Tag Archives: Fantasy

Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey

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Overview

Intrigues

Title: Intrigues
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: The Collegium Chronicles #2, Valdemar #8
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Daw fantasy
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: This is important enough that they are about to be intercepted.

Synopsis

FOREIGN BLOOD

Mags has been an orphan working in a gem mine when his life was saved by his companion, Dallen, who took him to Haven to be trained as a Herald. Now he was never hunger and never cold. He slept in a real bed in his own room and, most importantly, he had Dallen, who was like another part of himself. And yet, aside from Lena and Bear, both loners like Mags, he couldn’t relate to most of the Herald, Healer, or Bard trainees. He was the only trainee who came from what – to the others – was unimaginable poverty. And since Mags had no tolerance for the chronic complaining of his fellow trainees, this kept him feeling like an outsider, even though he was part of an elite corps of students.

But there were other factors that contributed to his isolation. For Mags had been “recognized” by foreign assassins fleeing the court. These spies had escaped the Royal Guard and never been questioned. Now, Mags was an object of suspicion among his fellow students, and even some of his teachers. After this incident it seemed far more urgent to discover exactly who his parents were. And at Haven, he had access to the extensive Archives.

Poring through the Archives, day after day, Mags finally got some answers, but they were incomplete: his parents, found dead in a bandit camp, had been two of a number of hostages, some of whom had survived. These survivors had told the Guard that Mags’ parents spoke a language that no one understood or even recognized. So Mags’ parents were foreigners, though from what country no one seemed to have any idea.

But rather than help his situation, this information did just the opposite, for ForeSeers had been having visions of the king being assassinated by “one of foreign blood” and some had even Seen Mags with blood on his hands.

How could Mags defend himself against a crime that hadn’t yet been committed?

Thoughts

Intrigues returns us to the world of Mags’ and the building of the Heralds Collegium. Mags is finally settling in to his new life and his small group of friends. I love that he isn’t a popular kid, he has a select few with whom he is close, and that is enough. I’ve never understood the idea of quantity over quality with friends, and Lackey helps to drive this home. You only need a few people who really care about you, not an entourage of characters that just happen to be there.

Lackey always deals with the idea of the ‘other’ really well. Intrigues highlights this through the use of Mags’ foreign blood and the ease with which his peers believe in his guilt. The way he is completely ostracised from the group because of the vague predictions of a future teller is incredibly cruel. But, the way that his friends choose to rally to his aid is a reminder of the importance of quality in relationships, something that can be really difficult to find.

This theme of bad luck and misunderstanding is even echoed in Mags’ own friendships towards the end of the story. Childish misinterpretations and jealousies not only further this, but also remind us that we all have a little evil in ourselves. No one is perfect, and there is nothing more frustrating than reading a story about a perfect protagonist. Mags’ self-doubt and insecurities about his own worth as a human makes him even more relatable. And has given him a special place in my heart.

<- FoundationChanges ->

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Foundation by Mercedes Lackey

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Overview

Foundation

Title: Foundation
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: The Collegium Chronicles #1, Valdemar #7
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Daw fantasy
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: Outside the windows, the sun was setting.

Synopsis

THE BUILDING OF THE HERALDS’ COLLEGIUM

Mags has slaved at the gem mines for as long as he could remember, completely unaware of how unusual his paltry existence was – until some strangers on huge white horses forced their way past the mine owners and carried him away to Haven to become a Herald Trainee.

