Magic's Price (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 3)

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Summary: I think I owe my parents a couple boxes of tissues!
Review: Though my favorite book by Mercedes Lackey is Magic's Pawn, my favorite book in the Last Herald-Mage trilogy is Magic's Price! I swear this book has got to be the saddest and happiest book I have EVER read! I just balled when Vanyel thought he was betraying Tyledel when he fell in love with... Wait, I'm not gonna say anything just in case some of you have not read this book, and want to find out for yourselves. All I'm gonna say is that this ranks in my top 10 list for favorite books

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Summary: GOD! Another box of tissues gone...
Review: What can I say that would get a casual stumbler to read this. I would say what has already been said by the millions of voices linked to the web, the millions who have traversed the gates in search of understanding, heated ferocity, and adventure. They are goaded by a burning desire that nips at their heels and growls in their wake. Or, they, like me, are back in search of more tissues. I will always love Mercedes Lackey for the emotions that she evokes and the beautiful love of the world that she renders(review of boxed set, Heralds of Valdimar). In the final chapter of Vanyel's quest for the un-ascertainable plane of love, truth, and justice, the sparks of life and love meet the sparks of death as brothers. As with Tallo, Moondance, and Starwind, one can only partially win. In the end, passion marks the struggle for dominance and contentment, the emotional flares fade into the forest of sorrows. If I could siphon off Vanyel's pain, I would, the shining gate just got wider, the bridge between worlds just got shorter..

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Summary: The best book of all time...
Review: If I wasn't hooked on Mercedes Lackey before I read this book, I am now! This touching story about a Herald-Mage named Vanyel has to be one of the best stories I've ever read. The characters are delightful, and the story is riveting. Van's romances are wonderfully done, despite the fact that all his partners are male. Every time I read this book, and the others of the trilogy, I cry. Even though I know what happens, I just can't help myself. Vanyel, his successes, failures, personality, and just his whole life are simply the best books out there

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Summary: Hold onto your heart-strings, it's a doozy!
Review: If the first two books in this series didn't hook you on Lackey, this one certainly will. Van is quite possibly the best-conceived character in all of literature, including the well-known classics of fiction. The wonderful thing about Lackey's characters is that they become familiar to you, almost like a family

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Summary: Best Book *ever*!
Review: The first book I ever read by M.L. was, By The Sword. It definately spun it's web of wonder around me, I now try to read as many of Mercedes' books as I can! The latest book I read was the Herald-Mage Trilogy about Vanyel, one of the most heart-touching books I've ever read. The begining starts out a tad bit slow, but from the point when Vanyel breaks his arm, the books grow into a great action/romance novel.

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Summary: Magnificent!
Review: I read the trilogy (Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise, Magic's Price) when I was getting my B.S. in Electrical Engineering. I can honestly say that I probably would not have graduated if I did not have this to read as an escape. This series, set in a fantasy realm, has characters so well defined that they seem real and it seems that we meet them everyday. In each character, there is love and hate; avarice and self sacrifice; good and evil; magic and the mundane. In short, the characters are touchingly, breathtakingly human. Through the main character, Vanyel, Lackey demonstrates what World War II's Admiral Halsey stated: "There are no great men; only great circumstances with which ordinary men are forced to cope." Through this trilogy, Lackey also delivers an important lesson that life teaches us again and again (although, to be honest, many times I cannot bear to know it). That lesson being to practice the best of what those we have known have shown us. So that what they were will never be lost to the world. If the series has one flaw, it is that (as in real life) those we have come to know and who have touched us leave us all too soon. I would recommend this series to anyone!

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Summary: Magic's Price is one of Mercedes Lackey's best works.
Review: In this book, Mercedes Lackey wraps up her brilliant trilogy dealing with Vanyel's life. She does extremely well at portraying Vanyel and Stefen as a couple, never making them into freaks but instead presenting them as two normal people who love each other and just happen to both be male. She also does a wonderful job of showing the stress that even our greatest heroes can come under. Another thing which hits home is the price Vanyel pays for his power. I've always maintained that there is a price to everything, and this is a perfect example of that.
This is a wonderful book, and any Lackey fan should definetly read it. It pulls the reader along and one soon finds oneself totally immersed in Vanyel's world. Read it.

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Summary: -Oh gods...-
Review: -Oh gods- There are so many ways to tell why this trilogy has become my number one favorite set of books. I am re-reading "Magic's Pawn" for the upteenth time and it never ceases to move my heart. Once my friend lent me her copy of "Magic's Pawn", I couldn't stop. I was so gratefull that she owned the whole trilogy or I would have gone crazy and bought them all at once, which I did later...
Anyways, about "Magic's Price": It, along with "Magic's Pawn", is one of my favorite books in the world. By the end, I was in tears, sobbing, because I truly loved this book and felt moved by it. It starts out with an older Vanyel sparring with Herald Tantras. Later on in the book, he meets a talented Bard named Stefen, whom he... Oh, I don't want to give away too much. It covers their adventure thought the perils of Valdemar. Something is coming... And only the last Herald-Mage Vanyel Ashkevron can stand against it.
I can only hope to encourage people to read this trilogy and all other books by Mercedes Lackey. Her world of Valdemar will be treasured in my heart as an escape to a world of fantasy that I truly love.

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Summary: Magic, Romance, and Life
Review: So you know, this is a review for all three books.
I really enjoyed this series. I haven't read any other books written by this high profile author before.
I've herd that she was very good. However, I never really took the time to read any of her books.
I picked up this series because I all ways enjoy reading believable homosexual characters.
However, Lackey does much more then just creating a homosexual romance.
The story isn't just about Van's sexual preference.
It's foremost about his life and his struggles.
THe third book it self wasn't really my favorite. This is mostly because her story line kind of gets familiar after a while.
However, on the whole I really liked this series.
The characters were very real and the story lines are great.

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Summary: The Last Herald Mage: Vanyel Ashkevron
Review: The Last Herald Mage was definitely the best trilogy I've read all year. Lackey's writing style isn't the best, but if you love a great/original fantasy story, then this trilogy is for you. This book has it all: adventure, romance, tragedy... and most of all great character developement. Vanyel is a dynamic character that the reader instantly sympathizes with, as he's been through many horrible events. Will he ever love again? Can one even lifebond twice? What of his horrid family? Will Valdemar survive in the end? The Karse borders have heated up, a religious crusade is about to happen; the facts are in: Vanyel Ashkevron, IS the Last Herald Mage.