Rating: 
Summary: An Excellent Read! Developed plot, Great Storyline
Review: I loved this book. Many people said there were too many characters and plots that didn't tie in together. Were they reading the same book? Every single part of this story, the history of the first cataclism, to the tower, Grand Duke/King Tremane's ascension to the Hardornean throne which brings Iftel into the open and gives our heroes ideas of how to protect the land, even the Emperor of the East and his plot to destroy everything plays a part. I don't want to give it away but if you know the books...this one ties it all together!! We find out history and learn the why's of things. Without all the plotlines and character development we wouldn't understand how our heroes succeed at their near impossible task! Loved it!
Rating: 
Summary: A very good conclusion
Review: I thought that this was a good conclusion to Ms. Lackey's newest series. Karal, I think, learns something from all of this; to cherish life and the living. This book left readers on a high note, saying at the end that the Dhorisha Plains had become lush and beautiful, but leaves you with one downer. That is, the injuries that inflicted Karal and Firesong. I, for one, could almost predict that something was going to happen to Firesong, since Ms. Lackey doesn't usually go with the cliches and make her characters perfect. But that Karal became blind was a complete surprise. I only thought that the chapters ran a bit long, but overall, it was very good.
Rating:
Summary: mesmerizing and an excellent ending!
Review: I thought this book was fantastic. I couldn't put it down. I happen to be a hopeless romantic, and the interaction between Natoli and Karal made for a very touching side story. I liked the ending and for those of you who have read it you'll know when i say that Altra is wonderfully faithful to Karal. If you haven't read this, read it! You need to read the first two before this but they are all excellent books. In fact, I think this is the best of her Valdemar series. If anyone wants to talk about Lackey or Anne McCaffrey or Star Trek, please email me. Thanks!
Rating: 
Summary: Give it a try, not everyone will like it a first!
Review: I will agree that the story starts of with a weak and predictable plot; however, it does pick up the pace towards the end. At first I did not like this book once I was done with it...But I read it again one month later, and started to like it. While this book is not a "filler book," it does leave you with that impression the first few times. The story ending is somewhat unresolved, i.e. the Empire, the Alliance, and the new laws of magic, but if she follows her pattern, they will be filled in at a later date/book. The latest book, Owlflight, does deal with some of the new laws of magic, but not all aspects are dealt with. I have read every book in the series at least seven times each, so I can say this is not one of the best! Her latest books may leave the reader unsatisfied with the characters, but after a while they grow into the story and fit in. This book could have done with a bit less dialogue dealing with trivialities, but the basic ideas and style that makes her other books so enjoyable are there--just buried under several things that might turn off newcommers or dedicated fans in the series. Newcommers should start with The Last Herald Mage series, then read it chronologically. Read the Gryphon books as the second to last completed trillogy, though before this trillogy so you can get a better understanding of the plot developments. Overall, this is a good book, mabey not the best of the series, but it does fill in the gaps nicely with a thorough, mostly entertaining, plot with few holes.
Rating:
Summary: The Villain
Review: I would agree with the general consensus that this series is not as good as Misty's usual fare. However, there are a lot of interesting characters and the Grand Duke Tremaine is one of the greatest. He is the guy you can't really love or hate. For those of you who thought Misty couldn't write anything but a major villain or a great hero READ these books.
Rating:
Summary: Mercedes Lackey broke all expectations again!
Review: In Storm Breaking the final book in the Mage Storms trilogy Karal and his friends must find a way to stop the final mage-storm which threatans to destroy all life. The situation is worstened by Emperor Chaslis's decision to choose a new heir to the throne. In Storm Breaking Mercedes Lackey has yet again created a wonderfull world of fantasy that keeps her readers breathlessly waiting for the next book.
Rating:
Summary: Mercedes Lackey broke all expectations again!
