Product Description
Another story sparkling with wit and humor from New York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey.

Traditionally, marauding dragons are soothed only by a virgin sacrifice. And so practical-minded Princess Andromeda -- with the encouragement of her mother's court -- reluctantly volunteers to do her duty, asking only for a sword to defend herself. Well, her offer is accepted, but the weapon isn't forthcoming, and so Andromeda faces the dragon alone.

Until a Champion arrives to save her -- sort of. Sir George doesn't quite defeat the dragon, but as Andromeda finishes rescuing herself she discovers that beneath the Good Knight's well-meaning though inexperienced heroics lies a further tale . . .

Still, Andromeda can't leave her seacoast country in further jeopardy from the dragon's return, and so she and . . . er . . . George join to search for the dragon's lair. But even -- especially -- in the Five Hundred Kingdoms bucking with Tradition isn't easy. It takes the strongest of wills, more than a hint of stubbornness, quick thinking and a refusal to give up, no matter what happens along the way.

Somehow, though, none of this was taught in princess school . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

Oh Dear... Not Up to Lackey Standards
Let me just start off by saying that I LOVE Mercedes Lackey... usually.I have read every book in the Valdemar world, and have really enjoyed them all.When I heard that she was writing a series based on traditional fairy tales, I was pretty excited.And, after reading The Fairy Godmother, I was eager to read the rest in this series.Sadly, book 2, One Good Knight, was just not very good.Sigh.Lackey is usually so adept at merging good character development, fun action, and lovely romance together, but I was disappointed in all three in this book.In her defense, Lackey usually writes in trilogies (with the occasional duology), so the characters and plot have a chance to ripen over the course of several books.These fairy tale novels are meant to be stand-alone, so I expected the development to be reduced, but not this much.The beginning of the book spends too much time listening to the main character complain about her lot in life (which makes it hard to like her all that much), and just when you think the action is going to pick up due to the introduction of a new character, it doesn't really.Then some dragons show up, and you think it is going to take off, and it doesn't really.And then suddenly some strange and poorly developed romances start up about 10 pages before the book is over, the never particularly threatening bad guy in the novel is quickly dealt with in an anti-climactic way, and then it ends.I had intended to continue to read the next 3 book sin this series, but now I think I might not.I enjoyed The Fairy Godmother, but not enough to risk reading another One Good Knight.Sorry Mercedes!!I still love you, though!

Good, but not great.
It's not a fantastic book.

Now, I'll be the first to admit I absolutely adore anything Mercedes Lackey. I've been reading her books since I was quite young and I have found very, very few that I dislike (one, in fact) but this story isn't terribly fantastic and certainly isn't her best work. Yes, it has a good premise and a relatively decent setup, but in the end the antagonists are flat and predictable. Once the entire scenario is set up and ready to go, the scenes begin to falter and the character development suffers for it. Problems the characters should actually experience--Andie, a good, smart girl she may be, but in the beginning of the story she certainly wasn't so pro-active--fall by the wayside in favor of manipulating The Tradition to their favor. I have nothing against The Tradition. I think The Tradition is fascinating and could be executed fantastically--but it isn't. It's used as a convenient plot device whenever one is needed and then put away for the next time.

My favorite part in any story is the romance. I adore the action, the story build-up, but it's the romance that really gets me and Mercedes rarely if ever disappoints in this category, especially in the sorts of characters she pairs and this is no exception. Except for the limited, and mostly assumed manner in which she introduced the premise and executed it. Instead of being able to experience the budding of romance through interactive scenes themselves, we are forced to assume in short explanations from the characters thoughts. It's not bad, and it isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for me, but I like to watch gleefully as characters I adore fall in love, not have to watch a few scenes, and then have my excitement dampen a bit because while they certainly have feelings for each other, I didn't get to be privy to the scenes which made such feelings possible.

There is also the matter of the the climax and final chapters. It was rushed, relatively ANTI-climactic and altogether mildly confusing. The main character accomplishes NOTHING by herself, everything is easily (and frankly quite hastily) solved for her, even her dilemma about her romance. She doesn't learn how her mother truly felt about her--only assumes from her very last words. Conveniently, she happens to assume the correct meaning but what are really the odds of that? And how miraculously convenient that Elena from The Fairy Godmother (Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms) (whom I was delighted to see make came appearances but this is a bit much) and Alexander happen to arrive and begin helping right when needed? Frankly, this entire book seems awkwardly and hastily done. As if she had a good idea but neither the desire (or time, perhaps?) to make it a truly magical story. The Fairy Godmother was magical, it introduced an incredible premise and a lovely cast of characters but this is just not on par.

I'm not going to return it to the store because I actually do like the story, the characters and the premise. It's only the execution where I have issues, and though those are a bit large, I still adore her works in general and may pick this book up again. I just don't think this was her best work or even necessarily one of her better either. It's a story, one I hope (but know she won't) she re-does eventually or at least re-thinks. It had such potential, but didn't live up to what it could have been and that was a bit of a disappointment to me. It isn't a bad story necessarily and I'm not trying to say that it is. It's just a bit hasty, a bit shoddy, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good story even with all it's flaws. The ending is satisfactory and pleasing, it's as well-written as any of her other books, so you needn't worry about her quality in her ability to articulate a story to be suffering. It's just...not her best. Good, but not great.

Dragons, Champions, Princesses who are more than they seem
Princess Andie goes from trying to win her mother's love with her wits to trying to survive by them.Once Godmother Elena and Champion Alexander get involved, clearly something is afoot.Indeed the feet, all eight of them, are only the beginning of the problem when they come attached to two sizeable mature dragons.Champion George and Princess Andie hie off in search of the beasties, and with strange spells floating around to keep Alexander and Godmother Elena out, they seem to be on their own.But things in the 500 Kingdoms are seldom what they seem to be.This is no exception.Read the story to follow clever and interesting characters who set out to reshape the tradition to their own purpose.1. Avoid accidentally being forced to fall in love with a rescuer. 2. Avoid creating a magical gap so big or prize so huge that dark magic is attracted. 3. Create a strike force from a bunch of untrained no-bodies. 4. Change the nature of living things. 5. Make those pesky unicorns good for something.

Lackey's Princess Andromeda may have little in common with her namesake from Greek legend, but it's no blow to the story, just perhaps, readers' expectations.Lackey's second Five Hundred Kingdoms book is fun like a Sherwood Smith book.

UNLIKE the first book, this one is suitable for shelving for young adult readers.Several 8th graders are taking turns with this one in my classes.I stumbled on it accidentally years after reading the first one, but now I'll be tracking down 3, 4, and 5.

One Tepid and Rather Uninteresting Knight.....
Well, where to begin?!It seems that Ms. Lackey tried to make 'One Good Knight' more like her usual fantasy fare instead of the kind of book readers of Luna press would expect (no romance, no sex...not even the slightest).Now before Ms. Lackey's rabid fans come screaming after my blood for making such a statement, let me say that I like her books, I really, really do.Her Valdemar series is top notch and the first two volumes of the Dragon Jouster series are wonderful.

The point of the books published by Luna are to be escapist romance novels, peppered with titillating bits of intimacy and having a fantasy twist.'One Good Knight' is more cerebral and I did like the main character, Princess Andromeda (Andie).The way the dragons are brought into the story is clever and enjoyable as is the manipulation of 'The Tradition' that was so much of why I liked the first book in the series 'The Fairy Godmother'.

My problem with the story is that there just wasn't much of a conflict.I found myself not giving a fig whether Solon was defeated or not, whether Andie regained her throne or set the kingdom to rights.In fact, it took me the better part of 4 days to finish the book because I kept losing interest in it.For fluff romance, thinly disguised as fantasy, it was typical Luna fare..BUT...as it appeared the author was trying for more substance than fluff, I was hoping for more plot, for a bit more intricacy than what we were given.When Ms. Lackey is on her game, her books are a joy to immerse oneself into.I gladly dive in and don't come up for air until I've read the last page.Of late it seems more like she's just been cranking them out to fulfill contractual obligations.

Also, am I the only person who is finding the unicorn joke wearing a bit thin at this point?Just curious.

My 2 cents, for what it is worth.--FrFUBAR

One Good Knight
Excellent book.I like that author, & I was quite happy with the book. ... Read more

Product Description
In Magic's Pawn, an ancient age in the history of Valdemar comes to life--an age when the kingdom was ravaged by the ungoverned fury of bandit warlords, ferocious ice dragons, and the wild magic of wizards. A new addition to Lackey's Valdemar kingdom--and her most powerful series to date! Reissue. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (223)

My faverite trilogy in the series .
I found Mercades Lackey when she wrote short stories for Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress books . I loved the way she created her world and the characters . Vanyel is my faverite . If you have read Arrows for the Queen thats where you first hear about him and what happened to him . I was delighted when this trilogy came out and I could read what really happened .
He's gay and a mage . Problems being at home , his father hates him because he's gay , weak and unmanly . Lots of mistrust . His powers are wild and everyone thinks he's self centered and thinks the worst of him . He falls in love and .... well I'll not spoil it . Read it and enjoy it yourself .

Good characterizations, but a little flawed
Having just read a DREADFUL book by Todd McCaffrey ("Dragonheart," see soon "Dragonliver and "Dragonpancreas"), I was looking forward to immersing myself in another Mercedes Lackey trilogy. (Recently I finished the Gryphons trilogy, and two of the Mage Storm books.)The author usually has such a deft hand with her characters; and although she sometimes invests a bit too much plot-exposition/explanation into their meandering "inner thoughts," she makes her protagonists so engaging that the reader cannot help but care what will happen to them next.

However --and I realize it is politically incorrect to say so -- I could've done WITHOUT the whole 15-year-old-being-homosexually-seduced-by-an-older-trainee scenario. I would have objected, as well, had the character been a 15-year-old hetero GIRL; a seduction of that kind of character would also have been unacceptable. I didn't object to ADULT same-sex pairings in her earlier books (and still hope she finds Firesong a great lifebonding); and I'm not homophobic (witness the fact that I knowingly SOUGHT OUT these books)... but this was simply an unnecessary, prurient complication of Vanyel's life. I was eager to discover his talents, his magical abilities, his Companion; instead, I have to wade through a 15-year-old's infatuation. (And before you defend the "romance" of it:Have any of you actually been AROUND any 15-year-olds lately, or listened to them talk?)My impatience here isn't just about this crisis of sexual identity:I just don't find adolescent love-stories that enthralling, HOWEVER "romantic" the author tried to make it. (The teenage angst of all three "Twilight" movies bored me out of my mind.)This was basically nothing more than two teenage boys humping wildly, and yet it was presented a Love Affair for the Ages.

Lackey handled the early teenage years of another male character, in "Take a Thief," so adroitly, with such detail and sensitivity (not to mention a sense of adventure), that I was hoping for that here. Instead, this story became a rather graceless segue into the crusade for Gay Rights. The author's push to make the reader sympathize was a bit obvious, and disappointingly heavy-handed.

The homosexual stereotypes were legion; both Vanyel and 'Lendel are melodramatic, histrionic clothes-horses. (Of course, given that this was published in 1991, I suppose it may have been groundbreaking for its time.)The "romantic" parts were gooshy, cutesy and saccharine, almost beyond bearing. And the idea that Vanyel, who had never been exposed to even the POSSIBILITY of same-sex pairings, would suddenly be the one BEGGING for that intimacy, is not credible. A young teen would be much more likely to respond with, "Wait a minute, you want to do WHAT to me from behind?"

Then there was the sort of Dominatrix Auntie with the gooshy caramel center.Here's a woman whose whole responsibility is the EDUCATION and guidance of young students. And she gives them a private lovenest, within her own quarters, in which to "get it on"?Puh-LEESE. Not to mention that her encouragement of this "pairing" resulted (arguably) in the death of one boy! -- and the author NEVER ADDRESSES this! (Imagine sending your own child to a private school, with this result. How would you react? How would this be covered by the media?)

Spoiler alert: The relationship between the two boys was so over-sweetened and unbelievable, that I was glad when 'Lendel was killed. Hope he stays that way. Maybe now Vanyel can concentrate on his newly-acquired magical skills, and bonding with his Companion. We'll see. (I'm just starting the final third of the book.)

Postscript:Sorry to say, Vanyel spends most of the final third of this book either semiconscious, or moaning "Why didn't you let me die / Why WON'T you let me die?"For the most part, I became extremely irritated with the whiny, self-pitying little crybaby.

