Category Archives: Fantasy

Review: Tamora Pierce & Josepha Sherman – Young Warriors

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Young Warriors
Tamora Pierce and Josepha Sherman
This is a book of short stories edited by Tamora Pierce and Josepha Sherman. It has a nice variety of authors. My usual policy of short stories is that I don’t like them, except for finding new authors whose longer works I might enjoy.
13832‘The Gift of Rain Mountain’ has a traditional tempter and  a traditional ending in my opinion. Although the young warrior thinks he wanted what is best for his community, his efforts leave him lacking. It’s hard to say more about it without giving the story away, but the story itself feels very familiar. Nothing too exciting here in terms of narration or characterisation, although it’s not badly written.
‘The Magestone’ lacks a little in my opinion. I didn’t feel attracted to either character (the boy or the mermaid), and the plot with the mermaid unable to go on land – well it just made me think of Ariel! There was no real threat, it felt like the rival tribe members were too easily dealt with.
‘Eli and the Dybbuk’ is a slightly strange tale. With both elements of fantasy (the dybbuk spirit) and real life (Eli is Jewish) it is a good mix. It has lovely suspense, and a tight storyline. It feels more complete than the first two stories, with a proper lifetime tale. Eli is a well-fleshed out character, and the inclusion of a riddle does it for me!
‘Heartless’ is another well written story. At first it isn’t obvious what is going on with Ada, and then suddenly the reader has a lightbulb moment! What isn’t clear to me is why the bone was enchanted in the first place. It doesn’t seem like the right thing to do at all. Ah well. I can see potential for this concept being extended further. I’m not sure that it really fits in with the theme of young warriors, as the protagonist isn’t a young warrior, she is only dealing with one. The language and rhythm of this one is a little disjointed, but I think it reflects the character of Ada well.
‘Lioness’ is misleading. Those that are familiar with Pierce’s other works will probably be hoping for a short tale about the Lioness. But this short story is by another author, and is very different. Similarly to ‘The Gift of Rain Mountain’, the author draws on history for making her story. It’s enjoyable with the strong female protagonist.
‘Thunderbolt’ is a creative take on Helen of Troy’s capture. Raised Spartan, Helen’s as warlike as the men, and not willing to back down when she is stolen. It’s good to see her standing up for herself for once! A well-executed rewrite of an old legend packed with action.

‘Devil Wind’ has to be one of my favourites. It has just a hint of magic and the wild, and at the same time rings of truth. The author has included true parts of rich Indian history, and it really appeals to me. The ending is a surprise, but it is fitting. There are things that the author could have done more with, but for a short story it is good. It reminds me a little of a Mercedes Lackey novel I read (I think The Wizard of London)

‘The Boy Who Cried ‘Dragon” is a let down. It belongs in a collection of stories for very young readers – just because the dragon and the knight have teenage problems, it doesn’t make the story any more engaging. I wasn’t convinced that this was where the story of ‘The Boy Who Cried ‘Wolf” came from either. The style isn’t bad, but the content! Hopeless.

‘Student of Ostriches’ is good. I have to say, I generally didn’t look at the author of each story so that I could give an unbiased opinion of the story on its own merits. I liked this one from the start, and then realised it was the Tamora Pierce offering of the collection! So no wonder I enjoyed it. It’s nice to have some more information about Shang training, although I would have liked more details of how each kick/punch exactly translated from an animal source.

‘Serpent’s Rock’ is initially hard to get into. It reminds me of an Aboriginal story song, and so I’m not very fond of it. I would have liked more details – but of course a short story is very limited. The ending wasn’t as satisfying as I desired either, he still could die and the tale be left untold.

‘Hidden Warriors’ has an interesting concept but I feel that it is poorly executed. I didn’t like the style of this author at all, finding it somewhat confusing. I’m a sucker for a woman dressed as a man, but in this case it couldn’t work for me.

