Moving Targets edited by Mercedes Lackey

Synopsis From Back Cover: 

Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar is an ancient land where the peace is kept by a very special corps of protectors:  the Heralds.  Chosen from all across the kingdom, from all walks of life, and at all ages, these unusual individuals are Gifted with abilities beyond those of normal men and women.  They are Mindspeakers, FarSeers, Empaths, ForeSeers, Firestarters, FarSpeakers, and others who are uniquely suited to protect their realm.  Sough and Chosen by mysterious horselike Companions, they are trained to be emissaries, spies, judges, diplomats, scouts, counselors, and even warriors.  Bonded for life to the Companion who chooses them, the Heralds of Valdemar ride patrol throughout the kingdom preserving the peace and, when necessary, defending their land and monarch.

Now, fifteen authors join Mercedes Lackey, adding their won magical touch to the heroes of this well-loved fantasy realm.  Ride circuit with Tanya Huff, Mickey Zuker Reichert, Fiona Patton, Judith Tarr, Rosemary Edghill, and other in fourteen original stories - including an all-new novella from Mercedes Lackey - to a world where:

An insecure Herald Trainee learns that her self-doubt can become the source of her strength...

An elderly Herald teaches a young Herald that a good story can protect a kingdom...

The selfless devotion of a servant girl elevates her stature higher than she could ever have dreamed...

I used to be such a huge fantasy fan, devouring almost every book I could get my hands on.  Over the years though, that passion for the genre has died down a bit, but I still have a handful of authors that I will read every chance I get.  Mercedes Lackey is one of them, and her Valdemar books are my favorite of all.  As usual, I love every time I get to escape into Valdemar and get immersed in the stories of the Heralds and their Companions.  Valdemar is that fictional kingdom, that if it actually existed, I would have ran away from home to go live there.

Because of that, when I got this one for Christmas, I couldn't wait to dive in and get lost once again.  Now this collection actually is before the other two anthologies that I have already reviewed.  I'm not sure how I managed to miss this one, but I'm glad that has been corrected as of now.

The biggest reason I loved this one was I got to see Ree and Jem again.  The stars of my favorite short stories from the last two anthologies I read, Ree and Jem already feel like old friends to me.  Instead of being of writing their own stories, as they did in the other two books, Sarah A. Hoyt and Kate Paulk wrote "Heart, Home, and Hearth" together.  I got to meet Ree and Jem before they make it to the old man's house and the relative safety he provided for them.  It was nice to see the two young men (one completely human, the other a changechild)  again.  They are such a terrific couple, who always look out for each other in a world that is dead set against them, a world that would be willing to kill one of them.  This story is about how Ree has to find shelter for the sickly Jem before the bitterness of winter really kicks in.  It's that journey that sends them stumbling into what they think is a abandoned farm house.  But instead of it being vacated by those who previously lived there, the two young me find the family and support that they are so desperately needing.

I've just now realized that I haven't read the anthology that comes before this one either, I'm hoping that one will tell me how these two young men met in the first place.

I don't think there was a story in this collection that I didn't love or feel as if it added to the history of Valdemar and it's people, but there was one other that just had me falling in love and hooting with laughter.  The title story "Moving Targets" is Mercedes Lackey's contribution.  I found the story to be a wonderful homage to Scooby-Doo, what is there not to like about that.  In the story a Herald Elyn is assigned the task of taking a group of four Herald Trainees out on their first circuit, as circuit that if successful will make all four full Heralds.  These four students though, while talented and uniquely gifted, are a tight knit group that just can't seem to stay out of trouble.    Because of the size of their group, they travel with a covered wagon.  In the fist hint of Scooby-Doo, the wagon is painted int he same colors as the Mystery Machine.  That paint is quickly covered up, but it's a great hint for what's to come.

Once out on the road they are caught up in what looks like a haunting designed to get people to flee their village.  It's through some careful investigation, trap setting, and mishaps that the foursome discover the truth.  The whole thing was set up by an old coot who needed people to leave so he could mine gold out of the stream.  When he's caught, he even whines about how he almost got away with it, it if just wasn't for those darn kids.  The story was hilarious, and for a kid who grew up with Scooby-Doo, it was wonderful.

Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey

Mags, recently arrived in Haven after being chosen by the Companion Dallen, is still finding it a bit hard to fit in.  Even though everyone keeps telling him that he is supposed to be there, Mags still feels it can be yanked away from him at any time. Mags, who grew up as a virtual slave in a gem mine, came from a level of poverty nobody else can even begin to grasp, let alone relate to.  It's that poverty though that taught Mags to never complain and be a bit intolerant of other's complaining.  It's stopping him from being befriended by most of the other trainees, other than a few loners, like himself.

