Four Mercedes Lackey Books

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The Valdemar Companion, edited by John Helfers and Denise Little (Daw, 2001)
Take a Thief (Daw, 2001)
The Black Swan (Daw, 1999)
Spirits White As Lightning (With Rosemary Edghill) (Baen, 2001)

In 1987, Mercedes Lackey crept onto the fantasy scene with her debut novel, Arrows of the Queen. Previously known only for her song lyrics and several short stories, no one could have guessed that she’d eventually become a major author, the sort who takes up an entire shelf in the bookstore. Little did we know at the time.

Arrows of the Queen was our initial introduction to the magical world of Velgarth, and the enigmatic, fascinating land of Valdemar, a land devoid of true magic, but guarded by incorruptible, fearless white-garbed men and women riding Companions, sentient blue-eyed white horses. We were given our initial tour into the world of the Heralds through Talia, a young woman whose creative mind was slowly being stamped into oblivion by her tyrannical, uncaring family and their harsh border lifestyle. When she ran away from home, and literally fell at the hooves of one Companion, it was the start of a fifteen-years-and-counting journey through magic and mayhem.

The initial Arrows trilogy detailed Talia’s progress from ignorant, unloved child to confident Herald, one possessed of a rare Gift and an even rarer position: that of Queen’s Own, the Herald responsible for advising and protecting the Queen herself. Talia’s story took us through Valdemar, detailing the ways and traditions of the Heralds, introducing us to their legends, and opening the way for tragedy, triumph, and war.

As Mercedes added to the Valdemar books, we were thrown back in time to see the life and death of the Last Herald-Mage, Vanyel Ashekevron. We went back even further to the ending of one civilization and the beginning of another in the Mage Wars trilogy. We journeyed to faraway lands for the Vows and Honor duology, and By The Sword, which linked the various series in time for a truly epic pair of trilogies, the Mage Winds and Mage Storms series. Along the way, she turned out quite a few short stories for Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine and the Sword and Sorceress anthologies, many of which have been collected in one form or another. More books followed, detailing more characters, other aspects of the world. And finally, someone got the brilliant idea to actually collate all of this vast amount of information, and put out The Valdemar Companion.

Weighing in at nearly 500 pages, the Companion is everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Valdemar novels, short stories, associated songs, characters, places, histories, and people who’ve helped flesh them out, and then some. Fully half the book is devoted to an impressive Concordance written by Teri Lee, Juanita Coulson, Kerrie Hughes, and Denise Little. Every name, every term, every place referenced in any of the numerous books or stories has an entry here. Just bouncing from one entry to another is addictive, and fun. No matter how minor or brief an appearance they might have made, they’re in here.

Mercedes herself contributes an all-new novella, A Herald’s Journey, which serves as a primer, tour, and refamiliarization of the process of becoming a Herald, from that initial Choosing by a Companion, to the grueling years of education and training at the Collegium, to the final trial by fire out in the real world. It’s a fun story, which helps to introduce new readers to what it’s all about, and update old readers on some of the changes which Valdemar has undergone since the first time we visited the land back in Arrows of the Queen.

Denise Little contributes a lengthy, no-holds-barred, fascinating interview with Mercedes that covers just about every question I’d ever wanted to ask, and a few more. This is the comprehensive, “get to know Misty” conversation, and it’s immensely information.

Kerri Hughes gives us “A Traveller’s Guide to Valdemar and the Surrounding Kingdoms,” which is basically Fodor’s Velgarth, or perhaps Valdemar on Five Pennies a Day. Again, it’s a comprehensive collection of everything we know about Valdemar and its neighbors over fifteen years of publication.

Former Tempest band member Michael Longcor, who has long been associated with Mercedes and the musical side of her works, gives us an essay on “Balladeers, Buskers, and Bards: The Music of Valdemar.” As Mercedes has always been drawn to music, and many of her books actually do come with some form of a soundtrack, it’s important that we understand just how much music and song is woven into the nature of her works. Bards, like Heralds, play a large part in Valdemarian society, and other non-Valdemar books have focused on Bards as the main characters.

With this in mind, we also have Teri Lee’s “Born in Song: Making the Music of Valdemar,” which focuses on the relationship and evolution between a handful of songs, and what has become a series twenty-six books and ten albums strong at last count. Following that is John Helfers, with “A Discography of the Songs of Valdemar.” This details every album with music inspired by, or pertaining to the Valdemar books, as well as the titles of the songs, and who performed them. Prominent names here include Mercedes Lackey, Michael Longcor, Meg Davis, Cecilia Eng, and Leslie Fish, all of whom have had a major presence in the Celtic rock community, or the filking community (filk being music inspired by science fiction or fantasy, often parodying or paying homage to established tunes).

Denise Little turns in “A Conversation With Betsy Wollheim,” the president and co-publisher of Daw Books, and the editor who first handled Mercedes when she was just starting out with Daw. It’s another interesting look at the process that brought a writer from obscurity to the big leagues.

Thankfully, one aspect of this book is “The Novels of Valdemar,” written by Denise Little and Kristin Schwengel. This handy feature is a chronological-by-publication-date summary of every book and short story published about the world of Valdemar’s setting. Spoiler-haters beware, this gives the whos and whats for every book, in short form, to catch new readers up on what they’ve missed, and refresh the memories of old readers.

Russell Davis gives us a short essay on “Virtual Valdemar.” Where can you find those fan clubs and chatrooms and discussion lists online? Here’s your answer, as accurate as any print essay about the Internet can be.

Finally, Larry Dixon and Daniel Green collect all of the known maps for Valdemar and the other lands featured in the books. These are beautiful, detailed, elegant works of art, typical for Dixon, who has acted as resident artist and occasional co-writer, as well as Mercedes’ ever-loving husband.

I am in awe of the vast amounts of material gathered, and the splendid way in which it is all presented. The Valdemar Companion is a perfect example of what to do when putting together a reference work based on someone’s writing.