Suddenly the whole world opened up for him. He was warm and well fed for the first time in his life, and he had Dallen, his Companion, who seemed more miraculous than an angel. But the world of the Collegium was not all heavenly. there was political upheaval in Valdemar’s capital, for the ancient way of training Heralds – the system of one-on-one mentoring that had been successful for centuries – was failing. Many veteran Heralds had died in the wars, and there were too many Trainees to go around. A Heralds’ Collegium was being built, and many thought it was wrong to train Heralds in classrooms the same way the Bardic and Healer Trainees were schooled. But dissent among the Heralds was no the only discord in Haven, for the court had been infiltrated by foreign “diplomats,” who seemed to be more interested in seeding discontent than in actual diplomacy… and Mags seemed to be the only one who’d noticed…

Thoughts

Foundation was a really unique book in my eyes. Most books have a very specific plot line and journey through the chief protagonist’s life. Foundation, not so much. It’s almost like a huge introduction for the remaining three books in the series. Not that this is a bad thing. Of all of the Mercedes Lackey books I’ve had the pleasure of reading, it is Mags that I feel the most connected to. So much so that when I finished reading this series, I turned right around and started to read it again.

Lackey has this incredible ability to take real human tragedy and cruelty, and show you how it can affect a person’s sense of self, confidence and even physical well-being. Foundation is no different. Child slavery is still occurring throughout the world, and it is something that most of us don’t really want to think about. Especially when it is all too easy to imagine the same thing happening to your own loved and cherished ones. So, the telling of Mags’ journey from child slave (really no better than a wild animal) to Herald hit me hard. There is something especially terrifying about the corruption and destruction of childhood innocence. At least for me. Mags’ childhood and back story made me appreciate my own life and upbringing to a whole new level.

Foundation is the first book in my favourite Valdemar series thus far. The combination of the creation of the Collegium, Dallen’s humour and Mags’ gratefulness for the simple things in life bought these characters to life and made me turn the pages again and again and again. Combine that with the beauty and simplicity of Bear and Lena’s friendship, and this story was very sweet and enthralling in its every word.

<- Magic’s PriceIntrigues ->

Image source: Mercedes Lackey

Brightly Burning by Mercedes Lackey

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

Brightly Burning

Title: Brightly Burning
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: Valdemar #15
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Daw fantasy
Year: 2000
5th sentence, 74th page: He won’t kill me.

Synopsis

A CURSE OF FIRE

When Archer and Nelda Chitward moved their family from a small rural village to the bustling city of Haven, it was cause for great celebration. After all, their textile skills had made them leaders among their Guilds, welcomed into the highest of Guild social circles.

But not everyone in the Chitward home was happy about this “improvement” in the family’s position. Lavan, their middle son, had no desire to be a cloth-merchant, needleworker, cloth-dyer, or anything related to his family’s Guilds. He didn’t really know what he wanted to be – except back home in Alderscroft! To make matters worse, his parents had enrolled him in an “exclusive” private school. It was a place where the arrogant older students were expected to keep discipline, and as a lanky, undersized, sixteen-year-old newcomer, Lavan quickly became the primary scapegoat.

It didn’t help that whenever the older boys caught him he turned a bright scarlet with suppressed rage – a rage which left his skin feeling sunburned and tender, and so filled his mind that he was unable to see, hear, or even to think. For days on end Lavan was overwhelmed by blinding headaches and was unable to attend classes, yet even his pain was a welcome respite from the daily torture he suffered at school.

But nothing could have prepared Lavan or anyone in Haven for what was to come. For from his rage a Gift unlike any known in Valdemar would be born in a fiery conflagration which Heralds and Healers alike would be hard-pressed to contain…

Thoughts

As usual, Mercedes Lackey managed to seriously surprise me with this story. Similar to The Last Herald Mage trilogy, I knew that Brightly Burning would be a tragic tale – it’s mentioned in some of the other Valdemar books. But, it still hooked me and took me on an amazing journey through Lavan’s short, and sad journey.

I’ve read about homosexual and heterosexual characters, and love triangles until I’ve been blue in the face, but Brightly Burning is the first story that I can remember reading about a character that is asexual. Or at least, that is the way he seemed to me. There is a huge difference between a lack of sexual interest in the storyline (because they are too young, or it isn’t part of the author’s plot), but to read about a character that actually doesn’t appear to have any sexual interest in another was really interesting. I have read articles that say that Sherlock Holmes is supposed to have been asexual too, but I haven’t had the privilege of reading the original stories yet. So this was a really welcome difference. It was refreshing.

