REVIEW: ARROW'S FALL

Cover art: Jody Lee

ARROW'S FALL

HERALDS OF VALDEMAR BOOK THREE

BY

MERCEDES LACKEY

ISBN: 978-0-88677-400-4

Pages: 319 (Including Appendix)

Publisher: Daw Books

Published: 5 January 1988

On the cover:

VALDEMAR'S PERIL!

With Elspeth, the heir to the throne of Valdemar, come of marriageable age, Talia, the Queen's Own Herald returns to court to find Queen and heir beset by diplomatic intrigue as various forces vie for control of Elspeth's future.

But just as Talia is about to uncover the traitor behind all these intrigues, she is sent off on a mission to the neighboring kingdom, chosen by the Queen to investigate the worth of a marriage proposal from Prince Ancar. And to her horror, Talia soon discovers there is far more going on at Prince Anscar's court than just preperation for a hoped for royal wedding. For a different magic than that of the Heralds is loose in Anscar's realm - an evil and ancient sorcery that may destroy all of Valdemar unless Talia can send warning to her Queen in time.

   For the third book in the Heralds of Valdemar trilogy, Lackey for the first time takes is out of Valdemar. There have been some talk of the greater world earlier, but now we get to experience it.
   There is much more of a vibe of politics here than in the previous books. And I find that very interesting. It broadens the understanding of how the Heralds function, and gives a deeper insight into their place in Valdemar's society. They have always been described as the Queen's Own, but here we get a better sense that this is as more than an internal "police" force.

   The personal journey of Talia is also a major part of the plot this time. Not only in her central place in the political plot, but also in her personal life. It's good to see a resolution to something that has been brewing since the first book. The conclusion to, at least this part of, Talia's personal life is very well integrated into the greater storyline of the plot.

   Lackey branches out in the epicness of the series with this novel. There is a much greater scope to this than the relatively closed settings of the two previous books. This is done in a very fluid way, it feels like the tale grows and branches out without being forced by the writer, but as a logical extension of the narrative.

   As a conclusion to a trilogy, I really enjoyed this novel. But I must admit that I was a little disappointed with some of the things that were unresolved. Then again I have become so invested in the world of Valdemar now, and plan to pick up the next trilogies in the future, so this is not actually anything than I minor disappointment.
  
   Apart from a feeling that the end could have been even better if the book had been a hundred pages longer, this was a very good read.
   Lackey has cemented her place as a must read author when it comes to classic style (i.e. pre-Gritty) Fantasy. And I would again like to recommend this trilogy to anyone who wants Fantasy with a little less darkness and grit in it.

Reviews: Arrows of the Queen  Arrow's Flight

Links: Mercedes Lackey  Daw Books

REVIEW: ARROW'S FLIGHT

Cover art: Jody Lee

ARROW'S FLIGHT

HERALDS OF VALDEMAR BOOK 2

BY

MERCEDES LACKEY

ISBN: 978-0-88677-377-9

Pages:318

Publisher: Daw Books

Published: 1 September 1987

On the cover:

HERALD'S CHALLENGE!

Talia could scarcely believe that she had finally earned the rank of full Herald. Yet though this seemed like the fulfillment of all her dreams, it also meant she would face trials far greater than those she had previously survived. For now Talia must ride forth to patrol the kingdom of Valdemar, dispensing Herald's justice throughout the land.

But in this realm beset by dangerous unrest, enforcing her rulings, would require all the courage and skill Talia could command- for if she misused her own special powers, both she and Valdemar would pay the price!

    This novel continues the story of Talia that begun in The Arrows of the Queen. There is a time gap between the two novels, but in a way there doesn't seem to be. Talia's abilities doesn't seem to have developed much from book one, and it felt a bit like she has aged just so that a sexual relationship can be introduced. Not that the book is full of sex scenes, it isn't. And the ones that are here feels like a natural part of the life of an 18 year old in this world.

