Rating: 
Summary: Not Lackey's Best
Review: Although Valdemar defeated the Tedrel invaders, the nation is still troubled, providing plenty of work for weapons master and spymaster Alberich. Selenay, the young queen, misses her father and dreams of romance--to the point where she is unwilling to listen to reason. Not that anyone bothers trying to reason with her. She is the Queen, after all, and the country needs an heir. EXILE'S VALOR follows shortly after the events described in EXILE'S HONOR. VALOR is a smaller story--one of court intrigue, spies, and attempts to gain political advantage through love. For me, the plot seemed to barely get off the ground for the first two hundred pages. Excruciating detail of Selenay's unhappiness might seem necessary to justify her rash decision to fall in love with the first handsome man to pay attention to her, but it is still excruciating for the reader. Similarly, details of Alberich's shopping trip for new disguises are the type of information that could only appeal to the most avid Valdemar fan. In EXILE'S HONOR, author Mercedes Lackey dug deep into character goals and motivation. In VALOR, she focusses more on the surface. For me, the result was not up to Lackey's usual teriffic example. Fans will want to read this one and stay current, but it isn't Lackey's best.
Rating:
Summary: Split review . . . .
Review: EXILE'S VALOR is impossible for me to rate outright, as there are several continuity errors that cause problems in the Heralds of Valdemar series. But as a stand-alone book, or as a sequel to the superlative EXILE'S HONOR, it's quite good. Which makes it tough to review, but I'll give it my best. In EXILE'S HONOR, Alberich of Karse finds a new home, a new job, and many new friends. He also finds out most of what he thought he knew about Valdemar was dead wrong; the Companions are not demons (as the priests of Karse had said), the people of Valdemar are much like his own people of Karse (which also certainly wasn't what the priests believed). And EXILE'S VALOR continues to show Alberich as he gets more settled with his new job, his new home, and his new friends. Along the way, he tries to help the young Queen Selenay cement her rule, and helps to train many young people in the art of war -- praying the whole time that they'll never be needed. Alberich, his Companion Kantor, his lover Myste (whether she's based on Ms. Lackey or not), and the other Heralds, Bards and people-at-large are real, vivid and extremely interesting to read about. But then, there's the downward side, which is that this is a book that has an already well-established backstory, and EXILE'S VALOR doesn't seem to adhere to that backstory as well as one might wish. In addition, I don't understand how the mixup from the Bardic trainee to the Heraldic trainee (and then not being certain afterward, either) could have happened; this should have been caught by someone in editing. The story -- if taken alone, or in sequence only with EXILE'S HONOR -- would be a four star story; very good, and recommended. As it stands, I still recommend the book for the writing, the believability of the characters, and the intricate weave-through of plots. But I feel I can only give it three stars (and at that, I'm rounding up considerably because of my respect for the writing and the writer) because there are just too many continuity errors with stories written far earlier (especially the "Arrows" trilogy and the stand-alone "By the Sword"). The bottom line here is, do you want the quality of the writing, or do you want the continuity? If you get very upset by continuity errors, skip this book for now; if you don't care much about continuity errors (after all, MZB made quite a few, and told people who complained to just live with it), get it now. The writing is exemplary, and Alberich is a great character. But it's really too bad we can't have both things, as in other, earlier, books, Ms. Lackey has been able to remember her own backstory. Barb Caffrey
Rating: 
Summary: Provides some backstory, but not Lackey's best....
Review: Exile's Valor is the follow up to Lackey's recent Exile's Honor. It is the continuing story of Herald Albereich and gives us a look into the young Queen Seleny's life after the death of her father and leading up to the birth of Elspeth.
While it is nice to have prequel material to the Arrows of the Queen series provided to us die hard Valdemar fans, I am dismayed that the minor "vanity" character Lackey created in previous Valedemar works has been given a major role in this book *there is no doubt about this, given the character's name is Myste*. Exile's Valor seems to be more about Lackey's indulging in private fantasies than in really telling a story that is a good addition to the Valdemar Canon. If a third book in the Valor series is forthcoming I will most likely check it out at the library rather than buy it. By all means pick up "Joust", "Alta" and "The Fairy Godmother" by Lackey however. All 3 are cracking good and should be added to any fantasy library!!