Even though I knew that Lavan wasn’t going to have a happy ending, it was really nice to find out the whole story. As myths and tales of our past are warped with time, I felt that the truth of Lavan’s tale was so much more exciting and surreal than the pieces I had managed to put together throughout reading the other Valdemar books. Lackey is a master of intertwining completely different generations throughout her books – Valdemar has become a very real place within my head because of this. It is so multidimensional that I can’t store all of the facts in my head, much like real life.

The final moments of this book are etched into my mind forever. All I have to do is think of fire of Lavan Firestorm and I can picture his final moments. To so vividly engrave a moment into my mind is a mark of how brilliant Lackey is.

<- Closer to the ChestOathbound ->

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Exile’s Valor by Mercedes Lackey

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

Exile's Valor

Title: Exile’s Valor
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: Exile #2, Valdemar #21
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Daw fantasy
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: The very novelty of the frozen river would bring skaters – the skaters would draw vendors of food and drink, and those would attract musicians, skate sharpeners, skate vendors, and probably more merchants than that.

Synopsis

QUEEN OF HEARTS

Alberich was a Herald of Valdemar, but once he had been a captain in the army of Karse. It hadn’t been easy for Alberich to transfer his loyalties, nor had it been easy for the court of Valdemar to accept a Karsite Herald. But Alberich had more than proved himself during the Tedrel War when he had almost single-handedly turned the tide of battle, winning honor and respect from the troops, and victory for Valdemar.

Valdemar had suffered terrible casualties during this bloody conflict. Worst of all, they had lost their king, a tragedy which forced his teenage daughter Selenay, weakened by sorrow and still in mourning, to ascend the throne prematurely. But the Valdemaran Council saw Selenay’s ascension as an opportunity to wrest power from the crown by marrying the young queen to a man of their choosing – a puppet who could seize control of the throne and do the Council’s bidding.

But though Selenay was young and inexperienced, she wasn’t stupid or malleable. She had absolutely no intention of marrying anyone she did not personally choose, nor would she allow her consort to take control of her kingdom.

Herald Alberich, now the Collegium’s Weaponsmaster, and Selenay’s personal protector, was well aware of the devious plans of the Council. But could Alberich protect his vulnerable queen from the conspiracies to steal her throne that were brewing among the aristocratic classes of Valdemar and its allied kingdoms?

Thoughts

Where Exile’s Honor dealt with coming to terms with a changed reality, Exile’s Valor shows us how it is possible to take strength from this adversity and embrace it. This is a story of coming to terms with oneself and using this to create a better future – not just for yourself, but for others. This story reminded me of the fact that even though change tends to rock me to my core and leaves me feeling unshakey and unsure at the best of times, it has always been a great agent for obtaining a better future. No matter whether the change is good or bad, desired or not, it can be used to make your future better… at least, that’s the way that I choose to see it.

Not only did Exile’s Valor expand on Alberich’s tale, it also helped me to understand Selenay’s. She seems so strong and put-together throughout The Heralds of Valdemar series, that I really struggled to understand how she could fall prey to a self-centred, not-so-good man and marry him. It just seemed so incredibly out of character. But, the retelling of this tale through Exile’s Valor and from the Alberich’s experiences finally helped me to place it into context. It went from being an inconceivable notion to completely understandable and justified. A fact that I very much appreciated.

Whilst this story seems to be primarily about settling into a new life and making it your own – it also bought home the realities of war and fighting. They weren’t glorified or toted as a desirable aspect of life, rather, it was a necessary evil. The creation of a new type of war game really highlighted this – Alberich is almost sad to be training his young charges in the weaponry. He knows that the seriousness of defending oneself will leave a mark on their souls and that it is not just a simple, carefree matter. I loved this take. I don’t think that such a sensitive and difficult area should ever be taken lightly, and Lackey certainly doesn’t glorify it.