The author should realize:If this character was grown-up enough to have the "lifebond" she suggests, then he ought to have been able to bear up under the trails of it (including its untimely end).He gets carried through the end of this book like a six-year-old.Either he was a boy, or a young man.Lackey's insistence on his dysfunctional incompetence, made me lose faith in any suggestion of more admirable inner resources. (Humans have proven, historically, to be SO MUCH more heroic and resilient than this!We have survived under SO MUCH more than what crushed this kid!)OK, so the hawk-guys (hawk-gays?) "healed" him; that made his whole personality, emotionally and magically, a kind of artificial construct -- a mental/emotional/magic-wielding cyborg.I found nothing native to this character, that I could truly admire.

I can only hope that he continues to grow, in the second book, so that we can see more of the magic (and less of the whining).

For those of you who like real, readable magical books: Read the Jim Butcher series.

Bad angst
Pros:A somewhat promising beginning, a gay protagonist.

Cons:Amateurish writing, poor grasp of character, a tendency toward high melodrama, lack of a fantasy plotline.

I am quite frankly very surprised by all the five star reviews here.I was iffy on this book from the beginning.The first few chapters weren't completely awful, though the main character Vanyel seemed whiny in the extreme.Basically, the first few chapters consist of Vanyel's family being jerks to him for no apparent reason and Vanyel bemoaning his lot mentally with thoughts like "I'm not going to make this easy for you, Father.Not after what you've done to me; not after what you tried to do to me just now.I'm going to follow my sire's example.I'm going to be just as nasty as you are - but I'm going to do it with more style." (direct quote)Still, I can take whiny characters when the author seems aware that they are whiny as Lackey does and I liked the idea of the hero being sent away in shame at the beginning of the novel rather than sent on some great quest.It seemed to me that the story could turn into either a good one or a bad one.

Unfortunately, it took a turn for the worse.Vanyel falls in love with Tylendel within about two minutes and for some reason undergoes a complete personality transplant.Apparently all you need to make you a happy, fluffy person is a hook up with some hot stranger.Vanyel's relationship with Tylendel is very poorly executed - basically they do nothing but look into one another's eyes and tell each other how wonderful the other one is and they make plans to spend their lives together right after sleeping together without really knowing one another.This is not treated as teenage impetuousness by the author, by the way.Lackey honestly expects us to believe the two are soul mates with very little development of the relationship.Part of the problem is that the book leaves Vanyel's perspective at this point and never gets back to it fully.We can't experience what Vanyel is feeling about Tylendel because the point of view shifts to Tylendel and to Vanyel's aunt Savil.

Then, something bad happens and Vanyel spends most of the rest of the book wallowing in angst and the story is mainly about the other characters trying to keep him from killing himself.I'm not even sure that this book can be properly classified as fantasy.It seems more like a melodramatic romance novel with a few fantasy trappings (i.e. people poking one another with swords and magic) until the last chapter or so when the author decides to introduce a villain that we've never heard of before and don't care about.

And the writing!I can't remember the last time I've seen such amateurish writing in a published novel.The characters don't so much converse as make speeches at one another.Actually, I'm pretty sure that the speeches are really directed at the readers --they are about things like homosexuality being natural, war being gruesome not glorious, tolerance for different religions, etc, etc.The writing is always dramatic and overwrought and I've never seen an author so fond of using italics.I counted twenty-five words italicized for dramatic effect on one page of the book alone.

I only finished this book because I was at the beach and didn't have anything else to read.I have to give Lackey props for being one of the first fantasy writers to write about a homosexual relationship, but I see little else about this book to recommend it.1 star.

The only gay trilogy fantasy i have read to date....
If you are homophobic or afraid to read anything homosexual, do not read this.Fantasy is an other word, a world we can escape in. People love to protect endangered species, and in this trilogy - he was the last herald mage, and not only was he different and being the last one, he was also gay. Thus, the first book talks about the coming of age, the confusion of being different. The lead is not only different by his sexual nature but by his gifts as well.

The novel was written way back in 1989, and I think it was the first novel of Mercedes Lackey that made me her fan. I was a very much closeted and confused individual myself it was so easy to sympathize and love Vanyel. Now, in 2010, being gay is not much of a stygma as it used to be. But in the 90s - its the gay people, the so called third sex, that is so marginalized. The book is fantasy but with it I realized why some people does not want me gay, not that they would love me less - but on how others would treat me, how hard the world would be. Vanyel was royalty but was considered a misfit, looking for his own corner of the world. And being different, how does one find true love?

The novel survived two decades for I do not think there is any other book that has a similar theme, making the trilogy not only original but definitely so unique. As one looks at the reviews mentioned, there would be lesser ratings, and yet, in the end - all are wanting to read the rest of the trilogy which shows its own magic, its own charisma.

Not bad, but not that good either
I'm new to reading fantasy, and this is one of the novels I picked up to get me into it. I can't really say now that that was a very wise choice. While I didn't outright hate it, I didn't find myself loving it either. Overall I would say it was an "ok" read. I did like that there was a same-sex romance in the story, but it was done in such a way that it wasn't believable at all. It reminded me too much of "Rome & Juliet" and how they fall in "love" just by looking at each other, except that the author here actually treats this romance seriously. The couple in the book never really fight or act like normal human beings; they're always helplessly in love with each other.

The story started to pick up somewhere after the half-way mark and I started enjoying it when all the really bad things started to happen and when the characters actually started using magic. I found the magic to be the most interesting part of this novel because the characters themselves didn't have much depth, unfortunately.

Overall, it was just an ok read. It wasn't boring or unreadable, so I guess that's a good thing. I'll read the other two books in the series because I already bought them when this one started picking up, so hopefully they're better. I hope there's less whining and more magic in store! ... Read more

Product Description
The destruction of the ancient magical source of the mage storms by the combined forces of Valdemar and Karse has alleviated great peril to all the kingdoms of the West. But its annihilation is not without a heavy price, for it has permanently altered the laws of magic throughout the land. Can the kingdoms of the West gather their forces to learn a new system of magic in time to counter a devastating assault from the Eastern Empire--the most powerful enemy they have ever faced?. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

Not as good as the first in the series.
I am a Misty Lackey fan and have been since the first book came out back in the day.I have to say, though, I liked the first book in this series, the second was passable, but slogging through the third is quite tedious.Somehow the characters aren't engaging me like in the first two. The third book seems overly concerned with the political structure and court manipulations of all the factions involved.Firesong's eternal griping about having to do dishes and cooking makes me want to bi#ch slap him.All the characters have lost their luster.I think some people will like this book because of all the intricacies but a lot of us looking for character development won't care for it.

Entertaining, with depth
This book (like all of Lackey's) starts grindingly slowly.

However, once you get past the initial, standard 50-70 pages of plot-exposition, it's pretty interesting.This author exhibits an amazing talent for uncovering & thinking through the smallest details of a civilization; how it survives a battle or mage-storm, how the crops are handled, the benefits of certain kinds of trade, how an army settles down in a town for a long, hard winter. Her views on this are frankly amazing (and a similar approach was seen in her "Take a Thief"); but it is handled in such detail that it stops the action dead, and takes up far too much of the story. (She's thought every detail through so far, that I think the U.S. government ought to put her on-staff, to help address disaster relief after events like Katrina!)

The drawback to this book, like many of her others, is that the characters TALK TOO MUCH.And too often, the reader is robbed of WITNESSING action scenes (like the Iftel Gryphons' attack on the rebel township), in favor of having everybody and his brother TALK ENDLESSLY about it afterwards. (Beginning this section of the story, I had a bet with myself that she'd do that --and she did. Very frustrating.)The reader spends far too much time, in this book, cooped up in Urtho's tower-tunnels, claustrophobically listening to the characters TALK to each other.

Dear Author:A picture (so to speak) is worth a thousand WORDS.Let the readers witness important events, and make up their own minds. I do not need you (in the guise of favored protagonists) EXPLAINING every blessed thing to me, so I will agree with YOUR "take" on everything. There is always the feeling that this writer's afraid that the reader somehow won't GET IT.

Oh -- and, as always, there ought to be a Glossary of Terms or something, included in every one of these books. (What the heck is a chirra? Did I miss the single line, in some early chapter, that may have defined this?)See the books of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series; while I am not especially enamored, they at least have pages of term-definitions in every book. The reader, coming across an unfamiliar italicized vampire-specific word, can just flip forward or back, and proceed onward with a clear understanding.

A Tedious Read
I have been the owner of this series for over 10 years and it was only just recently that I got around to reading it. Normally I would read a series like this in about 1-2 weeks, but it took me a tedious 2 months to finally complete this trilogy because it is a very poorly written fantasy.

The characters themselves were nice enough characters, but horribly bland. Karal, the main character, was boring and really didn't do much of anything except the last 30 pages of each book. He was a sweet character and liked by everyone, even those who first disliked him end up liking him. He is the perfect person to have as a friend but he is a horrible person to have as a hero and main character. Karal seemed to have no flaws which makes for no excitement or tension and creates a boring read. I found myself uninterested in all the characters except for Tremane and Altra. I found myself disappointed when Tremane was looked over in favor of Darkwind and Elspeth in Storm Breaking.

The plot itself is what really caused me to rate this book/series as 1 star instead of anything higher. The series itself could of easily been a stand-alone read instead of the tedious 3 books it turned out to be. The whole plot of the story is that the Mage Storms that originated from the cataclysm of the Mage Wars is coming back in a mirror copy of the original storms, and the characters are scrambling to try and stop it. The storms are causing many problems such as the transplanting of foreign pieces of land, strange creatures being created, and magic being disrupted. Each book is full of the characters explaining what the storms are and thinking about how to stop them, with Karal expertly recording each discussion. At the end of each book they protect the land, but only temporarily. By the third book I wouldn't of been surprised if they once more protected the land, but only temporarily. The only parts I found remotely enjoyable dealt with Tremane, but sadly they were far and few between. In the final book, Storm Breaking, Lackey introduces Melles who is made the new heir to the Empire. Melles played absolutely no point to furthering the plot and did nothing but cause me to count down the pages until the parts dealing with him were over(then I would continue counting down the overall book pages). Even at the end of the book Melles played almost no part to the plot. The ending could easily of been written successfully without including all the previous sections that did deal with Melles. I almost feel like Lackey added him to make her book more than 200 pages long.

Overall I was really disappointed in this series and have decided never to read one of Lackey's books again. This is the 4th series I've read by her and I have only liked 1 book out of the 11 books I have read. I prefer more intelligent fantasy series and would never suggest this to anyone, even Lackey fans.

The End...
What a bittersweet conclusion... a (mostly) happy ending for all and a lot of fun to read. I read this in more or less one sitting - bathroom breaks for the puppy were about my only distraction. I knew how all the sadness was going to settle around the characters... I just wish that remaining books had more about how these characters ended up... Though I do believe that Firesong appears in the "Owl" books. I guess I mostly just wish that the "Owl" trilogy was more to look forward to... But, who knows, maybe a re-read will do these books well. I just have to get over the disappointment that unlike the past nine novels, the next ones don't pick up where they left off with a majority of the characters and settings' stories entwining. And I suppose it should be some motivation that after these "Owl" books, the brand new Mercedes Lackey book awaits me to read it!

Didn't live up to expectations
By the end of the second book in this trilogy, the characters Karal and Tremayne had charmed me. I loved the way they both progressed through the first two books. Lackey did a wonderful job of showing how each character responded to challenges and how each grew more honorable, even though they were on opposite sides. So I very much looked forward to seeing how these two characters triumphed in book 3.

It felt like Lackey had lost interest while writing this book. Perhaps its because she populated the novel with so many characters she had extensively explored in other books and even series. Yet even the newer characters of Karal and Tremayne seemed to be mere cameos. By cameos, I don't mean that they played minor parts. Rather, they were presented as characters that had already completed their story arcs and were present only to complete the plot lines set up in previous books. Little character development occured in either of them.

I'm not one to skim past paragraphs that don't interest me. I don't want to miss important plot developments. In this book, I found myself skimming past a great deal more than paragraphs.

Lackey has a knack for giving you such rich detail that you don't notice that pages have gone by with no action or dialogue. But the pages of detail in this book was both excessive and repetitive. Much of what she described had been spelled out in book 2. Generally speaking, the final book in a series excellerates its action, because all the plot lines strung through out the preceeding books are being tied up.

Still, I cared about the Karal and Tremayne characters enough to read to the end. Instead of feeling regret that I reached the end of the series, though, I felt only relief. ... Read more

Product Description
Talia, a young runaway, is made a herald at the royal court after she rescues one of the legendary Companions. When she uncovers a plot to seize the throne, Talia must use her empathic powers to save the queen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (149)

Terrific adventure full of courage, heartbreak and strength
I found this book to be sweet and engaging without feeling like a saccharine fairy tale. This was something that enchanted me with its wit and charisma and a bit of danger, the blend of fantasy, mystery and magic in an archaic setting was easy to read and to enjoy. Mercedes Lackey has dozens of books under her belt so I wanted to start from the very beginning; this initial novel was a wonderful introduction to the realm of Valdemar and all the intense and magical things that can happen in it. I adored this tale so much that I read it during all my free time, of course once I finished I pounced on the second one, and I'm happy to say that so far I'm loving it too, this is a trilogy whose roots reach into many of Lackey's later books so I recommend starting her off with this story first, it's quite wonderful and makes for a great way to spend the time.