The essays are informative and well-crafted, the discography and bibliography are useful, and the Concordance is downright indispensable. Add in the new novella, and you have a well-packaged book that’s more than worth the price of a hardback. And as always, Jody A. Lee, who’s contributed quite a few covers for Mercedes’ books, has turned in a simply gorgeous, utterly evocative cover which conveys the feeling of Valdemar perfectly. Whether you’re a new fan or old, this is a book that belongs on your shelf next to the Valdemar novels.

The newest novel in the Valdemar saga actually takes place in the years before Arrows of the Queen, and focuses solely upon one of the best-loved characters from that period: the rapscallion pickpocket-turned-Herald known as Skif. Up until this point, we knew very little about him. We knew he was an orphan of sorts, that he grew up on the streets, that he was a thief and pickpocket of great skill and dubious morals, and that his first encounter with a Companion started with his trying to steal the horse, and ended with his being Chosen as a Herald. We knew that a certain high-placed lord hated him, enough to constantly try and get Skif expelled, and that he never did quite give up his roguish ways. In Take A Thief we get his story from the beginning, at last.

It all starts out with Skif leading a life of quiet squalor, working for his loutish uncle at the Hollybush Tavern, the sort of place even the roaches tend to avoid lest they become part of the daily meal. Skif’s only relief from this lousy life comes in the mandatory education provided for free at the temples, and the meal that goes along with it. Skif’s good at making time for himself, and sneaking into the houses of the nobility for food, small things he can steal, and a warm place to sleep.

One time though, he meets someone else with the same idea. Luckily, they hit it off, and thus Skif is ultimately introduced to Bazie, a crippled man who acts as Fagin, ringleader, mentor, surrogate father, and protector to a small, talented band of con artists, pickpockets, second story thieves, and more. When tragedy befalls the Hollybush, Skif’s destiny seems clear. He joins the group, and his talents are exploited to their fullest extent. Life, while never dull, is good.

Things never stay good for long, though. As Skif grows into his teenage years, a conspiracy strikes straight to the heart of his life, and he again finds himself alone, on the run, and out for vengeance against the people who let it happen. One thing leads to another, and as has been said, he runs afoul of the wrong horse, and ends up as a Herald-Trainee. There, he meets the formidable Alberich, Weaponsmaster, Herald, and occasional spy. Together, they hatch a plan to bring down a traitor, expose a conspiracy, and eradicate a gang of nasty predators. Perhaps the Companions didn’t make a mistake when they Chose a thief like Skif. Perhaps he has a part to play after all….

Take A Thief is several parts rollicking adventure in the truest Valdemar style, and several parts Dickensian orphan-makes-good. Skif’s life is like something straight out of Oliver Twist, bleak and corrupt and nasty, at least until he meets the people who change his life completely. This book looks back to the atmosphere of the first Heralds trilogy, and answers a few of those long-standing questions as it fills in backstory. It’s exciting, cunning, clever, bold, and pure Skif, all the way. Even if you’re completely new to the world of Valdemar, it stands on its own quite nicely. If you’re an old fan, you’re sure to enjoy seeing the return of a favorite character or three, and finding out how certain people and things got to be as they are by the time Talia arrives on the scene.

Mercedes Lackey has proven an ability to write in a number of genres. Besides fantasy, she’s done urban fantasy, and science fiction. She’s also written several stand-alone novels inspired by fairy tales, one of which is The Black Swan.

Odile Von Rothbart is the only daughter of a very powerful and very ambitious wizard who’s mastered the arts of shapeshifting and cursing. The good baron has captured a number of beautiful women who he swears have wronged men, and transformed them into a flock of swans who spend all but the light of the moon in their bird forms. Odile, ever-desirous of pleasing her father, has mastered some magic of her own, including the secret of transformation. As a swan herself, she tries to help and befriend her father’s erstwhile captives, but without ever truly questioning his motives.

Odette, the unofficial leader of the swan maidens, and a princess in her own right, is determined to find a way to reverse the spells and cancel the curse, allowing them all to go free. In a daring move, she places a challenge before the baron, one which could set them all free, or enslave them forever.

Odile and Odette will go head-to-head, and work together and separately to unravel the machinations of the baron and foil his fiendish plans. If they can’t, they’ll never be free, and a kingdom will be destroyed. But can a fledging sorceress and a transformed princess win the love of a prince and foil an evil wizard in time? The final confrontation will be brutal and violent, for magic unleashed always has a price. What’s worse is that Baron Von Rothbart is in league with an evil queen, and if she gets her way, no one’ll be happy.

The Black Swan takes an entirely new, magical look at the story which would someday be retold as “Swan Lake,” and does it more than justice, it does it right. It’s a modern retelling of an old fairy tale, filled with strong characters and a powerful, engrossing plot. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down.

Finally, to complete our sampler of Mercedes Lackey, we have Spirits White As Lightning, the latest in the Bedlam Bards sequence started in Knight of Ghosts and Shadows and continued in Summoned to Tourney, Bedlam Boys and Beyond World’s End.

Now that he’s finally settled down in New York City, with a fabulous apartment in the enigmatic Guardian House and a gargoyle who stops in to use his VCR, and now that he is taking classes at Juilliard, Bard Eric Banyon is doing just fine. Hey, all is cool. So he misses his friends, Kory the elf and Beth the witch, who’ve gone to live Underhill. He’s got plenty of new friends, and even an “I love you but I don’t entirely trust you yet” relationship going with his old enemy, Ria Llewellyn. And his god-daughter’s about to have her big Naming party Underhill, and Eric’s playing a very important role. So what’s the problem?

Well, there’s a renegade Black Ops chemist out there with some samples of a drug which awakens psychic talent … until it kills you. There’s an Unseleighe Sidhe lord with a hatred of all humanity and a thirst for revenge.

There’s Beth and Kory’s desire to have a crossbreed baby of their own, something damned near impossible if you don’t want to break a few metaphysical eggs (and people). (For the record, Eric fathered their first child. Go Eric.) There’s the dreaded dangers of summer school. And on top of all that, Eric’s picked up an apprentice Bard who plays the banjo, and has a punk-gothlet Healer friend hanging out for the time being. How much is one guy supposed to juggle?