Rating:
Summary: Provides some backstory, but not Lackey's best....
Review: Exile's Valor is the follow up to Lackey's recent Exile's Honor. It is the continuing story of Herald Albereich and gives us a look into the young Queen Seleny's life after the death of her father and leading up to the birth of Elspeth.
While it is nice to have prequel material to the Arrows of the Queen series provided to us die hard Valdemar fans, I am dismayed that the minor "vanity" character Lackey created in previous Valedemar works has been given a major role in this book *there is no doubt about this, given the character's name is Myste*. Exile's Valor seems to be more about Lackey's indulging in private fantasies than in really telling a story that is a good addition to the Valdemar Canon. If a third book in the Valor series is forthcoming I will most likely check it out at the library rather than buy it. By all means pick up "Joust", "Alta" and "The Fairy Godmother" by Lackey however. All 3 are cracking good and should be added to any fantasy library!!
Rating: 
Summary: A Tale of Prince Charming
Review: Exile's Valor is the second novel in the Exile's subseries, following Exile's Honor. In the previous volume, the Valdemarans have decisively defeated the Tedrels and Alberich has led a raid to recover captive children from the Tedrel main camp. King Sendar and his companion have been killed in the engagement and Talamir's companion has also been killed. After the battle, Selenay is proclaimed as Queen and leads the combined funeral and victory march back to Haven. In this novel, six months later, Alberich is now highly regarded by most Valdemarans for his exploits during the war against the Tedrel. As Weaponsmaster, he is finding his students less reluctant and better behaved. As internal security chief, he is finding less interest in buying intelligence about Valdemar and more in buying intelligence about her neighbors and trading partners. The economy is picking up and trade is becoming more important than warfare. However, boys will be boys and a couple of high-spirited and high-energy scamps manage to break one of the wall mirrors in the salle by using a theatrical fighting style. The boys are sent to work in the glassworks for a while to give them an appreciation of the value of the mirror and Alberich learns where the boys had been observing this flamboyant style of fighting. Out of curiosity, he attends a performance of the acting troop and happens to notice that papers were passed covertly during the performance. Alberich quickly determines the name of the actor, but has little luck in identifying the young aristocrat. Meanwhile, Alberich accidently creates a new sport, Hurlee, that becomes a overnight success. The various trainees are strong enamored with the new sport, either as players or spectator. At least, the threat of being barred from participation is a potent goad toward better behavior and scholarship. Selenay is having problems with her council. They are pressing her to marry and she is not ready yet. Besides, none of the candidates presented by the council are suitable, much less desireable. Then the Rethwellan ambassador introduces her to Prince Karathanelan. This story shows the continued assimilation of Alberich into the Heralds and Valdemar itself. He has gained respect and power as Weaponsmaster and war hero. He has two jobs that are both significant and satifying. And he has found love with Myste, the Herald Chronicler. Highly recommended for Lackey fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of court intrigue and adventure in a fantasy setting.
Rating:
Summary: Re-read your own books, Mercedes...
Review: For those of you that don't know, Misty is Mercedes Lackey's nickname (her married last name is Dixon... Miss D, Misty...). You may have noticed a character in this book and Exile's Honor named Myste. Particularly in this book she seems to have a solution for a lot of things, plus has a nice romantic relationship with the main character. Of course, this character makes no appearence that I recall in the previously written books that come after this, the Arrows of the Queen books. Ah-hem, anyway... one of the things that nagged me throughout the books was that Prince Karathanelan was referred to as Prince Karath. In all previous references to him, including by his own brother in By the Sword, he was Prince Thanel. Heck, in all other descriptions of the story, he died, and THEN his father died, but no, not here. Misty, read your own books again before you write another AND stop making yourself a character, huh?
Rating:
Summary: For those of us who haven't read Mercedes before...
Review: From other reviews, it looks like it was a good thing that I've never read any other Valdemar books. This doesn't really make me want to start the reading them, either.
There's even (Sara Douglas PLEASE take note) characters that develop and are likeable!
Speaking strictly from a new-reader perspective, both of the Exile books were very good reading. It's not supposed to be an epic story, just a side-story. In this vein, the two books were very satisfying.