It all begins with young Talia, a wisp of a girl who loves to sneak horseback riding and reading into her chores, acts almost unthinkably useless to her parents and fellow Holderfolk inhabitants, girls after all should either marry off or live at the temple, both options are visions of horror for young Talia for she has bigger dreams, ones that make no sense to the simple but quite brute people she lives with. So running away to save her freedom doesn't seem too scary when it happens and luckily she meets Roland. He is a snow white horse, one who's velvety nuzzle makes her completely melt in his presence, one that looks like an important animal, one she recognizes form her reading about warriors and the evil creatures who pursue them, suddenly her life feels like one of the books she reads, unfortunately with heroism comes danger, and with danger comes death.When Talia tries to return the horse to the collegium that houses the queen, wizards, heralds and important figures she realizes that this was no chance meeting, Roland picked her because he felt something special about her, something that will change her life forever and help determine the future of the whole kingdom. Talia has a choice to make, she can stay but the price can equal her mortality, the new life she can enter is rewarding but dangerous and it has claimed many young and bright ones before her. She will have to face her heart and soul to find the right path for her, luckily she has Roland, after all how can such a gorgeous creature hurt her.

I don't want to spoil too much but this was simply marvelous, I loved the book, it was such an easy and wonderful read that it felt like pure pleasure and not ever bit chore like ( for those new to this genre) some fantasy books can be overwhelming but this was straight dessert. Few parts moved me to tears, for some reason I felt not only attached to Talia but to her horse as well, Lackey had done an incredible job in her first book, she's someone who truly loves what she does, it really shows and I hits the reader back, I'm ready for more!

- Kasia S.

Angieville: ARROWS OF THE QUEEN
When I was a kid and my father was out of town for work, my mom and I got to have sleepovers in the big bed. We would curl up with our pillows stacked behind our backs and read books and eat ice cream and fall asleep whenever we wanted to. I loved it. And, unsurprisingly, the tradition continued on until I left home. One particular time I remember it was a Friday night and I was fourteen and my mom and I went to the base library to see what we could find. I wandered down the aisles and stopped when my eye caught on a pink and purple spine in the fantasy/scifi section. It seemed a bit...girly...for me and when I saw the pretty much opalescent horse on the cover I almost put it back on the shelf. But I liked the title. And the girl on the horse looked pale and sad and interesting with her short hair and her threadbare scarf. So I checked it out and that night curled up with my mom and a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream and fell in love.

Talia is an orphan. Raised in a very claustrophobic, incredibly closed off family hold that her uncle runs with an iron fist, she longs for a kinder, more stimulating world in which "family" refers to people who love you and not people who revile and shame you. When a white horse straight out of her dreams appears one day, Talia climbs into his saddle and never looks back. The horse is clearly no ordinary horse. He can sense emotions and share his own with Talia. He takes her to Haven, the capital city of Valdemar, where her hidden talents are recognized and she is enrolled in the Collegium--a school for heralds-in-training. The heralds are an elite force who are trained to protect the Queen and the realm from threat or harm. There at the Collegium Talia makes the first friends of her life (and a few enemies as well). When she stumbles across a plot to destroy the Queen, she is forced to harness her wayward abilities and use the connections she's made to convince the Queen and her council that there is a traitor in their midst.

This series is a very dear one to me. My fourteen-year-old self completely empathized with Talia and her insecurities and longings. She has to be one of the most passive heroines of any I've read, which makes her unique as I generally find myself drawn to stronger, more forceful personalities. But Talia matures, both chronologically and emotionally in this series, particularly in book two, Arrow's Flight (The Heralds of Valdemar, Book 2), when she gets shoved through the refiner's fire as she completes her Heraldic training and emerges prepared to defend her Queen. And yet, she retains that innocence and inherent sweetness which somehow captured my heart more than a decade ago and has not let it go. Each book in this trilogy gets better and better and you only grow fonder of this family of characters Lackey has pieced together. Among Talia's inner circle, there is a not-so-ex-thief, a spoiled princess, a gruff and intimidating armsmaster, a crippled harpist, and Rolan--her horse and Companion. Mercedes Lackey's strength lies in these characters and how she is able to make you want so much for them. If you fall in love with the world you're also in luck as Ms. Lackey has written a whole host of books that take place in Valdemar, though this trilogy is by far the best, IMO, and definitely the place to start. Reading order: ARROWS OF THE QUEEN, Arrow's Flight (The Heralds of Valdemar, Book 2), and Arrow's Fall (The Heralds of Valdemar, Book 3).

One of the best
I love all of Mercedes Lackey's books, but this one is special. It is about a girl that is raised in a constrained society which fate pulls her away from. The series has her growing from girlhood to adulthood. She has to learn to trust true friendships and find the core that will make her strong. A very good read.

Guilty Pleasures
These are among Misty Lackey's first books; the first novel (almost a novella, really) might be the first Valdemar book. And they have all the flaws of first novels. Lackey's writing improved considerably; the Last Herald Mage series, beginning with Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 1), in particular, are a lot better written.

But we are introduced to Valdemar, Companions, Heralds and "Mind Magic" here, and at that level it's kind of fun. But Lackey's villains are cardboard cut-outs, and come from the James Bond "explain your evil plans in detail" school of bad guys and gals. And the plots have holes you can drive trucks, er... ride Companions through. As just one example, consider that the nasty bullies who nearly kill the heroine are let go because there is no evidence against them; two chapters later, we watch the heroine being taught the "Truth Spell," magic that compels the accused to tell the truth, whether he wants to or not.

The second book of the trilogy has some moderately racy sex scenes, and the third book has an extended torture sequence; not recommended for children. If you enjoy seeing early, less polished efforts from an author, or want to get the partially developed (and sometimes inconsistent - an ambassador from Karse?) backstory on Valdemar, then this trilogy is for you. But it's a guilty pleasure; it's really not all that good.

A Trilogy for the Whole Family
My sister came home from college with this book, something like 20 years ago.Then my mom read it, then I read it.We all loved the series and carried them with us wherever we went.It's true that everyone is good-hearted (except for the bad guys, of course), but it's a great adventure with well developed characters.Talia is plucked out of a life she is ill-prepared for and thrust into high court.She faces challenges, overcomes them with good sense and courage, and meets some wonderful friends along the way.Tales of friendship, love and courage are what make up this book.It's great for people of all ages, though particularly girls. ... Read more

Product Description
Princess Elspeth journeys to the Vale of the Tayledras Clan to seek Mage training among the powerful Hawkbrother Adepts, only to find that she and renegade adept Darkwind must confront the malevolent magic of Ancar of Hardorn. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Second Book of a Great Trilogy!
Oh, this was a fun read! More and more of the details of the remainder of this series are coming back to me - though I'm not sure if I'm thinking only of the next one, or the Mage Storm trilogy as well... I really like how these three all flow right into one another - it makes it even more fun to read! I am surprised that like some other fantasy series' this one has not come out in any omnibus editions... I wonder why...

Middle part of the story is like this...
In the aftermath of the battle with Mornelithe Falconsbane, Elspeth, Skif and their companions are pondering what to do. Since they helped the Tayledras and the Griffons defeat Falconsbane, they are offered membership in the clan. For Elspeth this is a good thing as it will allow her to study magecraft. Skif is happy as well as this will allow him to try and find Nyara - the cat woman he fell in love with - so the stage is set for the second volume of this trilogy.

As the book progresses we follow Elspeth as she learns more about magecraft as well as herself. She also learns to become more tolerant of others and some of the rigidity of a Herald wears off. She even manages to unwind enough to fall in love with Darkwind! Skif goes off to search for Nyara and is accompanied by Darkwind's older brother who is dealing with his own issues.

All the while, the mages of the clan are trying to discover how to repair the broken heartstone and other storylines are touched on. For instance, in several chapters we follow Nyara's path as she is being tutored by Need. Finally, a sidestory develops involving Teveran.

About two thirds of the way through the book the pace picks up remarkably. We find out that not all the enemies have been vanquished as instead a new challenge arises. The whole clan is in danger and they finally consent to request assistance - assistance which is readily granted in the form of a Healing-Adept of immense power who also happens to be a gorgeous male with extravagant tastes in clothing and bondbirds. While he comes across as vain and conceited, we quickly learn that he has the werewithal to back this up.

As is usual in these books, the story culminates in a massive magical battle in which all the people and animals on the good side participate. During this battle we learn the true identity of Mornelithe Falconsbane and find out what his ultimate (?) fate is. It does take the intervention of the goddess to make it happen, though, and it is not achieved without loss.

The final words in the book set up the third volume which will have Elspeth, Skif, Nyara, and Darkwind travel through Valdemar to the Forrest of Sorrows for additional mage training. Oh, in case you are wondering, Elspeth is not simply a master mage, she is a Super-Adept. Yep. What a surprise.

As far as my opinion on this book, there is a lot of stuff thrown at us and it is clearly a transition for Elspeth as she goes from being a brat to being the person who will likely save Valdemar in the next volume. As is usual with this author, the women are the strong ones who drive the action while the males are somewhat more in the background or are the evil ones. There is a large amount of text spent on the sexual escapages of the heroines, heroes, and sundry assistants and the gay sub-theme reasserts itself here. If you are offended by this kind of stuff in books that are obviously meant for teenagers, then stay away. On the good side, the good side wins. It is pretty light reading and would make a good beach book or one to pick up on a rainy day.

Mercedes Lackey Does It Again.
This book drew me in from the beginning and held me in thrall to the end. Ms. Lackey is superior in fantasy novels. I completely enjoyed this trilogy.

Okay, nothing special
Winds of Change is the second book in the Mage Winds trilogy and reads like a sequel. In this story Nyra (the catgirl) is prominently featured and the Elspeth/Darkwind romance is developed.

I found myself moderately interested in Darkwind/Elspeth's romance, mostly because I found myself annoyed by Darkwind's attitude. He objects to Elspeth acting like a princess when :gasp: that's what she is. Although I felt Elspeth explained herself pretty well, Darkwind's insistance that she change to be more 'likeable' irked this reader. His insistance on also dressing her seemed a little weird. Like he didn't love her the way she was... Only if she changed for him.

The whole Tayledras subplot I loved as a teen but found myself a bit impatient with as I get older. They seem to be Hollywood Indians with no apparent flaws. Long silvery hair, blue eyes and bohemian attitude. I was grateful for the introduction of Firesong. Before the character introduction I was beginning to think this was a race of Mary-Sues.

I also found the mindtalk between the various animals a bit tiresome. It was fun with the companions, but now there are also bondbirds, a talking sword and griffins who talk... The chatter was a little too much.

Overall, an average book but nothing that really made me want to read the third book, but since I own it, I probably will.

Not as action-packed as other Lackey books
Winds of Change is a necessary read for the fan of the "Winds" series or the Valdemar world in general.I enjoyed seeing Elspeth mature and develop as a character, and some of the developments were pleasantly unexpected.But as far as the action and story-flow of this book went, I often found myself impatient, and even tempted to skip a few pages here and there (gasp!).In this book, Lackey mostly advances the story by having characters TALK about what's happening, instead of SHOWING us what's happening.Characters discuss with one another the plans they are making, then discuss the plans with other characters, and then reveal the plans to even more characters.I've never seen so many Council meetings and planning meetings in one book!And I was frustrated by how much unneeded exposition was woven into the dialogue - characters explaining things to each other that we either already knew or would find out anyway.I found the climax at the end to be predictable and actually quite ANTI-climactic.Don't get me wrong, I'm a Lackey fan, and let's face it, the only people who are going to read this book are people who are following the series anyway... I'm NOT suggesting you should skip it.But this certainly could have been better, in my opinion. ... Read more

Product Description
Apprenticed to a venerable wizard when his hunter and trapper parents disappear into the forest never to be seen again, Darian is strong-willed and difficult--much to the dismay of his kindly master. But a sudden twist of fate will change his life forever, when the ransacking of his village forces him to flee into the great mystical forest. It is here in the dark forest that he meets his destiny, as the terrifying and mysterious Hawkpeople lead him on the path to maturity. Now they must lead the assault on his besieged home in a desperate attempt to save his people from certain death!. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (57)

Probably my least favorite of her books...
Well, this book did NOT improve with another re-read. It was still pretty painfully slow and rather boring over all. I think a big part of the problem is that, not only does it not pick up where _Storm Breaking_ left off, not directly continues any of the series' main characters, but it only has seven chapters - making each chapter feel even longer than it already is. I wish that I had liked it more... maybe the remaining two books will be faster because it won't be such and "introduction" - with lots of summaries of the excitement of previous novels. At any rate, it can't feel that much slower!