The isolation grew even more when he was "recognized" by foreign assassins, and now the ForeSeers are seeing his hands covered in blood, standing by the King.  Between his "foreignness", his unsociable tendencies, and the new visions; his fellow students and even a few other Heralds, start to doubt whether or not he really belongs there.  It's up to a thirteen-year-old Mags to figure out what's going on so he can prove himself once and for all.  Somewhere in there, he has to learn to play a new game, figure out who his parents are, and try to make some more friends.  It's going to test Mags to the core, a core that will either break or become stronger.

I'm going to admit to be a little ashamed of myself for taking so long in reading this book.  I had read the first book in The Collegium Chronicles over two years.  I actually reviewed Foundations back in October of 2009. I'm not really sure what took me so long in delving back into the world of Valdemar as seen through Mags eyes.  In my defense though, even if it took me years to buy the second book, I read in within a few days of the purchase.

Mags is the typical Mercedes Lackey hero.  When I say typical, I mean it in the nicest possible way.  He is a Herald in training who from a young age has had to deal with hardships that most of us could never understand.  Instead of him being broken and bitter by it, he has grown into a young man who cares about others and just wants to do what is right.  He tries his hardest to be accepted and to fit in, but never really feels like he belongs.  He has a few friends, but even then he thinks they could go away at any time.  So when his right to be there is challenged by those who should be accepting him, he takes it upon himself to prove to everyone that he in fact was rightfully chosen by Dallen and that he is meant to be a great Herald.

I'm not saying he doesn't whine and feel sorry for himself at times, because he does.  What thirteen-year-old doesn't?  What I love about Mags, and most of her heroes/heroines, is that he doesn't wallow in self pity (at least not for long) and he takes it upon himself to fix the problem.  If others think he is going to kill the King, he is going to prove that the ForeSeers are wrong or not understanding their visions totally.  He manages to do just that.

He puts himself into danger more than once, a few times coming out the other end with a few bruises and broken bones.  He finds a place amongst the other trainees and manages to make even more friends, friends who will stand by him no matter what.  He comes through the trials even stronger and better for it.  He is a character I can't wait to meet again in the third book.  Now I just need to get off my butt and buy it.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Kerowyn

Anyone who knows me even the slightest bit, knows that I'm a humongous fan of Mercedes Lackey.  I believe I have already done three of her characters for my FFC posts.  Honestly, I could probably do a whole years worth of her characters.  Today though, I'm going to continue to share another one of my favorite female fantasy characters.  Kerowyn appears in quite a few of the books, but it's in her own book, By the Sword, that she truly shines.

When Kerowyn is first introduced as a character, she is the teenage daughter of a minor nobleman who has been running the keep since the death of her mother.  Her brother is getting married to a young lady, Dierna, and it's on their wedding night that Kerowyn's life is changed forever.  During the wedding feast, raiders enter the keep and slay her father.  They also kill or injure every male in the holding and kidnap Dierna.  The whole messy situation was engineered by Dierna's Uncle who would gladly use the incident to take the holding and title for himself.  Kerowyn, who has never been satisfied by the life she had been leading, is the only able body person with the gumption to go after the bandits and rescue Dierna.  She goes to her grandmother, the sorceress Kethryveris for help, which is given to her in the way of advice and in the sword Need.  The sword is semi-sentient and responds to a woman's need for help.  It gives a Mage a bandmaster's skill and a swords woman an ability to ward off magical attacks.

Once the rescue is complete, Kerowyn is treated as a hero but also as someone to be avoided.  She no longer fits in at the keep and goes to her grandmother and Kethry's partner, Tarma, for help.  They train her to be a warrior and when that training is done set her up with a mercenary company, The Skybolts.  She stays with them for many years, proving herself to be a capable leader and fighter.  When she is separated from her group during a dangerous mission, she stumbles upon and rescues (for an agreement of pay of course) the Herald Eldan who was being tortured by a group of Karsite fanatics.  The two of them are instantly attracted and quickly fall in love.  Love never runs smoothly though, once she realizes that the Karsite's are tracking them by following the magic trail left by Need, she sneaks away and draws them off so Eldan can return to Valdemar.

Once she returns back to her company, through leadership and stubbornness she keeps them out of the hands of a horrible Captain and takes charge of The Skybolts herself.  Through ten years of leadership, the mercenary company grows, prospers, and gains an almost immaculate reputation.  She helps secure the successful completion of a major battle that the Kingdom of Rethwellen was fighting against Karse.  She meets up with her former school mate (Kethry and Tarma's school of course), Darren, who just happens to be the brother of the current King.   She accompanies him to court and it's there that she is brought into the Kingdom of Valdemar.  At court, two Valdemar Heralds arrive and beg for help against the war that Karse is waging on them.  Reluctant to help, the King is about to politely decline, when Kerowyn reminds everyone about a large debt that Rethwellen owes Valdemar, a debt the Heralds did not know about. 