“Emerging Legacy’ is fast paced with a well fleshed out female protagonist. The novel concept of hunting packs in the trees and mountains was an exciting one, as was the unexpected slavers. I didn’t really understand where her clumsiness had come from though. As a young warrior however, she fits the bill. I think I would be willing to seek out more of this author’s work in fact!

‘An Axe for Men’ is an enjoyable read. The style is initially a little stilted, but you start to feel with the characters and it’s good. I found the storyline predictable, but it’s bound to happen with me reading so many books. Take a chance and try it!

‘Acts of Faith’ mixes the Sight with Jewish and Christian faiths. Although I didn’t know that the Sight involves magic too, apparently it does! An interesting take on Ireland’s history for being neutral during the Nazi driven war.

‘Swords That Talk’ reminds me a little of Need in one of Mercedes Lackey’s novels (The Oathbound perhaps?). Except that this story isn’t really about the sword at all. The concept was again a familiar one, nothing too exciting here, but it was relatively well executed.

I bought this book from a specials table for $5 at my partner’s old work! The advantages of having someone who works at a bookshop. I can understand why it was discounted though, as I don’t think this is really a stand out collection of stories, although a couple are good. Worth collecting if there is a particular author that you love and want more of though.

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Review: Mercedes Lackey – Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar

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 Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar
Mercedes Lackey
Another collection of short stories set in Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar universe. There are 12 new stories, as well as a novella by Lackey. Another good collection of tales, the majority were enjoyable to read.
‘Errold’s Journey’ by Catherine S. McMullen wasn’t a great short story to start this lot off. The dialogue and style seemed awkward and I wasn’t engaged at all. Too passive, too much stating and not enough showing. The ending has a slight twist, but I didn’t feel what Errold had achieved was worth his reward. Relevant to the Darian’s tale Valdemar trilogy.
‘The Cat who Came to Dinner’ by Nancy Asire was excellent. I really enjoy reading about Valdemar. Reulan was a great priest and I could understand why the glorious ending was the way it was. I did want to see the aftermath though! Those who have read the Storm Warning triology will be familiar with a similar cat.
‘Winter Death’ by Michelle West is a little depressing really. The dream sequences I found confusing, and the reader is left in the dark for a long period. However it is touchingly painful and worth reading. The reader is held in anticipation. This story is slightly longer than some of the others and the ending to me was a little bit of a let down.
‘A Herald’s Rescue’ by Mickey Zucker Reichert is a tricky one! You think you know what is going to happen (particularly if you read  ‘The Demon’s Den’  in Sword of Ice), but indeed you don’t really know! I really liked it, and I didn’t even remember it from the first time I had read it – a real surprise.
‘In the Eye of the Beholder’ by Josepha Sherman is short and decidedly not sweet. It’s adrenaline pumping as you feel along with the protagonist. You have to wonder what happens to the beast at the end though – I see the potential for more mischief. The romance seemed a little out of place…
‘Trance Tower Garrison’ by Fiona Patton is another twisty tale. Initially the style of language didn’t do anything for me but ruin my ability to get into the story. Ah, but it was worth continuing reading! It has a certain kind of symmetry – although it’s no always apparent why things happen, they do happen for a reason  – particularly Companions choosing a Herald.
‘Starhaven’ by Stephanie Shaver is a pure Herald story that is right with the vein of Lackey’s own woks in my opinion. A pleasure to read, well-written and with just a hint of humour. The kind of Herald I like.
‘Rebirth’ by Judith Tarr is very very strange. I’m not sure it fits with the chronology of Lackey’s universe. I’m really not in favour of creating an afterworld for Herald and Companions when they die, as I feel that Lackey has already done that (particularly in Vanyel’s own trilogy – The Last Herald Mage). It’s not bad, but it’s not the best I have read either.
‘Brock’ by Tanya Hill depicts a Herald who is not a Herald. As in the first short story collection, this has Jors and his companion in it. I think they behave consistently across both, which is great! Brock is a MoonChild, which I think is somewhat similar to having Down’s Syndrome. Touching.
‘True Colors’ by Michael Longcor shows how many people are needed to make up Valdemar. I liked Rin, and I half expected him to be chosen on the spot!
‘Touches the Earth’ by Brenda Cooper was a little odd, in that I didn’t know Healers could do killing for a job at all. Anyway, Anya was someone to relate to, although the humour of this short story seemed strained.
‘Icebreaker’ by Rosemary Edghill is another that shows that people may have satisfaction in their lives even if they aren’t a Herald. It is the job of Heralds to look after their people through anything.
‘Sun in Glory’ by Mercedes Lackey is an excellent new novella. Excellent excellent excellent. It takes place between the Arrows of the Queen trilogy and the Storm Warning trilogy. Just what I would expect. It is even linked in with ‘The Cat who Came to Dinner’.
All in all, these stories are good in their own right as a whole, but most of them are not what I feel is true to the Valdemar world as created originally by Lackey. The majority are well written and enjoyable, and I particularly liked those with humour (‘Starhaven’ for example).

