[challenge-progress for=”Realm of the Elderlings” bg=”black” font=”white”]

[book-info title=”Ship of Destiny” author=”robin-hobb-2″]

Progress: Ship of Destiny 45% complete

I made reasonable progress on my Realm of the Elderlings challenge today.  I’m now 45% of the way through book two.  In today’s reread I entered the section entitled Winter.  This is fitting as it’s the lowest point of most of the storylines in the Liveship Traders series:

Dragon Tintaglia is despairing that she will be able to guide the tangle of sea serpents to the dragon spawning ground so that they can undergo their transformation.  She is doubtful if she will be able to persuade the humans to assist with redirecting the river.  The sea serpents themselves are losing hope of fulfilling their dragon destinies.

Things aren’t going too well for the humans either; Bingtown is on the point of being destroyed either by Chalcedon or internal feuding, take your pick.  Reyn is distraught in his belief that Malta has perished in her flight from Tremaug with the Satrap. In actual fact, she must cater to the Satrap’s every whim in order to receive his protection necessary for her survival.

Those on the Liveships Paragon and Vivacia aren’t doing that great either.  On Paragon Althea is losing hope of recovering her family’s liveship.  Paragon himself is struggling to remain sane; we learn that part of his mental anguish is the pain he took from Kennit when he was younger.  Vivacia has returned to her dragon roots with a new personality leaving Wintrow struggling to find meaning in his life.

All in all, rather a bleak section.  However, I’m hopeful it will turn the corner soon.  Threads are beginning to come together.  

I also added Golden Fool to my Audible library today in preparation for the next part of my reread.  It wasn’t as straightforward as I’d hoped; officially it’s not available on Audible to Canadians – I had to use my company’s US address.  The publisher assured me that it should be available to Canadians, so I’ve taken that up with Audible.  This is the second book in the last couple of weeks I’ve noticed showing as not available to Canadians.  I hope this is not a trend…