As Eric explores the mystery of his new Bardic friend, Hosea, Kory and Beth journey into the unpredictable depths of Underhill, looking for the Goblin Market, which will in turn lead them to the answers they seek. If they can survive the kitsune, elves, and dragons…. Meanwhile, the Unseleighe Aerune is out for revenge in a big way, and he’s collected a few old enemies to help even the score. It’ll take all of Eric’s skill and talent and strength and the assistance of his friends to defeat the bad guys and survive. But not everyone will get out intact.

Spirits White As Lightning is another thoroughly enjoyable, exciting, and just plain fun adventure, reuniting all of our old friends from the earlier books in the series, and pulling in a few from other books. Rosemary Edghill was the perfect choice to bring in as co-writer for this particular series, as she helps to balance the mundane and magical threats. While this is a book best read in sequence with the rest of the series, it’s still a fantastic addition to the story of Eric the Bard and his various friends, allies, and enemies. As always, I look forward to the next in the series.

Mercedes Lackey continues to be one of the best fantasy authors out there. With compelling, realistic, and multidimensional characters who challenge the typical boundaries of gender and sexuality, with fully realized fantasy worlds as fascinating and complex as any “classic” worlds, and with tight plots that never lead quite where you expect, she doesn’t disappoint. Her work of late has been wholly satisfactory at the least, spectacular at the best, and I, for one, am always glad to see a new book by her on the shelves.

Give any of these a shot, and have fun.

First Truth, by Dawn Cook (Ace, 2002)

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Alissa is perfectly content with her life in the foothills, living alone with her mother, an accomplished weaver. After all, her status as half-breed (mother from the plains, father from the foothills, combining the best and worst of both worlds, belonging to none) makes her ill-fit to mingle with either of the two xenophobic, antagonistic communities she knows of. She’s naturally quite surprised, then, when her mother suddenly forces her out into the world with appropriate supplies and a rank bag of dust that is supposedly her dead father’s last gift to her. Alissa, it seems, has inherited a legacy of magic and power from her father, one she must now embrace. She has to journey to the Hold, a near-mythical center of learning, a fortress where Keepers serve the enigmatic Masters, learning magic from them all the while. Without any choice, Alissa thus sets out.

Strell is a wandering minstrel and explorer, who’s returned home to the plains after years away, only to discover a terrible tragedy has wiped out his family. With no one left but himself to carry on the name, and nowhere to go, he sets off again, looking for….? What he finds, though, is a kindly woman in the foothills who gives him shelter in trade for a precious map, legacy of her dead husband. Thus does Strell set forth into the world.

Before long, Alissa and Strell meet up, forming an unlikely partnership reminiscent of the Odd Couple, the plainsman and hillsgirl squabbling even as they’re forced to rely upon one another. Together, they seek out the Hold, their only hope of refuge before the winter storms set in. They don’t necessarily like or trust one another, centuries of distrust between their two peoples proving hard to overcome. But faced with adversity, they come together.

The Hold proves to be a greater disappointment, and greater mystery, than they could imagine. The Masters are gone, the Keepers all slain, and one man alone, the Keeper Bailic, holds sway over the fortress. His power is absolute, and Alissa and Strell have little choice but to go along with his capricious, unpredictable, oft-frightening ways. For he seeks The First Truth, a book of unimaginable power, hidden years ago by none other than Alissa’s father. Bailic is convinced one of his two guests holds the key to finding the book, but whom?

As winter drags on, Strell and Alissa are instructed in the ways of magic and music, drawn ever-tighter into an intricate web that dates back decades. Alissa must master the power within her, and unlock the secret of the being called Useless, before Bailic succeeds in his quest… or worse. In the darkest corners of the Hold, secrets can kill, and men can go mad.

First Truth is well-told and intriguing, imbued with a hint of claustrophobia and paranoia, the sort one might find in a remote Arctic base. The characters are complex, and the almost playful bickering between Alissa and Strell is charmingly entertaining, definitely realistic. The truth is rarely as evident as it seems, and the revelations played out leave plenty of room for future installments in the story of Alissa, Strell, Bailic, and Useless. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.

Fires of the Faithful, by Naomi Kritzer (Bantam, 2002)

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Secluded from the everyday woes of the world in the Verdiano Rural Conservatory for the Study of Music, sixteen-year-old Eliana’s main goal in life is to graduate, and achieve a posting with an orchestra in Verdia’s capital city of Cuore, and make her family proud of her. But Verdia is a land suffering from famine and the aftermath of a vicious war, and held tight in the grip of an oppressive theocracy that has wrapped its fingers around Emperor and land alike. The Old Ways of the One God are being stamped out, supplanted by the Lord and Lady, enforced by the cruel order known as the Fedeli, who are in turn quietly supported by the mysterious Circle, mages who alter the course of nature itself. And as with all times of change, everything is coming to a boil, with one girl caught in the middle.

Eliana’s new roommate, Mira, seems to be a stranger; none of the other students realize how strange at first. But when she begins to teach and spread the songs and music of the Old Way, defying law and self-preservation, Mira becomes a lightning rod for fear and suspicion, an atmosphere which ultimately conjures up the dreaded Fedeli and marks the beginning of a whole new life for Eliana. For when one of her friends is killed for heresy, and another kidnapped by the Circle, Eliana can no longer stay ignorant and hidden away from the world. She sets forth, traveling through a land ripped apart by war and fear, terrorized by the people sworn to protect it. She’ll discover the horrible truth about her family, descend into a place governed by hopelessness, and be initiated into the Old Way… and a rebellion will come to life around her. Verdia’s only hope lies in the drive and inexperience of a young woman and her fractious allies. Is she up for the task?

Fires of the Faithful is the debut novel from Naomi Kritzer, who has applied her degree in religion in an imaginative way. It’s easy to see the parallels between her made-up world and the real one; the Old Way as presented is extremely close to Catholicism, with a gender change or two and some surface alteration, while the Fedeli invoke images of the Inquisition. I’m no scholar of religion to read much more into this, but to the untrained eye, the allegories about how one religion can all but stamp out another, either incorporating the old rituals and ways or strangling them with fear and tyranny, are pretty obvious. Much of the core of the story revolves around the conflict between the Old Ways (the Redentori being those who wish to bring them back) and the Sudditi Fedeli della Signora (the Faithful Subjects of the Lady). The story brings us in at that crucial period when religions collide in a deathmatch, and people must either renounce their faith or hide it well, and that, in turn, fuels the greater conflict. It’s pretty hard to read Fires of the Faithful and not see the religious aspects, but they help the story to flow, rather than dragging it down.