Review: In Storm Breaking the final book in the Mage Storms trilogy Karal and his friends must find a way to stop the final mage-storm which threatans to destroy all life. The situation is worstened by Emperor Chaslis's decision to choose a new heir to the throne. In Storm Breaking Mercedes Lackey has yet again created a wonderfull world of fantasy that keeps her readers breathlessly waiting for the next book.
Rating:
Summary: inspired and inspiring
Review: Karal first came to Valdemar with preconcieved ideas on everything in Valdemar; but especially Heralds and their Companions---he was told and taught they were denoms and
demon-controllers.
Yet, the Karsite priests did the same, so how were the Heralds wrong? And why were they persecuted by the Karsites?
During his stay, and especially after the death of his
mentor, Karal began to see with his own eyes that the things
he had believed in all his life...just weren't true.
The Companions were not demons and the Heralds were not
cotrollers of denoms.
The storms growing worse brought people from all over
the planet together, allowing Karal to see how everyone
believed differently and taught Karal there is more than
enough room for different faiths.
The question is will Karal (or anyone) survive the storms
to teach everybody else what he has learned?
Rating:
Summary: A good hero for the Valdermar series
Review: Karal, our young hero, is probably my second favourite character in the Valdermar world, and whilst Storm Breaking isn't the most epic or memorable in the Valdermar series, it does provide a nice showcase for Karal. Unfortunately as with many of the later Valdermar books (particularly the Winds trilogy), Lackey seems to want to bring in too many elements which detract from the main storyline. I don't see why we need to be in Hardorn or the Empire - Karal and An'desha are set up to be the main characters in the Storm series so why continually revisit older characters? Its a nicety for fans but it is truly ruining the flow of the story-telling at times. If you're a first time buyer - I would suggest that you do not buy this book - you definitely need to know the Valdermar world very well to keep up with the numerous recurring characters making an appearance. Try the Arrows series or the Last Herald Mage books. If you're a fan, then this is a must buy (although it helps if you have read the other two in the Storm series!!).
Rating:
Summary: Same old ending but still worthwhile
Review: Karal, Sun Priest of Karse, along with the help of Firesong, An'desha, Altra, and Florian, has managed to temporarily block the Mage Storms from damaging the Alliance nations. The Storms continue to worsen and begin to break through the protections. Karal and his friends must search for a way to counteract the final devastating Storm, the echo of the great Cataclysm that transformed their world thousands of years ago... Meanwhile, Elspeth and Darkwind have been sent as envoys to Tremane in Hardorn to negotiate the terms of the Alliance. As they help Tremane prepare Hardorn for the worst, a surprising and mysterious ally comes to their aid... "Storm Breaking" is the final book in Mercedes Lackey's Mage Storms Trilogy. I enjoyed reading it, but it was definitely the weakest book in the trilogy. The characters, as always, were wonderful. Karal was his usual thoughtful self, and it was very nice to see Firesong in a much more rational light. Tremane continues to grow into an increasingly likable man. I was delighted to see a reappearance of three characters from previous books, who I won't mention here for fear of spoilage. I also liked the alternating perspectives. The narrative focusing on Melles and the Eastern Empire was surprisingly interesting, despite all of the politicking. The Elspeth/Darkwind narrative was a little slow at times but in the end *very* rewarding. The Karal narrative was by far the most compelling, but that is mostly because I liked the characters involved there the best. Lackey's rapid alternation of narrative towards the end of the book, especially in the last chapter, was extremely effective. The reader knew what was happening in each location, and was driven to keep reading when there were mini-cliffhangers. My major complaint about this book is not the climax itself (although it is nearly identical to the endings of the first two books in the trilogy), but the way the conclusion is presented. The climax is everything it should be, but I feel that it comes too close to the end of the book. All the loose ends are neatly wrapped up, but there is a definite lack of denouement (ten pages' worth), especially considering that this is the final volume in a trilogy. Bottom Line: A solid read with likable, well developed characters. Make sure you read "Warning" and "Rising" first!
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