Could be Better
In this novel by Mercedes Lackey, a young orphan unwillingly Gifted with magic, sees his village demolished by barbaric men. Escaping into the Pelgaris Forest, Darian meets up with the legendary Hawkpeople, who help him overcome his pent-up grief. In my opinion, Darian overcomes his sorrow a bit too fast. In the beginning, Lackey makes an enormous deal about how tragic Darian is, and how misunderstood his entire life was. After a few days with the Hawkpeople, he seems as happy as you could wish. However, the plot is good (if not a little faulty) and the characters are usually quite convincing, especially the gryphon Kel. But I know Lackey has written better novels than this before.

Decidedly mediocre
"Owlflight" isn't the worst fantasy novel that I've ever read, it's just the most unnecessary one.Rebellious thirteen-year-old Darian is an apprentice wizard in the remote village of Emmond's Grove.One day the town is attacked by barbarians, and Darian barely manages to escape after his mentor, Justyn sacrifices himself to delay the approaching army.Fleeing into the woods, Darian meets a band known as the Hawkbrothers.They talk for awhile, there's a climactic battle, and, needless to say, Darian's courage and new magic powers turn out to be the key to defeating the bad guys, after which everybody lives happily until the sequel.The point is that we've seen this entire book before, countless times.The authors are utterly unable to dredge up as much as one unique element in the entire story.The characters, plot, settings, and everything else seem like they were borrowed from earlier works, and everything is completely predictable, to the point where you're almost able to predict exactly how many paragraphs will be spent on each blazingly obvious plot point before moving on to the next one.

I'll admit that the authors do a reasonably good job of capturing the emotional turbulence of an teenager who's lost his parents, but other than that, the writing in "Owlflight" is embarrassingly bad.The dialogue never even comes close to sounding like normal conversational speech (how many thirteen-year-olds do you know who say 'intoxicated' rather than 'drunk'?)Also, the authors don't maintain a good balance between internal introspection and plot movement."Owlflight" is 350 pages long and contains only three action scenes.Most of the space in between is spent on characters endlessly wondering what they should say or do, wondering how other people will react to what they say or do, wondering how people have reacted to what they just said or did, and inevitably taking ten pages to communicate even the simplest point.

Some people might defend "Owlflight" on the grounds that it's aimed at a 'young adult' audience, and thus shouldn't be judged by the same standards as real fantasy novels.My response to this is that there are plenty of authors out there who are capable of writing books that appeal to all age groups.I've never understood why some people insist that anyone under the age of fifteen should be satisfied with inferior work.Readers in that age group are actually capable of distinguishing good and bad books.If they get fed only predictable, mediocre nonsense like "Owlflight", they're likely to quit the fantasy genre before they even have a chance to read some of the world's greatest books.

Another Valdemar trilogy to enjoy.
This book is about an orphan, Darian, who is apprenticed to a used-to-be wizard against his will. His parents were trappers, who one day went out during a mage storm and never returned.
One day, his village, Errald's Grove, was attacked while Darian was out picking herbs. The wizard Justyn, who did much but was not appreciated by the villagers, sacrificed himself so the people could get away.
Darian fled into the woods, and was caught by some of the enemy men. He was rescued by a Hawkbrother, Snowfire, and taken to his vale (the homes of the Hawkbrothers; there are many of them).
After a while, he was adopted into the clan as Snowfire's little brother. After another while, they found the villagers had not escaped, but were slaves of the ones who attacked the village.
Darian wants to go free the villagers, but will the Hawkbrothers help him?

If you have read other books in the Valdemar series and enjoyed them, then you will definitely enjoy the Darian trilogy. And if this is your first time reading Valdemar, this is a good trilogy to start off with, but it might be better to start with the Black Gryphon and/or Arrows of the Queen which come earlier in the series.

Great Story! Excellent Characters
Owl Flight is the story of Darian, a precocious teenager, unwillingly apprenticed to mage Justyn after his parents (trappers) fail to return from one of their extended hunting trips. Resenting Justyn and believing him to be incompetent senile old man, Darian 'acts out' by running away and slacking off on his daily chores. This causes trouble with the local villagers who believe Darian does not act appropriately 'gratefulfor the charity they have given him. The hostile environment makes Darian wish he could run away from his problems and do as he pleases.

Punished by his mentor,Justyn, for slacking off,he is sent into the woods one day to gather mushrooms, and his village is attacked by raiding barbarians. Darian is befriended by the Hawkbrothers (a tribalesque group of people), and forms a friendship with Snowfire, a Hawkbrother hunter/scout.

Together with his newfound friends Darian must find a way to free the village of Errold's Grove from the ruthless clutchesof the Bear Clan barbarians.

While Darian's whining and self-pitying attitude can get annoying at times, I found Darian and his mentorSnowfire believable. I especially liked Snowfire and the other Hawkbrother characters and would like to learn more about him. I admit, I was pleased to read about a character that was not a herald, and it was nice to learn how some of the more provincial characters view things.I am anxiously looking forward to reading to picking up a copy of the sequel! Great Work MS. Lackey and Mr. Dixon! ... Read more

Product Description
From the bestselling author of the Heralds of Valdemar series comes an enchanting new novel.

In the land of Five Hundred Kingdoms, if you can't carry out your legendary role, life is no fairy tale . . .

Elena Klovis was supposed to be her kingdom's Cinderella -- until an accident of fate left her with a completely inappropriate prince! Determined not to remain with her stepfamily, Elena set out to get a new job -- and ended up becoming the Fairy Godmother for the land.

But "Breaking with Tradition" was no easy matter. True, she didn't have to sleep in the chimney, but she had to deal with arrogant, stuffed-shirt princes who kept trying to rise above their place in the tale. In fact, one of them was so ornery that Elena could do nothing but change him into a donkey.

Still, her practical nature couldn't let him roam the country, so she brought the donkey -- er, the prince! -- home to her cottage to teach him some lessons. All the while keeping in mind that breaking with tradition can land everyone into a kettle of fish -- sometimes literally!

And so begins a whole new tale . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (93)

Twisting the Tradition
We have all heard the fairy tales where the Prince and Princess live happily ever after, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Princess and the Pea and Rapunzel. Then there are also the tales where children are stolen from their beds, with changelings left in their place, or the grandmother being eaten by the big bad wolf. What we do not hear about is the tradition. The tradition is the all-powerful force that makes things happen, time after time, keeping the fairy tales repeating themselves repeatedly. It is a force that pushes and prods and creates opportunities or challenges that make things happen in just that certain way.

This is the story of one young woman born into the Five Hundred Kingdoms. All her life she has been worked hard, treated poorly and neglected by her Stepmother. She had become a virtual slave to her and her two stepdaughters as well. Well anyone knowing how the tradition works could see that this should have a happy ending. But as the years went on and Elena passed her eighteenth birthday all hope was lost. As her stepmother and stepsisters moved on one step ahead of the creditors, Elena was left on her own with nothing to her name.

Luckily, she was close to her neighbor's, two older women who seemed to have just a little magic. So as the creditors came to strip the house of everything that was not nailed down she sat down for one of her first good meal in a long time. The elderly women fawned and petted over her, which gave her the courage to do what she felt she had to do. She needed to sell herself as a house cleaner and move on before her Stepmother and Stepsisters came back again to continue to make her life miserable. Off she goes to the town square where the mop fair is going on and jobs are offered each week, with her back straight and her hopes up. However, with each passing hour she began to lose hope. Not one to give up she stayed right were she was till the very end of day, knowing that it would just take that one person that would need what she had to offer and give her a job. As the day faded, away Elena started to head back to her empty home, and just as she did, she heard the carriage.


The cart that came around the corner was just as odd as the driver was, but the elderly woman had such kind eyes and Elena really needed a job. When the elderly woman asked her if she was looking for work, Elena jumped at the chance without even remembering to ask what the job was. It was so wonderful to find someone with such kind eyes. The woman invited her aboard the carriage and off they went. As they rounded the corner and lurched over a bump the carriage bounced into the air, and did not come down. Elena was terrified.


This is the Story of how Elena became the Fairy Godmother's apprentice and then went on to become the Fairy Godmother of the Five Hundred Kingdoms. Even the Fey and magical creatures accepted her. She becomes the adored of the Unicorns, and if she still sometimes dreamed of meeting her prince, well no one ever knew for the longest time. She became a source to be reckoned with and helped to set up the questing for the young men trying to win the fair maiden. This is also the story of how she changed the Tradition and used it to build a stung and peaceful kingdom where only good would prevail. In addition, as luck, or the tradition would have it, could there still be a happily ever after for Elena?


This true adult fairytale with all the fun and enchantments that go with the tales we heard as a child. It is the story of believing in something with all your heart and finding that there really are happy endings. A fun read with likable characters. It may have been a little sugary but still had a very feel good ending.

A fun fairy tale
Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical about my book choice from the front cover but I found myself looking forward to my next chance to read it once I got a few pages in.This was my first Mercedes Lackey book and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.It's not your typical "tale as old as time" fairy tale.In fact, it marries traditional fairy tales with new, fresh ideas.I really liked the concept and characters.I found it a very easy book to read and quite enjoyed it.I look forward to more adventures within this realm.

For those who love fairy tales
I loved this story because it mentions many of the fairy tales that have been lost to kids as they are have not been covered (or corrupted) by Disney.I enjoyed the invention of the Tradition to explain the reason why the wife in Rapunzel gets addicted to the plants in the evil witches garden and why in the world does the witch want the child in exchange.Or why would a king place his daughter on top of a glass mountain as a challange to her suitors and why people in fairy tales fall in love on first sight.I wasn't as keen on the 2nd book in the series but I did love the rest of them.

Witty and Heart Warming
Lovely and quick moving, this book is a read that takes you away from the here and now.This sometimes gritty take on fairy tales is full of insight, honesty, humor, and grace.Excellent book by an excellent author.

Fairy Godmother with a Reality Twist... sort of
This book, while still a wonderful piece of escapist fiction, and a romance to warm your heart, has some really fantastic ideas about where fairy godmothers come from and what they do.If you need to step back from reality for refreshment, this is the book for you!It's Cinderella with an edge, and more believable (sort of!) in this day and age.I wish there were more "mini-vacation" from life books like this out there! ... Read more

Product Description
The wild magic is taking its toll on the land, and even Vanyel, the most powerful Herald-Mage to ever walk the world, is almost at the end of his strength. But when his Companion, Yfandes, receives a call for help from neighboring Lineas, both Herald-Mage and Companion are drawn into a holocaust of dark magic that could be the end of them both. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (57)

Won't bother to read the 3rd book
This book begins as most of Lackey's trilogy-books do; with 50-70 pages of plot-exposition, handled by having the characters needlessly "discuss" everything they already know, bandying ruminations back & forth in a way that is so repetitive, convoluted and maddening that I almost couldn't stand it.

It's twelve years after the first book. Vanyel is sick & injured -- as he so often is. We learn that, as a powerful mage, he's been taking the place of FIVE mages along the Border -- but is the reader privy to any of those exciting scenes? NO; instead we must hear the most offhand references to those recent efforts.

Vanyel is most often portrayed as grieving (still); sickly, half-starved, injured, in need of a hot meal and a good night's sleep. (He does not get them.) His knees go weak with weariness at frequent intervals; his shoulders "slump" with tiredness, his stomach burns, his head aches -- on virtually EVERY page. He is his own worst enemy, FILLED with the kind of heartbreaking angst which, frankly, I suspect REALLY only affects young teenage girls. He is FILLED with constant self-doubt, self-loathing, self-recrimination... In short, this character is entirely SELF-involved.

What an incredibly pathetic sad-sack of a character he is. By the end of the book, I was praying for relief -- not Vanyel's, but my own.

This, I will achieve by not reading the final book in this trilogy. This isn't up to the author's usual standard.

Fateful dreams
Vanyel is Mercades Lackey's best character . I wish there could be more of him . Well there is but thats another part of the series . This is book 2 and things are getting dangerous for Valdemar . Heralds and Herald Mages are dieing . A war is coming . A new love has entered Vanyel's life and he has his companion now . His dreams of his death still haunt him . What will fate hold for him and will those dark dreams come true .

