Ship of magic - Robin Hobb

The first of a new series from the author of the exciting Farseer trilogy. Set in the same world as the Assassin series, it tells of a group of traders, purveyors of rare goods which often border on the magical.

Wizardwood - a sentient wood. The most precious commodity in the world. Like many other legendary wares, it comes only from the Rain River Wilds.

But how can one trade with the Rain River Traders when only a liveship, fashioned from wizardwood, can negotiate the perilous waters of the Rain River? A liveship is a difficult ship to come by. Rare and valuable, it will quicken only when three family members, from succesive generations, have died on board. The liveship Vivacia is about to undergo her quickening, as Althea Vestrit's father is carried to her deck in his death-throes. Althea waits with awe and anticipation for the ship that she loves more than anything in the world to awaken. Only to find that her family has other plans for her

Others plot to win, or steal, a liveship. The Paragon, known by many as the Pariah, went mad, turned turtle and drowned his crews. Now he lies, blind, lonely and broken on a deserted beach. But greedy men have designs to restore him.

And dark, charming, Kennit, aspiring pirate king, also lusts after such a ship: he well knows the power of wizardwood, and has plans of his
own