• Ship of Magic

  • The Liveship Traders, Book 1
  • By: Robin Hobb
  • Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
  • Length: 35 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (3,756 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
Ship of Magic  By  cover art

Ship of Magic

By: Robin Hobb
Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $28.37

Buy for $28.37

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Bingtown is a hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships---rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness. The fortunes of one of Bingtown's oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia. For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy unjustly denied her---a legacy she will risk anything to reclaim.

For Althea's young nephew Wintrow, wrenched from his religious studies and forced to serve aboard ship, Vivacia is a life sentence. But the fate of the Vestrit family---and the ship---may ultimately lie in the hands of an outsider. The ruthless pirate Kennit seeks a way to seize power over all the denizens of the Pirate Isles...and the first step of his plan requires him to capture his own liveship and bend it to his will.

©1999 Robin Hobb (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

“The characterizations are consistently superb.... Kudos to the author and encore!” ( Booklist, Starred Review)

Featured Article: 16 of the Best Fantasy Authors Ever


There is no feeling quite like falling in love with a great fantasy listen, doing a little digging, and joyfully discovering that the author has an extensive catalog of audiobooks for you to dive right into. Fantasy as a genre is particularly blessed with a wealth of diverse authors writing all different kinds of stories. From classic epics to standalone novels that were published in the last few years, it's the perfect genre for losing yourself in a full day’s worth of listening. These brilliant fantasy authors will transport you to another world—whether a parallel universe or a post-apocalyptic version of Earth.

What listeners say about Ship of Magic

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,145
  • 4 Stars
    1,004
  • 3 Stars
    381
  • 2 Stars
    117
  • 1 Stars
    109
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,613
  • 4 Stars
    781
  • 3 Stars
    446
  • 2 Stars
    175
  • 1 Stars
    212
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,024
  • 4 Stars
    758
  • 3 Stars
    276
  • 2 Stars
    84
  • 1 Stars
    64

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow - as good as the Farseer trilogy!

I did not think I would enjoy this trilogy as much as I did Farseer. I was wrong. I absolutely LOVED this book and hungrily devoured it in a short amount of time. On to Book 2 now!! Must have more!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love Robin Hobb!!

One of the best fantasy writers I’ve ever read/listened too. I started in the middle of her Farseer trilogies. It didn’t matter.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story.

But oh how I wish for a different narrator... Delivery is too forced and drawn out. Even at 1.25 speed it's hard to keep focused on it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

the reader

can't understand her just really wish they use the same reader as the last 3 books..

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Ship of Magic

This is an adventurous story full of interesting characters and a complex plot. Robin Hobb has written another excellent trilogy well worth your time and attention. I also enjoyed the narrator's performance. She brought the story alive with her vivid rendition. I highly recommend Ship of Magic to any fantasy fan who loves action and a multitude of evil and heroic characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Fascinating, but definitely adult content.

The story line is really good, Characters are incredibly formed, conflicts are intriguing with some ironic twists. I don't like the narrator. I strongly don't like her. She reads like a slow British slug. I have young children, and this is one I can't play around them on certain parts. Too much vulgarity and sexual content to be comfortable to me. I did like Robin Hobbs "Assassin's Apprentice", so I thought I 'd try this one. I do want to finish the series, because I want to know how it ends up, but I think I'll do it on hard copy instead.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book

Loved the book, can't wait for book 2.... Hated Hated Hated the voice of the person doing the audible reading.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Good story (so far), terrible reader

Reader nearly put me to sleep more than once, though the story is pretty good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Leaves you hanging

I assume this is a lead-in for a sequel.
Women at the mercy of men.
Not for children.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

love the story, book was great

I did not like the narrator. I grew bored with her and kept turning off the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!