit’s memories, nor his thoughts or dreams. Instead, it had been an intense awareness of the pirate. The closest comparison he could summon was the way a perfume or scent could suddenly call up detailed memories, but a hundred times stronger. His sense of Kennit had almost driven him out of himself.
Did I forget to mention there are boats in Mad Ship? There is high seas action aplenty here, and you’ll eat up every moment of it.
Hobb also manages to work in some good advice in her books, and here’s a quote I particularly enjoyed:
“Especially then,” she replied sweetly. “That’s how it’s done, Trell. You break you heart against this stony world. You fling yourself at it, on the side of good, and you do not ask the cost. That’s how you do it.”
Mad Ship is a quality follow-up to a fantastic first novel in The Liveship Traders trilogy, and if you liked the first book in the series, you’ll absolutely adore the sophomore edition. I absolutely devoured this 850-page paperback in record time.
A few reviews this week, but the real story is the interview onslaught, kicked off by a Brandon Sanderson sitting down with Fantasy Magazine, and continuing with a plethora of interviews with authors like R.A Salvatore, George R.R. Martin, Lev Grossman, and others.
by Stephen King
by Debora Geary
by George R.R. Martin
by George R.R. Martin
by George R.R. Martin
by Stephen King
by George R.R. Martin
by Darryl Nyznyk
by Gregory Maguire
by Erin Morgenstern
by Brandon Sanderson
by George R.R. Martin
Ship of Magic was one of my favorite fantasy reads to date, and Robin Hobb has certainly gained in popularity in recent years, so for the second novel in The Liveship Traders trilogy, I had fairly high expectations. To the joy of readers everywhere, Hobb continues in top form with Mad Ship, bringing back many of the memorable characters from the first novel, and introducing a few new ones.
by Sarah A. Hoyt and Sofie Skapski
by Lewis Carroll
by Jared Southwick
