Review: Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey

April 20, 2023 ~ VenusBloo ~ Leave a comment

Book: Intrigues

Author: Mercedes Lackey

Pages: 328

Source: Owned

Publisher: DAW Books

Genre: Fantasy

Publication Date: October 1, 2010

Goodreads Summary:

Magpie is a thirteen-year-old orphan chosen by one of the magical Companion horses of Valdemar and taken to the capital city, Haven, to be trained as a Herald. Like all Heralds, Magpie learns that he has a hidden Gift-the Gift of telepathy.

But life at the court is not without obstacles. When Mags is “recognized” by foreign secret operatives whose purpose is unknown, Mags himself comes under suspicion. Who are Magpie’s parents-who is he, really? Can Mags solve the riddle of his parentage and his connection with the mysterious spies-and prove his loyalty-before the king and court banish him as a traitor?

My Review:

**Warning! This post may contain spoilers for the previous book in the Collegium Chronicles. Read at your own risk!**

Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey is the second book in the Collegium Chronicles set in the magical world of Valdemar. By the time this story takes place, Mags has been at the Collegium for several months, and just after Midwinter the year before, he managed to become a hero by saving his friend Bear from an insane, foreign assassin. Mags doesn’t let this go to his head, though. He still pretty much keeps to himself other than spending time with his friends Lena and Bear. He’s also been working on unraveling the mystery of his parents and where he comes from.

By doing research in the Guard archives, Mags discovers he is of foreign origin himself, and his parents must have come from quite far away indeed. The records indicate they spoke a language no one understood and wore unfamiliar clothing. If they had been from any of the countries bordering Valdemar, then the people with them would have at least recognized the language even if they couldn’t speak it. Mags eagerly shares this information with his friends over lunch, which turns out to be a mistake.

The foreseers have had a vision that involves a foreigner and danger to the King of Valdemar. Now, Mags has just admitted he is of foreign origin. Rumors begin to swirl around and about Mags. After all, the assassin last winter recognized him. How could that be? If Mags isn’t the foreigner in question, maybe it’s someone from his past that causes trouble in Valdemar. Mags has finally gotten used to living among people and having friends. He’s even joined the team of the new, popular sport Kirball. What will he do if they all turn against him?

One of the overarching themes of this book was the damaging power of rumors. Mags can’t help where he comes from any more than anyone can. No one has control over when and where they are born, and Mags definitely would have controlled it if he could. His anger at everyone believing something as insubstantial as a foresight vision was completely understandable. Especially after he finds out how little that vision actually revealed.

He is a Heraldric Trainee, and he’s been learning that being a part of the Herald’s Circle should mean something. He should be trusted based on the fact that the Companions trust him. It’s important to remember that at this point in the story, Mags has only been away from the mine for maybe six months. He’s had little more to go on as far as trusting people is concerned than what Dallen has been able to tell him. It’s not surprising that he would feel betrayed and hurt by that small amount of trust he’s built up in people in Haven being broken.

Mags’s reaction when even Bear and Lena appear to have turned away from him is completely understandable. However, it also shows how important it is to not let emotions get away from you. Bear and Lena needed to hear what Mags had to say to them, but it should have been conveyed in a calmer manner. The stress Mags endured over weeks of false accusation and rumor, though, had me sympathizing with him. I was also upset that neither Bear nor Lena ever apologized to him for their behavior.

In the end, Mags ends up being instrumental in preventing the disaster the foreseers saw in their visions. He turns out to be one of the most worthy Heraldric Trainees of being Chosen. Even the King himself is in his debt. He pays for it with some injuries, but he saves the day once again. That’s not to say Mags was able to just snap out of his depression. He thought he had lost everything, but Dallen was able to help snap him out of it. That just goes to show how important true friendship and a support system can be for people to have.

This is not the first time I’ve read Intrigues, and it’s unlikely to be the last. I enjoy then entire Mags saga from the Collegium Chronicles to the Herald Spy trilogy to the trilogy about his children. I always feel like this book is a turning point for Mags in his journey. He learns to trust in himself, and he establishes that he is a trustworthy and brave member of the Heraldric Circle. They only warning I will give about this book is that there are times when Mags gives voice to suicidal ideations, so keep that in mind before reading if it could be triggering for you.

My Rating:

I gave Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey four out of five stars. It’s a cautionary tale of what can happen when rumors are allowed to run wild. Rumors can be damaging to the point of causing someone to take their life, and they can make people feel desperate. The support of true friends can help, but having a strong sense of self-confidence is ultimately one of the few remedies. Mags had to learn this the hard way throughout the story. The only reason I didn’t rate this five stars is because some sections including the Kirball games became a bit tiresome to read. Other than that, I think it’s an excellent entry in the series.