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Review: Mercedes Lackey – Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar

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Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar
Mercedes Lackey
The first ever collection of Valdemar tales by other authors set in the world of Mercedes Lackey. As it so charmingly states on the front cover, there are 18 tales! Some are written in concert with Mercedes Lackey, and the opening and closing stories are both by the same collaborators.

The cover is somewhat unexciting, and I didn’t think that the Companion’s eyes were really blue enough to be convincing. The stories inside were a bit of a mixed bag, but then, who ever likes absolutely everything?

‘Sunlancer’ by Philip M. Austin and Mercedes Lackey reinforces the power of the word, particularly in Karse. It’s a sentiment I agree with, and this short story is remarkably well written and compelling. You do seem to know what will happen, but the ending is still a little of a surprise.

‘The Demon’s Den’ by Tanya Huff is a tale of hope and overcoming adversity without being too pretentious about it. It shows how ordinary citizens (not really written about in Lackey’s own books of Valdermar) are often sad when they are not chosen as Heralds, even if they are self-sacrificing. Jors seemed a little one dimensional, but there was potential for more. I liked Ari, although it was not obvious to me that she was blind.
‘Iron Rose’ by Larry Dixon and Mel White shows what the hertasi get up to when the hawkbrothers aren’t watching! A touching story, perhaps lackign a little in depth, but satisfying all the same. It is obvious that the hertasi are good at this!
‘Babysitter’ by Josepha Sherman shows a touch of healthy cynicism! Yay for not totally being given over to babysitting immediately. There were some problems though: griffins aren’t exactly easy to care for and I expected even a youngster to be a little more grumpy (and less puffbally). Ending of this one is a little abrupt, and I felt like this story could have been set in almost any world with griffins, not just that of Valdemar.
‘The Salamander’ by Richard Lee Byers is ok. I don’t like Selden, and I’m not fond of the way this story is written (too much personal opinion and stilted observations). I guess it could be a good one for those of you who like mysteries. Reminds me a bit of Romeo and Juliet actually.
‘A Child’s Adventures’ by Janni Lee Simner shows what happens when an older Herald is chosen. Inya can’t believe she is chosen, and she must discover for herself why it might be important for her to become a herald.
‘Blood Ties’ by Stephanie D. Shaver is painful to read, and potentially triggering. The things some people do to their families. Well written.
‘… Another Successful Experiment’ by Lawrence Schimel reminds me of polo! Various games have already been played in Valdemar via the books that Lackey herself has written, so this is nothing new. Exile’s Honor/Valor as well as the new Collegium Chronicles both have this type of game. Nothing groundbreaking.
‘Choice’ by Michelle West creates Kelsey, a spunky character who has always wanted to be chosen but has gone her life without it. She manages not to become sour, and when the oppertunity to look after a Herald comes up, she jumps at it! In doing so, she encounters many more things than she thought she would. A very good story that explains why some people are chosen or not. A thing I did notice was a typo of ‘their’ instead of ‘there’.
‘Song of Valdemar’ by Kristin Schwengel shows what happens when someone is gifted with the wrong thing. It really does seem very sad, and the fact that it touched me indicates it it well written.
‘The School Up the Hill’ by Elisabeth Waters was also good. Sometimes it seems like the number of coincidences is too great, but it is magic! It’s a little confusing at first, and the reader has no idea what is going on, but it’s good because of that.
‘Chance’ by Mark Shepherd deals with one of Vanyel’s lovers. Vanyel will always hold a special place in my heart. The dialogue is a little stilted, but this perhaps reflects well what the two men feel. I wasn’t sold on the concept of a gay brotherhood, nor that being gay gives you an erection at bad moments! This short story is contiguous with Vanyel’s novels, which is awesome though.
‘Sword of Ice’ by Mercedes Lackey and John Yezegulalian is the title short story of this collection. I think that the title doesn’t really go well with it. You get to know the background of Savil, Vanyel’s mentor. A little confusing for this to come after ‘Chance’.
