For Altheas young nephew Wintrow, wrenched from his religious studies and forced to serve aboard ship, the Vivacia is a life sentence. For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy unjustly denied her - a legacy she will risk anything to reclaim.

The fortunes of one of Bingtowns oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia. The characterizations are consistently superb, and animates everything with love for and knowledge of the sea.-Booklist Dont miss the magic of the Liveship Traders Trilogy: SHIP OF MAGIC - MAD SHIP - SHIP OF DESTINY From the Back Cover 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. But the fate of the ship-and the Vestrits-may ultimately lie in the hands of an outsider: the ruthless buccaneer captain Kennit, who plans to seize power over the Pirate Isles by capturing a liveship and bending it to his will. For Altheas young nephew, wrenched from his religious studies and forced to serve aboard the ship, the Vivacia is a life sentence. For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy. Now the fortunes of one of Bingtowns oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia. Martin 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. Book Synopsis The first novel in Robin Hobbs beloved Liveship Traders Trilogy Even better than the Farseer Trilogy-I didnt think that was possible.-George R. Soon Althea is forced to fight both men to regain the animate, intelligent liveship, her familys most treasured possession.

The ruthless pirate Captain Kennit also sees a captured liveship as his key to success. Though expected to inherit her familys newly quickened liveship, Althea Vestrit loses the honor to her scheming brother-in-law, who plans to use it as a slave ship. About the Book Demonstrating world-building finesse, Robin Hobb begins the climatic story of a seafaring clan and its tangled destiny.

The live ship traders