<- Exile’s HonorTake a Thief ->

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Exile’s Honor by Mercedes Lackey

Book Review, , , , , , ,

Overview

Exile's Honor

Title: Exile’s Honor
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: Exile #1, Valdemar #20
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Daw fantasy
Year: 2002
5th sentence, 74th page: Even the smell was the same: clean sweat, leather, leather oil, a hint of sawdust.

Synopsis

TRAINING THE ENEMY

Alberich has spent most of his youth in the Karsite military schools training to be an officer. As the son of an impoverished mother, he had had no other career choice open to him. And Alberich had risen in the ranks with almost unnatural speed. He developed expertise with many weapons and excelled in academic subjects with an ease that was the envy of his classmates. But in fact, the reclusive Alberich studies long and hard, pushing himself ruthlessly.

In battle, Alberich had always had a sort of “sixth sense” about things which were about to happen – when and from where the enemy would attack. Instinctively, he hid his ability, for the Sunpriests kept careful watch for anyone exhibiting the “demon powers” which were the hallmark of Karse’s greatest enemy – the witch-nation of Valdemar. Those they caught were “cleansed” in the fires of Vkandis Sunlord.

Both Alberich’s skill and secret served him well in the army of Karse, and when Alberich became one of Karse’s youngest captains, he received a special gift – a powerful white stallion “liberated from the enemy.” But this honor was merely a distraction, for the Sunpriests had laid a trap which even Alberich’s strange foresight could not predict…

Saved from burning as a witch when his odd white stallion braved the flames and carried him over the border into Valdemar, he was healed by the same enemies he had been taught to hate his entire life. Though he knew he could never again return to his home, Alberich also knew he could never truly become a Valdemaran. How could Alberich remain true to his own people and still retain his honor while helping to train the direst enemy of Karse?

Thoughts

I’ve read a lot of fantasy books that have a tough arms master to train the main character in self-defence. Regardless of the period of history or the weaponry used, they all seem to have the same things in common – they are tough, strict, unsmiling and incredibly efficient at killing, fighting and making sure their charges survive. So it was a real pleasure to read a tale that helped me to understand how a man could become an arms master.

I really enjoyed discovering how a Karsite could become the weapons trainer for Valdemar, they’re enemy states after all. Alberich’s journey explained just this phenomenon. But it went deeper than that, it helped to show me why there was a war being fought between these two literary countries. Even though it is fantasy, it highlighted the reason behind wars being fought both today and in times past.

It was incredibly interesting and insightful to view two sides of the same argument (or war). It reminded me of something that my Mum always told me growing up; it takes two to tango, or there’s two sides to every story. Even though Lackey helps us to side with Valdemar (after all, this is the home of all of her main characters), she also helped me to feel sympathy for the soldiers on the other side – forced or tricked or manipulated into fighting a war.

It’s always hard to embrace change, but Alberich is forced to do so, and very quickly within the occurrences of Exile’s Honor. Instead of being a simple transition from the ‘bad’ side to the ‘good’, it was a journey of emotional and spiritual turmoil that was prevalent throughout the entire book. I loved that Lackey didn’t try to simplify such an act that would certainly tear a man in two.

I loved the complexity of this book and that Lackey chose to investigate the grey areas of such potent discussions.

<- Stolen SilverExile’s Valor ->

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Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

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Overview

Queen of Shadows

Title: Queen of Shadows
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #4
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fantasy, Romance, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: They’d been cleaned since the last time she’d worn them years ago, the black leather still supple and pliable, the special grooves and hidden blades as precise as ever.

Synopsis

NO MASTERS. NO LIMITS. NO REGRETS.

Celaena Sardothien is cloaked in her assassin’s hood once more. She is back in Rifthold, but this time she is no one’s slave. She must delve into her most painful memories and fight for her survival, while resisting a smouldering passion that might very well consume her heart. And she will face her former master, the King of Assassins, again – to wreak revenge for a decade of pain…

Thoughts

I’ve been waiting to read this since it came out in September last year. Waiting and dying, and constantly having other, more adult things that I should be doing… so when I finally got to read this… just unbelievable, uncontrolled excitement. I made sure that I had an entire weekend free, so I could spend my days enjoying Maas’ brilliant writing. And as usual, she didn’t disappoint.

