Rating: 
Summary: NOT UP TO PAR FOR LACKEY
Review: I was quite disappointed when I read the "Owl" books, and then I logged onto Amazon and read all these other disappointed reviews. And I have to agree with them. Compared to her early works (Arrows of the Queen, etc.), the characters in these latest books are shallow, two-dimensional, and.. well, just not very interesting. I hope that she returns to the quality of work found in her earlier books and refrains from putting out any more such shallow nonsense.
Rating: 
Summary: I LOVE Lackey... BUT....
Review: I have to agree with the majority here... I always quote Lackey as my favorite author, but I agree that her latest works just aren't nearly up to par with her earlier works. It's so sad because I used to be in her fan club as a teenager (Queen's Own) and used to tell everyone I knew how wonderful her books are. Last Herald Mage, Arrows of the Queen.... best books EVER WRITTEN in my opinion. I'll continue to read and buy her books, but I just hope, Ms. Lackey, if you're reading this, that maybe you'll take some time off from writing if this is what the demands are doing to you; you need a break and then maybe you can come back to your writing with the care for the characters and their relationships that you showed in your first novels. Because in this series, these characters are far too two-dimensional and non-sympathetic.
Rating: 
Summary: Lackey's work is tapering off
Review: It seems I've always been a rather large Lackey fan, and I've reread the Arrows trilogy and the Last Herald-Mage trilogy...and the first book of the Mage Wars trilogy over and over again. But it seems recently, when Lackey has been co-writing with Dixon, that the work is of almost lesser quality. Okay, enough with the eloquence. THIS IS driving me, to quote Talia, "rather noisily mad"! What happened to the classic scenes that were in earlier books? What Lackey fan hasn't sobbed and reread Kris' death scene in Arrow's Fall fifty million times, and gone back and read it again? (My page of that book is tearblotted, hot-chocolate stained, and spaghetti-sauce stained. It's pretty pathetic.) What happened to solid, INTERESTING characters like Elspeth and Tremaine and Vanyel and Stefen and Tylendel? All we get now is a hairbrained idiot named Darian who's taking on waaaaay too many responsiblities, and his errant lover Keisha. The only reason I really stuck with this Owl trilogy was that the character of Shandi fascinated me, and Anda wasn't that bad for a secondary character. But I have to say, this book was still better than half of the science-fiction/fantasy junk that is out there. I agree with another reader with a review below mine--why can't we read a trilogy about King Valdemar (that was NOT cowritten by Larry Dixon)? Or, jump ahead a hundred years...see what happens to Valdemar? Or explore Rethwellan a little more? (Tarma and Kethry and Kerowyn are fabulous characters. Why can't we see more mercs? They dropped off the face of the earth after By The Sword!) Ah well, this is getting long-winded. Just wanted to give my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: A strong author, turning shallow
Review: Where Ms. Lackey's books initially had great depth of chacacter and plot (especially Arrows of the Queen and Last Herald Mage, her first two trilogies), her writing has become increasingly more of a travelogue. It's disappointing to see an author who'd written so well about relationships and major conflicts sink to multi-page descriptions of clothing, housing and parties. Whether the influence is her co-author or just the need to crank out books for the money, I'd like to see a return to the quality and substance of her earlier works.
Rating:
Summary: Move on Misty
Review: what a bummer of a book. i haven't quite finished reading it yet, but so far it hasn't kept my attention nearly as well as every other book she has written has. not only do i not care much about the charaters i am also getting sick of the time period. i understant that that was a chaotic period in Valdamars history, but there have been plenty of others that i would be nice if she would explore. how about a series on the founding of Valdamar? or more stuff on some of the other countries? i just don't see why she is still staying on the same time period when just about everything traumatic that can happen has. well to anyone that is thinking of trying mercedes lackey for the first time i do not suggest this novel. i really hope that it doesn't become charateristic of her.
Rating:
Summary: Not Enough Depth
Review: I have just finished this book and while it is interesting and concludes the story of Darian and his lost family I feel that Lackey's work has lost depth. Her previous books have all been quite complex with twists in character developmenteg. Leareth/Falconsbane connection and this one was just more childish. If the others were aimed at readers in their late teens/adults, then this one was for lower teens. Obviously Lackey cares for the money now and not for the story.
Rating: 
Summary: Once again a winner
Review: I found this book to be a very enjoyable read--as with all of Lackey's books. I happy to see a continuation of the story of Darian and the Hawkbrothers.
Rating: 
Summary: Best of this series to date
Review: This book sets a good pace and holds interest throughout. It reveals more about the hertasi and blends a wildly different group of characters together in a way that makes it believable.
Rating:
Summary: A Minor Disappointment
Review: This book was disappointing because it had very little relevance to the overall story of Valdemar, although it cleverly incorporated the pass at the Forest of Sorrows and developed the other sentient species. Darian and Keisha have trouble in their relationship and Darian takes on new responsibilities in the Vale and in Valdemar, but then goes haring off on a quest to find and save his parents. It was interesting to see the Avatars of the clans, but I personally lost interest when Darian wanted to go find his parents and then save them from the other clan. There was not enough of the movement of the overall story even though we got to see a few old friends again.
Rating:
Summary: A nice read for anyone!
Review: I thought this book was great, but I have read better books from Lackey. The book didn't seem to the same intensity as her other books. I think that she could get off the barbarain theme a little bit. Darian is my favourite character and I think that he would be great in a book with more action.
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