Have you read any of the Valdemar books? What about the Collegium Chronicles? Let me know in the comments!

Review: Foundation by Mercedes Lackey

March 28, 2023 ~ VenusBloo ~ Leave a comment

Book: Foundation

Author: Mercedes Lackey

Pages: 340

Source: Owned

Publisher: DAW Books

Genre: Fantasy

Publication Date: October 7, 2008

Goodreads Summary:

The long-awaited brand new novel in the bestselling “Valdemar” series.
In this chronicle of the early history of Valdemar, Mercedes Lackey’s bestselling world, a thirteen year- old orphan named Magpie escapes a life of slavery in the gem mines when he is chosen by one of the magical Companion horses of Valdemar to be trained as a Herald. Thrust into the center of a legend in the making, Magpie discovers talents he never knew he had and witnesses the founding of the great Heralds’ Collegium.

My Review:

Foundation by Mercedes Lackey is the first book in the Collegium Chronicles which is a series set within the Valdemar universe. As such, it takes place in the country of Valdemar. Here, people live in relative peace thanks to the Heralds and their magical, horse-like Companions. Heralds serve as the monarch’s peace keepers, and they are Chosen by their Companions. The Companions are intelligent, horse-like beings with magical and telepathic abilities. Being Chosen generally awakens some abilities, called Gifts, within the person chosen as well. Herald Trainees are sent to Haven, the capital of Valdemar, and the Herald’s Collegium for training in combat, Gift use, and any other education they may need to fulfill their duties once awarded full Herald status.

The story begins with a thirteen-year-old boy named Mags, which is short for Magpie. Mags earned his name due to his ability to spot gems at the mine sluices when others would see nothing. He has lived nearly his whole life at Cole Peters’s mine, and like the other orphans and unwanted children Cole Peters has accumulated, he works half his day in the mine and half at the sluices. Mags and the other children are treated extremely poorly. They are barely taught to read and write over their meager, watery soup every day. They are forced to cram themselves into mineshafts to chip away for “sparklies” in the hopes of earning enough food to eat. They sleep all piled up in a pit underneath the barn, and it isn’t unusual for some of them to die from the conditions they’re exposed to.

All Mags has room in his mind to focus on every day is survival, so it’s no wonder he had never heard of Heralds or Companions until one showed up at the mine to Choose him. He is finally allowed to leave after another Herald shows up to help the Companion Dallen. Then, he is whisked off to the nearest Guard outpost to be cleaned and allowed the time to heal and grow more accustomed to his new life. When he makes it to the Herald’s Collegium, he begins the process of changing from a half-feral child into someone with friends and a purpose rather than someone focused on mere survival.

This journey doesn’t come without its obstacles, though. When Mags first arrives in Haven, he only knows what things are through Dallen’s secondhand memories. Dallen even has to help keep Mags calm so he can attempt to integrate himself into his new life. So many things that people take for granted are great gifts to him. He constantly talks about how shocked he is that he never has to worry about a full belly or a warm bed or being clean every again. Sure he has to work hard, but it’s for a cause he’s coming to believe in more and more.

Mags’s trauma is at the forefront in most of the book. Mercedes Lackey does a great job of demonstrating how long-term abuse and neglect can affect a child. Mags even demonstrates symptoms of PTSD, which is totally understandable considering his treatment at the mine. There’s a specific incident that really drives this home for the reader. Mags has to live out in a room in the Companion stables due to construction of the Collegium. The Collegium is a new idea for the Heralds, and not all Heralds are happy with this new way of training. When one such Herald spots Mags alone in the stables and discovers he lives there alone, the Herald immediately jumps to the conclusion that Mags must be up to no good and shakes him harshly. Mags reacts by running into his room, locking the door, and cowering in the corner in fear until Dallen can calm him down.

While these reactions of his are frightening, Mags doesn’t let them hold him back. He makes friends with Lena, a Bardic Trainee, and Bear, a Healer Trainee. He discovers he may not be very good at book-work, but he’s is a natural with weapons work and riding. Mags even manages to befriend an influential merchant in town, and he begins training with the King’s Own in spy craft. He still struggles with everyday interactions, but he grows and learns throughout the book.

The Collegium Chronicles are some of my favorite books in the Valdemar series. Following Mags’s journey from feral child to competent, confident Herald is so satisfying to read. There’s just something I love about stories about people overcoming overwhelming odds to succeed. Mags not only manages to get a handle on his trauma, but by the end of the book he’s a hero to boot.

My Rating:

I gave Foundation by Mercedes Lackey five out of five stars. I have read this book multiple times, and I feel like I may reread the Collegium Chronicles every year. Mags’s is resilient, steadfast, and persistent boy who overcomes a horrible childhood to take steps towards his goal of becoming a Herald. With the help of his friends and Dallen, he manages to be a hero when he’s needed, without hesitation. I’d recommend this book and series to anyone who wants a good story about an underdog in a fantasy setting.