Zzzz + Ugh = I'm Done
I want to start this review off by saying that I haven't finished this book. I think I'm on page 120 or something in that range now. I just can't. Life's too short to read a book where nothing happens for over a hundred pages and the characters aren't strong enough to make you continue. No story and two-dimensional characters is not a good combination. If you don't have an interesting story, at least make sure to have interesting characters. This book has neither.

Even though the main character is the most powerful mage ever, there is no magic here at all. Unless you consider him having boring, cringe-worthy, telepathic conversations with his horse some kind of magic. So even though nothing happened for the first hundred pages I kept on reading hoping that it would get better. And then I got to the scene where the main character tries to explain to his father that just because he is gay doesn't mean that he is a pedophile. Lovely.

If you're looking for a great gay fantasy hero, you won't find him here. At the beginning of this novel we find out the main character already has three children because he seems to be the only guy in the world who can get a woman pregnant. That's nice.

I'm done with this series. Time is too precious to waste on this crap.

Excellent as Always
As always, Mercedes Lackey's trilogies continue with vim and vigor in the second book.Great read, awesome characters, excellent storyline.The book was in great shape, just as promised.

For a friend.
I bought the book for a friend to help complete her series and it arrived in good shape the binding was a little creased but no more than what you would get if you were reading it yourself. ... Read more

Product Description
In the fourth and final novel of Mercedes Lackey's Dragon Jousters series, Kiron, the man who had once been a dragon-boy called Vetch, has united the dragon riders and managed to rid their world of both war and magical domination. But are the evil Magi really gone for good? As Kiron tries to build a new civilization at the site of an abandoned cliff dweller's city, called Aerie, conflicts arise, and he soon realizes there is a vast conspiracy at work, which includes individuals who have infiltrated every walk of life-even his own family. Once the heads of the Magi, these conspirators are determined to regain their sinister control. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Pathetic
The plot is trite, the pace is sluggish, and the characters stumble into incredibly stupid misunderstandings that no one who has actually done and felt what they are shown to have in the first three books would ever fall prey to.I especially dislike the fact that Kiron positively wallows in bare-face misogyny.That's the kind of behavior I expect out of Lackey's villains (also trite, but at least clearly marked as wrong), not her heroes.He's already been established as a progressive-minded young man, and this sudden descent into brainless bigotry gains the tinge of a reasonable response because of that, as is abundantly clear if you browse some of the reviews right here.This isn't an artistic portrayal of an intelligent but culture-bound boy; this is just Kiron being an ass.Pathetic.

A mediocre end to a promising series

I enjoyed the first two books of this series - Lackey does good world building, and in spite of the almost prototypical Lackey characters (Abused but noble serf, unredeemably evil villains, plucky and outspoken girl) they were an entertaining read.

The series went rapidly downhill in the third book, and in this installment my major response was "Who cares?"The plot becomes more and more convoluted without actually being interesting, but the weakest part is the characters.

Kiron and Aketen are essentially introduced as nearly perfect characters. He's abused and downtrodden, but pure hearted, noble, hardworking, sensible, wise, good tempered and so on and so forth. She's outspoken and impetuous, but similarly pure hearted and noble. The problem is - morally perfect characters don't make for all that interesting a story, particularly over four books. The result is a pair of lead characters who become more neurotic and whiny as the series goes on. Kiron mainly fades into the background, but Aketen becomes thoroughly unpleasant - I want to smack her and tell her to grow up, and then go tell Kiron to find a girlfriend who doesn't undermine his professional authority and go behind his back, sulk when she doesn't get what she wants, and badmouth him to all her friends. And the other romantic conflict manages to be entirely within the head of one of the other protaganists - literally, she resolves things before Kiron even notices she's interested in him.

So my advice is to read Joust and Alta, and stop there. You won't miss much.

Utterly pointless
I've only read one other series whose ending disappointed me more than this one -- Twilight -- and the reason for my disappointment is shared by both series.The ending is pat, predictable, and completely without consequence.Don't get me wrong, I disliked the entire book, but the ending really let me down.

The first half of the book consisted of little else except previously resolved issues being rehashed unnecessarily.Kiron and Aket-ten's relationship, for example.There was plenty enough sexual tension in Alta and Sanctuary.No real reason to drag that out again.

The 'other woman' part could easily have been cut, as well as Kiron being reunited with his mom, for all that either element furthered the plot or Kiron's character.

And then, finally, towards the end, things began to get just a little bit more interesting -- right up until the gods step in and save the world.Then, of course, they all lived happily ever after, no one had to sacrifice a thing or endure anything particularly troublesome (except The Chosen of Seft who was only around for 100 pages or so anyways, so who cares?).

Fans of happy endings will probably adore this book.Those who favor a bit more realism and depth would be better served to leave this one on the shelf.

GREAT SERIES!
This was a great series by Mercedes Lackey.The only bad thing is that it ended.I would love to see one more book to wrap things up like all relationships and the state of the new country!

Pretty Good
I read all 4 in the series back-to-back and found them interesting enough that I wanted to not stop reading until I was finished--that is, didn't want to do anything else for a couple of days.The characters, as with all Lackey's characters, are not as intriguing and lack something, not sure what.I never felt protective and possessive of the characters like I did with LOTR and Harry Potter so didn't feel I had a vested interest in the positive outcome for the folks in this series.But it flowed and I think all of her serieses are best when read one right after the other (so you don't lose interest in the interim).Again, as with Christopher Paolini, the dragon stuff smacks of McCaffrey who has done it the best (and branched out the best too).It's a nice light read. ... Read more

Product Description
The dragon-boy once known as Vetch has returned to his homeland of Alta to reclaim his birthright, only to discover that Alta is under the thrall of evil Priest-Kings. Gathering troops of dragon riders by his side, Vetch rasies an army in the sanctuary of the desert to rid his land of both war and magical domination once and for all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Wallis Budge fanfic
The culture of ancient Egypt should file a restraining order on Lackey, that's really all I can say.Author not to come within five hundred words of the plaintiff and all that.Well, that and she needs to realize that, while Budge did the best he could for his time, using him as a source now is a good way to be laughed at.

Sanctuary
This was an excellent book, it's the final in the series of the Jousters.If you like science fiction fantasy you will really like this triolgy.

Mercedes Lackey is an excellent writer, check out some of her, his books.You really enjoy them

Jousters Book 3 by Mercedes lackey
I read the reviews others posted about the books story I liked books 1,2 & 4 I felt book 3 was a little bit of a let down.

Inconsistent, Please forgive any spoilers
This book is written simplistic in the extreme, more so then in the previous two books. Even in them, Kiron's life seems far too easy for one who's supposed to have overcome so much hardship, from the start things worked out in his favor at every turn. In spite of that, I truly enjoyed the first two books in this series, and like so many others, I was extremely disappointed in this installment to the series.

The way old enemies seem to get along without any trouble seems unrealistic. I would have expected more antagonism, and a bit more of a challenge in the establishing of the new culture they are creating, but as with so many other things, that conflict is skipped, never happens.

I have been noticing that Lackey's writing quality has been consistently getting worse, but to write an entire plot based on an inconsistency in the order and cause of events concerning the "eye" and the earthquakes, within the 2nd book Alta is pathetic. An inconsistent reference is one thing, but an entire plotline is something else.

Details are one of those things that I notice, and when I first read this book I was confused. The big earthquake spoken of from the disaster in the book Alta, came well before the eye was ever employed, was the reason for it in fact because of a revolt. There no mention of an Earthquake afterward, I reread Alta multiple times to be certain of this and it annoys me to no end when I read Sanctuary.

The final conflict as stated by others is feeble and not even worth mentioning, and on top of that, is based on that huge and annoying inconsonantly with the previous book.

Still I bought it, and am eventually going to get the last book, that's not even written in the same style as the first three books...and hope beyond hope that she lets this series lay to rest before she ruins it any farther.

For My Love of Dragons
I enjoyed the first & second book, J Sanctuary (2005) is the third Fantasy novel in the Dragon Jousters series. If you enjoyed Anne McCaffrey's novels of Pern , and for any who loves dragons, this is a must read series.
Sanctuary did not come up to the standards of the first two.. Joust, the first book in the series, was all I could hope for as was the second. However, I think Sanctuary is a must read to explain the ending of the first two. ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (71)

Plot plods along
I am a huge fantasy fan, but I have never read Lackey before.So I was excited to read a novel in a world she had created that was already mature and had a history.I was however, disappointed early and often by this novel.There were three main reasons for my disappointment.1) The author's writing did not have the depth to make me feel like I really knew the heroine or was really a part of the land.The characters felt one-dimensional.Even Kerowyn, the main character, though she had a lot of self doubt and strong conflicting emotions, everything worked out amazingly perfectly for her.2) There was no major conflict to solve.This was the story of a ~15 year period of Kerowyn's life, one chapter at a time.While it was comforting to not have another book where the heroine had to save the world from the evil incarnate bad guy, this story didn't work for me:The first part of the book was about her gaining this wonderful magic sword; however, the sword played a very minor role after she got it and her first battle with it.The second part was about her military training, but that was really a backdrop to the emotional high of her first romantic fling.The third part about her life as a mercenary which felt so detached from the rest of the story that it seemed to be about someone other than the Kerowyn who garnered the sword in the first section.3) The climax centered more on a side character, Daren, than it did on the main character Kerowyn.Daren suddenly discovered that he had an amazing power and happened to be in the right place at the right time to allow him to cause a third of the enemy's army to mutiny and attack the rest of their forces.Where did this come from?!

Overall "By the Sword" was an interesting read, and had its moments, but I wish I had spent my time on another story.

Kindle edition has extremely poor editing!!!
I re-bought this book for my Kindle, having read it many years ago in paperback, and continued to enjoy the storyline.This is not the best of Mercedes Lackey, but it's good.I'm glad I didn't read this first on the Kindle, because the editing is so poor it actually interferes with the story if you don't know it."Merc" short for Mercenary is written as "mere" consistently through this book, along with hundreds (no exagerating here) of single character errors.So -- don't buy this for the kindle for a first time read.Otherwise, its a good book for those familiar with the universe.

Not bad but has problems
I do like the story and I do like Kero. Kerowyn is Kethry's granddaughter by her youngest child.She must take up the sword to avenge her brother and save his bride. Eventually she becomes a mercenary under Tarma's tutelage.The story is solid, as long as you don't know any other Lackey books.She gets her history completely wrong in this book.Kero mentions several times that Idra (of the Sunhawks) was Daren's aunt.She would have been his great-aunt.She makes this mistake multiple times in the first section of the book.If you have read Oathbreakers, this mistake is very clear. In addition when compared to Exile's Valor, one of the books is wrong. Either Thanel died before his father or afterwards. Both books give completely different accounts. I could write this off as different character's interpretations but as By The Sword came first, Misty needs to stick to her own history.

In addtion, I did not like how Kethry was relegated to a background character who seems completely remote.Tarma generally gets more exposure and this book is no exception.

Good read, good addition to your Lackey collection and a must read before you go to the Winds of Fate trilogy.If you don't - not much will make sense

Reread till its in tatters
I am a fantasy junky, I read probably 30 fantasy books a year, but somehow I find myself rereading this book (and most of the Mercedes Lackey books) once every couple of years.Why?

Well there are a couple of reasons, for one Lackey was my first, I was weaned on Tarma and Ketry as my mother read Oathbound and Oathbreaker to us when my sister and I where children.But By The Sword has always been my favorite.The fact that its a complete story from background to training, to her time in a mercenary company and finally to captain the book spans her entire career and it does so brilliantly.In addition Lackey makes Kero a full character with fears, emotions, joys, strengths, weaknesses, and even hobbies.All of these combine to flesh out the story.
But for me, what really makes this my favorite, is that it ties together the disparate worlds of Oathboand and Oathbreaker, withe the Arrows series and Lackey's beloved Valdemar.This book establishes a connection between these parties as well as tying the Plains to Valdemar, enabling the Mage Storm trilogy and really tying the while universe together.

If you are a Lackey fan and have not read this, its a must read.If your considering this as your first Lackey book then you won't be disappointed, and since its a standalone, you don't need to read anything else before you read this.Pick it up savor it, enjoy it, maybe read it to your kids someday (when they aren't too young).

First read of Mercedes Lackey's works
This was the first book I read of Mercede Lackey's books. I've since read all of them. Her stories are very involved and creative. They suck you in and won't let you stop till the book is consumed. I loved the way fate forced the heroin's hand to break away from her confined life and grow. ... Read more

Product Description
The seventh daughter of the Sea King, Ekaterina is more than a pampered princess—she's also the family spy. Which makes her the perfect emissary to check out interesting happenings in the neighboring kingdom…and nothing interests her more than Sasha, the seventh son of the king of Belrus. Ekaterina suspects he's far from the fool people think him. But before she can find out what lies beneath his facade, she is kidnapped!

