Alta

Rating:
Summary: Very good, but with a few minor flaws
Review: "Alta" follows the story of Kiron, formerly Vetch, the serf-turned-Jouster, as he returns home to Alta and helps train the Altan Jousters in raising tame dragons. As always, Ms. Lackey tells a good story and her characters are interesting and fun.

However, Kiron settles back in to freedom and his home society so smoothly, it didn't seem as though he'd left at all. Also, I found it rather shocking that the loss of his family described so movingly in "Joust" is not even *mentioned* in this book. With his status and particularly with his dragon, doesn't he think to ask one of his new friends for help in locating and rescuing them? I also didn't understand why the villains chose to suddenly escalate their strategy. We're led to believe that this particular group has been engaging in their behavior for three centuries, and yet, all of a sudden, they begin acting in strange and oppressive ways for no apparent reason.

Criticisms aside, this was a really good book, with some very funny and interesting moments. It did lack the emotional impact of some of her other books, especially the Vanyel series.

Rating:
Summary: Very good, but with a few minor flaws
Review: "Alta" follows the story of Kiron, formerly Vetch, the serf-turned-Jouster, as he returns home to Alta and helps train the Altan Jousters in raising tame dragons. As always, Ms. Lackey tells a good story and her characters are interesting and fun.

However, Kiron settles back in to freedom and his home society so smoothly, it didn't seem as though he'd left at all. Also, I found it rather shocking that the loss of his family described so movingly in "Joust" is not even *mentioned* in this book. With his status and particularly with his dragon, doesn't he think to ask one of his new friends for help in locating and rescuing them? I also didn't understand why the villains chose to suddenly escalate their strategy. We're led to believe that this particular group has been engaging in their behavior for three centuries, and yet, all of a sudden, they begin acting in strange and oppressive ways for no apparent reason.

Criticisms aside, this was a really good book, with some very funny and interesting moments. It did lack the emotional impact of some of her other books, especially the Vanyel series.

Rating:
Summary: Very good, but with a few minor flaws
Review: "Alta" follows the story of Kiron, formerly Vetch, the serf-turned-Jouster, as he returns home to Alta and helps train the Altan Jousters in raising tame dragons. As always, Ms. Lackey tells a good story and her characters are interesting and fun.

However, Kiron settles back in to freedom and his home society so smoothly, it didn't seem as though he'd left at all. Also, I found it rather shocking that the loss of his family described so movingly in "Joust" is not even *mentioned* in this book. With his status and particularly with his dragon, doesn't he think to ask one of his new friends for help in locating and rescuing them? I also didn't understand why the villains chose to suddenly escalate their strategy. We're led to believe that this particular group has been engaging in their behavior for three centuries, and yet, all of a sudden, they begin acting in strange and oppressive ways for no apparent reason.

Criticisms aside, this was a really good book, with some very funny and interesting moments. It did lack the emotional impact of some of her other books, especially the Vanyel series.

Rating:
Summary: Good 2/3 of a trilogy
Review: A couple of the reviews of this book have appropriately mentioned that there is little tension or thwarted expectations in this book. True enough.

If you wanted to get a book for a little girl - she could be fifty and could be a he, I'm just characterizing here - who loves dragons, particularly the IDEA of dragons, boy, this'll do it. Not as tight or compelling as some others, but with a classic simplicity that would be very rewarding for some readers.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: After picking up Joust at a local Wal-Mart while waiting for a perscription (I'd decided that I wasn't actually going to buy it - I didn't think the whole slave-boy-turned-hero thing would work, with Lackey's style of writing) and reading it through in a night, I was hooked. I plagued the library until they got in a copy of Alta (hey - they had to actually go and get it off their "to-be-put-out" shelf and set it up in the computer while I was waiting).
These books are good, light-hearted fun. I loved Lackey's dragons - both the tala-tamed ones and the really tamed ones. Her characters were fun and fairly well-developed (though I didn't really understand the weird metamorphosis Aket-ten went through...) and the story is engaging. I must admit, I'd rather assumed that Alta was going to be more about Vetch's trials in returning to Alta than the direction that it went in, but it was fun none-the-less.
I'd definitely classify these as Young Adult fantasy, and they're written in the style of the Valdemar books (hey! Companions with wings!) but I'd still highly recommend them to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: ADEQUATE CONTINUATION OF AN AVERAGE STORY
Review: ALTA continues the story of Kiron (nee Vetch) started in JOUST as he makes good his escape from serfdom and begins a new life as a dragon rider. Making his way back to his homeland he integrates himself into the Alta dragon rider (Jousters) community using his knowledge of how to tame dragons without using drugs, the normal method. While training his new squadron of tame dragons he helps uncover a nefarious plot by the evil Magi and Alta's rulers to use the life force of their subjects for their own purposes, making him a primary target for their wrath.