   Putting aside the above, and it wasn't really a huge problem just a minor annoyance, the story progresses nicely. Having Talia leave the Collegium and go out into Valdemar gives Lackey the opportunity to show us more of the world. And it is an interesting world, it is in many ways different than what is usual in Epic Fantasy. It isn't as "Grand" as most Fantasy worlds, and that made it seem much more realistic to me. And it was very interesting to see how the Heralds interact outside of their base.

   We also see more to the Heralds here, it is really good to see the community they have and how Talia fits into this. The Heralds are really a very interesting group of characters, and it is no wonder that many people love them. Lackey is really good at showing the characteristics of the cast, and you can't really remain unaffected by the characters...Even when they annoy you, there's still a compulsion to follow them.

   This is really a very good read. I like how Lackey writes a serious book without making it "dark". There was also very little of the "middle book syndrome" present here. It's a great follow up to the first book and I didn't wait to pick up the last book in the trilogy when finishing.
    As I wrote in my review of The Arrows of the Queen, this is a good "antidote" to the darker direction Epic Fantasy has taken lately. And for readers who are new to Fantasy it is a good look back at what the genre was back in the 80s.

Review: Arrows of the Queen

Links: Mercedes Lackey  Daw Books

REVIEW: ARROWS OF THE QUEEN

Cover art: Jody Lee

ARROWS OF THE QUEEN

HERALDS OF VALDEMAR BOOK 1

BY

MERCEDES LACKEY

ISBN: 978-0-88677-378-6

Pages: 320

Publisher: Daw Books

Published: 3 March 1987

On the cover:

A KINGDOM IMPERILED!

Chosen by the Companion Rolan, a mystical horse-like being with powers beyond imagining, Talia, once a runaway, has now become a trainee Herald, destined to become one of the Queen's own elite guard. For Talia has certain awakening talents of the mind that only a Companion like Rolan can truly sense.

But as Talia struggles to master her unique abilities, time is running out. For conspiracy is brewing in Valdemar, a deadly treason which could destroy Queen and kingdom. Opposed by unknown enemies capable of both diabolical magic and treacherous assassination, the Queen must turn to Talia and the Heralds for aid in protecting the realm and insuring the future of the Queen's heir, a child already in danger of becoming bespelled by the Queen's own foes!

   This story is pretty typical for Fantasy in its set-up. We have a protagonist that runs away from her family, and ends up being a "chosen one". Apart from the main character being female there isn't really much that is original in the basic premise. Add to that the setting is basically a School of Magic, and you wont expect too much originality. -Although it must be said that this book was first published ten years before Harry Potter first appeared in the stores, so accusing Lackey of copying Rowling when it comes to setting is totally wrong, unless you can prove Lackey has a time-machine.

   The Heralds and the Companions are a great concept. And Lackey is very good at letting the reader discover more about it together with Talia, the main character. We learn a lot about the world of Valdemar and its Heralds without getting the feeling that the information is dumped on us.

   We are also introduced to an interesting cast of characters, they are diverse and they have a depth to them that makes them seem like real people. That we are mostly at one location helps to concentrate more of the novel on the characters, and especially Talia's, daily life. This works very well, and adds a lot to the story.

   I found the story very compelling. Following Talia's journey is a very interesting story and I got hooked on really early. There are parts of the story that concern themselves with her coming to a completely alien environment and I felt that Lackey handled that nearly perfect. 

   When the story turns to conspiracy and suspense it also works great. Lackey writes in a way that gets you invested in the events, as well as the characters involved in them. I did however feel that there was a bit of a problem with a change of pace in the latter parts of the novel, and the ending felt a bit rushed. It may be that the story would have been better if the novel was hundred pages longer. But that is really a minor niggle, I liked it enough that I immediately started on the next book in the trilogy.

   This is a very good Fantasy novel, written in a lighter style than what most modern Fantasy is. There's no "gritty" here, and I think that is a strength. Lackey has written a very entertaining story that is by no means too "light" to be dismissed as fluff. If you like the Fantasy of the eighties, or is just tired of everything having to be dark and gloomy, I would strongly recommend you pick this up. It is also great to see Fantasy in an Epic setting that has a female main character, and if you ever miss that this is a must.

Links: Mercedes Lackey  Daw Books