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Over in the Cleaning out the closet challenge in 2018 we started talking...

Your know those MASSIVE books that you want to read, but everything else gets in the way?

Well we decided that perhaps the best way to tackle this problem is to pick a book and read it together over a year. So 2019 was the year of Les Misérables, 2020 was War and Peace, 2021 Gone with the Wind and 2022 Pillars of the Earth!

After nominating books and then voting for 2023, the winner is Ship of Magic!

Anyone is welcome to join. This is essentially an extremely long buddy read :)

There is a reading schedule below to show which chapters to read over a two month period and we will also have two break months ; meaning the read will last the whole year.


To participate, all you need to do is come on over and give your thoughts for the section you are reading. Please make it clear which section you are referring to, and if you are reading ahead of the schedule, put your comments in spoiler tags.

c.800 pages? 35+ hours of audio?! Meh! We got this! Let the Reading Begin!

READING SCHEDULE

January & February 2023

Midsummer
Chapters 1-6
chp 1"Of Priests and Pirates" - Chp6 "The Quickening of the Vivacia")


March & April 2023

Midsummer
Chapters 7-15

(chp 7"Loyalties" - Chp15 "Negotiations")


==BREAK / CATCH UP MONTH==


June & July 2023

Autumn
Chapters 16-19
(chp 16"New Roles" - Chp19 "Testimony")

August & September 2023

Winter
Chapters 20-26
(chp 20"Crimpers" - Chp26 "Gifts")


==BREAK / CATCH UP MONTH==

November & December 2023

Winter
Chapters 27-36 (end)
(chp 27"Prisoners" - Chp36 "She Who Remembers")

r

r

I'm in! Just need to work out which version(s) I'll read.

I also have Assassin's Apprentice on my tbr. Does anyone know if there is a benefit to reading one series before the other or does it not matter?

I can't say that I've heard of this book before, but that just means I haven't read it before. I'll probably listen to it as an audiobook or maybe as an ebook. I'll do a bit of research and see what's available.

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "I'm in! Just need to work out which version(s) I'll read.

I also have Assassin's Apprentice on my tbr. Does anyone know if there is a benefit to reading one series before the other or..."

I sometimes watch a booktuber who just read all the books and I believe she said you can just start with this one but if you plan on reading the entire series you should start at the beginning (her whole guide is here but it's been a while since I watched it )

I love this whole world. They are among my favourite books.

I'd say you can read this trilogy or the one starting with Assassin's Apprentice first without a problem. They are set in the same world and there are a few links between them, but they are tenuous. I wouldn't go further than the first 2 trilogies without following Robin's order.

Hmm, if it really doesn't matter which trilogy to start with, then I'll see if I can grab a copy of the book.

I've never read a Robin Hobb before, can you imagine ;-)

uhmmm... I'm tempted to join... if not for the slightly issue with self imposed readings...

*looks at kindle store*

It's only 2.99... uhmmm decisions, decisions...

Eldarwen wrote: "Hmm, if it really doesn't matter which trilogy to start with, then I'll see if I can grab a copy of the book.

I've never read a Robin Hobb before, can you imagine ;-)"

I’ve never either 😬

I can get the audio from the library but not the paperback interestingly. So I’ll start with the audio and buy the kindle if needed

Thanks Judy and Sophie. Gtk!

Sonia wrote: "uhmmm... I'm tempted to join... if not for the slightly issue with self imposed readings...

*looks at kindle store*

It's only 2.99... uhmmm decisions, decisions..."

That’s a good deal!
Kindle for me is $14.99.! But I can get books 1-3 as one download for the same price 🤔😬

I got the kindle. I might have it on my library.. but that would mean reading in portuguese... and sometimes we have the nasty habit of splitting books into shorter ones like with Game of Thrones or Mists of Avalon.

The "cover" on the audio isn't as pretty as the "cover" on the kindle, so I may just spend the 2.99 as well.
How's that for making a thoughtful decision?

Jenny wrote: "The "cover" on the audio isn't as pretty as the "cover" on the kindle, so I may just spend the 2.99 as well.
How's that for making a thoughtful decision?"

Sounds like a perfectly valid justification for me :o)

I'll probably read along and buy the paperback (as I have a heap of other Hobb books I still need to read in paperback).
Not a problem as I have £50 in book tokens to spend :D

Jenny wrote: "The "cover" on the audio isn't as pretty as the "cover" on the kindle, so I may just spend the 2.99 as well.
How's that for making a thoughtful decision?"

Best way to decide.