Queen of Shadows was a heart-wrenching, breath holding journey of revenge, defying the odds, and finally coming home. I loved that even though Celaena was the character I first fell in love with, her change through Heir of Fire and final transformation in the Queen of Shadows bought us to the reincarnation of Aelin. It was such a seamless transition, that I barely realised that I no longer thought of Aelin as Celaena, but rather as Aelin. This was masterfully done and made me applaud Maas’ talent and storytelling.

The love stories that made me smile and laugh so much were expanded on, I think that Maas is a true romantic, and I just love how she builds these relationships. I was even surprised at some of the turns in these plot lines – which is quite difficult to do. Not only did these tales continue, but the cast of the story also expanded. There were many more people to love and worry for – to fear for and hope for. You know that it’s a good book when you are so emotionally invested in everything that the characters experience, not just the main heroine, but the others too.

Having read The Assassin’s Blade, I loved that I was able to recognise some of the key characters in Aelin / Celaena’s past. Every time that this happened I had a moment of pure joy – I love recognising other characters, it’s like meeting a school friend.

Yet again I am left yearning for the next release in The Throne of Glass series. Bring on Empire of Storms!

<- Heir of FireEmpire of Storms ->

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Take a Thief by Mercedes Lackey

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

Take a Thief

Title: Take a Thief
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: Valdemar #22
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Daw fantasy
Year: 2001
5th sentence, 74th page: Arter supper ye got out t’ Clave.

Synopsis

TO CATCH A THIEF

Skif was an orphan. For as long as he could remember he had worked as a drudge in his Uncle Londer’s dreary inn in the slums of Haven. Sleeping on a pile of rags under the stairs, wakened before dawn to do the lowliest and filthiest of tasks, Skif would have died from malnutrition and exposure if he had never met Deke.

Deke was a pickpocket. The oldest member of a group of young boys who, with the guidance of their teacher and leader, a crippled man named Bazie, survived by their wits and their nimble fingers. But Bazie was more than just the head of a band of young thieves – Bazie cared about the boys. Uncle Londer barely cared whether Skif was alive or dead. It was an easy decision for Skif to abandon his former life and throw in his lot with Bazie’s crew.

By the time Skif was twelve, he was an accomplished cat burglar and one of the leaders of Bazie’s gang. Light on his feet, silent as a ghost, small enough to slide between protective window bars, his “take” had evolved from silk hankies slipped from laundries and pockets to gold and silver jewelry stolen from “hidden” cupboards in affluent houses.

But it wasn’t until Skif decided to steal a finely tacked-out white horse, which was, oddly enough, standing unattended in the street, that this young thief discovered that the tables could be turned on him…

Thoughts

I loved the character of Skif from Lackey’s The Heralds of Valdemar trilogy. So it was such a pleasure to read more about his adventures and Choosing. I really enjoy how Lackey’s books continue to expand upon the stories of well-loved characters. This prolonged exposure is instrumental in my (slightly ridiculous) attachment to her characters.

Take a Thief showed a very different style to Lackey’s normal writing. I really enjoyed this change of pace. I found that although I normally love her books, they tend to be very dark and confronting at times. Skif’s tale, whilst it had some not-so-nice components (in Skif’s history and upbringing), it was a much lighter and more humourous journey. This perfectly reflected the mentality and personality of the main character. The ability to change her writing style and use it to reflect the characterisation of the chief protagonist is yet another thing that makes Mercedes Lackey one of my favourite authors.

I found Skif’s journey to becoming an apprentice Herald a really nice, light and easy to read tale. It was full of wit and humour, but it also showed how those who come from outside our world can sometimes have a very unique (and sometimes more correct) view of our interactions. This clear view of his new surrounds was what also allowed Skif to take such an important role in the events of The Heralds of Valdemar.