The Heralds not only receive the help they need from Darren, who leads the Rehtwellen troops, but the hire The Skybolts (on the advice of Herald Eldan who has been trying to get Kerowyn into Valdemar for years now).  Once they are engaged in the final battle, both Darren and Kerowyn loose their mounts and are chose by Companions, Kerowyn by the reincarnation of the long dead Herald Mage Savil Ashkevron.  With no way out of becoming a Herald, Kerowyn remains in Valdemar and becomes a valued member of the Kingdom.  She eventually becomes the Weapons Master, who is charged with teaching Herald trainees to weapons work in order to defend themselves.  Her mercenary company chooses to remain with her and quickly become a valuable component of Valdemar's defense mechanism.

Kerowyn, who happens to be one of the strongest and mouthiest characters I've had the priviledge to read about, appears in several other books and is a proven Herald who can be counted on to do what needs to be done.  She is also one of only two Heralds that refuses to wear white as it presents an obvious target to those trying to kill them.  She is a lot of fun as a character and every time I get to re meet her in a book is a treasure. 

One good thing about Mercedes Lackey is that she also writes a lot of music that goes along with her books.  Many of her characters are Bards so it makes sense that many of the events that take place in the books would have songs written about them.  "Kerowyn's Ride" is a popular composition that tells the story of Kerowyn's rescuing of Dierna.

Finding the Way edited by Mercedes Lackey

Synopsis From Back Cover:

The Heralds of Valdemar are an ancient order, drawn from all across the land, from all walks of life, and at all ages, these unusual individuals are Gifted with abilities beyond those of normal men and women.  They are Mindspeakers, FarSeers, Empaths, ForeSeers, Firestarters, FarSpeakers, and more.  Sought and Chosen by mysterious horse-like Companions, they are bonded for life to these telepathic, enigmatic creatures.  With their Companions, the Heralds of Valdemar ride circuit throughout the kingdom protecting the peace and, when necessary, defending their land and monarch.

I am in love with all things Velgarth, the world that the Kingdom of Valdemar exists in.  I snatch every book up that I find, though I still am missing three books, and I devour them almost instantly.  Finding the Way is the new fifteen story anthology that explores the world of Heralds, Healers, Bards, and other citizens of the land.  Mickey Zucker Reichert, Fiona Patton, Rosemary Edghill, Larry Dixon, Elisabeth Waters, and Mercedes Lackey all continue to draw upon their creative talent to expand the mythology of Velgarth and Valdemar.

Now I know for a lot of people anthology can's be headache inducing if all the stories don't work for them.  I know some people that if they even dislike one story, the whole collection is ruined for them.  Thankfully I am not like that, not that I didn't enjoy every story in this one, because I did for one reason or another.  For the most part this was a collection of 15 wonderful stories that allowed me to revisit my favorite fictional land.  Now I didn't love them all, but there were none that fell flat for me this time around.

What I absolutely loved this time around was that quite a few stories allowed me to revisit some fantastic characters introduced in other anthologies.  I got to visit with Jem and Ree in the stories "Heart's Choice" by Kate Paulk and "Heart's Own" by Sarah A. Hoyt.  They are a couple of young men, one completely human the other a changechild, who are trying to forge a life together after the Mage Storms.  They continue to face challenges, not only because they are shaych (gay) but because of Ree's obvious difference in appearance.  What I love about them is that despite the prejudice and the odds, they are slowly building a life with a new daughter and a relationship, if somewhat strained, with Jem's father, the local lord.  They face more difficulties in these two stories, but by the end they are stronger for it and even more committed to each other.

The other two stories that really stood out for me, were "Unintended Consequences" by Elizabeth A. Vaughn and "The Time We Have" by Tanya Huff.  The first was the shortest story in the collection, about nine pages long, but it had one of the strongest emotional punches for me.  Lady Cerararatha's husband was one of the Rethwellan lords that tried to assassinate Queen Selenay and sit her husband on the throne.  Faced with the shame and possible execution as a traitor, Lady Cera's mind instantly goes into overload.  Will she be allowed to to stay in Valdemar?  Will she be sent back home to Rethwellan, where she would face an unknown future?  Or is something else in store for her that she can never predict?  When the two women, one the wife of a traitor the other the queen of the land, finally come face to face, they are connected by the betrayal of their husbands. 

In "The Time We Have" we find out how lifebonding doesn't always go the way you would want it to.  Herald Jors is riding circuit when he is caught up in struggle against bandits that have been pillaging and killing their way across Valdemar.  One of those bandits happens to be a beautiful young woman that for one reason or another Jors is not able to get out of his head.  It's by going after her that the Herald is able to end the reign of terror that the bandits have been spreading, but it's also through her that he suffers the biggest loss of his life.  Herald Jors and Mirgayne were destined to be lifebonded, but the bonding is cut off way before it's time.

