Rating: 
Summary: Vanyel rides again
Review: In "Magic's Promise," Vanyel Ashkevron is tired. He's been doing the work of five full Herald-mages, and desperately needs some R&R.Does he get it? Well . . . no. Not exactly. But he does find out more about himself, save a neighboring kingdom, and comes to some sort of peace with himself over the lingering grief over his lover Tylendel's death (his lifemate from "Magic's Pawn"). The interesting thing about this book is that it dwells on how difficult dealing with family often is. Vanyel's family doesn't like it that he's gay, and hasn't accepted it fully; his mother is still trying to press women on him, and he really doesn't like that. (Can't say that I blame him, either.) They also don't quite seem to know what to do with Vanyel; he's so powerful, and yet he's one of theirs, so they don't fear him . . . it's very tough for them. So, while Vanyel balances as best he can amidst his not very understanding family, he discovers a few more interesting things along the way. One, he'd badly misjudged Jervis, the armsmaster at Forst Reach (his father's seat); Jervis is a much better person than I'd ever given him credit for in the first book ("Magic's Pawn"), and sincerely wants to make amends for his earlier bad behavior. This was welcome, and quite unexpected. The second is that women can still be turned by a fair face and a handsome body, even if they know you're gay. Maybe (dare I say it?) especially if they know you're gay. Not a welcome revelation, to be sure. But an honest one, and drawn from life. Mercedes Lackey does extremely well drawing these insights, from how families treat their own when they love but do not understand, to the overall treatment of gay men and women in society. In Valdemar, there may indeed by "no one, true way" but there is still a range of behavior -- and, sadly, gay men and women aren't totally accepted everywhere even there. As for why it gets only four stars, rather than five? Well, one character, Melenna, really makes me grit my teeth when she shows up. And I'm not so keen on Herald Lores' behavior, either (you'll have to read it to understand); put them both together and they lessen my enjoyment of the book by a bit. But I still enjoy the book, no question. Lackey shows the best -- and worst -- facets of being young, attractive, powerful, and gay -- in this book, which is why I recommend it highly.
Rating: 
Summary: an awesome continuation
Review: keeping on with the character of vanyel, the last herald-mage, mercedes lackey does a wonderful job with suspense, action, basically everything. ms. lackey is one of my favorite authors and i strongly recommend her to anyone who reads fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful midpoint for the trilogy
Review: Magic's Promise is in many ways my favorite book of the trilogy, although I see-saw between them depending on my mood. This book adds more to the trilogy than it would seem from a quick glance over the plot. I find Van's confusions over his reactions to the other characters, espcially over Shavri, to ring very true. I am glad that Mercedes Lackey chose to include a book like this in the series. Although on the surface, it is just a murder mystery type plot with magic and featuring a character who we already know, on another level it brings up very important things in Vanyel's life. By showing him in a book where he is not in love, it allows the reader to watch him come to terms with difficult issues that could not be raised as effectivly in one of the other books in the series. I find that this book is definitly worth reading more than once.
Rating:
Summary: After pain, grief and prejudice the hero still wins!
Review: Mecedes Lackey has got to be the all-time champ at story weaving. Through all three books in this series the one thing that always wins is Love. No matter how much Vanyel suffers he finds the strength to continue because someone loves him. I haven't been gripped by a book like this in a very long time.
Ms Lackey has also managed to slip in practicallity in her fantasy. Magic use has consequences, both good and bad, depending on how it's used and IF you're paying attention. This really helps the book come alive because it makes sense!
I highly recommend this book and the others in the series to anyone who wishes to be totally immersed by a story and it's characters.
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Summary: A gay love story anyone will love!
Review: Ms. Lackey makes me proud to read gay fiction. I can't thank her enough for what she's done through "The Herald Mage" series to advance the acceptance of homosexuality. The message is constant, but subtle, so that even straight readers have to adore every moment of it. She can stand on her soapbox any time, and I'll be right there, cheering her on. This series is too beautiful not to read. Scurry out and buy it this minute. You're missing something special in gay fiction if you don't.
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Summary: Wonderful book that ties you closer to Vanyel!
Review: Really helps you get to know Van and his friends better. It helps tie the trilogy together. What else can I say about a trilogy that words can not even begin to describe?
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Summary: Vanyel is maturing nicely in this one...
Review: The first book in the trilogy, "Magic's Pawn," introduced us to protagonist Vanyel as an adolescent struggling to figure out who he is in the greater world. "Magic's Promise" brings us up to speed with a well-seasoned Vanyel in his late twenties, but you're never too old to reassess yourself. Vanyel does some soul-searching about a personal decision he'd made some years before (I won't spoil it for you here) in between dealing with Royal intrigue across the border from Valdemar, and the doings of his own crazy family. The mystery of the magical assassination of the entire royal clan of Lineas makes for a page-turning plot all on its own, but Vanyel's coming to terms with his dysfunctional family are what really make this book stand out from other fantasy novels. I've read a few reviews of this trilogy that recommend making it required reading in schools for Lackey's sensitive treatment of a wonderful gay character. I'd recommend putting it in the waiting rooms of counseling offices, rehab centers and other places where parents go for guidance, for Lackey's insightful treatment of a troubled family and the ways in which she shows that reconciliations might be possible.
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Summary: I LOVE this book
Review: The second in Mercedes Lackey's "The Last Herald-Mage" trilogy, this book is part of my all-time favorite trilogy on earth. This book is amazing, though not my favorite of the trilogy (that goes to "Magic's Pawn"), and it is definitely a worthy sequel. Buy this if you read gay OR fantasy fiction, because it is absolutely worth it.
Rating:
Summary: In some ways better then the first!
Review: The second in the Harald-Mage series is very different from the first. The thing I noticed right off is that Vanyel has a sence of humor! (the Mindspeech beween him and his Companion Yfandes is priceless!)
He's worked past most of the pain of twelve years ago and has delved head first into his Harald duties.
Vanyel's character developed a lot between Magic's Pawn and Magic's Promise I would have liked to see that development, and some of the adventures hinted at in this book sounded very interesting, but I soon forgot about that as the story sucked me in! The story is mystery driven. (something that was *not* the case in the first book)
After a year on a battle field Vanyal is called home to Forest Reach, where there is unrest at the boarders and political roumors are running wild, but soon he finds that the waters run much deeper then that. Sorry for being veague but I can't say much with out giving something away. :) Although Magic's Promise has more action, and a much lighter feel then Magic's Pawn, there are some of the lump in the throat moments that has endeared me to this series. Absolutly fantasic!
Rating: 
Summary: If you like to see your heroes DO something.
Review: Then don't buy this book.
This books picks up like 15 years after the one before.
At the end of the last book, Van met the bad guy and killed him. So I figured this book would lead me into his maturing and learning how to to use his powers. Um, no. Apparently Van has been fighting a war some border (don't know where because there is no map!) and has this great reputation. We never actually get to SEE him do any battling. As a matter of fact he doesn't really DO anything for the first 80% of the book! Not until Lackey decides to, ONCE AGAIN, throw a bad guy at us in the LAST TWO CHAPTERS and have van kill him. So for the entire book, we don't even get a HINT there is a bad guy looming. All we get is Van's wonderfully yucky life. Then BOOM, there's a bad guy in the last 2 chapters and van goes and kills him.
Wow.
Exciting.
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