Last Herald-Mage
|
Magic's Price
Vanyel Ashkevron, Herald-Mage of Valdemar, is no longer young, and no
longer on the front lines. His tremendous talents of mind, magic
-- along with an impressive reputation -- are employed within the walls
of Haven, running the kingdom of Valdemar according to the wishes of
King Randale. But Randale's health is failing fast, and there are
other problems lurking just out of sight. The "ordinary" Heralds,
without Vanyel's mage-talents, feel themselves worthless in
comparison... and the feeling is returned by the people of Valdemar,
who would rather deal with a problem themselves then call for help and
receive just an ordinary Herald.
It's a problem with no easy solution, but it must be solved -- and
solved quickly. Because Valdemar is running out of Herald-Mages:
they are dying faster than they can be replaced, and the deaths grow
more and more suspicious with each new victim. Is something
killing off Valdemar's Herald-Mages? If so... how? And why?
Magic's Price is the culmination of a fantastically-written journey
through the life of a legend, a man whose tale is still told in a
Valdemar two centuries older, and though they know it not, a man whose
decisions in the final days of Valdemar's Herald-Mages have shaped the
course of those two centuries more than any other single hand.
But the story is not about the legend
of Vanyel; it is about the person who lived it. Magic strong
enough to shape a nation will not heal a lifetime's worth of broken
heart, nor turn aside a tragic fate. Mercedes Lackey
has always been good at showing the human side of a heroic figure, and
the story of Vanyel Ashkevron's life and death are her masterwork.
|
|
|
|
Magic's Promise
Vanyel Ashkevron, Herald-Mage of Valdemar, has faced the worst that the
world can throw at him. Karsite demons, enemy mages, creatures
from the Pelagirs; he has faced and defeated them all. The bards
he once aspired to join now sing songs of his exploits to a rapt
nation. Young women worship his image while fearing to approach a
legend. Even his teacher, Savil, acknowledges that Vanyel's
talents have exceeded her own in many areas. There is only one
threat that Vanyel has yet to face: his family.
After spending most of a year replacing five separate Herald-Mages on
the Karsite border in wartime, Vanyel is due a vacation, and the damage
he inflicted upon the Karsite mages has given Valdemar enough breathing
space to allow just that. But waiting for him at the capital city
of Haven is a letter from his family, inviting him to make the visit he
has been putting off for so long. But even his fame and heroism
have not reconciled Vanyel with his family. Now openly shay'a'chern, his family refuses to accept his nature -- not that it lies comfortably within Vanyel either.
Vanyel is in desperate need of a rest. If he remains at court,
inevitably a crisis will arise to which he must be assigned. But
he fears that his family will be little more restful. With his
father refusing to accept his nature, his mother throwing pretty maids
at him in an attempt to change it, the armsmaster whose childhood
beatings did so much damage to Vanyel's spirit waiting in the wings,
and a newly-chosen young conservative firebrand of a priest to top it
all off, "quiet" is not a word likely to describe the Ashkevron
household. Vanyel has faced down demons, but can he survive his
own family?
Magic's Promise is the second book in Mercedes Lackey's The Last Herald-Mage
trilogy. It's actually the first Lackey book that I read; I
remember finding it in a library, without the preceding or following
volumes. I read it through and was fairly confused by a number of
inadequately-explained elements of the world, but was nonetheless
captivated by the exquisite characterization of Vanyel, his family, and
the other involved characters. I don't think I even realized it
was the 2nd book in a trilogy for a while, but as soon as I did, I
hunted down the rest.
This novel, and the trilogy of which it is a part, come very highly recommended.
|
|
|
|
Magic's Pawn
Magic's Pawn, the first book in Mercedes Lackey's The Last Herald-Mage trilogy, is a superb coming-of-age adventure. The trilogy itself
is without a doubt the best thing Lackey has ever written, and
represents required reading for fantasy fans even if the rest of
Lackey's work holds no appeal. The story begins approximately two
centuries prior to the events of Arrows of the Queen, at time when
mages were still well-known within Valdemar...
Vanyel Ashkevron was born to a life of privilege and responsibility: as
the first-born son of Withen Ashkevron, a border lord of Valdemar,
Vanyel's duty is to take up the seat of honor and the lands of his
family, protecting and leading the people of the region, and providing
an heir to continue the family line. But Vanyel's interests lie
in other things: music, books, the social games and fashions of
court. The martial life holds no appeal for him, and no wonder,
for his father's armsmaster seems more likely to kill him than a
battle. Vanyel's misery and his father's disappointment conspire
to send him into exile with his aunt Savil, a Herald-Mage stationed in
the capital city of Haven, as his last chance to make something of
himself.
What happens at Haven will touch the heart, thrill the soul, and shape the future of Valdemar for centuries to come.
|
|
|
<-- Prev Displaying results 0 - 3 of 3 Next -->
Read this group via RSS or
Atom.
Enter your email address to receive email updates for new entries in this group:
|
|