Where "Heart's Choice" and "Heart's Love" helps keep alive that helpless romantic side of me, "Unintended Consequences" and "The Time We Have" broke my heart and made sad for the characters involved and for anyone who has been caught up in a relationship out of their control.  I think both are feelings and situations that most of us find ourselves in at one time or another.  We have all come out with scars, but it's that true belief in love that allows us to find our peace and strength.

The Silver Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon

Synopsis:

Silverblade and Tadrith, fresh out of their training for the elite policing/military service, The Silver Gryphons, are sent out on their first mission.  The fact that the mission is to man the outpost that is furthest away from the city of White Gryphon is a boon to both of them.  They have been living under the shadow of their famous parents for too long.  Silverblade is the daughter of Amberdrake and Tadrith is one of twin sons fathered by Skandranon, the famous Black Gryphon.

Only a few days out on their mission, not even having reached the outpost, things go horribly wrong.  Something unexplainable pulls them out of the air, crashing into the dense rain forest below.  They must rely on each other, their training, and their wits if they are to survive.  Something is hunting them....

Where the first book in this trilogy is pure fantasy and the second book is more of a murder mystery, the final book is more like the classic tale of survival.  Now, this is a reread for me like the first two were, but once again I started to look at this book a little more broadly.  It is definitely a fantasy book, but it's so much more that that.  This books is the most personal of the three of them, simply because it's main focus is on two individuals throughout most the of the book.  You are able to get to know Silverblade and Tadrith on a such a personal level that it's hard not to get caught up in what's happening to them.

Mercedes Lackey has long been one of my favorite fantasy writers.  She is able to weave so much into her tales that no matter how many times I read them, I've never bored.  Her characters are always interesting and compelling.  Her plots are always interesting without being too convoluted and hard to follow.  But most of all, she is able to tell the story in such a way that a reader is almost, against their will, forced to invest themselves into the story.  By the end of a book, I'm always left feeling that I know these people.  I feel that they are my close, personal friends and that I've just gone through everything they had to face.  It's a wonderful quality in a writer, one that should be cherished when you find it.

The White Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon

Synopsis:

After ten long years the survivors of the magical Cataclysm have rebuilt their lives and a new city, White Gryphon.  Built on a cliff face overlooking a vast ocean, White Gryphon is a stronghold ready to protect it's citizens from any threat. 

When a fleet arrives from the realm of the Black Kings, things are looking a little murky.  The Black Kings control this area and unless the survivors can prove themselves they will once again have to fight a war for their lives.

Skandranon and Amberdrake are forced, once again to protect those they care about.  They agree, along with their families,  to be envoys to the Black Kings in order to try and forge an alliance with them.  That alliance is quickly threatened when a series of noblewomen who opposed the alliance are found slaughtered in their rooms.  All evidence points to one of the envoys and it's up to them to prove their innocence.

I have read this book countless times but for some reason I ended up taking a different approach to it this time.  In the past I've just thought of it as a good second installment in The Mage Wars trilogy, fun fantasy that is a pleasure to read.  This time though I found myself looking at it as more of a murder mystery.  Granted it's not your typical Agatha Christie book, but all the elements of a good mystery are there.  You just have to ignore the more outlandish setting and characters.

As a mystery, it's developed nicely.  One of the villains is set up fairly early but in such a way that it may come as a surprise when he shows up again.  The suspense and danger are palpable in this book and are driving forces behind most of the action.  As the story develops, so does the tension, and it never really lets you go.  It's blended in with the whole fantasy aspect of the book though so it never becomes overwhelming and has at it's core, the fun that Mercedes Lackey brings to all her work.

Challenges: M&S

The Black Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon

Synopsis From Back Cover:

Skandranon Rashkae is everything a gryphon should be.  With gleaming ebony feathers, majestic wingspan, keen magesight, and sharp intelligence, his is the fulfillment of all the Mage of Silence, the human sorcerer called Urtho, intended to achieve when he created these magical beings to be his champions, the defenders of his realm-a verdant plain long coveted by the evil mage Ma'ar.

And now, as Ma'ar is once again preparing to advance on Urtho's Keep, this time with a huge force spearheaded by magical constructs of his own, Skandranon is sent to spy across the enemy lines, cloaked in the protection of Urtho's powerful Spell of Silence.

As days pass and Skandranon doesn't return, all in Urtho's camp wait anxiously.  But there is one among them fro whom the possible loss of this great bird will be more than just a major military defeat.  Amberdrake - a Healer of body, mind, and spirit whose talents are essential to the army as those of any general - waits on the landing strip with anguish in his heart.  For Amberdrake has come to value the vain, cocksure, and brave Skandranon as his closet friend and comrade, and now he fears that this prince of gryphons will never return.

