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Summary: Kudos to Lackey
Review: This is the best book I have ever read. I love it. I periodically reread the whole series and cry every time. If you haven't read the books yet I won't ruin it for you. To Merecedes Lackey I'd like to say thank you for Vanyel and his world. To me Vanyel is real and alive not just a character in a book. (kooky I know but come on) this book is GREAT please read it so one more person will know of Vanyel *sigh* if you liked it ... . Thanks
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Summary: Enchanting endearments of splended reverence
Review: I won't lie, I'm not familiar with Mercedes Lackey's work. In fact, Magic's Pawn is the first book I read from her writings. But it was enough to completely enchant me into the story. It is hardly ever a time when such enchantment can move me to tears as this one has. Every character is uniquely portrayed in an elegant fashion, and it's very easy to 'become one' with the story through them. When Tylendel committed suicide, I felt the blow deep in my chest, and I couldn't hold back the tears. He died feeling anguish and utter regret deep within his soul. It was easy to feel his pain through the words. And I could feel Vanyal's pain when Tylendel committed suicide. Their moments together are very involved, and you could see how much they loved each other. I still feel the blow from that shock, and nothing I've read has ever done that. It is reasons like this that I give Magic's Pawn a 5 out of 5. Mercedes Lackey, I congradulate you on making such a deeply moving story. This one book has made you my favorite author and I look forward to reading your other works.
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Summary: what can i say? amazingly real
Review: i read this book only *after* i read magic's promise (why i did that is a different story altogether).i have to say that i think this trilogy is misty's best work *ever*... and i own all of her valdemar books except brightly burning, oathblood and some of the other compilations.. since i was introduced to his character as one who is anything but helpless, it was a real shock to me to see how vulnerable he really was when he was much younger. somehow it made everything more poignant, and i realized how strong he really was. what makes this trilogy so special is that vanyel is one of the best fleshed out character that misty had ever created. i even think of him as a person rather than a character (now isn't that bonkers?). in this novel, he's a teen... as usual, going through the angst period... but what is amazing is that a lot of the problems that he faced is real - withen, jervis, his mom - and he have no clue why! readers are able to see the transformation of vanyel realistically. i started from being annoyed with him in the beginning into cheering for him at the end! he is a person with flaws, a lot of them but he is somebody you could believe existed. misty didn't make him into a perfect being like her later characters (remember darian, anyone?) the plot is rather slow at the beginning, but it picks up speed and you can feel a palpable sense of urgency as it goes on to a very, and i mean *very* explosive ending. i guess it makes sense coz at first, things didn't seemed to go well for vanyel and he must have experienced the whole thing as if it was a slow sort of nightmare... only to find it get worse. after a few reads, i realized that the whole thing occured during a single year and only then i realized how horrible it was for vanyel who had to grow up in the space of a few months. and made me love him even more! suffice to say.... buy it!!!
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Summary: Start here - you won't stop.
Review: Start with this book. Make this your starting point, but be warned - you will be immediately addicted to the world of Valdemar and the surrounding nations. Fortunately when I was drawn into this universe - over 8 years ago - there were maybe seven or eight books in the series so I wasn't faced with the daunting collection of over twenty novels which span the centuries of the land of Valdemar. Now that you've been warned, let me tell you what you'll miss if you don't start now ...
Some of the finest characters ever conceived in fiction (sci-fi, fantasy or otherwise). Stories that bring you through the whole range of emotion. Beautifully executed relationships. A world so carefully organized that you completely believe that it exists somewhere, somehow. And the books are still coming, so if you don't start NOW by the time you do start you'll end up with even MORE spread out before you. I also suggest you start here, rather than with the "pre-histories" of the Gryphon Trilogy because in a way, it gives away too much about what's going on in the "future." Just trust me and start with the Herald-Mage Trilogy and work your way forward in the time line and then somewhere down the road (Mage Wars is an ideal point) drop back to the Gryphon Trilogy. Mercedes Lackey so infuses every character with elements of true humanity, I was left forgetting this was fiction. And these are no children's fantasy novels - without giving too much away - people get hurt, people die. People the reader cares about. This is an adult fantasy series on par with any of the classics.
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Summary: Succeeds at what it attempts
Review: Mercedes Lackey is a highly popular writer, and for good reason. Her work does exactly what it sets out to do: paint a vivid, magical world with compelling characters and intense, exciting plots. Her language is clear, pleasant, and fairly simple, and her characters are well-rounded and highly emotive--in fact, the primary key to her success seems to be in the extremes of emotions she subjects them to. There is little subtlety to them, but a lot of gusto.