Trapped in a castle at the mercy of a possessive Jinn, Ekaterina knows her chances of being found are slim. Now fortune, a fool and a paper bird are the only things she can count on—along with her own clever mind and intrepid heart.… ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

Fortune's Fool Review
I loved the story line.I really liked how the author used Russian mythology in this story.

What has happened?
I used to LOVE her books, but the trash she's been putting out over the past few years is sad. She still creates a great world, but her characters are so predictable and flat... give me back the Mercedes Lackey of yesteryear! SHE wrote fantasy-adventure with a touch of romance... not romance in a fantasy world with a touch of adventure...

Meh these books are declining with each new one..
How sad I REALLY liked Fairy Godmother, I've been a reader of Lackey's books for ages but this one just bored me through out most of the book. It seems poorly planed and simply written and then out of the blue there is this riduculous sex scene that adds nothing to the plot and seemsforced and silly. Yes we know the two leads are falling in love the scene was so soft core and not very romantic and it just seemed like it was thrown in there with not much thought.

I really wish the book and been more like the first book or even the second which while not as good as the first was better than this book.

I have the fourth in the series to read I REALLY hope it is better than this.. or I won't be buying any more of them.

Fortune's Fool
I thought Fortune's Fool was quite cute.I like the lead characters Katya and Sasha were fun and interesting.

I loved fairy tales when I was a kid so and I still do.

One of my Favorites
I read this book and fell in love... i have the whole series so far and i am just in love with them. i love how all the people are in most of the books some how. ... Read more

Product Description
Set in the medieval fantasy kingdom of Valdemar, this unique and exciting novel continues the story of Talia. Having mastered the powers necessary to a guardian of the kingdom, she faces the final preparation for her initiation as adviser and protector of the Queen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Watching P's and Q's !!!!
Some years ago, I discovered Valdamar.I have received enjoyment and have felt as if these books were about people I had met."Arrow's Flight" is such a book.Ever felt like you were ready for just about anything?Then you run into a situation that shows you how easy it is to mess up so badly because you thought you knew about a subject.You find out that you studied the wrong chapters!!!Been there!Done that!I felt the story so strongly and was waiting eagerly for the next page and the next chapter!

This was a story that could fit into our way of life so easily. Talia was chosen because she had an extremely difficult job waiting for her.Teaching.It is a thankless job.You show a child the easiest and best way to complete a job.You teach them to apply what they are learning.What do they say?Your preaching!!I already know that!!We've already heard about that!!

Put everything you read or see or hear into prospective.I'm a good driver.....(what does this book teach about this subject?)....I know how to drive......but suddenly something will happen and I'll think "Thank you, Mr. Tully!!

Talia needed to learn and to use what she learned....

This book showed teaching and learning and it was shown in a good book about Magic.You just never know where we will run across gems to be gathered for a necklace to wear and cherish.

Arrow's Flight (The Heralds of Valdemar, Book 2)
This book is an excellent addition to the Valdemar series. It mixes seriousness with humor while making every character true-to-life.

One of her best!
Oh! I enjoyed this re-read quite a bit! The romance is fun and though I did remember just about everything, it was in no way dull or boring to re-read. I like the relationships and how Talia matures throughout the book. It is the next one that I think I remember the least, so I am REALLY looking forward to re-reading that one.

Disappointing
Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
on 10/01/2008

Talia has earned her Herald whites (see ARROWS OF THE QUEEN) and is ready to embark upon her eighteen-month internship with Kris, her mentor. Together, they are to ride through their assigned sector to settle disputes and perform other duties as Heralds.

The circuit is in trouble from the start, however, as Talia learns of rumors that she has abused her powerful empathic Gift. With her fragile confidence shattered, her Gift gets out of hand. She must regain control, or she'll be a danger to everyone around her.

Talia must successfully complete her internship. The Queen and many, many others are depending on it. Can Talia finish the year and half without driving herself, and her mentor, insane?

I was disappointed with this novel. The first one was enjoyable, so I was eager to dive in to this, the second installment of The Heralds of Valdemar. Unfortunately, the main conflict in this novel was over the lack of control over Talia's Gift. She didn't talk about it with her mentor until it was almost too late. The slow degradation of her abilities over many, many months was painful and repetitive to read. For being a smart character, she didn't act with much intelligence in that regard. One might argue that this lack of communication was due to her long-standing poor self-esteem, but that excuse only goes so far.

One of my pet peeves is when the author expects the reader to swallow a series of misunderstandings that should never have gone beyond the first few scenes. It feels like a deliberate machination on the author's part. If the author feels the need to use this to make the story fit their idea of the plot, then there's a fundamental flaw in the plan. The author should figure out how to work with the conflict without using tenth-grade tricks.

Another thing that annoyed me about this novel is that there were events that seemed important to the story and weren't included. By this, I'm referring to a visit Talia took to her family of birth and was basically turned away. This event was mentioned in passing, but I never saw it happen. The rejection by Talia's family is a critical key to the formation of her as a character, and it needed to be in the book. Whether Lackey didn't feel the need to write this event or whether the editors chopped it to save on page count, I feel it was a mistake.

After all that, it probably sounds like I hated this novel. In fact, I liked it well enough to finish it in less than a day. These two major issues, however, made it difficult for me to enjoy this book to its potential.

Fun Book, Like the first
This is one of my favorite Lackey series set in Valdemar.Lackey does write fluffy books, but I like that about them.There is good and evil and everyone fights the good fight.Its a quick enjoyable read that is no less worthwhile for being a lite read.The characters are all plausible is slightly one sided and the story is interesting if shallow.If you looking for an epic this isn't it.If you want a couple of fun afternoons try itne Arrows set. ... Read more

Product Description
The final chapter in Mercedes Lackey's spellbinding fantasy trilogy! The Herald-Mage, Vanyel, and his Companion, Yfandes, are alone responsible for saving the once-peaceful kingdom of Valdemar from the forces of a master who wields a dark, forbidding magic. And if either Vanyel or Yfandes falters, both Valdemar and its Herald-Mage must pay the ultimate price. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (105)

Now one of my favorite books
I just finished reading the last book in the last herald mage series and I'm also one of those who couldn't help but start bawling at the end.Its hard not to grow attached to Vanyel after reading all three books.This book definitely takes you on a roller coaster of emotions specially towards the end.Just be prepared, nobody wants to feel sad and cry at the end of a book but that's just how good this is.

Prue Magic
Heartbreaking and beautiful ending . Oh boy do I cry when I read this one . It's hopeful too . Vanyel always knew he was going to die . Violently facing an army alone . War has come and the enemy is strong and Vanyel is the last Herald Mage . The rest have been murdered to make it easier for the enemy to take over . The romance and love between Vanyel and Stef is warm and wonderful . The price payed in the end is breathtaking and heartbreaking . I love this series .

Great Good Gods!
What a love story! I laughed,I cried,I loved it. I wasn't crazy about Tylendel,but I love Stefen! And,of course,Vanyel and Yfandes! Terrific characters and a wonderful story.
"Acres and acres,and it's all mine" has got to be my favorite line from this series!!! Young Stefen was just what Vanyel needed, I think.
The end just makes me cry and cry for all of them. My only wish is that she has written about the years between book 1 and book 2 ( maybe Magic's Pride?)
Even knowing what the price would be before I read the book did not ruin the ending for me. I was unhappy that Stefen had to wait so long to be with his ashke though.
The rape scene was painful( no pun intended) but necessary to the story. It was the only way to "break" Vanyel.
I just love this series. The seduction scenes are terrific, tasteful but you KNOW what's gonna happen!
Great reading if you don't mind crying. All 3 books are terrific.

Wonderful ending for a wonderful trilogy!
This is such a good book! Sad, but definitely the best of all three. I had forgotten some details, but not too much overall. I really loved re-reading this and I am looking forward to the rest - especially with some of her new books thrown into the mix!

BINGO
Both of the previous books in this series had shortcomings:The first book had an abysmal plot line with very few believable moments.The second book neutered the protagonist completely, removing all traces of romance.This book was the perfect fusion of everything GOOD about the first two... and then some.

I was overjoyed to read this book and discover that it would be a love story again, but this time with a compelling conflict in the background to sustain it.It was, in my opinion, even more believable and touching than the first romance in Magic's Pawn.Besides the romantic points, the book had mystery and intrigue, brilliantly shaped characters, and heroic and heart-wrenching moments of joy, sorrow, pain, and love.To top it all off, the character arcs of virtually all of the major players in the series are concluded nicely, even though not all end happily.

My gripes with this book are mostly picky details.For instance: a villain who is only a threat when the plot demands it, but who backs off when the characters need time.Along those lines: Benevolent creatures who just happen to show up out of nowhere in a time of need (think eagles in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit).But it's still, hands down, the best of the series, and well worth the journey. ... Read more

Product Description
National best-selling fantasy legend Mercedes Lackey created a vivid, dynamic fusion of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms of ancient Egypt with the most exciting, authentic and believable portrayal of dragons ever imagined. In the second novel in Mercedes Lackey's richly-conceived Dragon Jousters series, the dragonrider Vetch escapes to Alta, the subjugated land of his birth. There, he hopes to teach his people to raise and train dragons-and build an army that will liberate his homeland. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

Satisfied customer
I was well pleased with the service I received and the book was just what I wanted.

The Challenges of Freedom
In this sequel to Joust, Vetch has escaped from his Tian Masters mounted on a young dragon that he secretly hatched and raised according to methods learned from his master Ari.He takes back the name his parents gave him, Kiron, son of Kiron and embarks on a new adventure in his homeland of Alta, which is vaguely reminiscent of Egypt under the Pharaohs.Almost at once the skills he has learned hunting with his dragon enable him to rescue a young noblewoman from a rampaging hippo.

This is a superb story of a young man encountering the twin challenges of maturity and freedom.The perils that Kiron faces and overcomes are no longer solely for himself.Once again, Mercedes Lackey shows her skill as a master storyteller.Highly recommended.

Couldn't put the book down!
I have to say I really enjoyed this book. I was genuinely interested in the life of Vetch- turned Kalan- i think that's what he changed it to. But any way, Mercedes Lackey did a good job on this one. Pick it up, you won't regret it.

Another Strong Effort From Misty
One of the benefits of reading Mercedes Lackey is that in most cases you realize what you're going to get.Alta is the sequel to Joost, so it behooves you to start the series there.It isn't *essential* but you at least understand the main character Watch and his relationship with his dragon Avatare.

The plot and characters aren't the deepet ever, but unlike some of the other reviews I never got that as the intention of the book.The main story is the growing up up Vetch, his bond with his Avatare deepening and being thrust into a leadership role of the firt band of dragon riders in Alta City to learn to ride egg-hatched dragons (the current dragon riders only ride captured adult dragons, and do not have the bonds that Vetch and his corps of young riders can forge with their mounts/partners)

As Vetch grows he also learns that Alta City is not the paradise it seems and he must decide exactly what is wrong in Alta and how to combat it, while also being caught in the neverending war between Alta and Tia.

Its very typical Lackey a basic story, leaning strongly on political intigue and a coming of age theme, all with heroes with strong human-animal bonds.

If you enjoy Lackey's Valdemar works and/or her fantasy in general read the Dragon Jousters series.

Excellent Followup Novel to Joust
Alta is an excellent sequel to its predecessor.

The story from the first book ended in such a way as to make a sequel mandatory.We were curious as to what would become of Vetch, the lowly serf who stole a dragon to gain his freedom.

There are many simularities to the Pern books in this series (dragons as companions being the most notable) which I love.

In this book the world of Jousters expands dramatically as we get to see the other dominant world power and learn about the new villians the Magi.

We also see Vetch, now Kirion, grow from child to young man and move abject slave (lowest in society) to someone of consequence.

If you enjoyed the first book, Joust, Anne McCaffrey's novels of Pern or Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valedemar series (special horses as companions rather than dragons) then you will enjoy this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Lavan Chitward is a very unhappy young man; pulled away from his country home by his parents' ambitions and resettled in the big city of Haven, he is desperately lonely, bullied and beaten at school, ignored by his parents.It is not surprising that he falls ill - but his illness is the first manifestation of a terrible power, the Gift of the Firestorm, a power which can and does kill. If controlled, the Gift of the Firestorm can save Valdemar, but if it is uncontrolled, it will destroy the country - and him. Chosen by the Companion Kalira, brought into the ranks of the Heralds of Valdemar, Lavan finds acceptance and hope for the first time. But war with Karse threatens to engulf the Kingdom and only Lavan Firestorm stands between Valdemar and destruction - and only then if he can harness his dreadful power to his will.Amazon.com Review
Brightly Burning marks Mercedes Lackey's return to the kingdom of Valdemar, and introduces us to a portion of the otherwise unchronicled reign of King Theran. The book's principle figure is Valdemar's most powerful herald, Laven Firestorm, who comes of age during Valdemar's war with its long-time enemy, the kingdom of Karse.