ALTA and JOUST can best be classified as juvenal fantasy. Adults could quickly become bored with the fairly slow pace and lack of either romance (serious romance that is, there is some adolescent involvement with a girl he saves) or action. I won't say the plot is strictly formula but it is fairly predictable.

I was interested in what would become of Vetch and I can't say I was disappointed, but then I didn't have particularly high expectations either. If you liked JOUST then you will like ALTA, if you didn't then don't bother.

Not the best but I have certainly read worse, I remain NEUTRAL on this one.

Rating:
Summary: ADEQUATE CONTINUATION OF AN AVERAGE STORY
Review: ALTA continues the story of Kiron (nee Vetch) started in JOUST as he makes good his escape from serfdom and begins a new life as a dragon rider. Making his way back to his homeland he integrates himself into the Alta dragon rider (Jousters) community using his knowledge of how to tame dragons without using drugs, the normal method. While training his new squadron of tame dragons he helps uncover a nefarious plot by the evil Magi and Alta's rulers to use the life force of their subjects for their own purposes, making him a primary target for their wrath.

ALTA and JOUST can best be classified as juvenal fantasy. Adults could quickly become bored with the fairly slow pace and lack of either romance (serious romance that is, there is some adolescent involvement with a girl he saves) or action. I won't say the plot is strictly formula but it is fairly predictable.

I was interested in what would become of Vetch and I can't say I was disappointed, but then I didn't have particularly high expectations either. If you liked JOUST then you will like ALTA, if you didn't then don't bother.

Not the best but I have certainly read worse, I remain NEUTRAL on this one.

Rating:
Summary: Tailored to YA readers
Review: Alta fails to live up to the promise of Joust. While Joust seems somewhat targeted to a young adult audience, it provides the groundwork for a good fantasy series that also appeals to adult readers. Alta has the potential to be intriguing, but falls short. The plot development bored me; it left me wondering whether the series will drag on over any number of books. Definitely simplistic, probably good for very young adult readers.

The Valdemar trilogies that Mercedes Lackey initially produced had much better content--and riveted my attention--much more than some of her recent work.

Rating:
Summary: From the Frying Pan Into the Fire
Review: Alta is the second novel in this series, following Joust. In the previous volume, Vetch the Atlan serf dragon boy had stolen an egg, hid it in an unused pen, and, after it hatched, raised the dragonet in secret. When she flew for the first time, she headed for the hills with Vetch onboard. They outran all of the Tian Jouster pursuers except his friend Ari, who actually helped them to escape, paying the Bedu in gold to guide them through the desert to Alta.

In this novel, Vetch reaches Alta and is no longer a serf to the Tians, but is instead Kiron, son of Kiron, a Jouster in training. As he and Avatre near Alta City, they rescue a noble girl from an irate river horse, but Kiron is badly injured and blacks out. Upon awakening, he finds himself in the home of the noble Lord Ya-Tiren. Both he and his daughter, Aken-ten, express their gratitude for his timely rescue; in fact, Aken-ten has been tending him while he was unconscious. Later, her brother Orest visits to express his gratitude as well.

Aken-ten is a Nestling Winged-One, a priestess in training and a possessor of certain talents, including the ability to speak the Silent Speech with animals. She and Avatre have become friends while he recovered from his wounds. Kiron is very interested in her ability to actually communicate with his dragon.

Orest is very fascinated with Avatre. Although the traditional approach to taming a dragon fails to interest him, the thought of actually bonding to a dragon excites him. This idea also appeals to several of his friends and Lord Khumun-thetus, the Jouster in charge of training, becomes intrigued enough with the possibilities to form a new unit to pursue the training practices used to raise Avatre.

In this story, Kiron begins to suspect something is wrong in Alta. The Magi are too powerful and they have begun to use the Winged-Ones as sources of power to perform their magic. Moreover, the Great Ones who rule Alta are living too long, apparently with magical aid from the Magi.

