Rating: 
Summary: A Decent Beginning
Review: This novel is very long. It hasn't been well edited. These two comments seem to sum up the majority of other reviews of this work. I will concede that this book is long, but it was not poorly edited. Any time that you have two authors collaborating on a given work, that book will be longer than one written by either of them individually. Yes, there are aspects of the story that seem to plod along, but I feel that the overall story is well worth the slower sections. As far as the suggestion that this work was badly edited goes, let me say that I can close my eyes and recall the images that the authors created with their words, even though I read this book 8 months ago! That's not bad editing, people, it's called attention to detail!
I have been reading sci-fi and fantasy novels (and playing related role playing games) for almost 25 years, and the concept of "magic" as presented in this novel is the most original one that I have encountered in probably the last 20 years. The overall concept rivals the originality of the trilogy, "His Dark Materials," by Philip Pullman. Personally, I am more than willing to read a few (slightly) long-winded descriptions in return for that. I am anxiously awaiting the second book in this series....in fact, I think it's about time for me to re-read this book, just to make sure I'm ready.
Rating: 
Summary: Great fantasy
Review: Though only seventeen, the expectations for Kellen Tavadon, as the son of the Arch-Mage Lycaelon, are extraordinary. He has spent his life training in the High Magic trying to live up to what everyone anticipates he will achieve. Still his studies makes him wonder if that is all there is though Kellen is proud of his father and the other members of the sage Council of Mages as they guide the lives of the occupants of the Golden City of the Bells, Armethalieh.While skipping his lessons, Kellen finds three forbidden books. Banned as heresy, these are the Books of Wild Magic. Unable to resist though he knows Wild Magic extracts a high personal payment from its user, Kellen begins studying his find. However, his sire learns what Kellen has done and exiles his son but after Kellen leaves, Lycaelon sends the Golems to kill him. As the teen discover a world of magic in which females even partake and centaurs and unicorns live, he also struggles to survive while wondering if the myth of evil demons is true too. Though the first of a sword and sorcery trilogy, THE OUTSTRETCHED SHADOW may be the fantasy novel of the year. The story line is action-packed, but insures that magic seems genuine and the mythological creatures appear real so that the audience believes in Golems and unicorns, etc. Besides a tremendous opening gamut, this epic fantasy novel provides a strong conclusion (not the typical salami slice ending), but leaves enough threads to tease readers anticipating the next novel. Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory chronicle a great tale that will provide the duo much acclaim. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed...
Review: Whenever I pick up a newer book from an author that's well-known from previous works it seems that I'm disappointed. This happened when I read Timeline by Michael Crichton and the same thing has happened now, reading Mercedes Lackey with The Outstretched Shadow.
Now, I'm a fairly easy audience. If a character hooks me then I'll keep reading. So, I'm not sure why I struggled through this book. I guess I just kept thinking that it HAD to get better but about halfway through I was just annoyed. Bar none, this is the sloppiest edited book I have ever read, to the point of entire passages being repeated a page later, and more often than just once. I also just found the writing gratuitous, as if something wasn't drilled into the reader ad nauseam, then they wouldn't get what the concept was, or what the book was saying.
The protaganist, Kellen, is an okay character... though I would've liked to see him be a little more emotional than he was, considering all that he goes through in the book. Another part of what was missing throughout the book was tangible relationships between the characters. Perhaps those will be better fleshed out in the second book but then I'll say that's just too long to wait. After 600 pages I want some real bonds with these people, and they were so slight, I just found myself irritated. While I found some interest in a couple of the other characters, again, they were just so on the surface that I just couldn't get attached.
I'm also not a fan of torture, and there was a fair amount of (mostly implied) torture so I skipped quite a few pages. I don' think you necessarily need to have the bad guy torturing someone (or something) to show just how bad they are.
I must go back to the sloppy editing because it was so apparent and so repeated, I was just shocked. How can a book get released with so many errors? It felt like I was reading a not necessarily a first draft, but let's say a first revision that still needs some work. This threw me so much in my reading that I found myself wanting to reach for a highlighter and go to town, then mail it to the editor.
Anyway, it's too bad because I had high hopes for a rich world and great characters with meaningful relationships and I was left wanting.
Rating:
Summary: Repetition
Review: While I thought that this book had an interesting story, and agree in part with many of the other reviews, there is one overall reason that I gave such a low rating. Kellen, one of the main characters of this book is an endearing young man, with many questions and outlooks upon his life in general. Throughout the novel, Kellen comes upon his realizations and revelations on the blink of an eye, going back and forth from one view to another, doubting just about everything there is to doubt. This is a book of adventure and far off lands, but this feeling of excitement at untold journeys is somewhat put off by the fact that you know the main character will always find the answer when he needs it, at the snao of your fingers. If it wasn't for this, the book would have been, in my opinion, far more enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Would have been a great short novel.
Review: Why is it that so many fantasy writers these days feel the need to pad their novels with tons of excess baggage? We don't need three pages of description for every oak tree and every piece of jewelry. Just write a good story and take us along for the ride. If this book had been edited down to about half its current length, it might be an enjoyable read. Normally I am a big fan of Mercedes Lackey, even though I do admit that she does have a tendency to rehash certain themes from one story to the next. Still, though, when she's at her best, her books are a lot of fun. This book, though, isn't her best. When she's at her wordiest, like in this instance, she has the capacity to be tiresome, monotonous, and downright boring. At one point, I literally skipped a hundred pages and when I resumed reading, I discovered that I had missed nothing of substance. If a piece of description doesn't actually add to the depth or excitement of the story, just leave it out. Not that I have anything against long novels, of course, but some books, like this one, just seem to be long for the sake of being long. A bold editor wielding a wicked red pen might have made this an interesting story.
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