The other obvious aspect of the story is the resemblance to the feuding city-states of the Italian region of some centuries back. The names (Eliana, Mario, Cassio, Bella) alone are highly indicative of the book’s influences, as are the names of the factions involved (the Redentori, the Fedeli). This is a period and place one doesn’t see a lot of in fantasy, so it’s certainly a nice change of pace. Also, the conflict between the Aramaic-derived Old Way (just check out the language the Old Way uses) and the Italian-inspired duotheism likewise conjures up images of the early days of Catholicism, when it was little more than a secret society conducting its worship in secret for fear of persecution.

Another strong undercurrent of theme revolves around magic and music, religion and music, magic and religion, intertwining the three to create a trinity of mysticism and belief. Eliana’s talent with the violin led her to the Conservatory in the first place, and it gives her the power to effect changes later on. Also, we see how both Redentori and Fedeli use music, song and dance, in their respective ceremonies, and how one religion favors magic and the other seeks to abstain from it. To mix the three elements is to create an interesting blend that really brings life to the story’s major conflicts.

In general, I greatly enjoyed this book. Eliana doesn’t come off as all-knowing or perfect; she makes more than a few mistakes, and it’s obvious that her troubles are just beginning. And as hard as it is to believe a sixteen-year-old girl can make the changes she does — well, Jean d’Arc certainly managed to cause some upset in her time, right? I’m looking forward to Turning the Storm, which reportedly concludes this particular story. And then we’ll have a much better idea of how well Kritzer has thought this through. (Two books. I wonder if she wrote one very large book, and her publishers kindly made her break it in half to make it manageable. That seems likely.) Thus, I recommend this book, with only a few hesitations: it does end on a slightly abrupt note, with quite a lot left to be resolved in the sequel, and I don’t feel we’ve gotten enough of the story to truly judge it yet. The religious conflict at the heart of the story is, as I’ve said, fairly obvious, which can either be a strength or a weakness, depending on how you feel about such a thing. Check this book out, though. For a first novel, it’s rather strong, and the protagonist is certainly enjoyable and easy to sympathize with.

Exile's Honor, by Mercedes Lackey (DAW, 2002)

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As a fan of military science fiction and epic fantasy, I’ve discovered something interesting. While most people will happily focus upon the heroes of the piece, those brave knights or soldiers or sword-swinging mercenaries or valiant champions who go forth to fight the enemy and save the day, no one really thinks about the people who train these heroes. That’s right, how often do you think about the Drill Intructors, Staff Sergeants, Armsmasters and the like who stay behind to train hero after hero, watching their students sally forth to risk or give their lives for the cause? These people have to be meaner, tougher, rougher, harder, more experienced, stronger, more capable, and more determined than any one of their proteges. They have to steel their hearts, never showing pity or mercy or favoritism. They have to seal themselves off from emotion, never admitting when they care for someone, because inevitably, anyone they treasure will die, probably in battle, leaving them behind.

Yes, when you look at it that way, our hypothetical D.I. or Armsmaster becomes a tragic hero in his own right, doesn’t he?

I’ve been reading Mercedes Lackey’s Heralds of Valdemar series ever since Arrows of the Queen debuted in 1987. While my heart went out to pixie-like, vulnerable young Talia, the heroine of that first trilogy, it was one of the supporting characters who grabbed my attention and chewed the scenery whenever he appeared: the gruff, unconventional, fierce Alberich, Armsmaster to the Heralds of Valdemar. Here was a guy so badass that he could get away with wearing any uniform he wanted. Here was a guy who could slap around any Herald, highborn trainee, or student in the land without breaking a sweat, and still work with a shy girl’s timid nature like one might charm a wild creature. Here was a guy who hailed from Valdemar’s traditional enemy, the land of Karse, and yet was one of the most trusted Heralds around. Here was a guy responsible for training the Heralds who kept the peace, carried the messages, dispensed justice, led the Army in times of war, and even ruled the country. Alberich wasn’t just any supporting character, he was a force of nature. Admittedly, he was slowing down a little, and looking to train a replacement sometime in the near future, but even so, the odds were good that he could singlehandedly whip anyone he wanted. And then tell them what they did wrong, and how to fix it. Without a sweat. Cool.

In Take a Thief, itself a prequel to the Arrows trilogy, we learn more about Alberich’s role. Not only was he the Weaponsmaster, he was a spy, an assassin, a master of intrigue and disguise who did the dirty work few others had the talent — or taste — for. In short, Alberich was 007 for the Valdemar set. How cool is that? Finally, we get his story, from the beginning. And oh my, is it a good one.

Anyone who’s read the Valdemar series will know certain things: how the Tedrel Wars of a generation previous nearly ripped apart Valdemar, how they claimed the life of Valdemar’s King and left an untried young woman on the throne as Queen, how the seeds of treachery were planted even then. This is backstory by the time Talia comes into the scene. But Alberich was right there in the thick of it all. And so some of those unseen moments of Valdemar history finally come to light.

Exile’s Honor is essentially divided into three parts, plus a prologue. In the prologue, actually a reprinted story from the Horse Fantastic anthology, we see how Alberich, once a trusted and talented young captain in the Karse army, was given a magifnicent white stallion as a prize. We learn how his curious and unpredictable talent for precognition both saved the lives of others and doomed him to execution on charges of witchcraft. At the last moment, his horse saved him, and brought him across the border to Valdemar, and Alberich’s life was changed forever.

Chosen as a Herald by the magical Companion (blue-eyed white horses with telepathy and some veeeeeeery interesting secrets, and a direct line to the Powers That Be), Alberich was forced to make some very hard decisions involving honor, loyalty, life, and death. Ultimately, he chose to stay in Valdemar, but that was only the beginning. The first part of this book concerns his introduction to the ways of Valdemar, a land quite different from the country of his birth. It deals with his rocky reception, the incongruity of placing a grown man with young teenagers, and the wisdom of letting a Karsite into Valdemar’s heart. Luckily, Alberich finds a kindred spirit in the old Weaponsmaster, and a calling as his assistant.

