Exile’s Valor

Mercedes Lackey

Alberiech must protect his Queen without her knowing it. With intrigues abounding, is these anyone he can actually trust?

It’s nice to see him falling for someone! If you didn’t see it happening in the first section of this set of two novels, you’ll see it here. It adds a human element to an otherwise manly man.

The glass window and mirrors are a nice touch. I liked hearing about them being made. To me, some of the highlight of a fiction book is that you can learn things without realizing it. I only wish more authors made an effort to teach things in an interesting manner.

The game of Hurlee is also present in other novels in a slightly different form. It appears that finding a way to simulate warfare is pretty important to Weaponsmasters. Not surprising really. I find the game interesting at least, and only wish there were more byplays. It reminds me a bit of Polo in a way.

These set up nicely for the novel ‘Take a Thief’. Alberiech is often wishing he had a thief, and he’ll eventually get one. It’s amazing the amount of work he does. I only wish he had more apprentices.

A thoroughly enjoyable novel, especially after the disappointment I have had lately with other novels in this series.

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When Darkness Falls

Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory

Kellen has come into his own as a commander of armies. Little does he know that the final battle will not be as he imagined it, nor that things may not work out the way he wanted them to.

There is a definite character progression for Kellen in this novel compared to the first two. Kellen is spunky, and decisive, yet vulnerable as well.

I find it hard to believe that the end would work the way it did, but it did, and it was satisfying. Nothing like having an Outcast (or three) telling you what to do!

It’s all a bit misleading, with each of the miniature climax points really leading to the final battle – which is not at all short. It’s well depicted and satisfying, even for a greedy reader like me.

I find it hard to believe in reincarnation – why wouldn’t everyone else get one if they gave up their love? And it seems like Kellen and the demon girl would want to have children – would they have halfbreeds? Something else? It’s never answered in this trilogy or the next.

I enjoyed this novel almost as much as I enjoyed the first in this series. I’m moving on to read the next set of books in this series as soon as I possibly can!

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The Phoenix Endangered

Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory

Harrier is faced with a challenge – he hates killing, yet is fated to become a legendary Knight-Mage. Tyr, his friend and the hope of the elves, is just as lost and confused. Yet they must triumph over Bisochim, who is determined to wreak the peace of the light.

This novel is a bit unsatisfactory, particularly the ending. There could have been far more fitted into this novel. The journey is long, its filled with unnecessary details between Harrier and Tyr arguing about what to do next and their various character flaws that they know about each other.

I’m not sure of the significance of the missing desert tribe. Yes, they feature near the end of the novel, but they aren’t really necessary as far as I can see. Does everyone else spot the potential conflict of love interest?

I like the Telchi. I only wish there was more of him, and that perhaps he didn’t have to die. That’s the difference between this trilogy and the last one is that people that they care about die more often than not. It should add an element of suspence, but I never really felt attracted enough to these secondary characters to care.

Oh! The height of irony! Bisochim is so desperate to save his people, but instead he finds himself being the element of their destruction. Pretty frustrating for him, I’d have to say. And yet he’s not bright enough to realize that perhaps he’s doing the wrong thing.

I don’t have the third book in this series at the moment, and it’s a bit frustrating for me. I will read it eventually though.

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The Phoenix Unchained

Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory

Tiercel is the newest High Mage in 1000 years. Harrier is his best friend, dragged after him on a quest to find Wild Mages and elves. Neither of them know what the end of this will be.

This entire novel is basically about the journey. They reach their destination in the end, but not in the manner you would expect. Me, I feel sorry for their parents that they have left behind – something you didn’t have to worry about for the first trilogy in this world.

I prefer the down to earth Harrier over Tiercel. It’s not a bad thing, since most of the novel is written from his perspective. He’s gritty, although sometimes he is also a bit annoying.

The sections with the Wild Mage gone to the bad are the least interesting for me, on this second or third rereading. How hard can it be to bring darkness back into the world? And how idiotic would you have to be to think you can control it?

I read this novel in a couple of hours, and despite it being a reread, couldn’t put it down for all that long. I was plagued with wanting to read it, because I remembered a fair bit, but not the bit that happened at the end!

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To Light a Candle

Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory

Kellen has come into his full powers. Now part of an army to protect the elves, some think that his loyalties are divided. Others ignore what he has to offer, to their detriment. Can he triumph?

Kellen once again plays a decent hero. The mage from the Golden City also has a small role, but it’s quite understated until near the end. It doesn’t seem like they’ll ever be able to work together though.

There was a fair bit of repetition at the beginning of this novel to remind you of what happened in the first. I found it kinda annoying, and also not entirely accurate. I guess it would be convinent if you left a gap between reading the two books though.

Plenty of action in this novel, to satisfy those cravings for battle. Kellen is learning more things, and the reader learns more things about elves and commanding an army. I find those little details, as always, interesting and worth my time.

I did find myself skipping over some of the bits occurring in the city, because there just wasn’t the appeal of the Kellen storyline. Yay, Kellen! I just wish he didn’t have that vow to the unicorn, because it seems to me like it would be a very hard thing for a young man to follow, even in war time.

Idalia is sure that she is going to die, yet never seems to! Some of the other mage prices, particularly the one for the calling, don’t seem to make sense in the bigger picture. As the Wild Magic wills though.

Elven courtesy to me seems quite a sensible idea! Nothing wrong with being polite. I can tell how it might be irritating though. Bells on tents, who would have thought it?

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The Outstretched Shadow

Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory

Kellen has been sent 3 strange books. For his knowledge, he shall be cast out of his city in discrase. Little does he know that other family members are willing to look out for him.

Kellen is endearing, frustrating and awesome all at once. Once again, a strong male character who I actually enjoy reading about. The unicorn he meets provides a bit of comic relief as well, as do the elves.

I only wish there was more of other wildmages and their skills. The prices and things are interesting to me, and I’d have loved to see more. I enjoyed the rustic environment that Kellen finds himself in, and the everyday experiences as well.

The detail of the Endarkened torture chambers and such is fascinating. It’s really quite horrifying to imagine, but it’s so interesting at the same time.

The elves are just as I could have imagined them. They don’t deviate from the usual idea for elves, which isn’t a bad thing as far as I’m concerned.

I really like this series, and I wonder whether it’s because it’s a work between two writers for a change. Lackey’s touch is clear, but this novel makes me want to go out and read some of Mallory’s stuff as well.

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Take a Thief

Mercedes Lackey

Skif lives out on the streets, trying to find a spot of warmth and a bite to eat whenever and where ever he can. When his old mentor is murdered, little does Skif know that this will set him onto an entirely new path.

Skif’s one of those awesome protagonists that you admire for his bravery, skills and sense of humour. Yay, a male protagonist that I actually like! Well, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Lackey anyway.

The climax is pretty weak really. Some child slavers? And burnt buildings? An enemy that neither of them even mentioned before they were found. Not to mention that Lord Orthallen just ends up fine again – and it’s not really clear why he hates Skif in later books.

The descriptions of thievery are some of my favourite parts of the book. I skipped over some other parts of this novel on this reread – I’ve read it enough times that I remember basically everything anyway. A comforting, if not particularly exciting, read.

Skif livens up into a ‘normal’ child pretty easily. The Collegium accepts him – and clearly he can read and write. He fits in with the rest of his yearmates easily. Still, he does have an adult perspective. Not bad at all.

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