‘In the Forest of Sorrows’ by John Helfers is also about Vanyel, after he has become a forest spirit. I’m not sure this short story really portrays him as I imagined – he was never so overconfident and I didn’t know he could ‘Fetch’.
‘Vkandis’ Own’ by Ben Ohlander is filled with the heat of battle, and what the aftermath means in Karse. We see the beginning of Solaris’ takeover of the Priesthood, but really it’s hard to know what will happen.
‘A Herald’s Honor’ by Mickey Zucker Reichert fills in a bit of the border folk for me – I’vealways been fascinated by the Holderkin, and wished that Lackey had done more. The reader needs to do a little thinking, and use their logic – it might even help you evaluate your own values.
‘A Song for Noone’s Mourning’ by Gary Braunbeck doesn’t fit for me. The half world that is depicted is unlikely, as is the behaviour of the Herald involved. It’s a nice idea, and relatively well written, but it doesn’t fit for me.
‘Blue Heart’ by Philip M. Austin and Mercedes Lackey has the format of a story within a story, something I often enjoy. It’s good, although I did want more about the hidden Herald, rather than the butterfly. It wasn’t exactly the thrilling conclusion I wanted for the short story collection, too soft and questionable – but perhaps that’s the way it was meant to be.
I struggled to work out why these short stories were ordered as they were
. Had I been in charge of it, I would have either grouped them by area (Karse vs Valdemar) or by time, while also stating where in the continuity they came.
I’ve decided to tag/label authors that have written stories in anthologies only if I have some of their other works to read, or I intend to buy some of them soon! That way I will hopefully keep the number of labels I have down, but also help people to find what they want more easily. If I ever get ARCs, then I’ll likely change this policy – until then, it’s all good.
I’d recommend this book of short stories for anyone who enjoys the Valdemar universe and wants more. The majority of these stories are enjoyable and canon-like for this universe. The majority of tales are suitable for teens and adults alike.

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Review: Mercedes Lackey – The Sleeping Beauty

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The Sleeping Beauty
Mercedes Lackey
Rosa’s mother has just died, and things seem set for her to inherit a horrible step mother determined to kill her off! Instead a craft set of trials is devised to determine her husband. Although Rosa has favourite, there is someone who hasn’t shown their hand and could destroy everything.
Initially this book starts out with a great sense of humour – something that Lackey says she deliberately included. As the novel progresses, things do become a bit more involved. One gripe I had was that the same analogy used by Godmother Bella in The Fairy Godmother to explain to Elena about her missing price is used again in this book.
I love Seigfried. He’s so likeable. You can tell from his physical description that he is frequently underestimated, yet underneath all that is a bright brain. I like his little bird too.
Rosa is awesome. I like Rosa too. She doesn’t get nearly enough airtime! Or I guess she does, but it’s not really that obvious because perspectives are swapped every which way. A strong willed female protagonist once again. I’m a bit sick of the Sleeping Beauty / Cinderella stories though – there doesn’t seem to be anything else going for the women!
There are some inconsistencies with the fairytales, and countless references to others. If you aren’t familiar with your fairytales, I’d suggest brushing up on them.
I liked the trials, particularly the riddles. That was my favourite part of the whole thing! Worth reading just for those. Perhaps this isn’t the most glowing of reviews, but it is enjoyable, and certainly easy to read with a thrilling conclusion.
It’s a complete change from Fortune’s Fool, where the kingdom in question is poor. This kingdom is so rich that they are constantly at war to keep the neighbouring kingdoms from stealing the gold. The final trial is quite logical from that really.
After awhile, the covers on these books become quite samey. There are only so many pretty women you can look at! It would be nice to have another strong male Hero in future books, and have him on the cover instead. I can understand that Lackey is a female and therefore writes female orientated things, but still…
This one is suitable again for teens as well as adults. Not even very many adult themes in this one! Just some clever use of language, humour and trials as I mentioned.