Once again when it comes time to review a fantasy book I'm resorting back to the publisher's synopsis.  There is just so much going on in this book (and the series) that I'm afraid this review would be so long that everyone reading this would age ten years before they were done.  The synopsis gives a pretty good idea of what happens in the book even though it doesn't even begin to tell you everything. 

The only other plot point I wanted to quickly mention was what comes at the end.  As you could probably guess, major wars between two powerful Adept Mages don't normally end well.  This book is no exception, the cataclysm that occurs at the end of this book sets up the action not only for the next two book in the trilogy but for various books that take place over 2,300 years later.

What I love about this book, and most of her other books, are the characters.  The author is adept at creating believable characters that as a reader, you are so drawn into them that you care about what happens.  Your heart starts beating a little faster when they are in danger, you breathe a sigh of relief when they come out okay, and your heart breaks when something bad happens to them or someone they love.  Skan and Drake (Skandranon and Amberdrake) are surrounded by a fantastic supporting cast.

What sets the author's ability apart though is how beautifully she creates non human characters and makes the reader forget that they don't look like us.  While you are reading about them you forget that Skan, Aubri, and Zhaneel are gryphons, you forget that Gesten is a hertasi (think child size lizard men), you don't see them as anything but human even when their physical differences are as plain as could be.  They aren't merely "talking animals" the way some fantasy authors tend to look at non human characters.  They are intelligent, emotional, and complicated individuals who just happen to not look like the human characters. 

She blends them all, human and non human alike,  into a cohesive group of people that you almost have a vested interest in.  You want them to survive the betrayals and losses that are to come.  You want them to persevere when everything seems to be against them.  But most of all, you want them to survive so you can get to know them even better.

This is a perfect example of what a true fantasy novel should be like and I would highly encourage everyone who has never read her work to start here.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Elspeth

As you should be able to tell by know I'm a huge fan of Mercedes Lackey and some of my favorite characters of all time have sprung from her imagination.  She is brilliant at creating strong, central characters that not only capture your imagination but your heart as well.

Elspeth, daughter of Queen Selenay, Princess of Valdemar has grown into a strong young woman who is just now coming into her own as a Herald and as a woman.  Dire times are coming and threatening the peace that Valdemar has fought for so long to maintain.  The past is coming back to destroy the future and only Elspeth seems to be looking in the right direction to save them all.  Over the course of many books, especially The Mage Winds trilogy, Elspeth puts herself into strange lands and dangerous situations to find the help and resources that Valdemar needs to survive the coming cataclysm.

Elspeth discovers that she is destined to be the first Herald-Mage in generations.  The talent seemed to disappear with the death of Vanyel Ashkevron centuries before and now that talent seems to be the only way Valdemar can be saved.  By coming into her own, Elspeth not only discovers her very powerful mage gift but she finds her soul mate in Darkwind, a Hawkbrother Adept who will teach her how to tap into her own Adept potential.  Elspeth along with Darkwind and the other allies she brings back to Valdemar are the driving force behind stopping the events of the past from destroying the present. 

She is a brilliantly imagined and well thought out character that will enchant you with her strength.  If you are not familiar with Mercedes Lackey's writing, please giver her a chance and discover all the wonderful characters she brings to life.

Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey

Magic's Price is the third and final volume in The Last Herald Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey, and it's the one that breaks my heart every time I read it.  This one will be a bit rambling and maybe even have a few spoilers in it so I apologize before hand.

The story takes place a few years after the events in Magic's Promise and Kind Randale is dying a horrible death that nobody is able to cure or even relief the pain he lives in every day of his life.  Every day for him is a struggle and with no hope in site is wearing everyone around him down.  When Medren, Vanyel's Bardic gifted nephew, brings an idea to him about easing the pain the King is suffering, Vanyel is a little more than dubious.  When that idea proves to be another young bardic trainee who can sing pain away, it seems to be a blessing in a time of great sorrow.

Nobody know how or why Stefan has this gift but the crown is quick to jump on it as it allows the King to function for periods of time.  The fact that the same young bard is gay and that Medren has been trying to figure out a way to get his Uncle and his roommate together, doesn't hurt either.

This is where the love story takes over and one that is sweet to read about.  Vanyel still feels a lot of guilt and remorse about what happened to Tylendel when they were together and he feels that he is betraying that memory if he allows anything else to come close to that relationship.  The fact that Stefan is quite a bit younger than him doesn't help either.  Of course what Vanyel doesn't know is that Stef is way more experienced then him and isn't in a state of hero worship that Vanyel suspects.  Their relationship starts of slowly, building a wonderful friendship, one of mutual respect and admiration.  The fact that they are both frustrated because they each want it to go further but both are too scared, for different reasons, to do anything about it, is wonderfully written and fully believable.