Indeed, like Anne Rice, Lackey sells books by trading sophistication for drama--drama which does not always avoid slipping over the edge into melodrama. The average reader doesn't brook too much sophistication, and she knows it. Instead, she plays on the unrefined emotional dynamics that only a minority ever grow out of--certainly her characters haven't, which adds a great deal to their popularity. Furthermore, she generally (with some small exceptions) follows the tried-and-true formula of having her heros win the conflict on their own power.
In short, Lackey's writing is great fun, a relaxing read which doesn't challenge the reader too much intellectually or psychologically. However, to those who are bored by formula, those who prefer a good mental work-out, those who long for emotional subtleties--I suggest you look elsewhere.
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Summary: Amazingly Breathtaking!
Review: This was my very first of Mercedes Lackey's books that I read and I just have one word to describe it..."Wow!" it was breathtaking! I couldn't put it down. My best friend let me borrow it...and I so do not want to give it back, it is that good! Read it for yourself(if you haven't already that is!) you will be blown away just as I was!
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Summary: Magic's Pawn is one of the Best
Review: This is one of my favorite Mercedes Lackey books. In it we meet Vanyel, a young boy who does not fit in with the others in his father's keep. Van is sent in disgrace to Haven to the care of his aunt who is a Herald. Once there he meets Tylendel and become friends with the other boy. When Tylendel's twin brother is kill he gets Van to agree to help him kill his brother's murder. What Van doesn't know is that Tylendel is quite mad and kills himself afterward. The Heralds blame Vanyel for his friend's death so he runs off into the night and manages to almost kill himself and he gets Chosen as well.
That's all I'm going to tell you of the story.
Magic's Pawn is a somewhat dark story and it deals with issues that most people do not think about. It is a good story and one that I recomend to anyone who wants a great fantasy read.
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Summary: A story with real heart and soul
Review: "Magic's Pawn" is just the first in the "Last Herald Mage" Trilogy, but I believe it's the most poignant, and thus the most successful. We're introduced to Vanyel, the archetype of the adolescent outcast; his father thinks he's a foppish prettyboy; his cousins are a bunch of bullish muscleheads and have no qualms about showing it; the armsmaster delights in the task of beating him to a pulp at weapons practice every day. Vanyel is content to spend his days burrowed in his little hiding place, away from the world and his insane family, wishing he were far away playing Bard to fawning patrons. So, fed up with Vanyel's leanings toward NOT wanting his spleen on the end of someone's pike, his father sends him off to be trained by his aunt Savil, a Herald. This is where he meets and eventually falls in love with Tylendel, a handsome Herald trainee. Unfortunately for Vanyel, this is also where his suffers the greatest trials of his life, more painful and of more consequence than any distress he might have underwent back home. I'll start by saying that "Magic's Pawn" is not the most finely crafted story in the world. Indeed I've read other books by Mercedes Lackey, and I can say I'm not exactly a fan. The villains -- especially the one at the end of the story -- seem tacked on, and some situations, like the one involving Tylendel's twin, look like the author placed them there just for the convenience of moving the plot along, without further development of the situations themselves. HOWEVER, the heart and soul of this story is not the villians, the fights or the magic, but the development of this young man in the face of personal tragedies that would seem too much for a sheltered youth. And THAT'S why I give this story 5 stars instead of 4; the real story here is Vanyel and how he stands against calamity. It's a great story, and it more than makes up for the other shortcomings.
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Summary: I love this book!!!
Review: Vanyel is an amazing character. Pressured since early childhood by his father to become just like him, Vanyel just wants to be a bard. Finally getting fed up, Withen (his father) sends Vanyel to Haven to be taught by his aunt Savil, a herald-mage. There, Vanyel finds his lifemate and makes his first friends. Contrary to the back cover of the book, Vanyel doesn't get herald-mage powers until late in the book when tragesy strikes. You won't be able to put this book down, and try to get all three in the trilogy together; that way, there's no wait in between.
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Summary: Spell Bounding
Review: This book kept me Up late every night!This book deals with a boy who feels unloved and lost in his Surroundings and doesn't fit in but finds love,loss,and how to deal with life and the odd courses it leads you, When his father sends him away.It also goes to show that you can be different and be loved.I'm only 15 And just got done with this book and am starting the next.I would say this is the best book I've ever read in my short but fun life! -Spamis
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