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Review: Mercedes Lackey – The Snow Queen

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The Snow Queen
Mercedes Lackey
Aleksia is the Snow Queen, ruling and saving young boys from becoming Clockwork Artificers. Imagine her horror when she discovers that she has a duplicate – and her duplicate is actually putting spears of ice into young men to destroy them. Aleksia has to prove that she is true, while also trying to overcome her own isolation.

This book is considerably later in time since The Fairy Godmother. Elena is now a senior Fairy Godmother, and has multiple Kingdoms under control. When I looked this up on Mercedes Lackey’s website to check the spelling of Aleksia’s name, I discovered this is actually the 4th book in the Five Hundred Kingdom’s series, when I have been rereading them as this being the 3rd book. Nevertheless, it didn’t have a huge impact on my enjoyment because it doesn’t depend on any characters from Fortune’s Fool.

I felt a little like Aleksia was too cold for me! I did connect with her character, but not to the extent that I did with Elena. There were parts of her that didn’t feel fleshed out (particularly her seemingly rational but out of proportion anger at the North Wind). More could have been done with her

There is a section where two people are attacked by bandits, and it is briefly described how they get out of the situation and gain from it. A couple of pages later after swapping view points, this is repeated and expanded upon. It wasn’t far enough away in the text hat I felt that the repetition was warranted.

Other parts of the novel didn’t connect. No matter how many times I reread this, I can never remember which of the two men with Veikkio Aleksia is interested. I can understand using different sounding names to emphasis that this is taking part in another part of the world, but it’s annoying to keep track of.

I loved the concept of the Runes foretelling what a person is good at for the Sammi. For such a practical people, I couldn’t understand how their afterlife could be so boring though! I would like to see more stories about them, because the end of this book didn’t feel finished for Aleksia at all. I wanted to know more about how she would bring more friendly people (not just children!) to her castle.

Recommended for adults and teenagers as there are no ‘sex scenes’, only a great story! Highly enjoyable, even if I feel that is isn’t quite as good as the others in the series. There are more new fairytales from other parts of the world that European readers may not be familiar with which adds an extra level of interest.

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Review: Mercedes Lackey – Fortune’s Fool

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Fortune’s Fool
Mercedes Lackey
In another tale of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Sasha and Katya are both seventh born children. The difference between them is that one belongs on the land and the other in the sea. Both have important roles for their kingdoms, but both are equally alone as well.
Sasha and Katya show very little character development. Sasha is the kind hearted soul he has always been, and Katya the strong willed woman who loves clothes!  Their relationship also seems a little quick moving, but then again, the Tradition is behind it.
I like how this book has two climax points. The first is with Katya, which introduces her nicely, and the second is with the Jinn. The various adventures Sasha had didn’t hold as much weight with me because I knew that as a Fortunate Fool he would come out of them ok every time.
Nippon. Anyone who has studied Japanese will see that Lackey has blatantly ripped off their language. I’m not sure I found it great – I wanted something new, not something I was familiar with. Granted, it was a bit like medieval Japan, but in a Fairytale book I felt there should be more.
Three Baba Yagas! How scary. This is a fairytale that everyone should be familiar with, the strange house that walks on two chicken legs. This book really makes an effort to draw in a number of Fairytales, which is excellent.
The ending is a little bit too clear cut for me. Or rather, not the ending itself, but the little epilogue that is at the end, in a years time. All too very convenient and unlikely, even with the Tradition. I was under the impression that the castle was further away from Sasha’s kingdom that it appears, and it isn’t near the water except by a stream.
I’d recommend this book for adults only, simply because it has explicit sex scenes in it. They aren’t really necessary for the book, and they do feel a little gratuitous, but I guess Lackey doesn’t get to explore that much in her other books.