Thankfully for us (the readers) and them (the characters), Vanyel's parents invite them both to come home for a visit and actually put them in the same room.  This is the catalyst that finally puts them right where they need to be, which is a good thing because for the rest of the book they will need each other in ways they never imagined.  I do want to make a quick comment about something before I continue with the story.  The way the author explores Vanyel's relationship with his parents and the circumstances of how they finally are able to heal the hurts that have been between them, move me every time.  It's wonderfully done and from personal experience, very believable.

The rest of the story is fast paced thrill ride that will test the strength and courage of almost every single character and will push Vanyel, Stef, and Yfandes to their limits.  This is the book that takes all the foreshadowing, including some horrific dreams Vanyel had in the first one, and brings the story to it's logical conclusion.  This is where we find out how and why Vanyel becomes the last Herald Mage and what it takes in courage and sacrifice to protect the Kingdom he serves and the people he loves.  The journey the three of them take and the climax of the story will leave you feeling so many emotions you won't know what to think by the time it's all over.  What you will know is what a brilliant author Mercedes Lackey is and how wonderful Vanyel is as a character.

I want to leave you with a song that Bard Stefan wrote a year after the climax of the story.  It's called "Magic's Price" and I think it sums up the emotions and the story in a way I could never duplicate.



This will qualify for the GLBT Reading Challenge 2010.

Magic's Promise by Mercedes Lackey

Tonight I will be giving you a brief overview of the second book in The Last Herald Mage trilogy, Magic's Promise by Mercedes Lackey.  In most trilogies the middle book is normally the filler that sits in between the introduction of the first and the climax of the third.  It's generally more of a transitional book than anything else.  In Magic's Promise, while Mercedes Lackey may do a little of that, the story is more about building an image in our minds of who Vanyel Ashkevron has become.

The story takes place about 12 years after the conclusion of Magic's Pawn.  Vanyel has become one of the most powerful Herald Mages in Valdemar and he is quickly becoming the most important as well.  Off page a few of the characters of the first book had been killed in a war with the bordering kingdom of Karse and Vanyel had been sent to take their place.  He had not only done that but had hunted down the mages responsible for those deaths, earning him the nicknames of Demonsbane and Shadow Stalker (if you click on the nicknames it will take you to youtube videos for two of the many songs that Mercedes Lackey wrote to go with the series). 

The story starts as Vanyel is entering Haven on his way back from the border.  He is tired and worn out and is barely able to stay on Yfandes' back.  He doesn't appear to be the mighty Vanyel of songs and stories, instead he appears to be worn out and in great need of a vacation.  However once at court he quickly notices how sick the new king, Randale, is becoming, and as both a Herald and a friend he is concerned.  Shavri the one and only Herald Healer is Randale's lifebonded and also Vanyel's friend.  She lets Vanyel in on the truth and you can feel the anguish that Vanyel goes through trying to weigh his personal needs against those of his King and friend as well as those of the kingdom.  Does he stay and help out or does he do as suggested and go home for an extended vacation?  Through the encouragement of both the King and his friend and his more formidable Aunt Savil, Vanyel sets out to join his family.

Now things are still strained between him and his father Withen.  His father is still uncomfortable with Vanyel being gay and is convinced Vanyel spends most of his time chasing boys into bed.  His mother, Treesa, is still throwing women at him trying to cure him and Vanyel isn't convinced he will be able to rest with all that going on.  Luckily for him things aren't as bad once he gets there.  He's drawn into a few family arguments and deals with discovering an illegitimate nephew who is Bardic gifted and needs to go to Haven to be trained.  I could talk about how he deals with Jervis and Father Leren, who are the keeps arms master and priest, but I don't want to get into too much of the relationship dynamics.  Mainly because I want you to discover them for yourselves, but also because I could write way to much about it, you would get bored and stop reading the review before I was even half way done.

The rest of the book finds Vanyel and Savil, who joined him on vacation, dealing with a crisis across one of the borders.  The royal family of a neighboring kingdom was slaughtered down to every last man. woman, and child in the castle, save one.  Tashir Remoerdis, the oldest living son who had just been disinherited for fear of being fathered by someone else, is the only living person in the castle.  He is only 16 and has shown to have strong Fetching (telekinesis) powers and had just been Chosen by a Companion after the carnage.  Vanyel quickly takes the young man into his care and takes him back to the families keep.  Because of the political ramifications of the act Vanyel, Savil, and a few others must quickly figure out what happened before it's too late.

This is a brilliantly written book about family secrets and dynamics and what happens when those dynamics break down and the secrets are too dangerous to allow to come out.  It's also about the power struggles that take place within a family and the ramifications of what happens when those struggles get out of control.  It's a brilliantly written book and unlike most "middle" books, it stands on it's own and is just as strong as the first and last.

This will qualify for the GLBT Reading Challenge 2010.

Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey

Magic's Pawn is the first book in The Last Herald Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey, and it's one of the books that made me fall in love with Fantasy in general.  This will be a rambling review, so please forgive me, I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what to tell you so you will read it, but not too much where you feel you don't need to.

I guess you could call Magic's Pawn the "discovery" phase of the story.  We are introduced to Vanyel Ashkevron, a spoiled brat of a teenager who has been emotionally hurt so much by parents that don't have time for him, that he's continually turning inward and shutting everyone else off.  When his father finally gets sick of him, he ships him off to the capital of Valdemar, Haven, to be fostered with Savil Ashkevron, Vanyel's Aunt, and one of the most powerful Herald Mages alive.

At first no one is able to figure out what to do with Vanyel, they aren't sure if he is really as snobby and bratty as he appears or if he is slowly dying inside because all he wanted to do was be a Bard and he had that dream shot down pretty quickly after arriving.  When forces dictate that Vanyel comes out of his shell, Tylendel is there to help him.

Tylendel is the openly gay, Herald Mage trainee and one of Savil's favorite protegees.  It's Tylendel that gets Van to open up and start dealing with all the pain that has been eating him upside.  Reading how their relationship grows and develops is a joy to read and one of my favorite things about this book.  They make such an amazing couple that it's hard sometime to remember that they aren't real, that they only exist on paper and in the mind.  As a older gay teen reading this book, it helped me deal with my own issues and I'm grateful for that.  Now that I'm done injecting myself into this, let me move on.

When heartbreaking tragedy strikes (which makes me tear up every time) Van is forced to into his latent Mage and Heraldic powers that no one knew existed.  He is chosen by Yfandes, the oldest unbound Companion in the kingdom (she is on the cover with Van), and he is quickly thrust into a situation where he is not only having to heal body and soul but to figure out his own powers.  More importantly, he needs needs to realize why he should use them.  That self doubt is quickly tested after Savil takes him to a strange land to even stranger people to be healed and taught.

This is a wonderful beginning to a fantastic trilogy that explores one young man's journey through discovering who he is as a man.  The fact that the journey brings him a "life bonded" love and unbearable pain, which the author is able to take you into as if you where feelings the same emotions, makes the journey all the more special.  Van goes on a journey of self awareness and growth afterwards that you are left in awe at the strength that resides in him.  I'm not sure I could have accepted and dealt with what he is forced to do so at that age.  For that matter, I'm not sure I could do it now. 

What I do now is that I'm unable to fully articulate how wonderful this book is and why I feel everyone should read it, but I hope that I'm able to at least pique the interest of one person who has never read them to give it a try.

This will qualify for the GLBT Reading Challege 2010.

Changing the World edited by Mercedes Lackey

Synopsis From Back Cover:

The Heroes of Valdemar are the Heralds, and ancient order trained to be emissaries, spies, judges, diplomats, scouts, counselors, and even warriors. But they are more than just protectors of the kingdom. Chosen from all across the land, from all walks of life, and at all ages, these unusual individuals are Gifted with abilities beyond those of normal men and women. They are Mindspeakers, FarSeers, Empaths, ForeSeers, Firestarters, FarSpeakers, and others who are uniquely suited to protecting their realm. Sought and Chosen by mysterious horselike Companions, they are bonded for life to these telepathic, enigmatic creatures. With their Companions, the Heralds of Valdemar ride patrol throughout the kingdom protecting the peace and, when necessary, defending their land and monarch.

This is the newest collection of short stories set in Mercedes Lackey's world of Valdemar. Not all the stories deal with the Heralds and their brilliant Companions, Healers, guards, and everyday citizens all have their staring role in these 16 fantastic stories. The collection features a new short story by Mercedes Lackey as well as Tanya Huff, Mickey Zucker Reichert, and Fiona Patton.

For the most part I enjoyed all the stories and they added to the stories of Valdemar, however their were two that I absolutely loved and one that I could have done without.

"Defending the Heart" by Kate Paulk and "Matters of the Heart" by Sarah A. Hoyt are the two that I found myself really enjoying. They are back-to-back stories that tell the tale of a young hobgoblin boy named Ree and Jem the young man he saved and has his heart. For those of you not familiar with the books hobgoblins are humans or animals that got caught in change circles during the mage storms (another long explanation that I will put off for now). Ree was one of those unfortunate souls and now has physical characteristics of both a cat and a rat. He escaped with his mind intact but since most hobgoblins are killed on sight, he hinds and starts to lose his humanity. He saves Jem's life and they escape together into the countryside where they come to a isolated farm ran by a lonely old man. The rest of both stories tells how through kindness and love they find a home and a family. It is a wonderful story that should give everyone who is a little bit different that their is a place for them.

