Four & Twenty Blackbirds

Rating:
Summary: Good Standalone Book in the Series
Review: ****
I've read *exactly* one other of Mercedes Lackey's books - The Firebird, which bored me to tears.

Undaunted, I read the first 2 chapters of this book on-line several years ago, managed to get into the story, and after requesting this book as a Christmas present for several years, finally decided to get it on my own.

I have not read any of the other Bardic Voices books, so I can't comment on there not being any Free Bards within the story (they are occasionally referred to). What I liked about this story is that it's a combination mystery and fantasy, as another poster has said. Yes, you do find out who the murderer is about halfway through, but I was intrigued enough by that point to keep going, to see what made this mage tick, why he/she wanted to go after Ardis. It was also interesting when the mage decides to change tactics near the end of the book. The way it was written, it made complete sense to me.

On another note, I found Ardis's grappling with staying in the Church to be realistically written, and it actually moved me at certain points.

With the current situation in the world, plus my own personal strife, this book saw me through a depressing period in my life. So, to sum it up, this book is a fine way to lose yourself in an interesting world.

Rating:
Summary: Ok, but not great.
Review: After the tackiness of the Eagle and Nightingale novel Ms. Lackey has penned a truly solid and gritty story. The characters seem more than one dimensional and the sexual tensions are appropriate for a change (IMHO).

The tone IS as another reviewer mentioned much darker and if that is not what you crave you best avoid this Lackey effort.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing!
Review: I was a little disappointed that this book is below Misty's standards. The plot is unimpressive, and the 'bad guy' is really just all too predictable and lack of character. However, the book can still be enjoyable especially if you have not read her other books which were much remarkable by comparison.

Rating:
Summary: For fans of more than Fantasy
Review: Readers expecting the usual cast of characters from the free bard tales will be disappointed. While a few characters are carried forward from the previous books, including Ardis, Duke Arden, the Haspur Visyr, etc., this story has a new set of players. The chief protagonist is Tal Rufen, a police constable from Haldine investigation a string of mysterious and brutal murders of poor female street musicians/singers (or would be musicians) - murders committed by strangers that commit suicide, and murder weapons that vanish. As he follows the string of murders, Tal's investigation takes him to Kingsford and the High Bishop Justiciar Ardis. This is the Kingsford following the fire (see "A Cast of Corbies"). Tal finds himself in a new position, carrying out investigations for the church. Tal and Ardis must appraise their feelings for each other. Events lead to a final confrontation between Tal and an evil mage, living under a curse, who has a grudge against free bards and Ardis. The plot and characters are well developed to provide an interesting tale, but somewhat on the dark side (tracking a serial killer).

Rating:
Summary: Ok, but not great.
Review: This book wasn't anything like the other bardic novels in this series. It had little or nothing to do with music or magic. I would have liked this story better if the "bad guy" hadn't been so pathetic. It seems as though Misty was getting desperate for an evil charactor in this book and just grabbed someone out of a hat. I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't read the book, but the person who is behind the murders just didn't seem to fit the part. It is good, however, that we are able to understand and get to know Ardis better, but over all I felt disconnected from the under-developed charactors. A very light book; good if you have nothing else to read.

Rating:
Summary: For fans of more than Fantasy
Review: This was actually the first of the Bardic Voices books that I read. I enjoyed it enough that I immediately bought the other books. Book 4 is able to stand on its own as a fantasy/mystery novel. I am a fan of mysteries as well as fantasies and this book was a nice combination of the two. I really liked the investigator and hope for more to come from Lackey about these new characters.