Wow, I rarely feel like middle books are better than the first, but Mad Ship was so well done! The characters, in true Robin Hobb fashion, feel alive and fully realized to the point that I really hate and loathe certain characters because they are awful or petty but so well written that their nastiness doesn’t feel like a plot contrivance. While it’s a long book, Mad Ship is filled with fast paced scenes and gripping plot points. I can’t believe I put off reading Liveship Traders because this has been a stunning trilogy so far. Can’t wait to finish this trilogy!