Rating: 
Summary: Missing Gabby & Xena? Try this!
Review: Another great series for fans of action heroines -- get and read them all (how come there's only 2?)!!
Rating: 
Summary: Four instead of five. . .
Review: because Misty does not make it clear that this is less a novel than a series of interconnected short stories. Hence, a reader expecting a novel would find it a bit choppy; there is much repeated exposition. I wish she could have included "Sword-Sworn", the story that tells how they got together, but I understand that there were legalities which prevented that. (It had been published in another anthology and the rights couldn't/wouldn't be released.)
Rating: 
Summary: Some of it was very good
Review: Don't get me wrong. I liked some of this book. But there were parts that just ruined it for me, and these are some of the failings that I find in a lot of fantasy novels.
For one thing, it was too episodic. I don't know if the chapters in this were originally separate short stories, but it certainly seems that way. Most of what happens in the early chapters has little or no bearing on what happens in later chapters. It's just further, separate adventures of the two main characters. So as a novel, I found that it lacked a unifying theme. There was no direction for the characters, they just wandered from adventure to adventure.
At one point in the book, the two central characters are in a tavern, and describe in detail the events of some adventures two to four chapters ago. In essence, it was like reading a summary of the last several chapters. The author could have just said, "They told him about fighting the demon, and about their revenge on the bandit." But she didn't. Instead, she retold it in excruciating detail, all in character dialogue. You have to wonder why she didn't just omit those other chapters and leave the tavern conversation in. She would have saved on paper costs.
Another thing that ruined it for me, and this is something I see in a lot of fantasy literature, is the use of fantasy units of measurement. Specifically, telling passage of time in a unit she dubs a "candlemark." This is never defined. At one point in the book, early on, the main character is waiting for her friend to come back, and it says, "It seemed she was barely gone a candlemark..." and I thought, "OK, so a candlemark is short, like a minute or two." Later, in a tavern (I can't remember if it's in the same place as the conversation I mention above), one of the characters is talking about something she likes and says, "Oh, I could go on for a candlemark if you don't stop me." So suddenly it's a long time? What's a candlemark? I remember the same problem in Anne McCaffery's Pern books, when she said (repeatedly) that the time a dragon spends "between" is "the length of time it takes a man to cough three times." I don't know why she couldn't just say "three to five seconds" if that's what she meant. Likewise, I don't know why Lackey couldn't have just said "half an hour" if that's what a candlemark is supposed to be.
Despite these failings, it was a decent story. I didn't read the sequel, because I'd had enough of flashbacks and candlemarks, but there were some pretty good ideas in the book. I liked Kethry's sword, and the culture of Tarma's people seemed interesting. Their adventures are pretty standard fantasy fare, but they're better than a lot of what's out there, and they can easily be used by fantasy gamers as inspiration for games.
Rating:
Summary: Weak start, better in the middle, repetitive
Review: Her literary device in this particular book is not really the Lackey I'm used to. The book starts off very slow, which would be ok, if the middle of the book wasn't clogged and slowed down with a complete (far too detailed) recount of the beginning. She goes into such detail (specifically with the tales told to the priest) that you could start the book there and miss litte. Her character descriptions get old quickly, repeated use of similar descriptions over and over are all over the place. In fear of being too picky, I might mention there are many issues with her writing at the core, things like the word "contrived" used to describe the familiar, then used again in the very next sentance as dialogue from a character. Ok for die-hard fans, but I wouldn't suggest it as a start to anyone new to Lackey.
Rating:
Summary: Risque`!
Review: I am a 15 year old girl, and I live to read. I have divulged myself in almost all of the classics and literature "heavyweights". I pride myself in my obscure knowledge of these works of art. Knowing this, you can understand why I might be a little more than a small amount embarrassed to be partaking of the fantasy or science fiction genre.For Mercedes Lackey, however, I lift my barriers. I was introduced to her work by my Q.U.E.S.T. teacher in the eight grade. Considering my taste, I was more than a little wary of her style just by viewing the book covers. I liked her Mage Winds series, I adored her Talia chronicles, but of all her books, this was my favorite. The character development was simply amazing. She had me feeling emotional about a sword, for goodness sakes! I especially related to Kethry, for we all how male chauvinists are. In short, the book was delightful. Although the "sex-demon/god" was a little risque`, it shouldn't be too much for any mature reader.
Rating:
Summary: Written in a fresh manner-and plot description
Review: I am a great fan of Mercedes Lakey and have read most of her books. The book The Oathbound is written in a manner that makes it new and fresh. I also liked the fact that each character in the story has an important role to play. The story could become a bit confusing unless you keep in mind that the events are not isolated, even though they may seem as if they are. If you haven't read this book, this begins where an article in Sword and Sorceress leaves off. Tarma and Kethry are trying to re-establish their clan but run up against difficulty(to put it mildly). They run up against demons and a set of really nasty people who want Kethry for dollrags.
Rating:
Summary: Characters You Can Love.
Review: I love the main characters in this novel. They compliment each other yet they are so different. This was one of the easiest Valdemar novels to read. Potentionally one of the best novels in the series. This set is different than many of the other novels in the Valdemar series.
Rating:
Summary: I wish I could give this book more stars!!!
Review: I really, really enjoyed this book. The story is of two oathbound sisters, a Shin'a'in swordmaster and a White Winds sorceress, who face trials and tribulations while attempting to rebuild their clan.
I liked that Tarma and Kethry did not mesh together perfectly. After all, they had been together only a short time. It would have been ridiculous to portray them as best buds, when they really didn't know that each other that well. There are moments when the two women are awkward around each other, which you don't see in the later books, Oathbreakers and Oathblood.
Anyways, this is an extremely enjoyable book. I only wish I could give it more stars!
Rating:
Summary: a really exciting book
Review: I thought the Oath Bound was great book. Mercedes Lackey did a really great job on it. The heros are fun.
Rating:
Summary: It was AWESOME!!!!!
Review: It was a really good book, it kept me going 'till the end! I loved Tarma & Kethry-- they are the perfect heroines. One of Mercedes Lackey's best books!
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