Rating: 
Summary: Can't let go of it!!!
Review: Mercedes Lackey's book is absolutely thrilling. I enjoyed it so much that i would want to reread it over and over again! The overall plot and story was very good. Considering the fact that i just picked it up from off the shelf. I have read works from D.Eddings and some of R.A. Salvatore's books and Lackey deserves to be up there with the Greats! Although theres one thing...her books lack the type of excitement that pounds up one's veins and she describes rather too much of one thing.The characters speculate and talk too much, very unfantasylike...more to science fiction. And there's not enough on one person's life. Half on Karal, quarter on the Empire, and the rest on Elspeth, An'desha and FireSong.Didn't quite like the fact that FireSong and An'desha are homos,man. On the other hand, that's what you get for adjoined subplots.However I did entice and force four of my clubmembers to read her books.Ciao
Rating: 
Summary: okay but not the best
Review: This book was good in that mass market fantasy kind of way. The only thing I found wrong with it was that about the first hundred something pages was re-telling of previous stories. I found that annoying. These books are good if you don't want to have to think to read them. My all time favorite author, of course, is Diana Wynne Jones though, so read her for original stories.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, though I miss some characters!
Review: This book was pretty good, and I enjoyed the character of Karal a lot, and the need to explore just how the different countries would get along, etc. And finally we learn more of the mysterious Eastern Empire we have heard mention of in earlier works, that Baron Valdemar left so long ago.
But I am slightly disappointed by the fact that Elspeth and Darkwind (2 characters I've come to love)are not in this book or Strom Rising very much, just mostly mentioned. I am glad that Talia is back in the 'fray' a bit more, but I still want to know what's going on with Elspeth and Darkwind. I guess nothing, or they would be mentioning them though. I haven't read Storm Breaking yet, and maybe some things will change, though I have the very strong feeling they won't.
But despite this, I still loved the book and Storm Rising, and Karal is an interesting character anyways, and so is An'desha. I hope some more of my questions are answered in the last one of this trilogy, like the whole deal with Iftel and the hint that they gave on the back of this book that the Companions have been keeping secrets from their Heralds! So I'll be reading the last one soon, though I feel sad that this is the last one so far of the time of Selenay. :( But I *will* read on...
Rating:
Summary: Read it! (but only if you've read ones before this!)
Review: This is my favorite Lackey book ever! I picked it up in a bookstore because my bf was always talking about Mercedes Lackey books. When I started, I thought it was terrible! I mean, I had no IDEA who these people were! Then I read the arrows and the winds, came back to it, and found WOW! Now that I know what's going on, it's great! I loved Altra, he was always so unpredictable and funny! One of Merecedes Lackey's best series' ever!
Rating:
Summary: Lackey is a very promising author!
Review: This is the very first book I have read by Mercedes Lackey, and must say that if you haven't read this one... try it! It's a great, all around fantasy. Maybe not as good as Terry Brooks but Lackey is unique in her own special ways. For instance: she doesn't focus a lot on characters talking, except for in instances where is required that characters be talking to reslove an incident. Mostly she just has characters think, and most of the time she'll just have the character think for pages and pages... but somehow once you get used to it(I did)it's very interesting just to read what the character is thinking, and why. It may seem a little dull at first-the book starts out a little on the unpromising side- but starting in one of the later chapters-like 7 or 8- she begins to show here talent in weaving together a plot involving 4 kingdoms, a lot of really well done characters and personalities, and lots of mages and magic for the hard-core fantasy magic-use lover. Though this book is not as well done as other authors in the mix(Terry Brooks, Salvatore, etc.) and doesn't have as much action until the very last few chapters, it still deserves praise for the hard work Mercedes must have put into it. And I just have to say to her, "Well done."
Rating:
Summary: fantastic!
Review: This is the very first book I read by Mercedes Lackey. In the beginning I thought it was very frustrating, just because I hadn't read her previous books. Once I started to feel comfortable with the characters, I couldn't put the book down! I read all of the "Winds" and "Storm" books, as well as "By the Sword". Mercedes lets you share the thoughts of the characters. I particularly like Karal. He is able to detect the human side of Tremane.
This book is highly recommended
Rating:
Summary: My first fantasy book
Review: This was not only my first Lackey book, but it was my first fantasy book, altogethor. I have to say that I was impressed, after reading it, I ordered all of the Valdemar series that I could find. In fact, I am rereading it as I post this.
Rating:
Summary: Why this book?
Review: This wonderful story of adventure and duty pulls you in with believable human, and not so human, characters. Admittedly a slow starter, once Karl (main man) reaches the palace things begin to pick up. Although it would be best to read the other books of Valdemar to better understand and fully appreicaite the other characters you see, this book is worth a look. Filled with magic, both in the story and in the writing, I find myself able to love the personalities within the pages almost more then the story itself. Not much on vauge villians, and you don't get any more abstract then a magical storm that started in the far distant past!, I had no trouble getting into this book and think that you should give it a try too.
Rating:
Summary: Why this book?
Review: This wonderful story of adventure and duty pulls you in with believable human, and not so human, characters. Admittedly a slow starter, once Karl (main man) reaches the palace things begin to pick up. Although it would be best to read the other books of Valdemar to better understand and fully appreicaite the other characters you see, this book is worth a look. Filled with magic, both in the story and in the writing, I find myself able to love the personalities within the pages almost more then the story itself. Not much on vauge villians, and you don't get any more abstract then a magical storm that started in the far distant past!, I had no trouble getting into this book and think that you should give it a try too.
Rating:
Summary: Say What?
Review: You can read this book as a story, and, you may read beyond the lines and see what Mercedes Lackey use her story to tell. If you dare face your Self.
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