Sixteen-year-old Laven Chitward's world is turned upside down when his mother is selected as a textile guild representative in the small rural community where he was raised. Moving to the capital city of Haven rips him away from his friends and boyhood pleasures, and nothing in Haven seems to fill that void. Unable to fit into the nouveau riche society, and unwilling to follow his parents into the textile guild, he finds himself adrift and depressed. His father enrolls him in a special school that will allow him to choose a trade that interests him, rather than be apprenticed against his will. There he finds himself terrorized and tortured by the boys in the sixth form until, with an awful roar, the gift of fire awakens deep within him and extracts revenge for his sadistic treatment.

With the help of a unique herald, an empathetic healer and a special companion, Laven soon learns to keep his gift under control and eventually, to direct his awful firestorm as far as he can see. When the kingdom of Karse attacks, Laven is hurried to the border to assist his king and country by repelling the invasion. During the final battle Laven earns the name Firestorm and becomes one of the most famous heralds in the history of Valdemar.

Brightly Burning is a distinct and unforgettable coming-of-age story. With a compelling cast of characters and lively dialog, Mercedes Lackey once again demonstrates her adroit mastery of fantasy fiction. --Robert Gately ... Read more

Customer Reviews (124)

WOW!!
This is my favorite book of all time! I cry at the end every time I read it. This book introduced me to Mercedes Lackey.

Not Lackey's best
I've read the entire series multiple times, and I have to say that Brightly Burning is my least favorite.It makes me wonder if other reviewers have read some of Lackey's much better other Valdemar works.

For one, the story of Lavan Firestarter - clearly such a focal point in Heraldic lore - would seem to me to need at least two novels to really tell it.Brightly Burning seems shallow and under-developed.I can't get myself to believe in his character.Things happen far too quickly without enough development in the middle.

For another, there's a considerable amount of telling rather than showing.Satiran just announces that Lavan and Kalira are lifebonded?Even if I could let that go as a poorly written scene - there are no concerns from the Heraldic Circle and their Companions about such an odd pairing?And the relationship between Lavan and Kalira seems trite - there are none of the unique undertones that Lackey has shown with some of the better pairs, such as Alberich & Kantor or Vanyel & Yfandes.Even Talia and Rolan have a more solidly developed relationship - and they can't "talk" to each other.

Also, what's the deal with young Herald-Trainee Malken, who clearly ForeSees Lavan's firestorm, but then disappears entirely from the story?

Then there's referring to Lavan's gift as a "dragon"?Lackey has described magical/Heraldic gifts far better.

All-in-all, this reads like an unfinished draft with a significant number of chapters missing from it.It's like a rough outline that still needs to be filled in appropriately.

A solid stand-alone novel for a great series
This book introduced me to Ms. Lackey's Valdemar series, and for that I am grateful. The physical details of Valdemar is so rich that sometimes she goes a little overboard--not that I'm complaining ;). I love this book, but Lan really got on my nerves sometimes. I understand that he is bullied and lonely and living in a strange city with his socialite parents, but he just seemed to be self-absorbed and spoiled. Also, I felt sorry for Elenor and her secret crush for him, but that whole subplot seemed to add nothing more to the story, and perhaps could have been glossed over. That aside, the ending seemed a bit rushed, but overall, a very solid work and an excellent introduction to the Valdemar series.

Fun Tale!
I actually really enjoyed this book. I'm pretty sure that I read it when it first came out, but I didn't remember any of it. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading it - though it was very strange that he was lifebonded to his Companion. Still, a fun read and one that was genuinely surprising to me in parts.

Just Okay
This is the first full book I've read from the author, my attempts at her other's as always resulted in tossing aside half way in. Can't say I was entirly impressed. Although, it didn't help reading right after a wonderfully written Inda seriese.

I am throughly intrested in the Val-time period. The idea of Heralds and such, but this book just didn't do it for me. I found the book simple minded in the plot. I didn't like how it focused so much on his school life and such before his time as a trainee. The story was over before it even began, it seemed.

However, I do not regret reading it. ... Read more

Product Description
Eric Banyon, also known as Bedlam's Bard, managed to rescue his young brother Magnus from what seemed to be a killer demon (in Mad Maudlin), but now he must rescue Magnus again, this time from their tyrannical parents. Eric does not look forward to the battle, but is confident he can gain custody. His financial sources are virtually unlimited, his friend Ria Llewellyn heads the most high-powered law firm in New York, and in a pinch he and his friends can use to magic powers, even flummoxing a DNA test, it comes to that.

What Eric does not know is that his parents are allied with the evangelist Billy Fairchild, who himself is a tool of the evil Unseleighe elves, who feed off human sorrow and suffering. Fairchild specializes in getting ?bad? children to shape up, which is accomplished by letting a soulsucker—malevolent creature from the elf world—drain the victim of all talent, creativity, and will, leaving an obedient zombie husk behind. If Magnus and his friend Ace, who is also on the run from her twisted parents, fall into Fairchild's hands, they will join the Unseleighe's zombie ranks. And even Eric's bardic magic may not be enough to save them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Great on its own, lousy as part of a series
With her character of Eric Banyon, Lackey has created a world that is self consistent and entertaining. A world in which Elves move behind the scenes interacting with humans with who they can relate. Evil elves work with bad people who want to spread violence. Good elves work to save children endangered by uncaring or self absorbed parents.

If this were the first or second book in the series I'd be loving it, but the problem is yet isn't and you can only read so many of these where the villains are self deluded, right wing Christian extremists and parents who fail to treasure their children. We've seen this all before, often and after a while it just isn't worth the game to read.


The parts with Eric, his brother Magnus, his apprentice Hosea and his half elven paramour Ria are fun and a great read but Lackey jumps around to different view points and every time we get to some self aggrandizing villain who self justifies their actions, it grinds to a freaking halt. There are only so many times you can read someone justifying their actions with the same words before you want to throw the book at someone. It's dull, it's boring, it's repetitive and we've heard it all before, often in the past few books.

I will also say Lackey's ongoing crusade against Christian fundamentalists is bordering on a prejudice. While I agree the sort of hypocrites she depicts in most of her modern books are sickening and should be opposed by any decent person, it is almost as if she is unable to write a sympathetic Christian character. In her world, someone who goes to church regularly seems invariably a fool or manipulative.

On its own this would be a great read, but as a part of an ongoing series, forget it. the lead character is a bard and like a has been of long ago, he's just playing variations on the original theme without bringing anything new to the party.

The Bard's greatest battle
Co-written, like its three predecessors, with Rosemary Edghill, this fast-moving, compulsively readable book is the seventh novel in the adventures of Eric Banyon, Bedlam's Bard, a Juilliard-trained classical musician and elven-sponsored magickal Bard.At the heart of the complex plot are three disputes over child custody.Eric is fighting to adopt his brother Magnus, fearing that if he fails their parents will turn the younger boy into the "trophy son" they tried to make of him--or else lose him altogether, as they did Eric when he ran away from home.Ria Llewellyn, the half-elven woman who runs one of the richest and most powerful corporations in the world, is helping Heavenly Grace Fairchild, known to Magnus and his friends as Ace, fight for Emancipated Minor status so that she can be free of the exploitation of her father, evangelist Rev. Billy Fairchild.What neither Ace nor the Banyons know is that Fairchild's most trusted advisor, Gabriel Horn (whom Ace fears for reasons she doesn't understand), is really Gabrevys ap Ganaliel, an Unseilighe Sidhe (Dark Elf prince) whose young son Jachiel has rejected his father's dark magick and sought sanctuary at the Seilighe court of Eric's elven sovereign, Prince Arvin.While Arvin is perfectly willing to grant Gabrevys supervised visitation rights, Gabrevys wants his son back--and he's convinced that Eric is somehow responsible for Jachiel's defection.Using both magic and his power in Fairchild's organization, he plans a horrific revenge--with Eric's and Magnus's parents as his unknowing pawns.

Despite the multiplicity of plotlines, Lackey and Edghill contrive to keep all their threads straight and tie everything together without a single loose end, while maintaining an almost breakneck pace that's at the same time clearly marked out and full of thrills, chases, revelations, near misses, twists and turns, and a smashing climactic confrontation between a Dark Sidhe Bard (disguised as a Christian-rock singer) on one side and Eric, Magnus, Ace, their Healer friend Kayla, and Eric's apprentice-Bard, the Appalachian-born Guardian Hosea, on the other, musically duelling for the safety of a mob of young music-lovers who, unknown to themselves, are threatened by a bomb planted by Gabrevys.Their picture of Fairchild's sect and organization is enough to make any reader scared to the marrow of any Christian fundamentalist church, as they show how very easy it is for even a man who began with the best intentions to be led astray by those he trusted.Their characters--heroes and villains alike--are three-dimensional and excellently drawn, with even the minor ones, like Adam Jedburgh and his son Douglas (who give the quintet a much-needed lift on the highway, and of whom Adam turns out to have known Hosea's grandfather in the OSS--the hints given here may well turn out to be the foundation of the next book in the series, if there is one), seeming entirely real.But their greatest gift lies in their ability to make their world--the mystical Guardians, the New York apartment called Guardian House where they and many artsy types live, the intearction between Faerie and the mortal world--seem completely plausible.Though by no means short, the book is so well paced that I got through it in less than eight hours' reading time--and felt completely satisfied.Like all the urban fantasies set in Lackey's SERRAted Edge and Bard series (which intertwine and occasionally share characters), this is a first-class example of its subgenre and one that shouldn't be missed by anyone who loves the concept of elves and other fantastics interacting with modern mortals.

Great next step in the series.
I have been reading the Eric Banyon and the modern day elves series of Mercedes for years, and I really enjoyed this one.It ties a lot of things together - I hope it's not the last one!If you liked Chrome Borne and the other urban elves books, you'll like this one, too.

The best of the Eric Banyon series to date
This book really satisfied my curiosity about what happens next for a lot of characters I am fond of. It's the characters that I like in this series. Though I'd prefer less about the elves (having OD'ed on them), the Gabriel Horn part was complete without excessive elvishness. Ace is one of my favorite characters, as are Hosea and Eric, so this book, which focused on all three, was a real pleasure.

wrapping up the adventure
Plot: In this final installment of "Bedlam's Bard," three teens, two of whom are mortal and one an elf, struggle to become emancipated from their dysfunctional families. Magnus, a teen with Bardic talent who intends to become a drummer in a rock band, wants to live with his older brother Eric, the titular bard of the series. Their parents have hired an unscrupulous "Christian Family Intervention" program to retrieve them. Ace, a runaway, wishes to escape from her evil, evangelist father. And Jaycie, an elf who has spent time in the mortal world, has ssues that could result in a messy conflict if not handled delicatetly. Other characters from the series such as Ria, Kayla, Hosea and Janette also become involved when the protagonists discover that Ace's minister father is involved in a more sinister than usual scheme that will result in a body count if successful.

Questions that the reader might have had about previous books, such as Kayla's apparent lack of aging, are addressed in this final volume. Also much fewer loose ends are left dangling. At first, I thought this book, as compared to the others, was more preachy than usual, but at second glance, I decided the amount was about the same. If you don't mind very blatant messages - and why would you be reading this series if you didn't - then you should enjoy the book.

... Read more

Product Description
Sixteen original stories—set in mercedes lackey’s valdemar universe

Includes a new novella by Mercedes Lackey!

Today’s hottest fantasy authors visit Mercedes Lackey’s bestselling world of Valdemar, adding their own special touches to the ancient land where Heralds “Chosen” from all walks of life by magical horse-like Companions patrol their ancient kingdom, dispensing justice, facing adversaries, and protecting their monarch from whatever threatens. Travel with Tanya Huff, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Fiona Patton, Judith Tarr, Rosemary Edghill, and others in these exciting, all-new stories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

More Tales of Valdemar
Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar (2008) is a Fantasy anthology.It contains fourteen original short stories, with author description before each tale.

- Moving Targets by Mercedes Lackey tells of four trainees and their mentor on a routine circuit, until they receive appeals for assistance against supernatural forces.

- An Unexpected Guest by Nancy Asire describes the meeting between a man and a woman bound by destiny.

- The Power of Three by Brenda Cooper discloses the bond between twins training as a Bard and a Healer.