In the second part of the book, we skip forward to the chaotic years of the Tedrel Wars, the time during which Karse hires an entire nation of mercenaries to destroy Valdemar once and for all. Alberich must struggle again with honor and loyalty as he sends his pupils off to fight his former home, a place he’s never forgotten. Worse yet, Karse is a theocracy, following the demands of the vicious priesthood who nevertheless represent a diety Alberich has never renounced nor ceased to venerate. Can he continue to aid his new home against his old? As the Wars heat up, he chafes at remaining behind to train new Heralds and soldiers, when he could do so much more. Which brings us finally to the last part of the book. The Wars are nearly over, but much remains unfinished. The Tedrel mercenaries are not yet defeated, and untold numbers of Valdemarian and Karsite civilians remain enslaved. This is the time when heroes will fall and a King will be murdered, and Alberich will face his greatest tests to date.

There is a lot I could say about Exile’s Honor. This is, without a doubt, one of the best Valdemar books Mercedes Lackey has done. Not only does it showcase the maturation and growth of her skills in the past fifteen years, but it ties together loose ends and pulls old stories seamlessly together. I’m not sure how she can top this one, given that Alberich is one of her most compelling and complex characters, and she’s fairly well mined the recent past, present, and future of Valdemar, but damned if I don’t hope she tries.

You don’t need to have read other books in the Valdemar series in order to understand or enjoy this one. It stands on its own quite nicely — but it fits into the mythos just as well. Alberich’s ongoing struggle to reconcile loyalty, honor, faith, duty, obligation and expectations drives the book, without sacrificing a compelling plot. So if you like fantasy, and especially if you enjoy military fantasy, you’ll likely enjoy Exile’s Honor. (Sidenote: I’ve learned that a sequel is in the works, entitled Exile’s Valor. Huzzah! More Valdemar, says I, more Heralds! Okay, I’ll put my personal preferences back in my pocket….)

Dreams of the Compass Rose, by Vera Nazarian (Wildside Press, 2002)

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In the shifting sands and tempestuous oceans of the lands of the Compass Rose, all the secrets of the world are hidden. They twist and turn and intertwine in a complex, delicate dance throughout the ages, coming full circle time and again. The dreams of gods and the lives of mortals overlap, and the death of a culture is the birth of something entirely new.

This is a world of desert empires, bold bandits, prideful princesses, faithful-unto-death followers, age-old oaths, immortal ships, and magic. Vera Nazarian has captured a rare and special kind of beauty in the tales that make up the entirety of Dreams of the Compass Rose. Fourteen stories in all detail key moments and players in the long and intricate history of the Compass Rose and all its many realms, from the mysterious island of Amarantea which floats at the edge of the world, to Livais, the city of blasphemers which is transformed into pure gold; from the slain realm of Risei which births a goddess, to the Kingdom of the Middle which holds ancient secrets; from the insanely shifting city of No-Sleep where the dreams of its ruler determine its very nature from day to day, to the End of the World, which is both nearer and further away than anyone could ever guess.

We’re introduced to an ever-changing cast of characters whose paths crisscross through the ages, transforming from man to god to legend to myth and finally into mystery. Ris the Trickster, who is both goddess and mortal, messiah and trickster; Nadir, whose faith in intangible things leads him into a lifetime of servitude under and beside a cruel dark princess; Lero, insane captain of the Eye of Sun, who bargains with gods for her ship’s invulnerability; Belta Digh, who forces a negotiation between brash mortals, and Death herself; Annaelit, the Teller of Tales, who discovers the true price for mocking the gods; Yaro, who risks madness during Carnival when she confronts the Lord of Illusions; Prince Lirheas, who makes a decidedly odd choice for marriage and thus buries the seed for what will one day be called Amarantea; the mighty _tagavor_ who conquers the known world, slays an entire race, and begins an age-old cycle of mystery and treachery; the brilliant woman called ‘you with the knowing eyes’ who in truth discovers the secret about the extent of the world’s reach. These people and more are interwoven together through the centuries, from the earliest days of a desert empire, to the far-flung days when all that remains is an ocean and legends.

Each story is a gem in itself, a self-contained modern myth with a certain unique flavor. It’s as though the lands of the Thousand and One Nights had collided with the worlds of L. Frank Baum, producing a story cycle with an Ozian undertone and an Arabian accent. Take one story at a time, and savor the rich language, the images, and the archetypical characters which populate it. Read them all, and trace the patterns of man vs god, truth vs illusion, reality vs legend, appearing over and over in different guises.

Vera Nazarian’s choice of words is exact and haunting, from the “ocean of steel and mauve sun-glitter upon cool waters” to the “pungent flavor and fable” and all points in-between. Most importantly, she’s crafted the sort of stories to which you can return over and over, discovering new nuances every time, stories which remain in the forefront of the conscious mind long after you’ve closed the book. This is not an easy or quick read, but rather something to be savored and enjoyed, taken a little at a time so that each new portion dissolves on the tongue.

It took me several readings of some of the stories before I truly got it, but once I opened myself up, I understood the artistically decadent way Dreams of the Compass Rose was crafted, and after that, I couldn’t get enough. It possesses the same mixture of subtlety and blatant imagery as any dream, and can be as kind or cruel as the gods of old. If these aren’t stories taken from actual myth, then they surely detail a history of the world we lost along the way. This is a book well worth the price.

Dragon Weather and Dragon Society, by Lawrence Watt-Evans (Tor, 1999/2001)

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What can one boy’s oath for vengeance do to change the world? And how far will he go to see his oath fulfilled? That’s one of the driving themes behind Lawrence Watt-Evan’s fantastic new series the Obsidian Chronicles, the second book of which has just been released.