Have you read this book? What about other books in the Valdemar universe? Let me know in the comments!

ARC Review: Into the West by Mercedes Lackey

December 21, 2022 ~ VenusBloo ~ 1 Comment

Book: Into the West

Author: Mercedes Lackey

Pages: 496

Source: NetGalley

Publisher: DAW Books

Genre: Fantasy, Magic

Publication Date: December 13, 2022

Goodreads Summary:

Baron Valdemar and his people have found a temporary haven, but it cannot hold all of them, or for long. Trouble could follow on their heels at any moment, and there are too many people for Crescent Lake to support. Those who are willing to make a further trek by barge on into the West will follow him into a wilderness depopulated by war and scarred by the terrible magics of a thousand years ago and the Mage Wars. But the wilderness is not as empty as it seems. There are potential friends and rapacious foes….

….and someone is watching them.

My Review:

I was given a free advanced reader’s copy of Into the West by Mercedes Lackey by DAW Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, DAW Books!

If you keep up with my blog, you’ve probably already read my review of Beyond by Mercedes Lackey which is the first book in a planned trilogy exploring the founding of Valdemar. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, and I couldn’t wait to read the newest installment, Into the West.

Into the West takes place a few months after the events of Beyond. Kordas Valdemar, his family, and anyone else he managed to rescue have made it far away from the dreaded Empire. Part of that escape left the capital of the Empire in ruins and the Emperor murdered, so Kordas is able to take his time closing the Gate leading back to the Valdemar Duchy. He uses this time to encourage anyone who isn’t sure about settling in a completely unknown part of the world to make their way back to the Duchy rather than moving forward.

In the months the Expedition has been by Crescent Lake, it’s become obvious to Kordas that they can’t stay to settle there. There are already people living in the area, and there are simply too many members of the Expedition for the Crescent Lake area to sustainably support. So, he makes plans to follow the nearest river with everyone aboard their barges being pulled by Tow-Beasts and other work horses. He hopes that through a combination of river travel and Gate usage they can find a land that isn’t already inhabited and that can support a growing community.

Naturally, this journey, like the one before it, doesn’t go smoothly. The Expedition encounters other villages who don’t take kindly to their river being invaded. They are also attacked by strange creatures made with magic, and they narrowly escape an even greater evil along the way. Finally, the Expedition meets some new allies that help them meet their goal of settling in a new place, and Kordas and his people start settling into new roles and building a lasting community.

It took me longer to read this book than the first one, though, because of Lackey’s gratuitous use of inner-monologue to explain things and a tendency towards info-dumping. I had to put this book down so many times because the first hundred pages or so was just explanations on the minutia of running a community. Much of the story was told via Kordas’s inner monologue, and I couldn’t help thinking it would have been more effective to convey the information with an actual conversation between characters at times.

About 150 pages in, however, the story started to pick up the pace. The point of view switched between Kordas and Deliah. Deliah is Kordas’s wife’s younger sister, and she is infatuated with Kordas. This a big problem, and since Deliah has the Fetching Gift, Kordas sends her ahead with the scout team along the river. Unfortunately, other than introducing the character and having the side-story of Deliah coming into her own, I don’t feel like Deliah’s perspective added much to the plot. Unless her character becomes more important in the third book, this is something else that could have been left out.

There were some interesting lore additions that happened in the story, though. For example, we found out in Beyond that the Dolls are actually magically imprisoned vrondi. If you’ve read the Collegium Chronicles, then you know the vrondi are Air Elementals that protect Haven and Valdemar from hostile magical sources. Well, we find out how that may have come to be in this book. I also have a sneaking suspicion that the vrondi are connected to Companions somehow after reading this story. Little Easter eggs like this in the final third of the book definitely made me excited for the finale.

Overall, Into the West ended up having a good story. The final half of the book was the best part, and I really enjoyed the connections being made to other parts of Valdemaran history. However, the info-dumping at the beginning and the poor pacing at times brought this book down from the previous level of action and anticipation in the first installment. It’s definitely still worth the read to get to the third book if nothing else.

My Rating:

I gave Into the West by Mercedes Lackey three out of five stars. It’s still fun to read and learn about Valdemar’s history, and I enjoyed making connections in this story to other stories throughout the history of Valdemar. It also made me want to read the Mage Wars trilogy and a few others I won’t mention due to spoilers. The decision to tell instead of show is the biggest negative, but it was still easy to read past a certain point. Definitely read this if you’re a big Valdemar fan!

Do you enjoy the world of Valdemar? What about Mercedes Lackey’s other books? Let me know in the comments!