Rating: 
Summary: Medicine and Magic - A suffragist's cup of tea
Review: I was a bit surprised by the negitive comments on Lackey's latest. Maya's character - a female physician treating London's "ladies of the evening" to make ends meet and still minister to the poor - is quite new. I thought the crew of animals was a bit overboard but I enjoyed all the other characters. I felt the bias and conflict within both the London magical and medical establishments was well portrayed and accurate - for a fantasy. The Sayers reference and the incidents of the deaths of suffragists due to forcefeeding strengthened the book. Development of the romance was a bit weak but otherwise a good effort. I would be interested in a sequel.
Rating: 
Summary: She's Going Down Hill
Review: I have been reading Lackey for years now. While I have enjoyed her Valdemar Series (at least the first six books of it) and the first couple of her Bardic Circle series she seems to have run out of things to say. Her previous effort involving the 'elementals' The Fire Rose was very entertaining. I find this one contrived and wan in comparison. I had high hopes for the 'second' book in the series, figuring she would still make the effort to tell a good story, but I think she's getting tired.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your money.
Review: Miserable effort...Couldn't the author do better than using thinly veiled half truths and lies about Hinduism in order to write an original novel? As a Hindu, this book is offensive because by inference it links Hinduism to negative and evil actions - even in a fictitious setting. Taking Hindu diety names and tailoring them by hypenating them and changing a letter or two is just plain lazy...Looks like the Wellspring of originality and creativity may have dried up for M. Lackey...This one really stinks.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I have been reading this author's books for years, and this book was a disappointment. Ms. Lackey's books are usually full of interesting characters that have their own personalities, but in this book, the characters all seem like cut-and-pasted stereotypes. The book was still enjoyable to read, but ....
Rating: 
Summary: Long overdue sequel
Review: Serpent's Shadow is a long overdue follow-up novel in the same vein as the "Fire Rose". Set again in the early 1900's,but this time in Britain, our heroine is Maya Witherspoon, orphaned daughter of a British surgeon and a high-caste Hindu mother with formidable magical powers, magical powers which Maya has inherited, but is untrained and unable to use effectively. Her mother's evil sister Shivani has murdered both of Maya's parents, causing Maya to flee with her odd, but loyal household to 19th century London. Here, Maya, herself a talented doctor and surgeon, must deal with all the prejudices of the age, against women, women doctors, and children of mixed heritage. Even many of those who should be her natural allies, the elemental Masters of Magic, are affected with these prejudices. How Maya deals and overcomes these obstacles to win the day make for an exciting story- I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. As an added treat, there is a delightful tribute to Dorothy L. Sayers, and her "Busman's Honeymoon", woven into the story. Altogether an excellent read.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant writing-a great tale
Review: When the sun never set on Britannia, many disgruntled natives living in India turn to the dark side by worshipping the evil Goddess Kali-Purga. Most of the followers joined the deadly thugee cult, a group that used force to obtain their demands. Shivani is a high priestess who loathes the English. She uses her powers to kill her sister who had the audacity to marry a British doctor and to make matters worse, she had a daughter with the foreigner. When Shivani murders her father, Maya flees India for the relative safety of London where she tends to the medical needs of the poor. Shivani follows her to London, planning to cause mass chaos, trepidation, and death in order to force the infidel English from her country. Shivani also plans to kill Maya, but that proves difficult as she is closely guarded and has own powers. THE SERPENT'S SHADOW is a beautiful fantasy tale that leaves the audience believing in a happily ever after. Mercedes Lackey's latest novel will please romance fans as well. This adult fairy tale is brilliantly crafted just as the previous tale in this series, THE SUMMER RISE is. A secondary character deserves his story be told in a future edition. Recapture the innocence and pleasures of youth with this fabulous novel. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: great new book!
Review: i have loved mecedes lackey ever since i first read her last herald mage trilogy (which is awesome and you should get it now) and i love the new direction she is going in. although her valdamar books are wonderful, these new stories are just as good and very interesting. in the serpent's shadow,is a great book filled with magic and medicine and even some love. the characters are great and the plot is interesting. the only problem i had with the book was that the ending was a little abrupt, but otherwise the book was definitly worth buying.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, but poorly researched
Review: I've been a fan of Mercedes Lackey for years, and while this book is entertaining, I found the poor research distracting. In her introduction, Lackey excuses her anachronisms by saying essentially, "hey, it's fantasy, live with them". Fine, but that doesn't excuse things that are just flat out wrong: For example- the discoverer of Tut's tomb is referred to as Harold Carter. Last time I looked, the archeologist's name was HOWARD. Sloppy. I'm not buying the "it's an alternate universe--maybe his name is Harold there" routine. Also, Lackey's treatment of Hinduism is not up to her usual standard. For a well researched, fantasy take on an ancient religion, check out her Diana Tregarde novel "Burning Water". She includes pages of bibliography. Here she just seems to look up a couple of deity names and avatars and fit them in where she can. Disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: A Thinker
Review: This book will make you think. It is well written. I loved the main character. I felt like she was someone that I could relate to. The plot was thick with excitement. I did not quite expect it to unfold as it did. I love a book that can surprise me. The pets are an interesting part of this tale. I think it was great how Lackey worked them into the story. This is so like and unlike Snow White all at the same time. It is one of the better Snow White rewrites out there.
Rating:
Summary: Maya the Suffragette
Review: I haven't read through all of the reviews here, but did anyone besides myself pay any attention to the issue of the force-feeding of lunatics in insane asylums and also of those suffragettes locked in prisons who chose to go on hunger strikes? Just a hundred years ago? This is history, not fantasy. Ladies, we can vote on Nov. 2nd, 2004, in the United States of Anerica, because of these heroic women and their male supporters. I thank God that I have my own Captain Peter Scott in the form of my husband, even if he isn't perfect.
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