It all starts with Dragon Weather, that hot, oppressive time when the air itself seems to stifle, temperatures rise, tempers flare, and the dragons venture forth from their lairs to rain fiery destruction upon the lands of Men. Once, they ruled the world, reptilian tyrants of unimaginable might, darkness and fire made flesh. Nothing could kill them. Nothing could stop them. Mankind fought back, but to little avail until a truce of sorts was reached. For seven hundred years, the dragons have slumbered beneath the mountains, coming out only sporadically for their own reasons. So long as they restrained themselves to destroying a village every few decades, and left the rest of the lands of Men alone, all was well.

That is, until they destroy the mountain village of Obsidian, leaving behind one survivor, a young man named Arlian. And in that attack, he is changed forever. Swallowing a mixture of blood and dragon venom, he’s imbued with their power, becoming one of the rare immortals known as dragonhearts. He will live forever, immune to poisons and intensely charismatic. He will rule the world from secrecy with the other dragonhearts. But that’s years in the future. For now, he’s still but a boy, orphaned and subsequently sold into slavery, condemned to a life in the mines.

He swears vengeance. Against the dragons which destroyed his home, slaughtered his family, shattered his life. Against the men who looted his ravaged home. Against the cruel overseer of the mine. Against the mine’s owner. Against the cold man with the scarred face who rescued him from the ruins of Obsidian and sold him into slavery. Arlian will live for no reasons other than revenge and justice.

Escaping the mines after seven long years, he makes his way into the world, finding safety and refuge in the House of Carnal Society, a whorehouse run by rich and powerful lords. When he discovers the true nature of what goes on their, and who has part-ownership in it, his world is again shattered. The House destroyed, the women who befriended him scattered or killed, Arlian adds six more names to his growing list of those destined for his vengeance.

Gifted with the power of the dragonheart but still not realizing it, he becomes immensely successful, ultimately getting enough money and power to reinvent himself as the eccentric, flamboyant, and deadly Lord Obsidian. With his faithful aide, steward, and boyguard Black at his side, he enters the treacherous world of the Dragon Society, those dragonhearts who seek the companionship of their own kind. One small problem, though. He’s sworn to kill five of them for the parts they’ve played in his life. And Arlian, now Obsidian, will stop at nothing. He’ll duel in the streets, shatter the Society from the inside, and pursue men across the world to see his oaths fulfilled. He’ll make friends, but many more enemies, and risk his life again and again to rescue the women he’s lost, and see them avenged with a certain single-mindedness that convinces many he’s mad.

Ultimately, Arlian will pursue the deadliest of them, the ancient sorcerer known as Lord Enziet, or Lord Dragon, right into the heart of the dragons’ territory. He’ll learn what awful secrets Enziet has held for seven centuries. He’ll discover the two most dangerous things in the world: how dragons are created, and how they might be killed. Information the dragons will go to war over, information that could destroy seven hundred years of semi-peace. But Arlian will see justice done.

In Dragon Society, Arlian returns to the great city of Manfort, having seen his greatest opponent vanquished at last. Another name on his list can be crossed off. Six women from the House of Carnal Society now reside with him, freed from their former masters. He’s become obscenely rich, and he knows things no man alive does. Now he can continue his obsessive quest to rid the world of dragons and their evil once and for all.

However, there’s more to it than that. Enziet, who once opposed Arlian to the death, has left him everything. His centuries of research, his home, his obligations, even his role in dealing with the dragons. Before Arlian can use what he knows, he must put affairs in order, and deal with this legacy. For the dragons are coming, and will again engulf the lands of Men in fire and death and destruction. Only Arlian has the tools to kill them, and the knowledge, and it will tear the Dragon Society apart. Intrigue and politics have nothing on three dozen odd centuries-old men and women who have just been told their immortality has both a price, and a time limit after all. Some will ally themselves with Arlian. Some will oppose him. Some will die horribly.

As Arlian races to get his weapons made, he has to contend with bitter rivals, political maneuvering, the increasing pressures of his station, and the oaths he swore long ago. Will he stay true to himself and die, or betray himself in order to serve the larger good? To what lengths must he go to prove that dragons can, indeed, be killed? The time of dragon weather again draws nearer, the dragons themselves stirring and readying themselves for war. They’ll stop at nothing to destroy Arlian if he doesn’t rally the Duke of Manfort, the surviving members of the Dragon Society, and his other allies in time to dstroy them first. Even if they do succeed, war is still on the horizon….

It’s quite clear at the end of Dragon Society that a third book is on its way, to put a capstone on an epic tale of morality, revenge, justice, ambition, power, and responsibility. Thus far, we’ve been treated to a luxurious, in-depth examination into what drives a man through adversity. Arlian’s growth and evolution from ignorant youth, to embittered and driven young man, to confident warrior, also allows us to see the darker sides of such drive. Innocents suffer and people die as a result of his quest. Though he serves a much larger good, the questions constantly arise. Can he do it? Should he do it? What gives him the right to do these things? Why should anyone else go with him? Why sacrifice centuries of experience and life for something that -might- happen? Who will help rule the lands of Men if he destroys the secret society that has been pulling the strings for so long? Should he abandon his quest and bury his knowledge, if it’ll keep the dragons in their caves? Is he truly mad with his obsessions? What will people do for immortality? He faces all these and more.

This exploration of right and wrong, good and selfishness, justice and vengeance, plays out against a fascinating backdrop where magic is genuinely disturbing, and dragons are ancient, conniving engies of pure destruction with nary a known weakness. They’re not familiar, they’re not friendly, they’re deadly and shadowy, so that when they do make their appearances, it’s with all the power and terrifying might possible.

In short, Lawrence Watt-Evans has a winner here, and if the third volume in the series is as good as the first two, it’ll be one of the best classical fantasy stories in quite some time. It’s intense, but well-paced, complex without confusing, and entertaining without sacrificing its introspective nature. I highly recommend Dragon Weather and Dragon Society. If anything, they’re even better than his Ethshar series

The Dragons of the Cuyahoga, by S. Andrew Swann (Daw, 2001)

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In the ten years since a magical portal opened up in Cleveland, disgorging elves, dragons, mages, and other refugees from a world of fantasy and magic, reporter Kline Maxwell has steadfastedly avoided the “fuzzy gnome” beat, preferring his comfortable and familiar routine covering City Hall. But when fifteen tons of dragon goes into a nosedive, crashlanding with fatal and messy results in the Cuyahoga River, Maxwell is inexplicably assigned to the story. Never one to let a story go unreported, he tackles the subject with grudging interest. For it turns out that this wasn’t just any old dragon, this was Aloeus, first of his kind to cross the Portal and since then irrevocably tied into the doings of man and myth alike.