Seems I have this already on my TBR and har forgotten all about it. Yep seems a good reason to join in again this year :D. 14.99 that is daylight robbery via kindle :O

Breakdown is now posted. Based on kindle version is about 20% per section and keeping the "Autumn" section of the book as one reading chunk.
I've also posted the names of the chapters in case that makes it easier when listening on audio

Gabriella wrote: "14.99 that is daylight robbery via kindle :O"

Agreed!
Unfortunately we don't always get the best deals in Aus :(

I bought the $2.99 kindle deal! I was going to use my Audible credit, but I decided I would just read along at the pace of the read-a-long!

I’m going to give this one a try. I’ve never read any Robin Hobb either!

I have an ebook of this one. Hopefully it will go better than the last year.

I got a paperback. at 1000 pages, that's 3 pages a day to keep up. I should be able to manage that much even during challenges... I hope, lol.

ok i have got it from scribd but worried they will take it off so pay day i will by it if i like the audio.

jan - feb
chapters 1 - 6

I haven't read it since it first came out. I'm in!

I’m giving this a go too

I was able to squeeze in the short prologue tonight before putting my little one to bed. I'm intrigued! I used to be super into "High Fantasy" and I've really moved away from it, so I'm excited to get into this one!

I’ll be starting this one.

I'm behind already :D :D

About 30 pages in. It's not hooked me yet, but I'm hoping that will come :)

Sammy wrote: "I'm behind already :D :D

About 30 pages in. It's not hooked me yet, but I'm hoping that will come :)"

Same!! I was thinking I might try to get a bit more reading of it in right before UNO starts... since I can't use anything started before!

Yeah, I usually do some catching up the day before a team challenge :D

I've never intentionally spread out reading for a whole year - sounds fun!

I started on audio and had to go back and listen to a few bits again, and ended up then going to the Kindle version to make sure I was understanding the characters and what was going on. lol!!
Now I'm in chapter 3 it is all making sense and I am enjoying it so far

Completed
Midsummer
Chapters 1-6
(chp 1"Of Priests and Pirates" - Chp6 "The Quickening of the Vivacia")

After my initial confusion, I am really enjoying this.

I'm really curious to see how Brashen's character develops and how his loyalty stays with Althea (or not? I feel like he will stick by her).

Kyle is of course vile and I do wonder how the Vivacia will react to him now that it has quickened.
(In some ways I'm getting Pillar of the Earth flashbacks - I hope Kyle doesn't end up quite that bad :o )
I love the idea that the Vivacia will now be a character and I'm intrigued about what that means.

As much as Ephron tried to tell Althea why he had done this, it feels like a poor excuse to me. And cowardly in how she finds it out.

Oh and I almost forgot about Kennit. I guess he will be back in the picture soon and cross over into Althea's storyline. I'm not sure what to think of him yet

I've yet to read past the prologue :D :D

You’re a much faster reader than me, Sammy so I’m sure you’ll catch up!!
I wanted to get as much read as possible before UNO begins

I suppose it'll all depend on what I'm doing challenge-wise this year. I may end up just reading the whole thing 2 days before the end of the year, lol.

Sammy wrote: "I've yet to read past the prologue :D :D"

you and me both

I finished Chapter 1 in the car yesterday! Woo!

I only just got the book and I'm struggling. Seeing many of you say they initially weren't sure makes me continue for now. I am confused but only in chapter 1 so far

Welcome to April!

This month you should be finishing :

Midsummer
Chapters 7-15
(chp 7"Loyalties" - Chp15 "Negotiations"

and if you don't make it, there is a break month coming :)

I haven't even gotten myself a copy of the book yet, so I'm going to bow out of the Weighty Tome this year, as much as it saddens me. Next year might be the year I finally read and finish the book during the year it was planned ;-)

Eldarwen wrote: "I haven't even gotten myself a copy of the book yet, so I'm going to bow out of the Weighty Tome this year, as much as it saddens me. Next year might be the year I finally read and finish the book ..."

Oh no :(
Maybe you can get through it during tower teams

I generally don't read fantasy books (does this count?), but I am seriously enjoying this read!

I've still to read past the prologue... *sigh*

i'm planning on at least trying it so i might start it for tower teams. i've been kind of putting it off till other people seem to get more into it though because i know if i actually like it there's no way it would take me more than a month tops to get through. my brain just won't let me drag out a book over a whole year unless it's like short stories or something like that

I kinda forgot about this. I'm probably going to just wait for tower teams too now, especially as I still need to get a copy.

I think I'm going to end up getting the audiobook! I can't seem to move forward with this book!