It did revolve around the foreigner, Herald Alberich, but it was SUPPOSED to. It wasn't called "The Queen's Honor" or "Valdemar's Valor".
I won't go into plot details because other reviewers have already done so, but I'd like to stress that this was supposed to be light reading.
I liked the hero early in the first book (although why he kept wanting to go back 'home' to a place that tried to burn him as a heretic eluded me). He was a warrior and that's all he thought he wanted to be. He wasn't a closet poet or great wizard or something. He just wanted to find something to believe in and fight for.
I thought it was great that he fell in love with Myste, instead of 'lust (or hate) becomes love' like so many other stories. You get tired of 'on page 12 they meet (can't stand each other) but by page 30 they can't live without each other'. Uggghhhhhhhhhh. The only thing I'd like to have seen more of is what Myste herself was thinking. That would have rounded things out a bit. I liked her character alot. If I hadn't read the reviews here, I wouldn't know about the "Myste is actually Mercedes thing. Moreover, WHO CARES? Moral of the day: Read the books, skip the author bios.
Anyway, for those of you who've never read any other Valdemar books and want a pleasant read, I certainly recommend these two books. I just wish there was a third!!
Rating: 
Summary: I *liked* it
Review: Granted there are errors, there are errors in *all* of the Lackey books, and let's face it folks, Mercedes Lackey has one plot, maybe two, and she recycles them over and over...how did you think she came out with all of these books? It's her characters that grab me. Grab me, shake me around, and make me laugh, cry, and snicker myself sick. Alberich is an excellent character and she adds so much to the sinister yet sympathic funny talking man of the Heralds of Valdemar trilogy. Selaney is young, she just lost her father, and considering her lack of attention to Elspeth in Arrows of the Queen she could very well be caught up by Karath. The point? I liked it. Don't read Mercedes Lackey if your looking for innovation, or strict adherence to itsy bitsy details. You read Mercedes Lackey for the characters, the world, and, of course, the Companions!
Rating:
Summary: main action: character development
Review: I am a huge Lackey fan and consider the Exile series, so far, one of the best series. The first book was about things happening and Alberich's attempts to reconcile his situation with his stiff sense of honor. This book contains much more character development, but unfortunately not as much action. When taken both together, the first two books balance each other out well.
Alberich is one of Lackey's most interesting characters, and it is a pleasure to read from his point of view. Also intriguing were the sections written from the young queen Selenay's POV. One of my favorite aspects of Lackey's writing is how, over the body of her work, she will illustrate a character or situation from multiple points of view. She will show how someone acts in a certain situation and what other characters think about it, then somewhere else reiterate that situation from a first-person point of view.
The Exile series ranks up with the Mage Winds series (which follows it chronologically) in my estimation, but has so far avoided the loony bits (mainly to do with Falconsbane) that crop up in that series and that spring into full flower in the Mage Storms series that follow it. (Seriously - recruiting ghosts of dead famous Heralds and their lovers to help a multicultural cadre of random people uncover a buried magical key that will save the world from a mage storm echoing backward in time? A bit too ensemble-cast for me, although I do like the bits with the Karsite boy.)
Sorry, let me get back on track. Being female, the touches of romance in this book are also very appealing. If you're a guy, why are you reading this stuff anyway? Just kidding - but now you're forewarned so you don't have to roll your eyes at the mushy bits.
I liked this book very much and will certainly be as excited about the eventual release of the third book as I was about the first two.
Rating:
Summary: A Debt of Gratitude.
Review: I am appaled at the other reviews, Fatwas of the Imams of the Mosques of NitPicking. Who cares whether Romans pressed their bulls-eye glass, or spun it? Valdemar is not a district of Rome. My greatest wish was not for more accurate research in how things happened in our middle ages nor in Valdemars' history, my greatest wish was to be there, in Valdemar, helping however I could. That hunger for immersion is my test for the quality of a book, and this one gets 4 stars with no reservations. These Valdemar books lit up a desire for reading in half my children, for that I am in the authors' debt. Myste creates and chronicles lovable and hateable people, characters who are multi-talented, dedicated, and lamentably human. Companion or no, Gift or no, I'd buy a ticket to Valdemar at whatever price. Sadly, I'll haver to wait for another novel instead, and re-read the ones I have in the mean time.
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