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Review: Mercedes Lackey – One Good Knight

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One Good Knight
Mercedes Lackey
Princess Andie is intelligent, waif-like beautiful and has just turned 19. Her mother however isn’t ready to see her as an adult, and would rather she was confused and silly with conventional beauty. When Andie finally gets a real ‘job’, she uncovers things that were probably better off hidden. Andie becomes a liability very quickly – as a virgin she’s very likely to be snaffled up by an evil creature…

Andie is smart, and bookish – just what I like in a female protagonist. She isn’t very good with common things, but her common sense is certainly in place. Yay for a non-traditional heir. Lackey has a good thing going, and she really works with it.
The different perspectives of this book, particularly the Queen vs Andie in the first parts of the book really set the plot going. Those that have read The Fairy Godmother in this series will recognise the Traditional path that is taking place, but Andie can’t see it. You just keep waiting for the penny to drop!So many good things to say about this book, but many of them would give away too much of the plot. It’s not a particularly hard read, but it will sucker you in and steal all of your time (oops to doing all that study I had lined up)

Andie’s knowledge of the Tradition, and also that of the other people in her Kingdom (such as Sophont Balen) seems strange, after the emphasis in The Fairy Godmother about most people having no idea. Yet everyone seems to be exploiting it easily! It’s nice to see how a situation can be resolved without a Fairy Godmother though – the regular people have a chance.
The cover of this book doesn’t match how I saw Andie at all. I though she was very thin with no breasts, and the girl on the cover certainly does have those! Also I expected that the dragon would be less fierce looking than that. Hard to discuss more without giving the plot away.
Worth a read. I’d say this book is suitable for teens as well as adults because it contains none of the explicit sex scenes of the first book. This series is a very good one, and worth buying to reread often. Lackey really breaths life into old fairytales.

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4star

Review: Mercedes Lackey – The Eagle and the Nightingales

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The Eagle and the Nightingales
Mercedes Lackey
Nightingale has travelled on her own for a long time. Now she has been set by three people to do a seemingly impossible task – work out what is wrong with the High King of the Twenty Kingdoms. Settling herself in at Freehold with the non-humans, she discovers a plot that runs deeper than they ever imagined.
I have no idea why the title of this book is ‘the Nightingales’. There is only one Nightingale, although she does go by a number of other names. I love Nightingale, and have almost as much empathy for T’fyrr. Nightingale has things that she is a afraid of, but for love, she is willingto work around them.
The reason that I love this book so much is that it combines a kingdom under threat with music and beautiful costumes. A strong female heroine doesn’t hurt either. I love the idea that music can be magic, and I only wish I had as much talent.
This book is decidedly plot driven, but that’s not a bad thing. Just as you feel like things are being settled in, they change! The ending is thrilling really – the first time I read it I was too hooked to let go. Even on this millionth rereading, I still couldn’t put it down.
This is a book in the Free Bards world, and there are a number of other books that you could read in this series about the Free Bards. I don’t feel that you need to read them in order, although it may be more interesting to do so. It references other books, but doesn’t give too much away.
You will find this book very hard to purchase! I personally got my rather battered copy from ebay – it was listed as being in good condition, but certainly wasn’t, which was disappointing. I am yet to find a nice copy, but I have hopes that this series will be republished.
I’d recommend this book for adults and teenagers. Although there are some adult themes, it is all very subtle and enjoyable. The hints about rape and sex are not explicit, and although torture is never nice to talk about, it’s not badly done in this book.

