Fantasy master Robin Hobb delivers the stunning second volume of her Liveship Traders trilogy, returning to the timeless city of Bingtown, where pirates now plague the coasts and the dreaded slave trade flourishes. Althea Vestrit doesnt have time to be afraid, for her familys newly awakened Liveship, Vivacia, has been seized by the ruthless pirate Kennit. So Althea hatches a bold plan. But to carry it out, she must recruit a Liveship that has already slain two crews -- and is said to be insane.