- What Fire Is by Janni Lee Simner is about two children who have Talents within ancient Karse.

- Dreams of Mountain Clover by Mickey Zucker Reichert relates the quest of a humble woman searching for a cure for old age.

- The Cheat by Richard Lee Byers reveals the means by which a swordsmaster provides his students with unfair advantages.

- A Dream Deferred by Kristin Schwengel takes a horse trainer on a foray to rescue some kyree cubs.

- The Sworddancer by Michael Z. Williamson recounts the trials of young swordmaidens during a time of war.

- Broken Bones by Stephanie Shaver leads a bard to talk to a moody woman with a secret.

- Live On by Tanya Huff has a young Herald escort a much older Herald to a wedding, with unexpected results.

- Passage at Arms by Rosemary Edghill involves a young Herald trainee who knows that she will never be nice.

- Heart, Home and Hearth by Sarah Hoyt and Kate Paulk brings a boy and a young hobgoblin to someone in need to their services.

- Haven's Own by Fionna Patton confronts a young watchman with a local tragedy that is likely to lead to armed conflict.

- Widdershins by Judith Tarr puts an ordinary Herald and a young trainee into an inadvertent magical spell.

These stories consider many aspects of Valdemar.Naturally, most are about Heralds, Bards and Healers, but other involve common people.These stories are uplifting with positive endings, even when they end in death.

Most of these authors are well known to the readers of these Valdemar anthologies.Collectively, they present an interesting and worthy set of adventures in this milieu.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Valdemar fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of low technology, magical oddities, and psionic talents.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Valdamar on drugs...or Alien abductions
Its either on drugs or been abducted by Aliens. Seriously, Scooby Doo rip offs? that aren't really very well done? I know lots of editing goes into novellas and such but I'd HATE to have had to read the first version.
I kinda choked my way through it, alternetly wondering what drugs were used or if they were all abducted by the same aliens.Seriously, what was going on?
I did rather like the glimse into Karse, those two stories were so-so.The story of the child at the collegium, rang true, after all real kids behave that way, and even adults have doubts.Hobgoblins and humans that was touching, slightly nauseating.
in short. drivel. not up to standards of other anthologies.
but you're bound to have a dud or off day or book once in a while.
its for die hard fans only.

Valdemar
Love it. Can't wait to see where else we can go with this mega series... The short stories just round out everything about this world!!!

Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar
I truly like the Valdemar series and am thrilled every time a new one comes out.

For lovers of the Heralds and Companions
These anthologies are a terrific addition to the "pure" series of Valdemar novels by Mercedes Lackey. Written by other authors inspired by her world of Valdemar, they are an eclectic mix of stories that provide a little more insight into Valdemar as well asthe people living in the lands bordering it. Tragic and comedic, they add a valuable enhancement to the beloved people of the world of the Heralds and Companions. ... Read more

Product Description
Accepting employment as a governess after hard times hit her family, medieval scholar Rosalind Hawkins is surprised when she learns that her mysterious employer has no children and only wants her to read to him through a speaking tube. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (78)

The Fire Rose
The Fire Rose, by Mercedes Lackey

Do NOT judge this book by its cover!

"The Fire Rose" is a gem, a masterful retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story.

The Beauty is Rose Hawkins, a booksmart Chicago native working toward a doctorate at university. The Beast is Jason Cameron, a San Francisco rail baron, and a man trapped by hubris in the body of a wolf.

Left penniless when her father dies, Rose has few options for survival. She could work as a governess or a teacher, but pursuing her cherished degree is certainly out of the way. Disheartened by her situation, Rose accepts an employment offer from Jason Cameron: she will travel to San Francisco to be a governess to his children. Only when she arrives, Rose finds that Jason was lying to her: there are no children and instead she is to translate ancient alchemical books for him.

Far from being upset at the unusual situation, Rose is happy with her new life. She lives in luxury, and considers herself a research colleague rather than an employee. She is also unaware that the works she is reading to Jason are actually Magickal in content, and that Jason Cameron is a Firemaster. And Rose...she herself may have potential to do Magick.

"The Fire Rose," is to me, an almost flawless book. I've read my copy so many times the binding is worn out, and it would be a book I'd take to a desert island. Rose and Jason are two of my favorite characters of all time. I feel like they are old friends, and I dearly wish that Lackey had continued their story. "The Fire Rose" is a one book story, and has a good ending; it's just my personal (and greedy) wish for more of them.

Lackey creates a plausible magic system, and explains it over the course of the book. Because Rose reads Jason many texts, it gives the author a great way to explain how the system works. The author also pays plenty of attention to detail. "The Fire Rose" fits in perfectly with the time it is set, as all comparisons are made to period events or people. The descriptions of clothing and furnishings are sumptuous, and helped me immerse myself in the book.

There's a little of something for everybody in "The Fire Rose," and I'm always sad when I read the last page.

5/5.

Love this book
I started reading Mercedes's series with "Reserved for the Cat" and now I'm going back and rereading all the books in this series.I like regency novels and I love fantasy add to that Mercedes's flair for writing and its a no brainer.

Excellent book!

The Fire Rose
This is a great book that starts out in California and Chicago, and ends at the Great Earthquake in San Fransisco.There is great drama and humor.Mercedes Lackey is truly a genious.

Refreshing read, full of wit.
At first I was apprehensive to read this book, but while on a roll of reading "Beauty and the Beast" retellings, I picked it up. And I'm glad I did.

"The Fire Rose" is a truly well-written and intelligent piece of fiction. It begins in 1905 Chicago, and Rosalind Hawkins' father just died. With no one left to help her with her father's debts, Rosalind's life seems to be heading in an unfortunate or even unsavory direction. However, a visit from her old professor leads her to an oppurtunity in the form of a letter. Jason Cameron needs assistance with his children's education at his estate in San Francisco. However, upon arriving Rosalind finds that she has been tricked--there are no children to attend to, but Jason Cameron himself needs someone to read books to him that are in multiple languages. He had had a tragic accident that had left him too impaired to read himself. The texts are odd, and one misstep from one of Cameron's "servants" leads Rose to find out the truth--Cameron is a Firemaster and Magick exists.

The wit of Rosalind Hawkins walks the fine line of being annoying and admirable. Jason Cameron's character is balanced well with arrogance and care. It is extremely well-written and found myself enjoying every page. The story didn't lag and I did not find myself waiting for it to end [much like I did for the last "Beauty and the Beast" retelling I read].

It was a refreshing read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can't wait to read another Elemental Masters book.

Historical Fiction Meets Fairy Tale in THE FIRE ROSE
Mercedes Lackey's introductory book to her Elemental Guardian series, is the first to show us her flair for retelling a well-worn fairy tale set to a recent (less than 100 years ago) historic time period and event.

From within the heads of three main characters (with Rose Hawkins and Jason Cameron leading the triad), we see a contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

As Lackey imagines it, Cameron is an Elemental Master of Fire.The best things to come with that is a ton of magical power and knowledge, the help of salamanders and wealth.Unfortunately, this isn't enough to prevent him from turning himself into a deformed half-man half-wolf.

Rosalind (Rose) Hawkins, isrecently orphaned woman struggling to keep her place on track to a PhD.She's bookish, brilliant and her mind is a trap of rationality.

All this is set to the back drop of turn of the 20th century San Francisco.

The challenge for Lackey is she's kept some key elements to the original story while omitting others and adding yet more (that comes from the Elemental angle).

While she writes the tale beautifully and fills the readers head with rich detail, in the end, I found the story itself falls a bit flat.The angle of Element Masters isn't really fleshed out beyond its purpose as a vehicle to accomplish some things in the plot.At times I wondered what was the point of even creating this aspect for the book, it was so underplayed.

Overall, I enjoyed Lackey's author-voice, but didn't enjoy her storytelling as much as I had hoped.I doubt this will deter me from reading a couple other books in this series as her writing is strong and, hopefully, the Elemental Master portion will be fleshed out more. ... Read more

Product Description
Long before Buffy showed the world how tough girls could be, Mercedes Lackey created Diana Tregarde. Diana is a Guardian charged with saving innocents and destroying evil wherever she finds it. Because if she doesn't, evil will find her-and kill her first.In Children of the Night, Diana is running her friend's occult shop in New York City when trouble does finds her. Mr. Trouble, as she calls him, is a vampire whose psychic power makes her radar go off the charts. So when she discovers that he's the new benefactor of ex-boyfriend Dave Kendall's band, she's not surprised to see how bad Kendall looks. It will take all of Diana's power-and the aid of a sexy vampire protector with a score of his own to settle-if she's to save Kendall now....In Burning Water, Diana gets a call from Detective Mark Valdez, an old college friend turned cop. When Valdez realizes that the serial killer stalking Dallas is not human, he knows he needs help. Unfortunately, Tezcatilpoca, an angry Aztec god, is on the rampage and Diana fears she's met her match. But as luck would have it, Texcatilpoca isn't the only god in the world.In Jinx High, Diana is summoned to Oklahoma by an old friend who fears that his teenage son is in supernatural danger from a fellow classmate. Faye Harper, the "it" girl with a mean streak a mile wide, is actually a sorceress whose power is disturbing. So disturbing, in fact, that an ancient being who slumbers underground is being awakened by it...and all hell is about to break loose-literally. Jacket art by Chris McGrath. (Approx. 800 pp.) 1989-1991. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

3 great witchy stories in 1 book...
Diana is a witch and a guardian who is in charge of taking care of any bad things that come her way or else bad things will happen to her. She also writes romances on the side to pay the bills!

The first story Children of the Night has her helping out an old boyfriend and meeting a vampire (which she didn't know really existed until this moment). The vampire is a good guy and they work together to try and save a band group that has been possessed. This story is told from Diana's point of view and she keptreferring to things that happened in the past...well, she would hint at them but not come right out and tell the whole story. I found this rather annoying (as I thought we should be told everything!)and I liked the second story Burning Water better because it was told by Mark Valdez, a former college friend and now police officer. He made Diana more likeable that I had thought her in the first story. In Burning Water she is helping him track down a killer or killers who is wiping out the population of Dallas at a fast rate. Diana doesn't find it easy to track down an angry Aztec god who has taken over a human man in Dallas. It was really a good story and fast paced.

The third story is called Jinx High. Diana is called to Oklahoma to help out an old college chum from her Spook Squad days who thinks someone is after his son. This story is told by the high school kids as well as Diana. Some kids have already met their deaths in odd ways and she must find out who the witch is that is destroying the town. She never dreamed it would be a 300 year old witch. There was one annoying thing about this story also (which is why I graded it 4 instead of 5)...the author kept mixing up the name of the main kid. Sometimes he was Deke and sometimes Derek. That should have been caught by the proofreader. It was a little distracting but I liked the book anyway. All 3 stories have some humor also.

Still one of the very best
I remember picking up "Children of the Night" and falling madly in love with this series. It's still one of my very favorite urban fantasy series, one that I dearly wish that there was more of. The blend of fantasy and reality, of the supernatural and the natural, is so well done that it is just absolutely magnificent!

Fans of Kim Harrison's novels, as well as Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" and the early Anita Blake books by Laurell K. Hamilton, will love this series. Give it a shot!

Diana Tregarde Series (short though it is...)
I totally agree with the other reviewer in compairing the Diana Tregarde series (all 3 of the books) to Anita Blake(LK Hamilton) and the Hollows (Kim Harrison). I discovered Tregarde first,and really wish that Ms.Lackey hadn't received so much flack about this set, and had continued it. This is an excellent insight to a rich occult world, and will keep you reading throughout the night simply to finish the book.
I can only hope one day that Ms.Lackey will add to the series. But for now, if you're a fan of either of the other mentioned authors, by all means check this set out!
GSL

Finally!
At last, 3 of the Diana Tregarde investigations in one book!I never knew that there was such a thing, but when I saw it, even though I owned the original 3 separate books, I knew I had to have it.

Unlike other typical Heroines, Diana has flaws, and the Author is not afraid to show us what they are. In a totally original fashion, we are shown how one's less fleeting gifts, like faith, can get you through a rough day frought with Gods and falsely reincarnated sorceresses.

If you haven't read it, you really, Really should!Well done Ms Lackey!As with all your works, this stands high above the others in your genre!

At last a re print
I have always loved this group of stories. It has sat in my keepers pile since I bought it new in paper back years ago. If you like a good action series about the occult this is the book for you. It has been my personal hope that Ms Lackey will continue the series at some piont, perhaps now is the time. The books are Ms. Lackey at her personal writting best, and the story draws you in and keeps you reading til the end. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes Anita Blake, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all the Dark hunter fans out there. Ms Lackey did it first and in my opinion set the tone for the this genre that is so popular now. ... Read more