Lackey also introduces other characters, both good and bad that I first met in The Heralds of Valdemar, my literary experiences of them throughout this storyline may have biased me, but I think that Lackey beautifully foreshadowed their future actions.

<- Exile’s ValorArrows of the Queen ->

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Magic’s Price by Mercedes Lackey

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

Magic's Price

Title: Magic’s Price
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: The Last Herald Mage #3, Valdemar #6
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Fantasy, Romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Daw fantasy
Year: 1990
5th sentence, 74th page: What if he thinks I’m just some kind of bedazzled child?

Synopsis

Valdemar – the once-peaceful kingdom protected by the magic of its Herald-Mages – is now beseiged on all fronts. The king lies near death, the neighboring land of Karse wages a relentless war against Valdemar, and the forces led by a master of dark forbidden magic are massing to strike the final devastating blow against the kingdom.

And Vanyel, the most powerful Herald-Mage Valdemar has ever known, has become the primary target of the evil which is reaching out to poison all the land. With all his fellow mages slain, Vanyel alone remains to defend his people against the dark master’s army. yet a dream vision has revealed to Vanyel the fate which awaits should he and his Companion Yfandes take up the dark master’s challenge. And if either Vanyel or Yfandes falters, the dream will become a horrifying reality in which both Valdemar and its last Herald-Mage must pay the ultimate price…

Thoughts

I loved the entire The Last Herald Mage trilogy, and the finale certainly didn’t disappoint. Even though I knew what the ending would be from mentions in other Valdemar books, but, I still wanted to watch the entire tragedy unfold.

This stunning conclusion not only restored your faith in the world and love, but it also took you on a journey to the creation of so many things within the Valdemar world. The woods were Talia and Kris fought, the vrondi from the Collegium chronicles, the fact that the Heralds became automatically connected – it all made sense because of this story. Not only did I have the pleasure of watching Vanyel’s last stand unfold, Lackey helped me to understand so many other aspects of the Valdemar-verse that I didn’t even realise I was misunderstanding.

And then there was the introduction of Stefan – Bard Stefan who we hear so much about in the other books finally bought to life in all of his beauty and vibrancy. The moment he entered the pages, I was in love. Actually, his purity, sweetness and talent reminded me so much of one of my best friends that I just wanted to hold him.

Although I knew how Vanyel’s last stand would end – I did not expect the ending to the book. Lackey takes a feeling of disappointment (after Vanyel finally finds Stefan and vice versa) and makes it into a beautiful ending that will definitely bring a tear to your eyes.

<- Magic’s PromiseFoundation ->

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Magic’s Promise by Mercedes Lackey

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

Magic's Promise

Title: Magic’s Promise
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: The Last Herald Mage #2, Valdemar #5
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Fantasy, Romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Daw fantasy
Year: 1990
5th sentence, 74th page: The Inn had certainly marked his passage into a different world, though young Vanyel Ashkevron, more than half a prisoner of his escort, had not gotten the attention that Herald-Mage Vanyel got now.

Synopsis

The wild magic

Is taking its toll on the land. Many Heralds and Herald-Mages have died fighting to preserve peace. Even Vanyel, the most powerful of the Herald-Mages is almost at the end of his strength, in need of a respite from the dual threats of war and dark magic.

But for Vanyel, there can be no reast. Not when his Companion, Yfandes, receives a summons which can’t be ignored – a desperate cry for help which draws them both into the heart of a magical holocaust in the neighboring kingdom. Almost overwhelmed by the devastation they discover there, Herald-Mage and Companion must try to unravel this tragic mystery. Is the young Prince Tashir, a newly Chosen Herald who can’t control his own magic, responsible for the destruction? Or is Tashir a pawn in a deeper, more deadly game – and, if so, will Vanyel be able to find and defeat the true destroyer before this master of dark powers can strike again?

Thoughts

It took me a while to pick this one up after the first book in this series. Actually, I had to go and read an entirely different, but happier book to be able to face more of Vanyel’s tale. But, on the same token, I was just itching to find out what happened next in his journey. And, let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed!