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Review: Mercedes Lackey – Alta

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Alta
Mercedes Lackey

Little Vetch has grown into a man, named for his father Kiron. With his tame dragon Avatre he has fled from Tia to Alta, the land of his birth. He does not know what he will find, or what he will be able to do for Alta. When he arrives, he finds that there are more troubles than he could have imagined.

This is the second book in the awesome Dragon Jousters Series (Joust is the first). I’m so very fond of it! I like Kiron, even though he’s a male protagonist (it wouldn’t have worked with a female), and the minor things that go on in this book are really down my alley. I love learning, and I love learning with Kiron and also feeling with them as the dragons hatch.

The dragons are so realistically realised. Lackey is an animal carer, and its obvious that she has drawn on that expertise. She has thought about everything – their breeding habits, the way the hatch, how they interact. This is the way dragons should be – they may be wild, but they can also be tamed and form bonds of love.

As Kiron learns to read, it becomes obvious to the reader that this series has a foundation in Egyptian history. The ideas of tombs and hieroglyphics really make that stand out. It’s nice to see some input, but not too much. It’s not intrusive at all.

This book is really unusual in that its climax doesn’t really feel to me like a climax. This is really a medium plot book – several moderately exciting things happen, and you often wonder whether they are going to get away with their tricks, but of course they will – because most things are relatively minor. I’ve read the book so many times now that I’m never surprised by anything happening!

Just as in any good book, it is obvious how Kiron is growing up and becoming more opinionated, as well as stronger. Things he has been through make him seem older than the other unique Jousters. It’s interesting that Kiron supports slavery, when usually Lackey channels characters that hate it. It’s understandable though, and I don’t think I could have expected anything else as it wouldn’t be in line with Kiron’s beginnings as a serf. The other characters also show development, particularly Orest and Aketen who we meet early in the novel.

I’d recommend this book for teens and adults. Nothing particularly controversial in this one – it’s all very above board. Yes, the Magi’s scheming is unpleasant, but its totally in keeping with the rest of the novel and not too confronting.

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Review: Mercedes Lackey – Joust

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Joust
Mercedes Lackey

Vetch is an Altan serf labouring under a cruel and unjust master. Suddenly, Vetch finds himself swept up onto dragon-back and into the Tian dragon complex. Vetch is willing to work hard, but he is always consumed with anger against those who have killed his father and destroyed his rightful home.

Vetch is a fantastic character. Small and frightened, yet with a core of resiliency, he’s determined to make the most of any situation he finds himself in. He may just be a small boy when Ari brings him back, but in the course of the book he matures into a sensible young man who suddenly knows what he wanted.

This is a masterful book by Lackey. It’s not rushed like a number of her newer books, and it’s very enjoyable. Ok, so the plot progression in this is very slow. It’s more like a series of small plot highlights leading up to the eventual conclusion, rather than just a focus on a thrilling conclusion – although it has that too! Foreshadowing is used to great effect, so pay attention to every word you read.

I did have a problem with Vetch’s anger issues, which appeared to be very understated. I expected him to do more with them, and he just didn’t! It seems like he settles into captivity too well. Being downtrodden for long periods of time would do that to a person, but still, he is being fed well and cared for, and really, he should have more spice!

The print quality is ok, there are a couple of typos and spare punctuation marks throughout the text. I’m not entirely sure how the front cover of the book fits in, because Vetch certainly isn’t jousting or ever has a fancy hat like that. The dragon is almost certainly Avatre though.

I love rereading this book. I love it so much I have almost put a crease in its spine. This book is wonderful! If you liked Eragon, then you’re going to love Joust. I can’t say what exactly attracts me to it, perhaps the triumph of a low born character with added loving dragons does it for me.

Adults and teenagers will like this book if you like dragons and the underdog. I would almost recommend it for children, except the ending might be a little frightening and there certainly is an element of violence. I have also reviewed the second novel, Alta.

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