One of the new Jousters in Kiron's training unit is Toroth, who is one of the twin heirs to the throne. Toroth knows much more about the Magi and their assumption of power. Moreover, he and his twin, Kaleth, have plans to restore the power to the Great Ones when they gain the thrones. Soon the entire unit becomes part of Tototh's conspiracy against the Magi.

This story relates Kiron's growing reputation among the Altan Jousters and the developing respect for his unit, both boys and dragonets. It also tells of the blooming friendship between Kiron and Aken-ten, which is slowly turning to love. And it shows the tremendous potentiality of a unit of alert, trained and willing dragons.

The story expands into a tale of politics and corrupted power. Kiron finds himself with great responsibilities and willing associates, but very little ability to influence the situation. He and his friends resort to cunning, aided by the hubris of his enemies.

As with most of the author's solo efforts, this novel is very linear: everything is seen through the eyes of Kiron. Moreover, it is short compared to the mega-novels that are so popular nowadays. This short length does have some detrimental effects on character development, but it also reduces the amount of background material used for such development. However, Kiron isn't always the center of the action; the other characters -- particularly Aken-ten -- contribute greatly to the story and plot development. Overall, the straightforward style and fast pace of this novel should interest young readers as well as older ones such as myself.

Highly recommended for Lackey fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of ancient civilizations, political intrigue, daring adventure, and crafty magic.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Rating:
Summary: From the Frying Pan Into the Fire
Review: Alta is the second novel in this series, following Joust. In the previous volume, Vetch the Atlan serf dragon boy had stolen an egg, hid it in an unused pen, and, after it hatched, raised the dragonet in secret. When she flew for the first time, she headed for the hills with Vetch onboard. They outran all of the Tian Jouster pursuers except his friend Ari, who actually helped them to escape, paying the Bedu in gold to guide them through the desert to Alta.

In this novel, Vetch reaches Alta and is no longer a serf to the Tians, but is instead Kiron, son of Kiron, a Jouster in training. As he and Avatre near Alta City, they rescue a noble girl from an irate river horse, but Kiron is badly injured and blacks out. Upon awakening, he finds himself in the home of the noble Lord Ya-Tiren. Both he and his daughter, Aken-ten, express their gratitude for his timely rescue; in fact, Aken-ten has been tending him while he was unconscious. Later, her brother Orest visits to express his gratitude as well.

Aken-ten is a Nestling Winged-One, a priestess in training and a possessor of certain talents, including the ability to speak the Silent Speech with animals. She and Avatre have become friends while he recovered from his wounds. Kiron is very interested in her ability to actually communicate with his dragon.

Orest is very fascinated with Avatre. Although the traditional approach to taming a dragon fails to interest him, the thought of actually bonding to a dragon excites him. This idea also appeals to several of his friends and Lord Khumun-thetus, the Jouster in charge of training, becomes intrigued enough with the possibilities to form a new unit to pursue the training practices used to raise Avatre.

In this story, Kiron begins to suspect something is wrong in Alta. The Magi are too powerful and they have begun to use the Winged-Ones as sources of power to perform their magic. Moreover, the Great Ones who rule Alta are living too long, apparently with magical aid from the Magi.

One of the new Jousters in Kiron's training unit is Toroth, who is one of the twin heirs to the throne. Toroth knows much more about the Magi and their assumption of power. Moreover, he and his twin, Kaleth, have plans to restore the power to the Great Ones when they gain the thrones. Soon the entire unit becomes part of Tototh's conspiracy against the Magi.

This story relates Kiron's growing reputation among the Altan Jousters and the developing respect for his unit, both boys and dragonets. It also tells of the blooming friendship between Kiron and Aken-ten, which is slowly turning to love. And it shows the tremendous potentiality of a unit of alert, trained and willing dragons.

The story expands into a tale of politics and corrupted power. Kiron finds himself with great responsibilities and willing associates, but very little ability to influence the situation. He and his friends resort to cunning, aided by the hubris of his enemies.

As with most of the author's solo efforts, this novel is very linear: everything is seen through the eyes of Kiron. Moreover, it is short compared to the mega-novels that are so popular nowadays. This short length does have some detrimental effects on character development, but it also reduces the amount of background material used for such development. However, Kiron isn't always the center of the action; the other characters -- particularly Aken-ten -- contribute greatly to the story and plot development. Overall, the straightforward style and fast pace of this novel should interest young readers as well as older ones such as myself.

Highly recommended for Lackey fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of ancient civilizations, political intrigue, daring adventure, and crafty magic.

-Arthur W. Jordin