What could kill a dragon? And more importantly, was someone behind it, and if so, why? Maxwell knows this isn’t an ordinary or easily-explained event. And the further he digs, the more his suspicions are borne out by the reactions he gets. A very ugly and complex picture begins to emerge. Aloeus was indeed murdered, and everyone seems to be involved. The person or persons named Faust. The FBI. The CIA. The Threat Assessment Office. The Cleveland Port Authority. The Mayor. The police, including the predominantly-elven Special Paranormal Unit. The underground mage known as Bone Daddy. Aloeus’ lawyers. Leo Baldassare, go-between and agent for Aloeus and the Portal’s inhabitants. Whoever’s been sending Maxwell cryptic Shakespearian quotes by cell phone. The gargoyle following him. In fact, about the only people not in on this, it seems, are Maxwell and his estranged wife and daughter.

What started as a simple story mushrooms into a conspiracy of terrifying complexity, with Maxwell dragged head-first into the thick of things. Everyone wants to know how much he knows, and they aren’t always gentle about it. Are the cops corrupt, or is the true threat coming from the Mayor’s office? Is the conspiracy one to overthrow the government, or to conquer the world beyond the Portal? Just who or what is Faust, and why does saying that name cause such a bad reaction from all who hear it? Time and again, Maxwell will think he has the answers, only to be set further afield by the introduction of a new element. In a conspiracy where everyone has their own agenda, and a world is at stake, anything is possible.
Maxwell will uncover the truth, but at what cost?

The Dragons of the Cuyahoga is a fastpaced, highly complex story about ambition, greed, magic, and the need to discover the truth of the matter. Maxwell’s an ordinary human caught up in a game of politics and dragons, but ironically, he’s the only one removed enough to puzzle out the many different factors which make this story so unpredictable. The setting is a recognizable Cleveland, with the sort of authentic feel only one familiar with the city can truly convey, but made more fantastical and more dangerous by the addition of immortal, inhuman beings. In this regards, it bears some resemblance to Laurell K. Hamilton or Jim Butcher’s works, but don’t be fooled. Swann has created a setting uniquely his. You can add Cleveland to the list of cities infested by magic, for better or for worse, just like Chicago, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, and Newford.

This was a fun read, and not being able to guess the “whodunit” until very late in the story made it all the more enjoyable for me. If you like your fantasy or urban fantasy with that extra edge, and a heavy dose of complex murder mystery, this is one to look for. As well, Swann is an author I’ll keep my eye on, in the hopes he’ll return to this setting.

Dragon Bones, by Patricia Briggs (Ace, 2002)

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Sometimes, it pays to lay low and let people underestimate you. Certainly that’s the game plan for Ward of Hurog, whose father is a psychotic, abusive bastard on his best days, and a tyrant on his worst. Ward’s already lost several relatives to the vicious power plays and conniving of his family, and wants nothing to do with it. So he plays dumb. Real dumb. And he’s a good enough actor to pull it off, too. No one suspects that he’s really quite smart, not even his beloved sister or rambunctious cousins.

That’s all about to change. A freak accident kills Ward’s father, and leaves him in charge of Hurog Keep, making him the new Hurogmeten. If Ward can’t convince everyone that he’s up for the job, and quickly, his conniving uncle will seize the power from under him.

Ultimately, Ward’s only hope lies away from his beloved home. If he can just become a war hero, he’ll have no trouble assuming control and keeping it. With the state of the world as it is, there’s bound to be action somewhere. So he sets out, accompanied by an unlikely group of people: his mute sister Ciarra, his estranged brother Tosten, the dwarven warrior Axiel, the fighter Penrod, the escaped slave and sorceress Bastilla, and the enigmatic boy wizard Oreg, whose very existence is tied up with Hurog Keep in inexplicable, ancient ways.

As the motley assortment travels cross country, Ward’s twin cousins, Erdrick and Bertram, get caught up in a murderous, unpredictable game of intrigue at court, which kills one and threatens to kill the other. Their story will soon intersect with that of Ward and his companions, and the results will be explosive. Someone will betray Ward and friends, and it’ll be someone they never expect. A mysterious force will plunder the countryside, seeking long-lost artifacts of magical power. And a pile of dragon bones will be found lying beneath Hurog Keep, and in them lies the greatest power of all.

Ward will make the greatest sacrifice imaginable to save the country from an even greater threat. He’ll destroy everything his family stands for, and kill someone close to him, all for a greater good. The only question is, will it be in time?

I enjoyed Dragon Bones. Though at time it was hard keeping the political intrigues and schemes straight, I found Ward to be a likable, straightforward character who carries the narrative quite nicely when he’s on stage. All in all, this is an enjoyable, well-written book, with enough plot twists and turns to keep the reader’s attention. While there are plenty of questions left over, the projected sequel to Dragon Bones will undoubtedly answer them. This book is sure to appeal to lovers of fantasy, and may serve well to cleanse the palate between larger or more complex works.

Dogland, by Will Shetterly (Tor, 1997)

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It’s 1959, and young Christopher Nix, just turned four, has moved to Florida with his family. His father, Luke, has plans to open Dogland, a tourist attraction and zoo starring over a hundred different breeds of dogs, everything from Irish wolfhounds to poodles, from Dobermans to bulldogs, from basenjis to beagles. His mother, Susan, will operate the restaurant and gift shop. His little sister, ‘Little Bit’ and his little brother, ‘Digger’ will help out as best they can. It’s a new start for the Nix family, a new set of surroundings, a new community, and a whold new world.