"Interview With a Companion" by Ben Ohlander is one of those stories that takes something familiar and puts it into a setting that is so different from what you are used to. Sometimes it works, other times it fails, this is one of those times when I was disappointed. The premise is that a Companion is here in the United States and giving an interview to a reporter who normally does stories on horse racing. It played with the mythology of Valdemar too much for me to enjoy. It was well written and quite funny, but it still rubbed me the wrong way. Luckily it's the last story so if anyone else wants to read this book they won't have to skip a story in the middle.

If you are familiar with these books I highly recommend this book as a wonderful addition to the Kingdom of Valdemar. Heck, even if you aren't familiar with the lay of the land, you should still read it and get a nice taste for what you've been missing.

Foundation by Mercedes Lackey

This book came out a while ago and I always meant to pick it up every time I went to the bookstore. Mercedes Lackey is one of my favorite authors and her Valdemar books are amongst my favorite books of all time. So when this book came out I was so excited that I started bouncing in my chair as I was reading about it. Then life set in and I didn't pick up until recently.

This is the first book of a series that takes place between the Last Herald Mage trilogy (my favorite) and the stand alone book, Burning Brightly. Now for those of you who aren't familiar with the Valdemar books that probably won't make much sense to you. Just know that it takes place before most of her other Valdemar books.

The book takes place while the new Heralds Collegium is being built along with a new Bardic and Healer Collegiums. The main protagonist is a typical example of what can be found throughout the Valdemar books. Mags is a young man who has been living, working as a virtual slave in gem mines. The description of his daily life is monstrous and this causes you to take an instant liking to him. Well that and the fact that he is generous and kind without thinking about it. That he in very small ways tries to look out for the younger children and thinks about others more than most kids in his situation would.

The rest of the story is typical (by which I mean wonderful) of these books. Young man is Chosen by one of the wondrous Companions to become a Herald in the service of Valdemar (the kingdom they live in). The young Herald Trainee goes to Haven (capital city) to start training and is caught up in a situation that tests their skill and courage. I say typical because this is the way a lot of the books start. There is a reason for it though, it works for the type of characters that Heralds are. Heralds have to be tough, resilient, and kind. Now not all the Heralds come from a miserable background but would that make a good story?

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series as I always love to read the history of a Kingdom I want to live in, about the Heralds I want to be like, and about right trumping wrong.

Synopsis From Back Cover:

Mags had 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. There was political upheaval in Valdemar's capital, for the ancient was 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 Herald's 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 not 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...

Favorite Fictional Characters ---- Vanyel Ashkevron

I get asked at different times by friends, family, and other readers who my favorite fictional characters are. As most of you will know this tends to be a rather hard question to answer. We all like certain characters for many different reasons. We like how they overcome a challenge, the way they treat their friends or families, their wit and intelligence, maybe even it's just their name. Whatever the reason, we tend to fall in love with them because they connect with us on an emotional level. Something about them hits that proverbial nerve within us and they are a part of us for the rest of our lives.

So I thought I would, once a week, post one of my favorite characters and share some of the reasons behind it. I hope by doing this it helps you (the blog reader) discover new characters or gives you the voice to share why you like the characters you like.

The characters I post about will come from books, movies, TV shows, and even an occasional poem.

Now with no further ado, I will present my first character. I first met Vanyel_Ashkevron a few years after college. I had read a little bit of fantasy when I was younger but got away from it during high school and college. The idiot I was sort of dating at the time (not that I'm bitter or anything) was reading Magic's_Pawn by Mercedes Lackey and seemed to really enjoy the book. Long story short, I got rather sick for a few days and the book was the only thing around to take my mind off of how bad I felt.

It was love at first read. I had, up to that point, never found a character I could connect with in such a way that I would cry when he cried, laugh when he laughed. Here was a character that was going through a lot of the same issues I faced when I was younger and in a way still do.

A sense of isolation from those who he should of felt the closest too, his family. Not feeling comfortable in your own skin and not fully understanding why. The joy and almost instant pleasure at finding yourself and discovering that you are not only loved but worthy of that love. Finding your "home" and the "family" you choose. Then the pain and loss that is unimaginable at such a young age (he is 16 when this book starts). Finally the reawakening of yourself and your purpose in life.

He was the first fantasy character, the first character really for me, that made me feel that what I went through as a teenager was OK. That the pain and confusion I felt dealing with who I am and how that made me different form others was normal. He also helped me to understand that the way I feel today, and when I read the book for the first time, was my reward for going through the pain and isolation I felt growing up. That I had earned the right to be happy, be who I am, and enjoy my life and my "family" to the fullest.

I don't want to get into too much detail of the books because I really encourage you to read them. I will say there are three of them. Magic's_Promise and Magic's_Price are the final two books of the series, The Last Herald Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. The links I provided will give you the basic premise of the books. However they can never explain the amazing person that Vanyel Ashkevron is.