Ship of Destiny / Robin Hobb

 

Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A satisfying ending to a dramatic trilogy. Hobb’s planning managed to weave details from the very first book into the whole fabric of this ending. It is very skillfully done, staying compatible with her Farseer Trilogy.

My favourite aspect was the transformation of Malta Vestrit from spoiled pouty teenager to tough, wily Trader. The development of her relationship with Reyn was a joy to witness and I hope that Hobb will return to them and Selden at some future point. I want to know more about the human-dragon bond. I also like the man that Wintrow has become and hope to see his progress too.

Plus I like these touchy, bossy, demanding dragons. It has always seemed odd to me that such huge, intimidating animals would defer to humans, as in Anne McCaffery's Pern books. As one of my cousins reminds me sometimes, it's amazing that horses are so cooperative with our wishes. They are large animals that could do us serious damage if they decided to and yet they allow us to think we are in charge. These feisty, impatient, despotic dragons seem much more realistic to me.

I've peeked ahead. There are no more of Hobb's books in my reading project, but I'll definitely be continuing to read in her Realm of the Elderlings series. I see that the next book returns to Fitz and I can't believe that I'm a tiny bit disappointed about that. The spell of the dragons and the liveships has me in its grip right now. But when the time comes, I'll no doubt be happy to see that old friend again and find out what's happening in that part of Hobb's world. A pleasant thing to look forward to.

Book number 407 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.



View all my reviews