It’s 1959, and racial tension is at a high, Jim Crow laws still in effect down in the South in places, and segregation the sort of issue to turn a community against itself. The Klan meets at night, the old white guard finding brotherhood in their hatred and bigotry. The world is changing rapidly, and the Nix family is caught in the middle. For Luke Nix is a just and fair man, who regards blacks as equals, who hires them at the same wages he would whites, and preaches tolerance to his impressionable, intelligent children. He hires on Ethorne Hawkins as the cook, and the rest of Ethorne’s family in other capacities: handymen, tour guides, waitress, so that black and white work togethe in an area where that sort of thing is still an issue.
Little do they know that this sort of tolerance will have a deadly cost somewhere down the road.

It’s 1959, and Christopher Nix is four, going on five, and the story of Dogland is told through his perceptions, the odd ways of adults filtered through a child’s understanding. His sense of wonder permeates the story and sets the tone. It’s a time of growth and discovery in a period of instability and change. He’ll learn a lot about the world as he grows up. About religion and politics, atheism and segregation, people and society.

Dogland opens, and Christopher suspects, but never knows for certain, that not everyone he knows is entirely normal. Certainly, the tourists who pass through have secrets and stories to tell. In hindsight, and through our guise as readers, we can perhaps place more meaning to the identities of the colorful cast that Christopher can. Who exactly are Joe and Mary, the wandering couple who travel by horse-drawn wagon? What role does Nick Lumiere, lawyer and manipulator play in all this? What sorrows do Artie Drake, real estate agent, and his daughter Gwenny hide? What power does the ancient Heart Tree hold deep in its roots? And is there more to Maggie DeLyon and her Fountain of Youth motel than meets the eye? Who exactly is Jimmy Tepes, teenager-at-large? Like Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, the people and beings that walk among us may not be ordinary, but they’re not entirely legends either. Shetterly cleverly filters these encounters through Christopher’s experiences, so that even after finishing the book, we’re left to make our own conclusions. Are they really Joseph and Mary, Lucifer, King Arthur, a quartet of Asgardian dieties, Yggsdrasil the World Tree, and the Holy Grail, or are they merely allegorical representations?

The supernatural runs through this book on such a subtle, well-veiled, merely-hinted level that even at its most fantastic, it’s but a shadow cast by the true magic: that of childhood’s wonder. As the years progress, Christopher turns five, six, seven, goes into kindergarten, first grade, second grade. Against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the advent of color television, the introduction of Marvel Comics, and the effort to promote segregation, Christopher struggles to find his own place in the universe, his own viewpoint on God, and the reason things are as they are.

It all comes to a boil when Luke Nix makes one too many enemies in his quest for justice and equality. It all comes down to an explosive confrontation with the Klan on a dark and portentious night, when the dogs will run free, fire will split the night, and one very good man will make a deal with the Devil to spare an innocent child. In the end, it really is about the choices we make, and the freedom to make those choices, and the knowledge needed to make those choices intelligently.

This is a brilliantly-told story, written with a sharp eye and an authentic voice, and we’re told just as much as Christopher himself knows, and no more. From that, we must decide for ourselves what something truly means. Often-overlooked in favor of his wife, Emma Bull, Will Shetterly is a master storyteller in his own right, whose books, while rare, are always a thoroughly enjoyable treat. Don’t mistake Dogland’s slow buildup and subtle tones for a lack of fantasy and magic, but instead look for magic in even the most commonplace of occurences.

I must confess, though, that while I originally bought this book when it came out over four years ago, it’s taken me until now to get around to reading it. I kept waiting for the right moment and mood, and they just never seemed to come together. But was this book worth the wait? Yes. It was a welcome pleasure to pull it off the shelf at long last, sit down, and lose myself in the coming-of-age story of a boy surrounded by subtle, quiet magics. This one is worth looking for.

Devlin's Luck, by Patricia Bray (Bantam, 2002)

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For centuries, the kingdom of Jorsk has been defended by the great warrior known as the Chosen One. He is the man who appears when the kingdom is in peril and puts his life on the line, defeating brigands, invaders, pirates, monsters of all sorts. It’s a hazardous job, and many a Chosen One has fallen in the line of duty, many not even making it past their first mission. Bound by a geas, sanctioned by the gods, they do unto death for the kingdom, their only reward a vague respect, and the substantial bonus of ten golden disks — enough to ransom a village or make a man wealthy for the rest of his life. The post of Chosen One has fallen into disrepute in the past century; those called to it seem… lacking.

Then comes Devlin Stonehand, a farmer with a mysterious past, from far-off Duncaer, known well in Jorsk as a most recalcitrant, unhappily-conquered province. None from Duncaer have ever been called before. No farmers have ever come forth before. Devlin is truly an enigma. He arrives in tatters, exhausted, intent upon one thing only. He demonstrates an uncanny feel for swords, leading some to question what else he might have done in his former civilian life.

Once sworn into service, bound with a geas to protect the kingdom with every ounce of strength, Devlin’s life is forever altered. But to the surprise of everyone, even Devlin himself, he survives his first mission, against all odds. And his second. And his third. Impossible, people mutter. Could he be a true Chosen One? A true hero? How can this be? Duncaer has harbored little love for their conquerors. Devlin is a man who sought out the role of Chosen One expecting — and yearning for — death.

As he cheats death, his past is slowly revealed. The circumstances that rendered him kinless. The charges that cast him out from his society. The strings of the Gods tug at him, and the Geas directs him. Despite his best intentions, Devlin’s fortunes begin to turn, so that he truly serves, and leads. But a traitor lurks in the halls of state, and the Gods have plans for Devlin, and somewhere out there, the Sword of Light, the weapon belonging to the last great Chosen One, waits to be found…

The concept of the Chosen One is a popular and frequent theme for fantasy series, whether it’s the assistant pigkeeper, or the exiled king, or just some poor schlub off the street with an inexplicable, implacable destiny to fulfill. Patricia Bray takes this old concept and puts a new spin on it, making the Chosen One an official post, one in dire need of improvement, and putting someone like Devlin Stonehand in the role. The more he looks for death, the more it eludes him, making him a most reluctant hero with nothing to lose. It’s an interesting read, and worth checking out.

Devlin’s Luck is the first in the Sword of Change series, to be followed by Devlin’s Honor. You can find out more on Patricia Bray’s home page. Bantam’s Web site is here.