The book starts years after Vanyel has learnt to deal with the pain of his loss. And I say deal with, not accept. And not move on. Sometimes there is only one true love in life, and I can’t fathom losing such a one so early in life. I found that very thought to be so incredibly gut-wrenching and heart-breaking. But, also in dealing with such loss in life to serve and protect others, a kind of light and inspiration. That we may feel pain, and we may lose loved ones, but there is always someone left behind who needs you. I think that this is a tie for many people to the living world, and it very much struck me that this was the case with Vanyel.

Not only has Vanyel found a purpose in a life without romantic love, but he also has managed to gain control of an unfathomable amount of power. I loved that this was a story about a man with power – who used it for the greater good.

Even though I still think that this is the darkest series I have so far read by Lackey, I also found it to be the most inspiring. It’s true that there is no light without the dark, and I think that this is just so beautifully highlighted in this book. Just make sure you have some chocolate next to you to light your way in the darkest moments…

<- Magic’s PawnMagic’s Price ->

Image source: Goodreads

Magic’s Pawn by Mercedes Lackey

Book Review, , , , , , , ,

Overview

Magic's Pawn

Title: Magic’s Pawn
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: The Last Herald Mage #1, Valdemar #4
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Fantasy, Romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Daw fantasy
Year: 1989
5th sentence, 74th page: She watched the power-barrier he had built about himself with her Mage-Sight, and Saw the pale violet half-dome waver as he turned his attention to her question and lost a bit of control over the shield.

Synopsis

Mage-craft

Though Vanyel has been born with near-legendary abilities to work both herald and Mage magic, he wants no part of such things. Nor does he seek a warrior’s path, wishing instead to become a Bard. yet such talent as his if left untrained may prove a menace not only to Vanyel but to others as well. So he is sent to be fostered with his aunt, Savil, one of the famed herald-Mages of Valdemar.

But, strong-willed and self-centered, Vanyel is a challenge which even Savil can not master alone. For soon he will become the focus of frightening forces, lending his raw magic to a spell that unleashes terrifying wyr-hunters on the land. And by the time Savil seeks the assistance of a Shin’a’in Adept, Vanyel’s wild talent may have already grown beyond anyone’s ability to contain, placing Vanyel, Savil, and Valdemar itself in desperate peril…

Thoughts

This is one of the most hard-hitting books that I’ve read in a long time. Ever since I read The Pact by Jodi Piccoult, actually. I think that it probably impacted me so heavily because Lackey investigated ideas of depression and not really believing that you are worth the air you breath. Feelings that I experienced a long time ago. This reminded me of those moments, but it also reminded me that I got through it and the strength that it can take to overcome such a debilitating illness.

This book for me was about not only dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts, but also about coming to terms with who you are. Which, for me, is a large part of overcoming such mental illnesses (I am well aware that this is different for everybody). Vanyel does this through the acceptance of his sexuality – as I said, this is a pretty hard-hitting book, not only does it investigate mental health, but also the struggles of the LGBTQ community. I haven’t read many books about this aspect of life that I have enjoyed so thoroughly and that have made me think and connect with my LGBTQ friends.

At the beginning of the book, Vanyel appears to be a very selfish, and almost unlikable hero. But, as it develops, you understand this is a coping mechanism (we all have them, and it’s fascinating how different people cope in different ways). Following him on his journey you discover more about how systematic abuse can seriously damage and change people and how the understanding of self and sexuality can be so integral to a healthy outlook on life and self. Thus far in reading the Valdemar books, Vanyel is definitely the most flawed and damaged hero. But in the end, this unique vulnerability and incredible journey is what really pulls on the heartstrings.

I haven’t felt so emotionally distraught and vulnerable after reading a book in a long time, and for that I’m glad. This was a book that made me think about my own past experiences and sympathise with what others around me are going through in their quest to accept themselves.

<- The Silver GryphonMagic’s Promise ->

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