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wizardwordship Programming Update! November 30, 2025

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The Keyboard Calls

Ahoy, mateys!

It is I, wizardwordship, checking in after a slightly extended post-Tawny Man trilogy break. While I’ve been enjoying some time focusing on life responsibilities without the gnawing desire to get back to reading and reacting my way through the Realm of the Elderlings, it hasn’t been a full abandonment: I’ve popped in for small maintenance tasks- cleaning up some early posts, tidying the archive, etc. But overall, it has felt a bit like sending my blog to overnight camp: I’m touching base from time to time, but taking a break from the heavy lifting of day-to-day care.

The recharge is working, though, and lately the call to return to my keyboard has been intensifying. I also completed a few reading side quests (more below) during my time away, but now I’ve found myself with nothing queued up, and the Rain Wild Chronicles are beckoning.

Yesterday, I noticed that my last Tawny Man post was published on October 29- almost exactly one month ago. I didn’t set out with a specific hiatus length in mind, trusting my body would tell me when it was time to pick the quest back up. And apparently, one month was the time I needed. So here I am – November 29 – back at my laptop and ready to quip, cry, and break down dragon mating rituals.

No Blog November is no more!

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Reactions from the Realm: Ship of Destiny, Chapters 12-14

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Oh no, characters are briefly happy again!

***Heavy spoilers for The Liveship Traders through chapter 14 of Ship of Destiny. Minor references to The Farseer Trilogy***

Thus begins our regularly scheduled programming. My tentative (and highly flexible) plan is to read a few chapters at a time and post my reactions as I make my way through the rest of Ship of Destiny. If all goes well and my heart survives the remainder of this trilogy, I will sail straight into The Tawny Man Trilogy (I think that’s next?) and keep this party going!

Well, Robin, you’ve done it again, you clever, clever lady. I came out the gate hot, titling my first post “Robin Hobb, You Raggedy Bitch.” At the time, I wondered if I should soften it, worried it might sound a tad aggressive. But if I’m going to be anything on this journey, it’s authentic- so couth be damned, I let it rip. Now, I hope it’s beyond apparent that no one has ever been called a raggedy bitch with more love and admiration in the history of the phrase. And Robin “the Weaver” Hobb has got me again. The reveal of the Kennit-Paragon connection truly blew my mind.

There is certainly more to uncover in this tangled history, but when the trail of breadcrumbs led to Paragon revealing he was Kennit’s family ship – wow! (If this was exceedingly obvious to everyone else, please just let me revel in my simpleness).

All those little hints – Kennit’s past abuse, his connection to Igrot, Paragon’s visceral reaction to pirates, his discomfort at Althea and Brashen’s consensual coupling (!!) on-board. Once Paragon began piecing it together, my mind was racing through so many little moments and hints dropped along the way. I am sure a re-read would reveal even more layers leading up to this moment. Bow down to the queen weaving this rich, devastating tapestry.

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